PDA for caching...Advice please

[+gnbrotz]

I've reached the point where I've started to give some thought to using a PDA for caching. I currently do not own one, so before I go out to look around, I wanted to get suggestions on what to look for (ie minimum memory, etc.).

 

I don't need/want a wireless internet connection, just a way to bring saved cache pages and maps (probably saved as images), a way to make notes, etc. Also, any suggestions on software that you use (and how you use it for caching) would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

Greg

N 39° 54.705'

W 77° 33.137'

[+RiverCacher]

I own a Compaq iPaq 3765.

 

Palm systems generally have more software and accessories available to them, but the Pocket PC (formerly Windows CE) PDAs are coming right along.

 

Currently, I'm using a small, custom cable (purchased on eBay for about $15) to connect my Garmin Etrex Venture directly to the iPaq. The software that I'm using is MS Pocket Streets 2002.

 

I used the ipaq with pocket streets last week to find an access road for which I had been searching for more than a year...this helped me gain access to a part of a multi-leg cache.

 

The biggest drawback to Pocket Streets (in my opinion) is that is only updates your position every 15 seconds (that's okay when walking, but when driving can cause you to miss turns), and that it doesn't have topographic features.

 

I am VERY interested in the new Delorme Topo USA 4.0 which has just been released. This version now has both Palm and Pocket PC compatibility. I've had good experiences with other Delorme products in the past.

 

I love the iPaq because of its color screen, fast processor, and multiple capabilities. Its $500 price is a little steep just for geocaching (a former job paid for mine), but its a great piece of equipment.

 

Scott

 

Lynchburg, Virginia

[+Olar]

Greg I find my 125 is fine for keeping cache page info. I use blscearce's palmable geocache index via Avantgo. www.pathetique.com/geocaching/

If I need one that is not listed there as yet then I copy and paste to Palm desktop memo section. I delete out all unneccesary details before hotsyncing to the PDA. Both of these work great.

I've downloaded topos to the 125 but I find them difficult to read due to lack of colour. A colour unit is definately required.

Good Luck with your quest.

 

 

[+RAD Dad]

I use my old Visor Deluxe. 33mhz (this is an edit, I just checked, not a 33mhz but a 16mhz) processor, 8 megs memory. It works just fine. I have all kinds of stuff on it, plus my geocaching info (everything within 100 miles of my home, as well as everything within 100 miles of Olympia Wa, where I vacation a lot)

 

You hear a lot about Pocket PC's having more memory and more processing power,and well they should ,as the programs and documents take more memory and processor power. (just like all windows programs do ) Palm programs and data are very streamlined and efficent, that's why palm os machines don't need big processor power or lots of memory. From what I have seen, you can get more and do more with less on a Palm OS machine than you can on a Pocket PC machine.

 

ummmm....not sure what to say here....so ummm, well errrr, uhhhh, well I guess that's it.

 

[This message was edited by RAD Dad on April 10, 2002 at 12:10 PM.]

[+TresOkies]

My $0.02...

 

Purchase an inexpensive Palm OS unit, see if you like it, and trade up if you do. Handspring has an inexpensive Visor and Palm has the m100 line (100, 105, 125). The reason I suggest this route is that Garmin announced a partnership with Palm over a year ago. Seems like it was December 2000. I would assume that the end result would be a Garmin-branded Palm device with a built-in GPS.

 

Disclaimer: I am a Palm employee and I own several Garmin GPSRs. However, I know nothing about a Garmin-branded product beyond what was written about it at the time.

 

-E

 

--

N35°32.981 W98°34.631

[+Exocet]

TresOakies: you need to make a big, splashy announcement when and if you ever hear of Palm or Garmin doing something together.

 

My biggest problems with the GPS's right now are the limitations with the amount of maps that can be stored/loaded, the "names" for waypoints, etc. All the things that Palm (OS) could help solve.

 

BTW, on topic: I use a Handspring Visor Deluxe w/ a Geode GPS unit and a 64MB Compact Flash card (maps). It gets wet, dirty, etc. - but no worries there. I wouldn't recommend the Geode GPS to anyone (the company is defunct now), but using a PDA in conjunction with a GPS has lots of advantages, the main one being less reliance on paper and having a lot of info quickly accessable.

 

"What you do today will cost you a day of your life." --jabber's sig on /. and k5.

[+Dan_Edwards]

Using a PDA for a GPS has both advantages and disavantages. I find that the the pieces of software I can get for my Handspring Visor are more powerful as a whole then any GPS, but they do not tend to work well together as a package. Having the descriptions of the nearest 100 caches is a plus, and the various location calculators have come in handy more then once. I have the Magellan Springboard GPS and I find it very accurate.

 

I would not recomend getting a color screen, because they are just so hard to read in the sun. That should change soon with some of the new reflective color screens coming out.

 

The WinCE/PocketPC OS is more powerful then the PalmOS, and has really improved of late. There are starting to be few programs for them too. I last used WinCE 3.1 and it was ok, but kinda tap happy compared to the PalmOS. At that time finding programs that were compatible with your machine was a major pain. Those problems are really under control now and the PocketPC OS is now ready for "prime time". I am not ready to give up my Visor just yet, because I have way too many programs that I love that just are not available on PocketPC. But if I was buying new, today... I would be torn.

 

I think I would get a inexpensive Visor again. Cheaper and a LOT more programs.

[CountryLover]

Other than bring the cache pages with you, you can probably also use this free Palm app connected to your GPS to track your progress etc.

 

Checkout www.cetusgps.dk

 

I've been researching connecting my M500 to my Garmin and I think this will work.

 

cheers

[+gnbrotz]

CountryLover, thanks for the link. That looks pretty cool. The only thing I can't figure out is why I'd bother? My GPS screen already provides all this information.

 

Greg

N 39° 54.705'

W 77° 33.137'

[Mr. Plow]

I use a old Windows CE device and two programs that work very well - Microsoft Pocket Streets and Avantgo with a link to www.pathetique.com/geocaching. To get my waypoints into MS Streets and Trips I use GeoBuddy (www.geobuddy.com)I then export the area into Pocket Streets and include all geocaches. This really is just about everything I need and works extremely well. Ocationally I will even use the voice recorder to make notes of the cache or record what I logged in the log book. A palm device would work well for the Avantgo piece but having Pocket Streets sure helps alot. BTW I have not had and pushpins ofset like others are complaining about in Pocket Streets.

[+TresOkies]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Exocet:

TresOkies: you need to make a big, splashy announcement when and if you ever hear of Palm or Garmin doing something together.

---

 

I'm bound by the terms of my employment from disclosing anything prior to official announcements, but that really doesn't matter. I was sincere when I said I am not aware of any actual work being done on a Palm/Garmin unit--I just recall the announcement from December 2000.

 

-E

 

--

N35°32.981 W98°34.631

[rghermes]

I am exploring this Cetus website. Is this software only good for PDA's with GPS capability?

 

"Indecision may or may not be my problem"----J. Buffett

[CountryLover]

Haven't tried the software itself, but I think it works with any GPS that has a NMEA serial output.

[+Dan_Edwards]

quote:

---

Originally posted by CountryLover:

Haven't tried the software itself, but I think it works with any GPS that has a NMEA serial output.

---

 

You are correct it will work with any GPS that has a serial port and a Palm with a serial cable. It will also work with Palm's with GPS's on a expansion port.

 

I have used it, but found it pretty buggy with my Visor Deluxe and Magellan GPS. For the short periods of time I have had it working, I really liked it. Very simple, easy to use interface. Great features for recording trips and adding waypoints in a very fast easy to use interface. Now if I could just get it to work for more then a few minutes.

 

Dan

[+Dan_Edwards]

Update... A question about Cetus GPS in anouther forum caused me to see if there was a new version of Cetus GPS. One came out April 22. So I downloaded it and it looks like it will work on my Deluxe and Magellan! Can't wait to try it out on a real hunt.

 

Dan

[eubie3]

I use the Handspring Visor Delux and HandyGPS Pro. You can purchase the GPS W/Streetfinder Deluxe for $129 The Street Finder is good for address to address directions but too memory intensive for large maps. Ubigo maps work much better. The Ubigo CD sells for $29. The HandyGPS is designed for map use so you must enter your coordinates Deg Dec not Deg Mm. It is accurate to about 50' on most days. It is WAAS compatable but at the time of my purchase not activated.

 

Hope this helps.

Eubie3

[+Team Spring]

I use a meridian GPS, with a mapsend topo map for terrain fetures, which gives me all the street and terrain info I need, and a Handspring Visor to store ALL the cache page info for ALL active AZ caches. Once a week a download all the active waypoints to the GPS as well as cache pages to the Visor, to keep current on new caches. That is all I take with me, no printed out logs, maps, ect, to carry. I used to carry all that before, and it was a big hassle Check out the palmable website for info on the programs, they work really well, and you wont have to pay for costly programs either. Just my .02

[+Team Spring]

I use a meridian GPS, with a mapsend topo map for terrain fetures, which gives me all the street and terrain info I need, and a Handspring Visor to store ALL the cache page info for ALL active AZ caches. Once a week a download all the active waypoints to the GPS as well as cache pages to the Visor, to keep current on new caches. That is all I take with me, no printed out logs, maps, ect, to carry. I used to carry all that before, and it was a big hassle Check out the palmable website for info on the programs, they work really well, and you wont have to pay for costly programs either. Just my .02

[+rschoolf]

GeoClipping

 

Use this application to clip information from the cache pages at Geocaching.com, formatted for the MemoPad application of your Palm.

 

The cache information will be cleaned up, and formatted to read nice in MemoPad. The content will be truncated to 4k, so it will fit one memo.

 

License to use is hereby granted to the GeoCaching community, released to the public domain.

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~rschoolf/geocaching.htm