PDA, GPS how?

[kbraband]

I am now a PDA owner. I am Spinnerized. I am Pluckerized. I have all the cache sheets for the nearest 300 geocaches I have not found loaded into my PDA and into my GPS. One final request… please, no one change anything on their caches!!!

[Cathunter]

Congrats Ken, on becoming paperless.

I upload all the waypoints to the area I am going to hunt the day before I hit the trail. On weekends, I sometimes will do it a second time, just in case there were logs or changes within the previous day or so that might effect my caching. Using paper, sometimes a being a week or more old bit me in the arse more than once. After the first couple times, the process is a no-brainer.

Just like me after a 20 cache day

[kbraband]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cathunter:

I upload all the waypoints to the area I am going to hunt the day before I hit the trail.

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But don’t you have to specify in advance what you want to receive in the pocket query file from gc.com? Or do you change the paramaters for the pocket query and receive a special localized file based on where you know you will be going?

In my case, I seldom go on multi-cache “frenzies”, as we used to call them. I like having the hundreds of cache descriptions available. Then if I just happen to be near a cache, I can look it up and decide whether to look for it.

[Cathunter]

I do what you do, as far as having several hundred waypoints with me all the time. The day before I go somewhere to cache, (usually Friday), I delete the week old file from my PDA, and install a fresh one. Sometimes I will do this again before going out on Sunday. If I am going outside my normal travel area, I make a new pocket query for the area I am going, and process it & put it in my PDA. When I went on my last trip north, I made 4 seperate files; one each for within 80 miles of The Dells, Black River Falls, Rice Lake, and Arbor Vitae. This sometimes provided some overlap, but I could be sure to know about the caches anywhere near my route of travel. Plucker can have as many “Channels” as you may desire, & yes, it all fits in my little Handspring Visor. The advantage to me for seperating the files is that it makes it a lot easier to scroll through 50 waypoints than 300.

To the trail……..

[This message has been edited by Cathunter (edited 11-15-2003).]

[WISearchers]

Ok, so Im a little slow, but I too am paperless.

The template thing and modifying thing is still a bit beyond me.

All I want to do at this point is when I spin the file, I want to be able to use the new icons that can upload, but I prefer to search for a cache on my etrex legend by GC#, not by cache name, which is usually truncated.

I’m not sure what to change or how to open the template if even that’s the way.

Can someone please give me a step by step to change this?

Thanks,

WISearchers

[Cathunter]

What you want to do is edit the “GPX Spinner.ini” file. Assuming you did a standard install, the path should be “C:Program FilesGPX SpinnerGPX Spinner.ini”.

Once you open that file, all the available formats are listed there for your viewing pleasure.

You want to change the line that reads-

“Waypoint is the name for waypoints in your GPS receiver. Historically, this has been the equivalent of %C%I, But you may find it more useful too show the actual name of the cache instead. You could also include the
placer and/or the difficulty/terrain ratings if you desire. See the table of Format Specifiers above for more information.

Waypoint_Format = %N”

Change to
Waypoint_Format =%C&I

Let us know if this helps.

[This message has been edited by Cathunter (edited 12-05-2003).]

[GrouseTales]

For the past year or so, I’ve been caching strictly by the book, E-Book that is. I’ve been frustrated by the speed and crumby searching abilities. Trying to find the clue has been a pain in the butt. I often get lost in the cache pages. One minute I will be on the cache page I want, the next minute I’m on a completely different page.

After a recent caching trip with Ken, I’ve decided to try spinner/plucker. I really like the plucker format. It is a hell of a lot easier to find the cache page that I’m looking for. On the down side, all this downloading, spinnerizing, formating, installing, synching is pain with spinner/plucker. It was a lot easier to simply install the Ebooks.

Now I’m interesting in trying Cachemate. I downloaded the trial version, but can’t figure out how to get the queries into the cachemate program. When I trying to install the GPX from the palm installer, the file will only go to my memory stick. I cant figure out how to view these files. I’ve been reading the forums to try go get a grasp on Cachemate, but I’m not having any luck. I’m reluctate to purchase the program if I can’t get it working first.

I see I still have A LOT to learn about all three of these programs still

[rpaske]

Try going to http://www.smittyware.com/palm/cachemate/doc.php.
This might help.

[GeoPink]

The link by rpaske was not working for me so I’ll give you the quick skinny!

Along with the Main Cachemate program is another called cmconvert.exe When you find this program amongst your unzipped Cachemate files, make sure you place a copy onyour desktop or make a shortcut or something because this is the utility which will get your PQ (.gpx) files onto your PDA. Here are the steps

1) run cmconvert.exe
2) Click [Load File] and choose the .gpx file you wish to load
3) Click [Select All] to select all the files loaded into cmconvert (or manually select whatever files you would like to upload)
4) Click [Convert] to Convert files and prepare them for download to your PDA. The process for getting the files into Cachemate on your PDA is automatically performed after clicking Convert.

Your files will now be synced to your PDA the next time you HotSync!

Hope this helps!

[edit]clarify and spelling[/edit]
[edit]spelling[/edit]

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later,
Team GeoPink
Co-conspirators to make the world a better place

[This message has been edited by arcangl7 (edited 12-12-2003).]

[This message has been edited by arcangl7 (edited 12-12-2003).]

[rpaske]

It seems to be, that when I installed cachemate, that cmconvert.exe appeared on the desk top as an alias.

[GeoPink]

quote:

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Originally posted by rpaske:
It seems to be, that when I installed cachemate, that cmconvert.exe appeared on the desk top as an alias.

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alias?

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later,
Team GeoPink
Co-conspirators to make the world a better place

[rpaske]

oops. that was Macintosh spwak. Now for PC-shortcut of cmcobvert,

[rpaske]

Run the Install Tool from your Palmª Desktop directory.
2. Click Add, and add the CacheMate.prc file to your HotSync¨ list.
3. Add the MathLib.prc file as well, if you want to use the “nearest caches” and waypoint calculation features.
4. HotSync your Palm OS handheld.
5. Tap the CacheMate icon on your handheld to start the program.
6. Tap the New button to begin adding items to the database.

[GrouseTales]

quote:

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Originally posted by arcangl7:
The link by rpaske was not working for me so I’ll give you the quick skinny!

Along with the Main Cachemate program is another called cmconvert.exe When you find this program amongst your unzipped Cachemate files, make sure you place a copy onyour desktop or make a shortcut or something because this is the utility which will get your PQ (.gpx) files onto your PDA. Here are the steps

1) run cmconvert.exe
2) Click [Load File] and choose the .gpx file you wish to load
3) Click [Select All] to select all the files loaded into cmconvert (or manually select whatever files you would like to upload)
4) Click [Convert] to Convert files and prepare them for download to your PDA. The process for getting the files into Cachemate on your PDA is automatically performed after clicking Convert.

Your files will now be synced to your PDA the next time you HotSync!

Hope this helps!

[edit]clarify and spelling[/edit]
[edit]spelling[/edit]

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Bingo, this is what I need to get the files in the palm. I didn’t have the cmconverter extracted from the zip onto my desktop. I think I like the format of plucker better, as it is more like using a browser. Cachemate has some nice features for recording your finds and notes. I guess I can only save about 10 caches with the trial version

Thanks for the tips

[GeoPink]

I’ve not used Plucker for caching yet but I really like Cachemate. All the info is laid out well and easy to find. Also the ability to decode hints at the press of a button is nice after you’ve just spent half an hour looking and need a little boost. I also like the ability to have up to 5 logs available too. For me the $7 was an easy decision! I’ve also used the “Find nearest Caches” feature several times when I’m away from home and I have an hour or two to kill caching. I’ve got over 700 Caches saved in MN & WI all at my fingertips!

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later,
Team GeoPink
Co-conspirators to make the world a better place

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