Oregon 450 and Geocatching

[ProgrammerGeek]

I just picked up a Oregon 450 just for geocatching. I can't quite figure out how to get the catches in there yet. It looks like I can use pocket quires and download a batch at a time that is not really a good answer. Anyhow I have been using my Iphone because 50% of the time I do a catch it is spur of the moment when I am traveling and have time but wanted something a bit more accurate. Is there a way to get a catch from my iphone to the Garmin without manually typing it in that would solve my issues? I can try to load all the catches in NJ but it appears that is not really possible and I would have to do tons of quires. This may go back it is a nice GPS but unless it is silly simple and functional geocatching I don't have a use for it. Any help is appreated on how people use this. I guess by now I tought they would have a better more useable system seems like the same cruddy system they had 8 years ago to get catches on there with limited info cluttering the maps and I would have to have to have a pc and cable with me something I don't hike with or necessory travel with since my iphone and ipad has basically replaced that bulkey stuff.

[+kunarion]

I guess by now I tought they would have a better more useable system seems like the same cruddy system they had 8 years ago to get catches on there with limited info cluttering the maps and I would have to have to have a pc and cable with me something I don't hike with or necessory travel with since my iphone and ipad has basically replaced that bulkey stuff.

It's easy to get GPX files onto the 450. Plug it onto a USB port and the Garmin becomes a USB drive. Place the GPX files into the “\Garmin\GPX” folder, and you're done. Manage the files by the area you will explore (delete the old PQs). Pocket queries can cover a huge area. I've never needed more than "a batch at a time".

 

If the Iphone has a USB port, maybe you can send PQs and GPX files to the Garmin. I have an Android tablet, and it recognizes only one drive at a time (the Photo drive on the handheld), so mine almost sends the files, but not quite. I'm just one firmware update away from not needing to tote my laptop!

 

There are advantages and disadvantages for the different devices.

 

You'd use the handheld because it's rugged, waterproof, and uses ordinary batteries, so you can swap batteries when needed. You'd have the caches pre-loaded, and you need to plan and load a fresh Pocket Query (or selected individual caches if you can't use PQs) for the area you intend to visit, since the cache info changes frequently. You can leave the handheld powered on and tracking, for hours at a time, depending on the batteries. If you're hiking into the wilderness, use the Garmin (have caches along the route and selected spots pre-loaded), and save the phone for use as a phone.

 

You'd use the iphone when you're in an unexpected spot and need to cache there on-the-fly. Depending on where you are, data service may be unavailable, and then you get no caches at all. Until then (as long as the battery lasts), you get the entire GC website, and all caches in the area updated live. If you're doing urban caches, that's perfect.

Edited September 5, 2012 by kunarion

[+Lieblweb]

You are not a premium member, so you can't run or create pocket queries.

 

Here are some links that you should find helpful:

http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/Geocaching

Forum topic:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=264976

 

If you were a premium member and you know the area you are visiting ahead of time, you would create pocket queries for those areas and load them via GPX files into your 450.

 

Other than that....www.google.com is a great resource for searching the information you need.

[+kunarion]

If you were a premium member and you know the area you are visiting ahead of time,

A single Pocket Query can cover an area with a diameter of at least 100 miles. If people are often finding themselves over a hundred miles away from where they intended to be, I'd suggest keeping that iphone fully charged. That's probably not even a Geocaching problem.

Edited September 5, 2012 by kunarion

[+Chief301]

"cache"

[+Cacheoholic]

Exactly what I was thinking and “geocaching”!

[+Atlas Cached]

A single Pocket Query can cover an area with a diameter of at least 100 miles. If people are often finding themselves over a hundred miles away from where they intended to be, I'd suggest keeping that iphone fully charged. That's probably not even a Geocaching problem.

 

Not where I live. I can't PQ a 5 mile radius without exceeding the PQ limit of 1000 Geocaches.

 

I have 5 PQ's run every Mon, Tue, and Wed just to get all the caches within 50 miles of my home coordinates.

[+Atlas Cached]

Is there a way to get a catch from my iphone to the Garmin without manually typing it in that would solve my issues?

 

As most newer Garmin GPSr are ANT+ equipped, and they make an ANT+ Adapter for the iPhone, Garmin techs were discussing developing software (as early as December 2011) for Android and iOS devices to allow you to do just that...

 

However, I suspect you will only get Opencaching downloads, and they will not interface or play nicely with Groundspeak because the powers that be at both garmin and Groundspeak prefer a pissing match with an endgame where we all loose.

[+kunarion]

I've just now discovered something with the Android tablet: It can send a Pocket Query to the Garmin Oregon, via the USB port. This was not possible before OS 4 (ICS). The droid was previously only finding the "photo" drive on the Garmin (the SD card).

 

I used the free version of "Astro" file manager, which automatically unzips the Pocket Query. Now I can find a wifi Hotspot and get new PQs anywhere I go (needing only the Android tablet and the Garmin Oregon). Unlike everyone else around here, I plan where I'm going, so I don't end up 100 miles from where I expected (nor 50 miles). But if I do, I'm golden.

 

Sorry this doesn't help with the iPhone question.

Edited September 7, 2012 by kunarion

[ProgrammerGeek]

Thanks for all the feedback and the useful information of pointing out my spelling error. Anyhow I am in NJ/NY I need to run several queries as well just to get around my house. Guess it is what it is. It is not to bad getting them on the unit but the whole thing of marking them found I need to do outside the GPS. Overall could be much better but some ANT communication would have to be developed.

[+Lieblweb]

Thanks for all the feedback and the useful information of pointing out my spelling error. Anyhow I am in NJ/NY I need to run several queries as well just to get around my house. Guess it is what it is. It is not to bad getting them on the unit but the whole thing of marking them found I need to do outside the GPS. Overall could be much better but some ANT communication would have to be developed.

 

You can mark them FOUND in the GPS. When you get home, hook up the GPS to the computer and upload your FIELD NOTES.

 

Geocaching.com will have the list of FOUND caches (and DNF's) that you uploaded. You can see them in one long list and can go into each one separately and make comments (or whatever).