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Overlapping pocket queries


sydnsue

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When creating Pocket Queries on the map, the selection is based on a radius. When creating another adjacent area, the radius obviously overlaps the first query and therefore hundreds of caches will be duplicated. This results in a second GPX file that is bigger than it need be. I know the individual caches will only be listed once on the device but this still uses up device memory. Can this be avoided?

I am sure many members have already suggested that the radius search should be replaced with a drawable area or maybe a rectangle. This would remove this problem.

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I have about 10-20 PQs that I set up using placement dates to avoid any duplication of caches.

 

For example:

PQ1 - all caches in 100 mile radius from 1/1/2000 through 8/1/2007

PQ2 - all caches in 100 mile radius from 8/2/2007 through 8/1/2009

PQ3 - all caches in 100 mile radius from 8/2/2009 through 3/1/2011

....

 

When I first set them up I had to tweak the end date to make sure it resulted in less than 1000 caches, and then I based the next PQ on the end date for the previous one. This way I get all caches within 100 miles of whatever point I'm picking that I haven't found.

 

Occasionally I'll go back and tweak the dates as PQ1 that used to return 1000 caches may now return only 800 because of caches I've found, or caches that have been archived. I don't need to do that more than once a year or so though.

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Don't worry about it. PQ file sizes are measured in kilobytes and at most are a couple hundred. Your device's storage, assuming it's one of the "newer" devices with paperless caching features, is measured in Gigabytes, or hundreds of megabytes. The amount of space that your PQ files take up is negligible to the amount of space that you have to use. And if you do feel that you're running out of space, simply put your data, PQs, and maps on a SD card, which can be up to 32 GB for most Garmin devices. For older devices with a limit on the number of caches, the duplicates don't count twice toward that limit.

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Chilehead and HHL - You both use the same system which is a good idea. I shall give that a go. Thanks.

Mineral2 - I have an older Oregon and the internal memory is measured in MBs but can't remember how much. The average GPX of 1000 caches is around 1.5Mb so it can make a difference. I'm not sure how to check the memory size. Also the only microSD card is that with the maps on and considering the cost, I would rather not write to that card. I had thought about updating to a newer device but this works fine for geocaching. Thanks.

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The older Oregons (300, 400(t), 450(t), 550(t)) all have a internal storage capacity of at least 850 mb after the base maps that come with the device. With a geocache limit of 5000, you're in no danger of running out of storage space with pocket query files. (I also have a 450t, only upgraded to a 600 when REI had it on an unbeatable sale.)

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I've been concentrating on counties lately, pick a city in that county and download a PQ for whatever radius around that city. I then do a reverse filter in GSAK for the desired county and delete any others. Many times when looking at several counties/cities I have cut some GPX files by almost half.

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