Pocket Queries, GSAK & Delorme Street Atlas 101

1. Pocket Queries, GSAK & Delorme Street Atlas 101 Richard Thompson Glonch’sPride

2. Pocket Queries, GSAK & Street Atlas 101 Welcome to all! The main topic for this event is how to use these applications to get all of the caches for NH into GSAK and use the tools in GSAK (with help from Street Atlas) to manage and manipulate them. While I have attempted to cover most of the material as much as possible, so please use at your own risk. “Your mileage will vary.” I am not affiliated with any of the companies represented in this presentation . I know that I haven’t covered everything in this training so please feel free to contact me after the presentation and we’ll talk about the next event! Rules: 1. Have fun 2. ASK QUESTIONS! 3. Don’t hesitate to contact me via my email, glonch2001@yahoo.com with any follow up questions that you may have after the event.

3. Pocket Queries • Overview • A Pocket Query (PQ) is used to search the Geocaching.com database of active and inactive caches. • Must be a premium member of geocaching.com to run PQs • They might also contain child waypoints • Child waypoints are trailheads, parking coordinates, etc • There are many types of search criteria: • Type of cache (Traditional, Multi, Puzzle, etc) • Difficulty / Terrain of cache • Location of cache, based upon: • Home Coordinates • State • Radius • Etc • And many others • Limitations (as of Feb 2008): • Max 500 Caches per PQ • Max 5 PQs downloaded per day • Max 40 PQs per user • Using GSAK with PQs, these limitations are eliminated!

4. GSAK: www.gsak.net • Overview • GSAK is the all in one Geocaching and waypoint management tool. • Major features include: • Multiple databases • Distance/direction from other waypoints (including caches, locations, post codes) • Sending/receiving waypoints to GPSr • PDA output (including CacheMate support) • Extensive searching • Extensive Macro language (Don’t be scared, many have made macros for free) • Backup and Restore • and much more! • GSAK only runs on Windows operating systems (98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista) • Licensing is very generous: • You can use GSAK for free, but after 21 days, a nag screen will come up on program startup (no reduction on functionality though) • $25 for Major releases (6.x, 7.x, etc) - No charge for minor updates .1, .23, etc… • You can install on multiple computers and use with multiple GPSrs that you own with one license • All settings, databases, etc can be moved between computers without any problems. • Two files that you must download if you do get GSAK: • http://gsak.net/GSAK101_English.doc • http://gsak.net/GSAK201_English.doc

5. Delorme Street Atlas USA 2008 Plus • Overview • Delorme Street Atlas USA 2008 Plus is a great mapping tool. • Really assists you in determining your search areas • Import your caches and overlay them on the map • Import your found caches to verify for challenge type caches (Delorme Challenges, etc) • And many more… • Around $60 • www.delorme.com

6. Pocket Queries, GSAK & Street Atlas 101 • A Rest Stop… • A demo on what’s to come • Delorme Street Atlas • Pocket Queries • GSAK • Q & A

7. Delorme Street Atlas USA 2008 Plus Lat/Long & Radius Input area Draw Tab Most of your work in SA will be done here Polygons, Rectangles, Etc

8. Delorme Street Atlas USA 2008 Plus Draw Tab Changed to file mode Export option

9. Delorme Street Atlas USA 2008 Plus • Notes • Take your time with SA – it can be picky • Use keyboard commands: • F3 – Switch between zoom and hand mode • F4 – Pointer (select) tool • Draw Items • With Pointer tool on, hold Shift then click and drag any item to move it

10. Pocket Queries: Structure • Create your query • Name of query • Which days to run • # of caches to return in query (500 always!) • Type • Active/Inactive • Difficulty • Terrain • Restrict to state (NH)? • Starting Coordinates (if needed and distance of radius)

11. Pocket Queries: Starting Out • To get to the Pocket Query screen: • Get to your account screen • On the right hand side, half way down, click Build Pocket Queries

12. Pocket Queries: Part 1 • Query Name • What you want • Think about keeping this alphabetical • e.g. – Start with “NH –” for NH Queries • Days… • Leave blank until needed • If checked, query will be sent to your email and count against your daily PQ count • Choose… • Leave on “Uncheck..” until needed • Show me xxx caches • 500! Always.

13. Pocket Queries: Part 2 • Of • Any type • Selected types • These will depend on the application • Any container • Selected containers • I find that I don’t use this section – GSAK can do this later on

14. Pocket Queries: Part 3 • That (and) • I check: • I haven’t found • I don’t own • Is Active • And • I usually leave these as default (nothing checked) – GSAK can sort these later

15. Pocket Queries: Part 4 • Within • This will depend on the application • Most of the time, I restrict to NH (or the state that I am dealing with).

16. Pocket Queries: Part 5 • From Origin • This will depend on the application • Most of the time, I will use By Coordinates andwithin radius of • Within radius of will vary

17. Pocket Queries: Part 6 • Placed during • I usually leave these as default values • If you wanted to do this, GSAK can later

18. Pocket Queries: Part 7 • Attributes to Include • Attributes to Exclude • I never use these – some cachers forget to assign attributes to their caches and this would drop them from the PQ

19. Pocket Queries: Part 8 • Output to • Usually leave this as default, change if needed in your situation • In the format • Always - GPS Exchange Format (*.gpx) • Always check – Compress files into *.zip format

20. Pocket Queries: Notes • Do not have results that are maxed out! • If 450-500, then reduce the radius so that you get ~375-425 • This will allow for new caches to show up in the area • If you’re low on NH finds, then there will be a number a PQs you will have to do to get the whole state • Limit to southern or northern depending on what you want to accomplish • Limiting the type of cache might not change the total that much • Other places for info on PQs… • http://www.markwell.us/pq.htm (awesome site!)

21. GSAK: Main Window Tool Bar Search/Filter Bar Cache listing Cache Info

22. GSAK: First settings: Part 1 Go to Tools → Options You will need your Owner ID#

23. GSAK: First settings: Part 2 Go to your Profile Page on geocaching.com Hover your mouse here Your Owner ID# will be here

24. GSAK: First settings: Part 3 Go to Tools → Options → Locations Type your Home Coordinates here WARNING: Do not type on a line that starts with #

25. GSAK: First settings: Part 3 Go to Tools → Options → Abbreviations Check this if you like State names to be abbreviated

26. GSAK: Establish a Database Go to Database → New… Name the new database Click Create

27. GSAK: Loading PQs Go to File → Load GPX/LOC/Zip File 1. Load type is Folder 2. Ensure path is correct 3. Select correct database 4. Select Clear database before loading 5. Click OK

28. GSAK: PQ Report Results after loading PQs Total number of caches in ALL zip files Total number of caches after duplicates removed Individual file statistics

29. GSAK: What Next? • Sorting • Click any column heading to sort A to Z, nearest to farthest • Click again to reverse the order • Filtering • Cache Type • Cache Difficulty • Cache Terrain • State • Cache owner • Distance from Home (or other waypoint, coordinate, etc) • It goes on and on…

30. GSAK: Area (Polygon) Searches: Part 1 3. Draw Polygon Open Street Atlas 1. Click the Draw Tab 2. Click & hold to select the polygon tool 4. Click File

31. GSAK: Area (Polygon) Searches: Part 2 1. Ensure it is selected 2. Click Export…

32. GSAK: Area (Polygon) Searches: Part 3 Default location is: C:\Delorme Docs\Export Default Name is DrawExport.txt Click Save

33. GSAK: Area (Polygon) Searches: Part 4 Go to Start  Run and type notepad and click OK Go to File  Open and navigate to C:\Delorme Docs\Export\DrawExport.txt Once opened – Select just the coordinates and Copy (Edit  Copy or Ctrl-C)

34. GSAK: Area (Polygon) Searches: Part 5 3. Select the Arc/Poly Tab and Click Polygon 1. Open GSAK 2. Ensure the correct database is selected - Select Search  Filter… or Click the icon 4. Paste the coordinates into the area below the # symbols (Ctrl-V) 5. Apply any other filters and click Go

35. Wrap up! • Q & A • And a huge thanks!

36. Next event???? • More GSAK • More SA And… • Cachemate!