How do I load caches onto a PDA

[+carrera24]

I have a 5720 and for the life of me I cant get my head around how to load caches onto it.

I know this is seen a bit like old technology, but it is sitting here and can be put to good use to see how I like Geocaching.

Would welcome some assistance please.

[+LSUFan]

Howdy, as I am not familiar with your particular unit, this advice is based off of my experience with using a pocket pc 2002 Dell Axim X5. The following may or may not work with your pda:

 

One way is to get a program that will read gpx files to put on your pda. If your pda runs off a pocket pc/windows mobile platform (non palm operating system), you might could try gpxsonar (there are others)...which I was real satisfied with back when I used it on my Dell Axim X5.

 

With gpxsonar, you would just run a pocket query on gc.com and download the resulting raw gpx file to your pda storage (a sd card on my X5). If your pda uses storage cards, you can use your computer to download gpx files direct to them, then install them in your pda......or you can do it thru the sync process with your computer/pda.

 

You would then open up GPXSonar and it would automatically search for any/all gpx files (or you could manually point the program to where the gpx file was stored).

 

Once the file loaded, you could see the title of the caches, and if the cache had travel bugs, etc from the main screen. You could doubletap the name of the cache and bring the whole page up, like you see on gc.com.

 

Here is one place to get gpxsonar and see a screenshot of it

 

http://www.handango.com/ProductDetail.jsp?siteId=2218&productId=123059

Edited September 1, 2012 by LSUFan

[+TomToad]

I used a program called CacheMate on my PDA. It can be downloaded from http://www.smittyware.com/prodlist.php

 

Before I had cachemate, I just used GSAK to export the PQ to HTML format and used the web browser to open and read the cache info.

[Mr.Yuck]

I used a program called CacheMate on my PDA. It can be downloaded from http://www.smittyware.com/prodlist.php

 

Before I had cachemate, I just used GSAK to export the PQ to HTML format and used the web browser to open and read the cache info.

 

This thing appears to be a PocketPC. I can't even find a picture of it on the web. So I'd probably go with LSUfan's suggestion. CacheMate only works for PalmOS, if I'm not mistaken, and with a quick glance at the website. I actually used Plucker years ago to put cache pages on a Palm PDA.

 

Edit to add, if the 5720 is a pocketpc, did you know you can actually use it for Wherigo? There's a bonus right there.

Edited September 1, 2012 by Mr.Yuck

[AZcachemeister]

CacheMate only works for PalmOS, if I'm not mistaken

 

Your quick glancer needs re-alignment!

 

CacheMate is available for Palm OS, PocketPC, Windows Smartphone, and ANDROID.

[AZcachemeister]

Is THIS what we are talking about?

 

[+LSUFan]

Just a little side note, and actually the reason I quit using my pocket pc for paperless caching.......is that you can go paperless also if you are using one of the many Garmin Nuvi's.

 

http://geocaching.totaltechworld.com/

[+carrera24]

Thanks for the postings guys

 

Azcachemeister - Yes that is the one.

 

But I am still no nearer to understanding what I have to do.

 

There are many mentions of different programmes I will need and this just confuses me all the more.

 

I am a Premium member, so what I really would like to know is precisely how I get the caches details etc onto the Pocket PC.

 

If I get one of the ones mentioned what do I "actually" have to do as I find it difficult to just copy caches into the device.

 

No one seems to have much experience of this.

 

Regards

[AZcachemeister]

See LSUFan's post about GPXSonar.

 

You could get CacheMate for a few $$, but it sounds as if GPXSOnar would have the shorter learning curve since it reads .gpx files directly.

[+carrera24]

I have got Cachemate, installed it and cant make it do what i want it to.

I am non the wiser.

I feel like giving up as I am just not getting anywhere let alone find a cache!.

 

I have become a Premium member, I have downloaded Geo Bucket,& Geocaching's own programme (that works ok on my Ipad,)

But I have issues understanding if should be using GPX or LOC or whatever. nothing seems to be straightforward.

If I go to Geocaching website and search and find some caches, I am then instructed to click on the icon on Right and it then asks me for details of garmin, Magellen etc which I dont use. So thats impossible.

If I try and send to my GPS I get the same message.

To make the matter worse i have had sitting in my drawer a GPSmart, but cant get this to be seen by any of my computers, so that is worse than useless.

I have got C:Geo on my mobile phone and that is so simple to use, why should I have so much trouble with the others.

I am aware that I cant use C:geo on my Ipad or the 5720, thats why I have tried to go down the Website route.

 

This is really confusing me.

Can you help please.

Edited September 4, 2012 by carrera24

[AZcachemeister]

Ohhhh, man!

 

I don't have a PocketPC unit, but here is the instructions from the CacheMate site:

 

- Copy file(s) into the PDA's My Documents folder (anywhere in there)

- Start CacheMate

- From the list view, select the Import toolbar button (2nd from right)

- Set options as desired and select Start

 

After completing those steps you will see where you can select what file to import and go from there. If you want to import more than one file at a time, zip them up before copying them to the PDA, and select the ZIP file when prompted.

 

If you're importing from a file stored on a memory card, then you'll probably have to create a "My Documents" directory on the card to copy it into. Otherwise, the Pocket PC file open dialog may not be able to find it.

 

Good luck!

[+TomToad]

Use pocket queries to get the gpx files you need to import on Cache Mate. This is a good tutorial on creating pocket queries.

 

After downloading the PQ, go to this link to find out how to install the PQs to the device.

[+Huntleigh]

See LSUFan's post about GPXSonar.

 

You could get CacheMate for a few $$, but it sounds as if GPXSOnar would have the shorter learning curve since it reads .gpx files directly.

 

I have both GPXSonar and Cachemate on my iPaq (PocketPC 2003 o/s).

 

GPXSonar: Free—the developer no longer supports,but still available. I prefer it's interface but it doesn't have any navigation component. It's just a list of the caches in the GPX file. You can add field notes. Can add spolier pics as well.

 

Cachemate—costs money. Much more sophisticated but I don't really like the interface. Has navigation but I couldn't comment on this as my iPaq doesn't have a GPS receiver.