Waypoint Downloads vs. Nearest Placenames

[+antonym]

OK, quick question. I couldn't find any answers in searching and F.A.Q. perusing. If I missed an answer to this, my apologies.

 

I was noticing, while messing around with downloading waypoints, there are two distinct ways of getting additional waypoints near a cache or point of interest. They are:

 

1) Waypoint Downloads -- Perform a query based on various criteria (ZIP, Coord, Keyword, etc.)

 

2) Nearest Placenames -- Select a cache and download a waypoint file while marking the "also download nearest placenames" checkbox.

 

When using option (1), all waypoints are properly labeled with their appropriate unique Geocaching waypoint ID (eg. GC123ABC). When using option (2), only the active cache is labeled properly and all subsequent nearby caches are labeled in a sequential manner (eg. GS1, GS2, GS3 etc.)

 

I'm just wondering why this is this way. Is it a member/non-member thing? Is there a way to get method (2) waypoints labeled uniquely so that it is easier/quicker to pull up a found cache by it's unique ID?

 

Any insights, speculations, derogatory, or inflamatory comments welcome! Thanks in advance!

[+Verboten]

Placenames are not geocaches. They are, as the name implies, points of interest. They are added as a feature available to all.

 

Membership has its benefits. The main benefit of geocaching.com membership is convenience (pocket queries). You don't really miss out on much but convenience, and maybe a handful of members only caches by subscribing.

 

You should subscribe because you want to. Not because you're missing out by not subscribing.

 

-Vb

[+Verboten]

double post

[+antonym]

quote:

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Originally posted by Verboten:

Placenames are not geocaches. They are, as the name implies, points of interest. They are added as a feature available to all.

---

 

I'm a fool. Thank you for clarifying that.

 

quote:

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Membership has its benefits. The main benefit of geocaching.com membership is convenience (pocket queries). You don't really miss out on much but convenience, and maybe a handful of members only caches by subscribing.

---

 

Off topic, but I've wondered exactly what "pocket queries" were. The name summons images of handheld Palm/Pocket PC stuff. I've seen it referenced in the registration literature but nothing giving much detail about it.

 

quote:

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You should subscribe because you want to. Not because you're missing out by not subscribing.

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I'm behind you 100% here.

[+Brainerd]

quote:

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Off topic, but I've wondered exactly what "pocket queries" were. The name summons images of handheld Palm/Pocket PC stuff. I've seen it referenced in the registration literature but nothing giving much detail about it.

---

 

I love the PQ's. I use them to download the waypoints using the EasyGPS file, and then HotSync the cache pages of onto my PDA. I do seaches on 'caches that I have not found' and 'caches that I have found' within 10 miles of my home. I'll also get reports on my watch lists, and on caches in areas that I may be making a special trip to hunt. It's great to have all of the cache pages, in my area, on my PDA.

 

Here is the text on the Premium Member PQ Page. I hope that this answer's some of your questions...

 

''Pocket Queries are customized cache queries you can have generated on a daily or weekly basis. They are in a format you can bring along with you on cache hunts on your GPS and/or PDA. Currently you can create a pocket query and have it generate an EasyGPS LOC file and/or MobiPocket eBook format to be emailed to you at the email address you define. Because of the detailed queries, you can only generate each search once per day. You can create up to 5 pocket queries.''

 

Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.

Henry David Thoreau

[+GPS_Brian]

Originally posted by antonym:

Off topic, but I've wondered exactly what "pocket queries" were. The name summons images of handheld Palm/Pocket PC stuff. I've seen it referenced in the registration literature but nothing giving much detail about it.

 

I am not a PDA user but I do use pocket queries. I find them very convenient ... in essense you setup weekly queries that search for caches based on a multitude of criteria. You can filter based on distance to a starting point, type of cache, ratings of caches, etc. The query is then run on the given day and emailed to you in a format (such as GPX) that can be read by many programs (e.g. Watcher) that will allow for offline viewing, download to GPS, etc.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-

GPS_Brian

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[Art J Carnage]

quote:

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Originally posted by Brainerd:

 

''Pocket Queries are customized cache queries you can have generated on a daily or weekly basis. They are in a format you can bring along with you on cache hunts on your GPS and/or PDA. Currently you can create a pocket query and have it generate an EasyGPS LOC file and/or MobiPocket eBook format to be emailed to you at the email address you define. Because of the detailed queries, you can only generate each search once per day. You can create up to 5 pocket queries.''

---

This is, of course, really out of date. There's no mention of GPX files, and that's probably what most people are using.

[+Verboten]

Yeah, the above is all true. And I don't even have a PDA, so my PQ use is all on my GPSr.

 

But please don't get me wrong. I was not trying to belittle you or guilt you into subscribing. Hell, it really means nothing to me, one way or the other.

 

My point was that Groundspeak gives you a few perks for joining, but aside from members only caches (which there are few) they pretty much give you everything for free. I was praising the administration rather than chastising those who dont subscribe.

 

That said, I hope you see fit to subscribe.

 

-Vb