Another Pocket Query Question

[halo826]

I have a Magellan Explorist GC and a new premium membership. Several members were nice enough to answer my question about pocket queries. Well, along with those instructions and much much digging around on my own, I have finally created a PQ and figured out how to download them to my GPS, which was NOT easy. But I figured it out and have some new caches loaded on the GPS from my newly created pocket query. Here is my question/problem. Where the h**l are they? I can find them individually in the GPS by putting in the GC code but are they supposed to be in a nice little package on my GPS? I don't really get the point of creating a pocket query and loading a pocket query into the GPS if they are just going to get blobbed into the list with the rest of the caches that are already loaded. What is the point if I still have to print or write out a list of all the caches in my PQ, enter each one specifically into the GPS to begin navigation? Am I missing something? I agree it is easier to load them to the GPS this way, but is that its only function? I guess I thought they would be lumped together in the GPS with the title I gave the PQ. I realize that once I get in the area of one cache on the PQ, searching "nearby" will bring up the rest but I want to make sure I am not missing some feature that is available. Thanks for letting me pick your brains some more!

[+GeoTrekker26]

Generally speaking a GPS is not a filing system so all geocaches are stored on one internal database the GPS creates from the various GPX files you load on it.

 

The advantage of a PQ is that you can find and select on the Geocaching.com web site a large number of caches that match you needs and send them to the GPS in one simple operation. Submit a query centered on you address and tell it give you 500 traditional caches of all sizes, difficulty and terrain ratings. In a matter of minutes you will have them on your computer and into your GPS. How long do you think it would take you to enter those 500 caches by any other method?

 

Geocaches are stored on the GPS in two GPX files per pocket query. All are displayed in one big list from the internal database the unit has created.

 

What are you trying to accomplish? By this I mean say you are going geocaching tomorrow. What do you want the GPS to do for you? You pick it up and turn it on. Now what do you want to be able to do? If you can explain that to us, perhaps we can help you get used to the new device.

[halo826]

Basically, you answered my question. For instance, I send a pocket query titled Downtown with all the caches I loaded into the Downtown PQ to my GPS. I was "expecting" to find a PQ in my GPS titled Downtown with all the selected caches there so I could just find and click them off that specific list when I decided to go downtown geocaching. And say, I filtered out everything except micros. How do I know by looking at my GPS which ones were loaded from my PQ and are micro only, and which ones were already on the list and include every size, not just micros? I realize I can look at the description and see what size cache it is, but I just thought my search filters would follow the PQ to the GPS so I could see the same filtered results. I hope that makes sense.

 

Apparently, the purpose of a PQ is to load numerous caches at once to the GPS but not necessarily be a "filing system". I just did not know what to expect from a PQ and was a little underwhelmed when I did not get what I thought I would. It is certainly easier than selecting and downloading them individually, so that part is really nice. And I suppose they are organized in my email and/or GPS software on the PC. Thanks for clearing up my confusion.

Edited August 18, 2013 by halo826

[+redcenterdazza]

Basically, you answered my question. For instance, I send a pocket query titled Downtown with all the caches I loaded into the Downtown PQ to my GPS. I was "expecting" to find a PQ in my GPS titled Downtown with all the selected caches there so I could just find and click them off that specific list when I decided to go downtown geocaching. And say, I filtered out everything except micros. How do I know by looking at my GPS which ones were loaded from my PQ and are micro only, and which ones were already on the list and include every size, not just micros? I realize I can look at the description and see what size cache it is, but I just thought my search filters would follow the PQ to the GPS so I could see the same filtered results. I hope that makes sense.

 

Apparently, the purpose of a PQ is to load numerous caches at once to the GPS but not necessarily be a "filing system". I just did not know what to expect from a PQ and was a little underwhelmed when I did not get what I thought I would. It is certainly easier than selecting and downloading them individually, so that part is really nice. And I suppose they are organized in my email and/or GPS software on the PC. Thanks for clearing up my confusion.

 

I know on the garmin 62 (and I'm no tech expert believe me). I just hit find, select geocache, and it will display the caches from closest to furthest. I don't get a list from the PQ I load. Also the caches will show on the map if I am in map view so I can see if I am near one.

[+GeoTrekker26]

Pages 16 and 17 of the manual might help you. They show how you can use the GPS to select certain caches based on your criteria from the caches in the GPS.

 

Something to think about: information about caches extremely time sensitive. Caches go missing, get archived, changed, etc all the time. The logs are constantly getting updated. Because of this my feeling is that preloaded caches on a GPS are a marketing gimmick. If you are going to be in a area, you will want to check for the current info about caches in that area not rely on data that are weeks or months old. If it were me I'd delete all the preloaded caches off the GPS after saving them on my computer. Just something to think about (as if you don't already have enough!).

 

Best of luck with your new toy!

[+Cardinal Red]

I have a Magellan Explorist GC and a new premium membership. Several members were nice enough to answer my question about pocket queries. Well, along with those instructions and much much digging around on my own, I have finally created a PQ and figured out how to download them to my GPS, which was NOT easy. But I figured it out and have some new caches loaded on the GPS from my newly created pocket query. Here is my question/problem. Where the h**l are they? I can find them individually in the GPS by putting in the GC code but are they supposed to be in a nice little package on my GPS? I don't really get the point of creating a pocket query and loading a pocket query into the GPS if they are just going to get blobbed into the list with the rest of the caches that are already loaded. What is the point if I still have to print or write out a list of all the caches in my PQ, enter each one specifically into the GPS to begin navigation? Am I missing something? I agree it is easier to load them to the GPS this way, but is that its only function? I guess I thought they would be lumped together in the GPS with the title I gave the PQ. I realize that once I get in the area of one cache on the PQ, searching "nearby" will bring up the rest but I want to make sure I am not missing some feature that is available. Thanks for letting me pick your brains some more!

 

There are several ways to look through the PQ caches from your PC (or a portable netbook - NOT from the GPS). Before and after copying them to your unit. This one is EASY and FREE. Can't hurt to check it out at that price. The others will still be waiting if you ever get the urge to move on. Download here: EasyGPS

[+Graculus]

I've written a detailed (but easy to read) guide on doing a PQ and transferring it to either a Magellan or Garmin GPS without any additional software. They are on my resource site to download (Adobe PDF document). I've also written a detailed review of the Magellan GPS specifically for geocaching. Link to my resource site under my signature. You want the page on Paperless Caching.

 

Magellan do an application called Vantage Point (PC only, not MAC) which is very useful to get your PQ's and transfer the info (including any cache page images). It's all in my guide.

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

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