Handheld Recommendations-Easy Cache Downloads

[+49rFan]

I'm in the market for a new handheld unit, the problem is I want one that has a feature I had years ago but don't seem to have on my current etrex: Direct downloads of caches from the website to my device.

 

Years ago I had a handheld (since forgot the unit) that I could plug into my computer with a USB cable, log onto the geocaching.com website and send cache's...and their details,...right to the unit.  My current etrex wants to receive them as a file and extract in a convoluted way that is not intuitive to me.

 

I am a Premium member, so I should be able to use this option...Can anyone recommend a model that has a more intuitive and simple load from site to GPS unit?  Thank you, in advance.   

[+noncentric]

You should be able to save cache downloads directly to your existing GPSr.  What model of eTrex is it?

[+Henne1312]

Did you use the „Send to GPS“ Button and the Garmin communicator? This way doesn’t work anymore, communicator won’t run on actual browsers.

[+Atlas Cached]

9 hours ago, 49rFan said:

Can anyone recommend a model that has a more intuitive and simple load from site to GPS unit?  Thank you, in advance.   

 

To answer your question, yes. The Oregon 7x0 and GPSMAP 66 series units from Garmin can load geocaches wirelessly, in the field, without ever being tethered to a computer by cables.

 

While you did not mention which model eTrex you currently use, both these units have an abundance of features not found on any eTrex that make geocaching simpler and more enjoyable (IMHO) because they allow you to spend more time out in the field and less time preparing the units at home before hand, not to mention the ability to be completely spontaneous and still know you will have the latest information for any geocache you decide to hunt at any time...

 

I recently was doing some testing on an older model and was so frustrated at how long it took to get old information off and new information loaded before I could even take the unit outside - For me, I will never be able to go back to a GPSr that does not have wireless access to Geocaching Live features! The additional cost of one of these units divided by the time saved each and every time I use it becomes infinitesimal.

[+cerberus1]

You didn't say what model etrex you have, but many of the newer garmin units will work with "Send to Garmin". 

Sort of what you might have done earlier.   

 

I too am considering a garmin 66 series model, if my long-discontinued 60csx ever dies. 

The other 2/3rds has been a phone app cacher for some time (since '05),  and that's another option if you have a sorta-smart phone.

We have a few dead zones here, so she won't give up her 60csx .    

 

 

 

 

[+Red90]

16 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

We have a few dead zones here, so she won't give up her 60csx .    

 

You do not need cell reception to use the phone.  You can download to the phone easier than you can download to the 60...

[+cerberus1]

43 minutes ago, Red90 said:

You do not need cell reception to use the phone.  You can download to the phone easier than you can download to the 60...

 

She doesn't load caches to her phone, but uses the app live...

[+Mineral2]

2 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

 

She doesn't load caches to her phone, but uses the app live...

But the point is that she can download caches (and maps) to the phone for offline caching.

[+Atlas Cached]

2 minutes ago, Mineral2 said:

But the point is that she can download caches (and maps) to the phone for offline caching.

 

OR, the point is she doesn't pre-load geocaches on her mobile device.

[+Mineral2]

2 minutes ago, Atlas Cached said:

 

OR, the point is she doesn't pre-load geocaches on her mobile device.

 

No. My point is that a solution exists within the tools that are already available to the user. For someone that already uses their phone and only uses their GPS when going out of service, it has been pointed out that downloading caches to the phone for offline use is easier than downloading them to legacy GPS devices that are effectively no longer supported. Refusing to use available solutions or upgrade to a more modern GPS does not constitute a real problem, but rather stubbornness on the part of the user.

If she prefers to use a GPS for all caching (as I do), then it makes most sense to shelve the 60, at least for geocaching, and find a 62, 64, or 66 if she prefers the multi-button interface of the 60 series. 

[+cerberus1]

5 minutes ago, Atlas Cached said:

OR, the point is she doesn't pre-load geocaches on her mobile device.

 

Yeah...    We started just a bit before this site had an app...  

Using a phone since blackberry and trimble app,  a FTF monster, she used a phone for simple 2/2 or less finds (service in the area).

When after a cache out of service areas (usually higher terrain), she'd load individual caches manually to her GPSr, like I still do today.

[+cerberus1]

Guess I don't understand when someone explains - like it's a given - that those not upgrading, using pqs, files, bookmarks,  etc.  like them are "incorrect" for some odd reason.    

A little arrogant really...

Well, how we cache works for us.       

 

 Those found with a GPSr are done when the terrain is usually 3 or higher.  Most are one a day n done (because of the terrain).

 - Maybe it'd be different if all we did was 1.5/1.5s...

For us, it makes no sense to download caches to a somewhat-fragile phone, when we have perfectly good, and still functioning  GPSrs.   

[+Mineral2]

You're not incorrect. But this is technology. It changes. Quickly. Standards change, and if you are unwilling to keep with the standards - if you insist on using older and often outdated technology to serve your needs, any problems you run into are your personal problems, not a problem with the general system. Hardware and software makers can only support older models of their product for so long before it becomes unsustainable to do so. You can't blame Microsoft if features of Windows XP stop working when they are now 4 OS generations beyond and a decade past support. If you choose to continue using XP instead of 7, 8 , or 10, you do so at your own responsibility.

In this case, GPSrs that support GPX files and direct loading with mass storage have been around for over a decade. The Communicator plugin was somewhat necessary to move data between websites and the GPS in earlier models that relied on using Garmin's proprietary serial interface to talk to the computer. But these new fangled fancy GPS models communicate over a standard USB interface, one that allows for mass storage. Transferring data is no different than uploading/downloading files from your hard drive. So when it became known that the platform that the communicator plugin was built upon provided vulnerabilities to end users, browser makers began removing support for those classes of plugins. Garmin decided it wasn't worth their effort to create a new, more secure communicator plugin because you can just download data directly to folders on modern GPSrs.  Groundspeak took their time, but finally recognized that keeping the "send to GPS" function that relied on these defunct plugins was causing more confusion than functionality (or worse yet, encouraging people to keep their systems vulnerable to attack by using outdated browsers just to keep the feature working). So, "Send to my GPS" is dead. Getting geocaches to those old GPS models is now a convoluted process. You either accept that, or use modern solutions that made geocaching easier in general. Paperless caching. Direct GPX file interaction. Mass storage. Phones that do everything a GPS does including store data for offline use. You don't have to be a power cacher to take advantage of these features. You don't have to find 20+ caches a day to justify using them.

Of course you are welcome to cache however you want and with whatever equipment you want. You can make the process as simple or complex as you desire. But if you choose to use legacy hardware and methods, it is not the fault of Geocaching.com or Garmin that some legacy functions get retired, causing you to change up your workflow. We at the forums are always happy to help. But when we come up with solutions that don't even require you to buy new hardware, and you reply with "well we just don't do it that way," forgive us for losing sympathy that you are experiencing troubles that are simply caused by your stubbornness.

[+cerberus1]

Weird that our "outdated technology" hasn't affected us in this hobby one bit, isn't it ?     

For the record, we  haven't stated anywhere that we were experiencing any "troubles" with equipment  (we don't have any...),  and expect none for most of this year as well ... if we can get rid of this ice.  

This hobby can be very simple...

 

Sorry for going off-topic, OP.    

[+Mineral2]

You haven't. But others have. Search the forums and you'll hear complaints by people who still use their old eTrex Vista or Legend, or their 60 c/s/x and have complained that the removal of "send to my GPS" means they have to quit geocaching. So when it sounds like we are accusing those who don't use pocket queries, bookmark lists, or refuse to update their equipment as doing it "wrong," it's usually because these people complain when the website changes things for them and refuse to be flexible.

 

To go a little deeper off topic, the other thing that can make some of us forums regulars seem cranky and condescending is that we are often answering the same questions day in and day out. People come here, not even reading the most recent threads, or doing a simple search for their issue to find that we have answered their question a hundred times before in the past few months. It was especially bad when geocaching.com still had the "send to GPS" feature up while everyone's browser updates were disabling the communicator plugins. I think it took two years from the time that I first suggested removing the feature to the powers seeing that it might actually be a good idea.