This topic contains 62 replies, has 16 voices, and was last updated by 
The Happy Hodag! 6 years, 4 months ago.
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I’ve been caching since 2008 and have never used GSAK. I take that back, I had GSAK downloaded for all of two hours about two years ago. At that time, I thought of the uninstall feature was the best feature on the darned thing. Before I go and potentially throw $30 (they’re still charging just $30, right?) down the toilet, I need to be convinced that GSAK is better than simply using GC.com for all my Pocket Query needs.
-The Happy Hodag!
The buck stops here. . .and gets entered into Where's George.
Where's George? Stimulating the economy one EMS'ed dollar at a time.
One of many reasons that GSAK rocks: You can print maps and Lists of the caches in your pocket query like this.
GSAK map view and list view I’ve been using GSAK for over 2 years and did not know I could print maps like that! I know there is a lot it does that I haven’t discovered yet… just get into the habit of just using what I was taught on it. I do like loading queries into it, then being able to re-organize them into what I want, like putting all the 5 terrains first, etc. I also like filtering the databases and running macros for challenges. I also like combining queries into a database for when I take trips and loading the whole thing into my gps. That being said, I’ve never used the pqs on gc.com, so for all I know, maybe the same stuff can be done off the website.
I feel like I only use about 5% of all that I could do with GSAK, but I especially like using it for statistics and loading PQs.
Not all who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien
I still haven’t heard anything new except about the map/list, that looks neat how you can see details about the caches without having to open each cache page. At least that’s what it looks like to me.
-The Happy Hodag!
The buck stops here. . .and gets entered into Where's George.
Where's George? Stimulating the economy one EMS'ed dollar at a time.
I really wish I knew of something similar for Macs. Just the ability to search for qualifications for challenges would be worth the money for me.
The best sig is no sig.
I use GSAK for about 7% of what I bet it can do.
Starting with version 8 no more downloading a PQ from the Frog to you desktop to GSAK for uploading PQs. Now you can authenticate your GC.com profile and go right into it from GSAK and download PQs directly.
Mapping, awesome feature. Mass logging- you may not do it but it allows you to log 539 caches in 10 minutes or less. Also…writing my logs in one handy window and then clicking one button and having them uploaded, saves me from opening countless cache pages and the clicking log for the next page and the Submit to actually submit it. It gives me more time to actually write meaningful logs instead of web browsing for everything.
Sort and filter caches in the database. Have everything within 60 miles of home? Ok…but not interested in looking for those “?” in Appleton then filter those out before you send the PQ to the GPS.
Going on a caching run? There are Macros out there to run that will assist you. Pick a cache and then it will pick a route for you (Cache Attack macro) to be the most efficient.
Checking to see if you qualify for challenges (Busy Day, Delorme, Counties, WGA State Park Series…) Drop “My Finds” into the database and sort/find them anyway you want (i.e. 25 caches that start with WalkingAdventure).
Doing puzzles? Drop your corrected cords into GSAK along with notes on how you solved it.
The $30 is a one time fee. 10 years later I am still learning how to play with GSAK but I paid a 1 time fee. That’s cheaper than a premium membership or almost anything when prorated out. Excuse me, I was wrong-for major upgrades 8.xxx, 9.xxx, etc. , there is another fee but you can also add GSAK to several computers if you want for no additional price. Minor updates 8.x.1,8.x.5 etc. do not charge for updates.
Following the signals from space.
Is anyone here also using Project GC? I did go ahead and pay the annual for that (I think it was $23?). I have that on my profile page instead of going through all the steps of using GSAK to post my stats. Project GC updates it automatically daily. If you don’t pay for it, it will update your stats weekly. The only negative with it compared to GSAK for me is after 1000, the milestones go by each 1000. GSAK you can set them to whatever. But, I do like the county map better on Project GC. It also does macros, and it seems to be easier to do macros with it than GSAK for a couple that I did. Again, there is probably a ton more Project GC does that I haven’t even looked at yet… right now, I just use it for my stats.
Wow, I wasn’t aware that project-gc updates your profile page automatically.
I first hear of Project-GC from zuma! and then Hacks. It makes challenge verification much easier. Good to see they are improving and that will put pressure on the other site and service to improve also. MyGeocachingProfile.com (owned by the Frog I think) is clunky compared to Project-GC. Good advice, dmrec
Following the signals from space.
Mass logging- you may not do it but it allows you to log 539 caches in 10 minutes or less. Also…writing my logs in one handy window and then clicking one button and having them uploaded, saves me from opening countless cache pages and the clicking log for the next page and the Submit to actually submit it. It gives me more time to actually write meaningful logs instead of web browsing for everything.
That may or may not come in handy for me depending on the situation, and even then it might be rare.
Sort and filter caches in the database. Have everything within 60 miles of home? Ok…but not interested in looking for those “?” in Appleton then filter those out before you send the PQ to the GPS.
I can filter out all those pesky “?” caches without the services of GSAK.
Checking to see if you qualify for challenges (Busy Day, Delorme, Counties, WGA State Park Series…) Drop “My Finds” into the database and sort/find them anyway you want (i.e. 25 caches that start with WalkingAdventure).
I’m not all that into challenges, but this is good info in case that ever becomes a thing for me. BTW, I do have my eye on at least two at the moment.
Doing puzzles? Drop your corrected cords into GSAK along with notes on how you solved it.
I can do that directly to the cache page without the services of GSAK.
]The $30 is a one time fee. 10 years later I am still learning how to play with GSAK but I paid a 1 time fee. That’s cheaper than a premium membership or almost anything when prorated out. Excuse me, I was wrong-for major upgrades 8.xxx, 9.xxx, etc. , there is another fee but you can also add GSAK to several computers if you want for no additional price. Minor updates 8.x.1,8.x.5 etc. do not charge for updates.
That’s good to know about the $30 fee, but I think I’ll hold off a little to see what else might be out there on GSAK before I make that commitment.
-The Happy Hodag!
The buck stops here. . .and gets entered into Where's George.
Where's George? Stimulating the economy one EMS'ed dollar at a time.
I looked at your stats, Happy Hodag, and you appear to be able to handle your current caching needs without GSAK. Because we have a Mac, which GSAK has no intention of developing a version for, and we don’t want to do all the workarounds to get our Mac to use GSAK, we have done without for almost eight years. There have been times when having some of GSAK’s bells and whistles would have been fun to play with, but for our normal caching use, we have been able to cobble together other methods to handle our laid-back caching style.
I just wish it wasn’t assumed “everyone has GSAK”. 😕
unless something has changed with GSAK, you could download the program and use it free as an unregistered user. after a trial period, it will continually give you a popup asking about purchasing the registered version. Not sure if you get all functionality from the unregistered version or not.
Disclaimer : Always answering to a higher power.
I looked at your stats, Happy Hodag, and you appear to be able to handle your current caching needs without GSAK. Because we have a Mac, which GSAK has no intention of developing a version for, and we don’t want to do all the workarounds to get our Mac to use GSAK, we have done without for almost eight years. There have been times when having some of GSAK’s bells and whistles would have been fun to play with, but for our normal caching use, we have been able to cobble together other methods to handle our laid-back caching style. I just wish it wasn’t assumed “everyone has GSAK”.
I’m with you there. I didn’t even know there was such a program until about two years ago, and the research I did between then and now hasn’t shown me much of anything other than how redundant the program is. I’ve heard other arguments like needing GSAK to filter out caches that you own, I can do that without GSAK. Include or exclude certain attributes or cache type or difficulty or terrain ratings? I can do that without GSAK. Most of what I’ve heard here you can do without GSAK, and I’ve been doing things without GSAK for years. It’s not that I’m against such a third party program, but I’m just calling it like I see it. I actually want to learn more about GSAK, which is why I ask when I meet other cachers in person, and hence the reason for starting this thread as well. Based on what I’m hearing so far, I just can’t justify spending $30 on a third party program where I would have to pay $30 a year that I’m already spending just to duplicate what GC.com already provides me. That’s just me though, and I’m glad I’m not the only one out there.
-The Happy Hodag!
The buck stops here. . .and gets entered into Where's George.
Where's George? Stimulating the economy one EMS'ed dollar at a time.
” . . . I would have to pay $30 a year. . .” pretty sure this statement is incorrect.
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