garmin dakota 20 field note lenght

[+Highland Horde]

I've got the dakota 20 and i run out of room when entering field notes while out caching. I know there is a limit to the length of the field notes. Does anybody know what the limit is? is there a way to work around this?

(I am pretty sure the limit is the same with the oregon)

[+fegan]

I think the limit is either 100 or 200 characters. The purpose of Field Notes is not intended to enter your entire log...that is done after you upload the geocache_visits.txt file to Geocaching.com website. Field Notes are for entering short notes (e.g log was wet, log was full, may be missing, etc) as a reminder when you're composing your log on-line.

 

What are you entering that you're reaching/exceeding the limit?

[+Highland Horde]

I use the field notes to note cache condition, TB's that were there, missing, dropped or picked up, and notes relavent to the hunt. Its not really a big deal I was just wondering if there was a work around. Before I got my dakota I was using an etrex and logging my finds using my blackberry and cacheberry so there wasn't a limit on the field notes.

[+Niknodders]

I use the field notes to note cache condition, TB's that were there, missing, dropped or picked up, and notes relavent to the hunt. Its not really a big deal I was just wondering if there was a work around. Before I got my dakota I was using an etrex and logging my finds using my blackberry and cacheberry so there wasn't a limit on the field notes.

 

Apparently it is limited to 50 characters

[+ecanderson]

I've got the dakota 20 and i run out of room when entering field notes while out caching. I know there is a limit to the length of the field notes. Does anybody know what the limit is? is there a way to work around this?

(I am pretty sure the limit is the same with the oregon)

The actual limit is either 49 or 50 characters, I can't recall which. That isn't something you can configure, either.

 

The way to work around this in a pinch is to go to "Find Geocaches", "Show Found" and log another "Found" or "Write Note" against the cache you have already found, then hit the "Add Comments" button again just like you did the first time. That permits you another entry of 49 or 50 characters. It does not overwrite the previous note in the geocache_visits.txt file. It appends another one.

 

Just don't forget what you've done when you go to up load your field notes (e.g., don't accidentally log the cache twice).

 

There have been only one or two times where there was some special set of details that were likely to disappear if committed to memory and couldn't fly in 50 - as an example, additional waypoints in a multi where I wanted to take notes (not just create waypoints) about the containers at each stop in sequence. This is one way of managing that issue.

 

Also, you need to learn to come up with shorthand abbreviations that don't waste space but are sufficient memory joggers when you get back home, even it that turns out to be some days later.

 

As an example, you needn't spell out "Camouflaged 35 millimeter film container in pine tree, three feet up on the northwest side of the tree" if "C35 pine 3 up nw" would do. That's a wimpy example, but ... Lock-n-Lock containers become LNL, Hide-a-Key containers become HAK. You get the idea. Yeah, I take anal retentive level notes. I can tell you which side of the tree and how far up, and how far from the trunk it was, or the correct count of how many vertical supports from the north end of the bridge

Edited October 16, 2010 by ecanderson

[+fegan]

Guess it's even shorter than I thought! Don't remember where I saw that 100 or 200 character figure.

 

Yeah, you'll have to come up with some shorthand if you're going to enter a lot of info in your fieldnotes. Mine are rarely more than 10 characters. Mostly things like: FOG for found on ground (e.g. when it clearly should have been up in a tree), WET if the log or container was wet, a TB/GC number (if I'm swapping more than 1 or 2 I'll use my phone for the number), clue for a series (e.g. A=2, B=5, etc.).

 

As ecanderson said, there's no way for you to configure it on the GPS.

 

If the Dakota is like the Oregon and keeps track of your find count (I have a Colorado, so I'm not intimately familiar with the Oregon/Dakota...although I have used an Oregon a few times), then logging multiple finds to get around the limits of the field notes will throw off that count.

[+ecanderson]

If the Dakota is like the Oregon and keeps track of your find count (I have a Colorado, so I'm not intimately familiar with the Oregon/Dakota...although I have used an Oregon a few times), then logging multiple finds to get around the limits of the field notes will throw off that count.

 

I've never used that feature, but if it's of concern, one can simply use a "Note" instead of a "Find" and not throw off the count. The opportunity to "Add Comment" works both ways. Edited October 16, 2010 by ecanderson

[+Highland Horde]

i've never even seen that feature but you cannot add a note as such you have the option to "find" "DNF" "needs maintenance" or "Unattempted" I havent checked yet to see if the logs from "unattempted" are uploaded or not. I guess I will just work out some shorthand stuff as long as I remember to change it before posting the log (QF LW GB LC TNLN SL TFTH...lol)

[+fegan]

IIRC the Unattempted logs are NOT uploaded...even though they are in the geocache_vists.txt file. The real purpose of the Unattempted log is to move a cache which you marked as Found back to your Unfound list.

 

I wouldn't even bother putting things like TNLNSL TFTH in the field notes...you can add that when logging on-line...it's just a time killer while typing field notes on the GPS. Now, OTOH, if you did trade something you could include that (e.g. "TPIN LCAR" if you took a lapel pin and left a hot wheel car) in your field note, which would be a flag to you not to put TNLN in your on-line log.

 

Most of my field notes are a single letter indicating who found the cache when I'm caching with a friend. When I cache alone I rarely enter anything as I log all my finds daily, while they're fresh in my mind. I mostly just log cache problems in the field notes (FOG, WET or FULL).

 

You'll figure out what works best for you.

[+Highland Horde]

Im sure it will be fine. The only time that I really appreciated having no limit was when i "overnighted" at a cache and logged the adventure on my Blackberry but I imagine I will just upload any caches to my BB if I am going to have much to write. too bad i couldnt send caches from my dakota to my BB like you can from a dakota to another garmin. I do like the field notes. It is a lot better than needing to use both the gps and my phone. I just dont really see the point of limiting the field notes to 50 characters.

[+ecanderson]

My apologies. It is called "Unattempted", not "Write Note" on the Garmin interface.

 

That said, the "Add Comment" field appears for that, and the information appears in the geocache_visits.txt file which you read through with your favorite text editor. It is true that they don't get "uploaded". Just as well since you don't want to log the cache multiple times anyway. The idea is to give yourself more space to take notes on a particular cache if need be. Like I say, it's a rare thing, but sometimes helpful.

[+dfx]

i tried logging a second "found" on my 450 on an already found cache. it didn't affect the internal find count, and the entry was present in the .txt file (no idea if it appears in the uploaded field notes though). i only did that once though, so no guarantees.

Edited October 17, 2010 by dfx

[+ecanderson]

i tried logging a second "found" on my 450 on an already found cache. it didn't affect the internal find count, and the entry was present in the .txt file (no idea if it appears in the uploaded field notes though). i only did that once though, so no guarantees.

Yeah, it will. You want to be careful doing it that way. There WILL be a 2nd log entry prepared for use when you upload your field notes if you generate more than one "Found" log on a given cache.