Garmin's Geocaching Mode - Worth It?

[+mrking]

I've been using the geocaching mode on my new 60C for the last couple weeks and am wondering if the extra memory this mode takes up is worth it.

 

The icons have to be the a set of two. ie. the closed chest and the open chest so the software knows if you found it or not. Idealy, it would be great to have an icon for multi, traditional, virtual, etc. This way you know immediately what kind of cache it is.

 

Sure you can include that kind of info in the notes area, but it is annoying to have ot enter into the waypoint info to find out more info about it.

 

I am thinking Garmin has a bit more work to do to make this a fully functional geocaching tool.

 

I feel I am better off giving the waypoints the icons I need to tell what they are and not worry about the specific geocaching function.

 

Any other thoughts out there?

[Boxer Crew]

I like it.

 

I decide where I want to start caching, when i have found the first one the GPSr can take over. Onto the next, onto the next. Never know where I will end up. Then the calender has all my finds so I can log them when I get home.

[+Sputnik 57]

It would be great if Garmin didn't use the icon to determine what is and is not a geocache. That would let us use the slick custom icon feature that the 60/76 gives us. But a firmware change like that would mean that there would have to be a new field to use to tell the GPSr that the waypoint was a geocache (found or unfound). That would mean new programing for RobertLipe, ClydeE, and all of the other third party users of the upload/download protocol.

 

As cool as the custom waypoint feature is (and thanks to Neo Geo TheOfficeMaven and We3Dements for samples like this one), I still prefer to use Geocaching Mode as is.

 

More on Geocaching Mode

More on Custom Waypoints (with some cool links) in the 8th question down in this section of the FAQ.

[+CurmudgeonlyGal]

I, too, appreciate the geocaching mode as is.

 

Since I rarely cache with cache page information, I do use GSAK to alter the data I sent to the GPS. The data is just one added line placed in the "notes" field which tells me what the GC# is (minus "GC"), the D/T, the cache type and the container size.

 

Yes, it would be a pain in the bum to have to add this data in yourself, but it's a no-brainer using GSAK.

 

 

-=-

michelle

[+byonke]

I've been using the geocaching mode on my new 60C for the last couple weeks and am wondering if the extra memory this mode takes up is worth it.

 

The icons have to be the a set of two. ie. the closed chest and the open chest so the software knows if you found it or not. Idealy, it would be great to have an icon for multi, traditional, virtual, etc. This way you know immediately what kind of cache it is.

 

Sure you can include that kind of info in the notes area, but it is annoying to have ot enter into the waypoint info to find out more info about it.

 

I am thinking Garmin has a bit more work to do to make this a fully functional geocaching tool.

 

I feel I am better off giving the waypoints the icons I need to tell what they are and not worry about the specific geocaching function.

 

Any other thoughts out there?

Not using the feature will not save you any memory. With or without using it, you can only upload 1000 waypoints to the unit. You can however, if you like, change which icons you use for the geocache and geocache found. I personally use small city (which shows on the screen as a small dot) for geocache found. This reduces the screen clutter as I mark caches as found.

 

Brian

[+Renegade Knight]

I don't use it and don't have a GPS that has it. But I've watched a cacher on TV use one and based on that I think it's worth it.

 

Right now I mark in my PDA which cache I've done and delete the waypoint from my GPS. Marking it as found "removes it from the list" but saves it so I can look them up later and get all my logs in. That's one less piece of junk I have to mess with when caching and that's a good thing.

[NoSoup4U]

I have had many units and by far this is the best one yet...eh. WTF the geocaching mode is awsome...eh.

[+RJFerret]

May I turn the original question around and instead ask, how would you improve the geocaching mode?

 

I would allow multiple icons to enable the geocaching mode instead of just the one. (With multi icons, moving cache icons, puzzle, etc.)

 

I would do an automatic "Go To" of newly marked waypoints.

 

I would keep the root name when marking a new waypoint.

 

I would automatically switch to off-road navigation when the final road navigation turn has been reached.

 

Pie in the sky changes...

 

I would expand the size of the comment field.

 

How about ROT13 decryption to the comment field while we're at it?

 

I'd have an option that would automatically turn the electronic compass on when within 200' or so of a destination non-road waypoint. (Trying to hold the inset page button while wearing gloves is impossible!)

 

Ability to delete waypoints based on calendar days. (Ex: all caches found today after logging)

 

That's all off the top of my head,

 

Randy

[+Mister_X]

Hey Randy,

 

You forgot one thing on your wishlist :

 

...and all this for the same price or cheaper....

 

Jan

[+kingquad]

I just received my 60C, never tried the geocaching mode yet....but from what i see it seems liek a nice feature and cant wait to go out and try it out

[robertlipe]

I would automatically switch to off-road navigation when the final road navigation turn has been reached.

This would be at the top of my list. Forcing the recalc to go from street to ptp navigation is a bit of a drag.

 

I'd have an option that would automatically turn the electronic compass on when within 200' or so of a destination non-road waypoint.  (Trying to hold the inset page button while wearing gloves is impossible!)

Adjust the "auto" speed thresholds and it's not too bad. Turn on the electronic compass when you're below 5 miles an hour (my brisk walk is about 4) for under 30 seconds and it works out OK. The drag is that if you're at a stop light and have the map set for track up, it will often do a wiggy thing when you're "parked" for 30 secs and the map spins around becuase the compass is now pointing at your engine.

 

Ability to delete waypoints based on calendar days.  (Ex:  all caches found today after logging)

Delete icon by symbol.

[+RJFerret]

Adjust the "auto" speed thresholds and it's not too bad. Turn on the electronic compass when you're below 5 miles an hour (my brisk walk is about 4) for under 30 seconds and it works out OK. The drag is that if you're at a stop light and have the map set for track up, it will often do a wiggy thing when you're "parked" for 30 secs and the map spins around becuase the compass is now pointing at your engine.

 

Funny you should mention, since my last post I had done just that, only set to <4 MPH for 90 secs.--no stoplight issue (they are all under 60 secs. and at 3 MPH walk that's only 400' or so).

 

Perhaps I'll try 2 MPH since I slow on closing... Thanks for the reminder and you might try increasing the "for more than" time.

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy