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Paperless With A Laptop


ValleyRat & TillyMouse

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This has probably already been posted, but I can't find it. If someone points me to it, I'll delete this post, but . . .

 

Online, when researching areas for caching, while on the webpage for the site, we go to FILE|SAVE AS|[select or create a folder] then press <Enter>

 

That saves a copy of the webpage to the hard drive so we don't have to print the page and carry a clipboard full of paper, or be online when caching?

 

On caching trips, the laptop sets on a table between the front seats, with IE and Delorme Street Atlas running. We can switch back-and-forth between the appropriate webpage and the map program (with GPS tracking on); just press <Alt> <Tab> to switch.

 

To recall the page while on the road/offline, just type C: into the GO window of IE, then navigate to the folder where we saved all those webpages. Alternatively, you can just double-click on the html file that was saved in para 2 above.

 

Want the plan for my table? PM to me and I'll send it to you. You can build it for under $5. The plans are free.

Edited by valleyrat
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I take my laptop with me and use my GPS and Mapsource Topo like a real-time atlas while driving.

 

I keep my cache pages in GPX format on my Palm III using Cachemate. Works quite well, and is much smaller than my laptop in the woods (and a lot less valuable/fragile).

 

By the way, are you selling those plans, or it just costs $5 for materials?

Edited by New England n00b
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I do almost exactly what noob does. I load my laptop with a current GPX file for the area I'm heading too. I use the GPX file to export a waypoint file for use with my mapping software. All the caches in the area will show up as dots on the map. I connect my laptop to my GPS and I can see where I am on the map at any given moment. I use the GPX file stored on the laptop to give me all the cache descriptions for the area.

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I do the same thing but instead of saving the cache pages to my drive I use GSAK which allows you to select a waypoing in your list and then in a pane on the bottom half of the screen it will show an offline version of the geocaching page.

I also use mapsource with my gps tracking on the map.

Alt tab works wonders.

Kirk out.

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GSAK locked and loaded on an old Dell P2, Streets and Trips 2003 running with caches imported from GSAK.

 

GPS hooked to Dell to provide real time navigation. I usually only use this when in a new town and on a multi-cache mission.

 

The night before, or while on the plane, I mark a route encompassing the caches I want to get to.

 

Old palm to take into the woods to reread the description/hint/past logs

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Laptop with Delorme Street Atlas, and GSAK.

 

All the gpx files from the waypoints I am interested in are in GSAK, and I export a waypoint file that Street Atlas can display on the map page.

 

Worked on a nine day, 3,400 mile road trip from Jackson, MS to Phoenix, AZ and back again. We even found a wholebunch of caches.

 

Plu, we have a 12 volt to 110 volt inverter to keep the laptop running.

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I had a couple of emails regarding my mobile laptop table; some were building it from PVC Pipe. My plan should have said DO NOT USE PVC PIPE; it has to be iron pipe for stability. Here's the parts list.

 

1. A 12" nipple of 1/2" iron pipe -- Use a shorter nipple here if possible to keep the table at proper height while making it more stable.

2. A 6" nipple of 1/2" iron pipe

3. A 4" nipple of 1/2" iron pipe

4. Two 1/2" 45-degree Couplers/elbows

5. Two 1/2" Floor Flanges

6. One 12x12" table top made from plywood or plexiglass.

7. Self-tapping screws suitable for attaching the flange to the floor.

8 Flat-head (countersunk) machine screws for attaching the second flange to the bottom of the table top.

 

And for those who thought I was carrying my laptop into the woods. I do not have a plan for a chest-mounted table. :anicute:

Edited by valleyrat
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