Pda/easygps/gpxsonar/gps?

[+Essiar]

Going to buy a new PDA. I understand Cachemate will not work on a Pocket PC and I assume EasyGPS won't work on a PDA. Does anyone know if I can:

Buy a Pocket PC with built in WIFI and put GPXSonar and EasyGPS on it? Run a pocket Query right on the WIFI PDA, download the GPX file, open it in GPXSonar to view the cache info. Then open the GPX file in Easy GPS and send it via the port on the Pocket PC that connects to a computer's USB port directly to my GPS? If so I will splurge for a pocket PC with built in WIFI. I guess the bottom line questions are will EasyGPS run on a pocket PC and if so can I convince it to send the cache file to my gps via the PDA port? Yeah, I know... I'm probably dreaming. If the answer is a definite NO to the above (which I fear it is) then someone needs to come up with either software that will run on a PDA that will shoot the caches into a gps OR a gps that you can shoot the caches to via IR. It would be nice to travel with just a PDA and a GPS with built in WIFI and not need to drag along a laptop.

[+GeckoGeek]

Then open the GPX file in Easy GPS and send it via the port on the Pocket PC that connects to a computer's USB port directly to my GPS?

Hmmm. I think you're in trouble right there. USB is either a "computer" or "device". I'm not sure, but I suspect that most PDAs are "devices" and as such won't connect to another "device" like a GPS or USB-to-serial converter.

 

As far as I know, the only way to get any PDA to talk with a GPS is either serial port (which not all PDAs have) or Bluetooth for selected GPS units.

 

You might also look at your reasons for WiFi. If it's just to have connectivity around work and the office, it's fine. But I think there are too few hotspots to really justify it outside of that. A unit that is also a cellphone and can use that service might be more useful "on the road". Just a thought.

[+NightPilot]

Wifi probably won't help you much. It only allows connections within a few tens of feet of a hotspot.

 

There is software that runs on a PDA and will transfer waypoints to and from a GPS. Cachemate, Cetus, and other Palm software will do that. I don't know about programs that run on the dark side, but there are probably some that will do that.

Edited July 26, 2004 by NightPilot

[+JeepCachr]

With a pocket PC and a program like GPS Sonar you can view all the cache information on the pocket PC similar to what GSAK(which is much better than easyGPS) does.

 

There are other programs that you can run on the pocketPC that can send your waypoints from the pocketPC to the GPS. You just need the proper cable to do it. You can almost always use a serial cable from the PPC to connect to the serial cable of your GPS or places like PC mobile will sell you the specific cable that will connect your GPS to your PPC directly.

 

The WiFi isn't going to help you communicate with the GPS but if you go somewhere with access like panera breads, starbucks, or many other hot spots you could download your GPX files then send them to the GPS via the cable I mentioned earlier.

[+Essiar]

The WIFi is just for running and downloading a pocket query. There is a hot spot every few feet in Austin. Viewing the data is no problem with Cachemate. I don't know of any software that will send the waypoint data from the PDA to the GPS.

[+NightPilot]

Cachemate will send the data from your Palm to your Garmin. Cetus will also do that, as well as transfer the waypoints from your GPS to your Palm.

[+Essiar]

OK, I'll look deeper into it. All I see on Cachemate is either export to memo pad or beam waypoint. I see no way to export via a cable to my Magellan. Can you point me in that direction?

Thanks!

[+G-Squad]

What GPSr do you have? GPX Sonar can export to a Meridian SD file.

[+NightPilot]

You have to download a plugin to transfer waypoints to your GPS. You can get the Magellan plugin here.