Best Geocaching Software

[MickUpi]

Mine is GSAK. I have decided it is the best. It will do anything that you could possibly want to do and the price is right if you wish to register it. And of course you can continue to use the completely functional free version. The author has a new version out 3.04 and I would suggest you get it if you are going to use it. It has some cool features. One I really like is the "custom url" feature. It allows you to click on a cache and take you directly to a variety of sites with the coordinates imbedded into the link. I added www.lostoutdoors to my list of custom url's. If you want to add it to yours copy and paste the following into your list within the pgm Lost Outdoors=http://www.lostoutdoors.com/map.php?map=%lat,%lon&t=1&z=1&s=1&id=&mark=%lat,%lon,0,0,255,7,*&cpos=?445,117

To add it click on tools, options, html tab, and then add it to the custom url's list.

This link consistently gives me a map or photo and places a dot to within feet of known coordinates. I know what you're thinking and the answer is no. I don't know the author and have no interest in this pgm. When someone does a great job such as this on a software pgm he or she deserves a little credit and some thanks.

Mick

[+YeOleImposter]

Mine is GSAK. I have decided it is the best. It will do anything that you could possibly want to do and the price is right if you wish to register it. And of course you can continue to use the completely functional free version. The author has a new version out 3.04 and I would suggest you get it if you are going to use it. It has some cool features. One I really like is the "custom url" feature. It allows you to click on a cache and take you directly to a variety of sites with the coordinates imbedded into the link. I added www.lostoutdoors to my list of custom url's. If you want to add it to yours copy and paste the following into your list within the pgm Lost Outdoors=http://www.lostoutdoors.com/map.php?map=%lat,%lon&t=1&z=1&s=1&id=&mark=%lat,%lon,0,0,255,7,*&cpos=?445,117

To add it click on tools, options, html tab, and then add it to the custom url's list.

This link consistently gives me a map or photo and places a dot to within feet of known coordinates. I know what you're thinking and the answer is no. I don't know the author and have no interest in this pgm. When someone does a great job such as this on a software pgm he or she deserves a little credit and some thanks.

Mick

MickUpi, you might try adding %name right between the comma and the star near the end of your LostOutDoors URL - ie 7,%name*...

It will put the cache name next to the red dot.

 

And Yes - GSAK is great and very responsive to user requests/sugestions.

[+Team DEMP]

GSAK (along with MapSource for my GPS) are all I use now. I used to use multiple apps but GSAK (with GPSBabel under the covers) replaced them all.

[+harleycache]

Thanks to both MickUpi and YeOleImposter for the hint on adding LostOutdoors. I wouldn't have a clue how to do that, and it is a neat feature.

 

By the way, I use GSAK, Cachemate, and Metroguide.

[+MAG315]

I use GSAK, mapopolis and expert GPS.

[+YeOleImposter]

Thanks to both MickUpi and YeOleImposter for the hint on adding LostOutdoors. I wouldn't have a clue how to do that, and it is a neat feature.

 

By the way, I use GSAK, Cachemate, and Metroguide.

In the main GSAK thread I have the string for both the photo and topo maps and a desription of what the options are (different zoom, size, etc).

Have never linked to a post before but if it works here is the link:

Lost Outdoors Options

[+briansnat]

I finally took the plunge and purchased Cachemate after hearing so many raves about it. And everything said about it was true. It works really well.

 

Now I've heard so much about GCSAK, but I'm not sure exactly where it fits in. Is it something like Watcher? What exactly are its capabilities? Is it a desktop or handheld app, or both?

[+harleycache]

I used Cachemate for a long time without GSAK, didn't really understand the need for it. But one day, just for something different, I downloaded it and now couldn't do without. I can't compare it Watcher, because I've never used that.

 

You can open your PQs with GSAK and then convert to cachemate to upload to your PDA. You can also sort and filter the caches based upon numerous different options, such as certain types, distance, direction, difficulty, terrain, etc. Then you can send those waypoints directly to your GPS.

 

I'm probably not the best at explaining all this, but the combination of GSAK/Cachemate just can't be beat.

 

GSAK is free, but can be registered for $15.

[+-=(GEO)=-]

I use GpxSonar and MSFT Pocket Street & Trips 90% of the time. The rest of the time, I use Mapopolis, GSAK, GpsBabel and Delorme TOPO USA 4.0.

[+Team DEMP]

Now I've heard so much about GCSAK, but I'm not sure exactly where it fits in. Is it something like Watcher? What exactly are its capabilities? Is it a desktop or handheld app, or both?

GSAK is what I'd call a Cache Management program. In it I have all the caches I've found and all the caches not found in my area. You can keep notes on caches (hints, coords for multis, links to pictures), sort it by any data field, pick a cache and make it the center point and find all nearby caches, filter caches by a slew of variables, export a filtered set to many programs such as MapSource, export caches (waypoints) directly to the GPS and have it name them a specific way for you, etc.

 

For handling the export functions, it uses GPSBabel under the covers, but provides a user friendly GUI vs GPSBabels command line.

 

I guess that it's like Watcher or other programs which manipulate GPX data. It's all I use now to work with potential caches and I export data to MapSource to add other waypoints such as parking, trailheads, etc before having MapSource upload to the GPS.