Getting Back into the Hobby Questions

[+ByzantineFalcon]

Hello all!

 

I started geocaching about 5 years ago but kind of fell out of it after my last GPS gave up the ghost. While visiting friends this past weekend I picked up a new Garmin 62s on sale with the intent of getting back into the hobby. So, while I know a fair amount, I am posting this mostly to try and get some info on how to catch up to the current tech.

 

Figured out how to sync it with my mac so I could upload coordinates directly into the GPS. My next question is, what should I do for the cache descriptions? I have an iPad that I would like to use for this, but I am not really sure what program to use or how to set all of that up.

 

I would appreciate any help or advice on where to go to get more info. Google has turned up a bit, but it seems centered in iPods and such.

 

Thanks!

[+CEH2000]

Hello all!

 

I started geocaching about 5 years ago but kind of fell out of it after my last GPS gave up the ghost. While visiting friends this past weekend I picked up a new Garmin 62s on sale with the intent of getting back into the hobby. So, while I know a fair amount, I am posting this mostly to try and get some info on how to catch up to the current tech.

 

Figured out how to sync it with my mac so I could upload coordinates directly into the GPS. My next question is, what should I do for the cache descriptions? I have an iPad that I would like to use for this, but I am not really sure what program to use or how to set all of that up.

 

I would appreciate any help or advice on where to go to get more info. Google has turned up a bit, but it seems centered in iPods and such.

 

Thanks!

 

Welcome back!

 

I believe the 62s supports paperless caching, so you should be able to view the descriptions on the unit itself. You could use an app on your iPad for the descriptions (free or paid) as well (I use the Official Geocaching App by Groundspeak, $10). You can even save caches to offline lists of your iPad is Wifi only.

[+Maingray]

The 62s will hold the geocache descriptions. Did you download to the unit via pocket queries?

[+Semper Questio]

Being a premium member you can, and should, be downloading the GPX files vs. the LOC files. That will give you the descriptions, hints, and the last few logs for each cache. You have 3 ways to get those. 1 at a time for the cache listing pages, 1 at a time from the map, or in batches up to 1000 via pocket queries (PQs). There are other methods if you have GSAK or some other tools.

 

Now the particulars of getting them onto your 62 and then accessing it all, I can't help you. I still have a 60.

 

Welcome back and good luck!

[+ByzantineFalcon]

Thanks for the quick replies! Love the community, always so quick to help!

 

I did a map search for where I am, saw about a dozen or so in my area, and went one by one on the map clicking "download to GPS" and putting them in my 62s. I checked to make sure they were in there.... and I just turned it on to check the descriptions, which are included. Duh. Teach me not to learn how my toys work before playing with them.

 

Looks like I am taken care of for the local ones.

Edited November 19, 2013 by ByzantineFalcon

[+briansnat]

Probably better off in the GPS forum

[+Chief301]

OK, glad you got that figured out. After you've played around with the 62S a bit and are comfortable with its operation, do yourself a favor and take some time to learn how to generate Pocket Queries. You'll be glad you did. Download up to 1000 caches (full descriptions and cache info included) instantly. Load your whole hometown in a flash, or learn how to generate a special kind of PQ called Caches Along A Route for your vacation or road trip. It's the way to go if you plan on getting back into this for real.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Welcome back and you're going to love the 62S...my wife and I both use one.

As was said, being a premium member do learn about pocket queries....you can configure them any way you want on the gc website and then load them to your 62 in mass ( up to 1000 caches per pq )

If you don't have it you may want to invest ( about $30, one time charge )in GSAK....its a great database program for geocaching. I put the PQ I get from gc.com in to GSAK and it creates a database you can edit, etc and then GSAK sends the caches to your 62S. In just a few minutes you can put thousands of caches on your unit in this manner.