In Car GPS

[TheBalks]

Anyone use an in car gps to do your street routing to get close to the cache, before you use your handheld? I just bought a refurbished Magellan Roadmate 6000T for driving directions and it didn’t occur to me until later that it might be handy to use while caching also. So what do others use? anyone used this model?

[TyeDyeSkyGuy]

We use our Garmin Street Pilot for caching, but only when were doing a whole bunch at one time, or if we’re out of our local area. It has saved us a bunch of time and hassle.

[EnergySaver]

About 13 months ago I got a Garmin Nuvi 650 … it’s the best thing I ever did!

Work wells for general driving around … but really makes caching easier.

This is what I do:

(1) I have a query set to run on GC.com each week of the 300 closest caches I’ve not found that are not mine.

(2) I load the file on my regular handheld GPSr (an old Garmin eMap).

(3) I convert the file and load it into CacheMate on my Palm Pilot.

(4) I run the file through GSAK using a macro that exists to modify the file to be more “helpful” (*note*) and then load it on to my Nuvi 650.

(5) I then let the Nuvi 650 tell me where to drive for a cache, when I get to the parking spot, I do a “find nearest” on my handheld and select the same cache. I also have my Palm Pilot with me so I have the text and hints of we need them … however, because of the GSAK modification before the load to the Nuvi, I rarely look at the Palm Pilot (unless the text is long and meaningful or I need the hint).

(*note*) By default loading the .GPX file into the Nuvi, gives you limited information … basically the GCxxxxx of the cache and the ability to navigate to it, maybe the name of the cache (but I forgot if it includes the name). But there’s a macro available for GSAK that modifies the .GPX format to do some amazing things … expecially if you modify the macro slightly. Going from memory (cause I don’t have my Nuvi with me):

(a) Rather than the screen names being something like: GC123AB
Mine read: GC123AB/MikesBigTreas/Micr/Multi/T2D3
(b) You get a [more] button on the Nuvi that gives you the full text
of the cache, the hint and the last few find logs

Not only do I get a lot of useful information at a glance on the screen names, but I can read the text before I jump out of the car … so if I can remember what it says and don’t need the hint, I don’t need to bother with my Palm Pilot. Also, since you can search for the screen name as a partial match, I can search for a specific GC number or name of the cache, or all Multis for that matter.

The only caution: if you’re computer challenged GSAK and this macro might get the best of you.

DISCLAIMER: we don’t do nearly as much caching as we use to, but when we do it works great … is it overkill for our low volume of caching, yes … but it’s still slick.

[EnergySaver]

In case your interest … here’s the link to getting the macro for GSAKing with Nuvi units …

http://pilotsnipes.googlepages.com/index.html

[TheBalks]

EnergySaver that was great. Maybe all my years of writing shell scripts on unix will help with Gsak 🙂 I shall have to play tonight, have never used gsak.

[Team Black-Cat]

Our in-car GPS is a Tom-Tom (nicknamed Blondie). It does a great job getting close to a cache, and if there are parking coords listed, that’s where it takes us. It looks like your Magellan Roadmate 6000T will do all of that and more.

After setting a filter in GSAK, exporting the waypoints to the Tom-Tom is as easy as plugging in the cable and clicking a button.

If you’re comfortable writing shell scripts, you shouldn’t have any trouble with the scripting in GSAK after learning the syntax. Writing or modifying macros isn’t necessary, but it’s the best way to get the most out of the program.

[kansas64]

I will second Energy Savers comments, we a Nuvi 200 as he describes and it works great, only differnce is I dump 450 caches in mine and it still runs perfectly

[zuma]

@kansas64 wrote:

I will second Energy Savers comments, we a Nuvi 200 as he describes and it works great, only differnce is I dump 450 caches in mine and it still runs perfectly

I will third Energy Savers helpful comments. I use the Nuvi 350 in much the same way. Very handy for getting me to the cache. In that way, I dont need to use auto routing on my handheld GPS.

zuma

[That Girl]

The Nuvi in this capacity it GREAT! I loaded ours up with over 3000 caches as custom POIs just to see what it would do. It did not choke, sputter or wheeze. It just asked for more. The only caveat is that cache populations are so fluid that the custom POI pages need to be removed and replaced at least weekly as they outdate that fast. 3000 geocaches is 6 PQ. They can be loaded onto the memory card and refreshed in a wink, but the PQs take time to run, download and prepare. So, we normally run with only 300-500 POIs (Geocaches) at a time. The Garmin 60CSx is the best handheld we have used. And; the beast hates his Delorme PN20.

[Author]

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