Pocket Queries, GSAK, Delorme Street Atlas, & CacheMate 102

1. Pocket Queries, GSAK, Delorme Street Atlas, & CacheMate 102 Richard Thompson Glonch’sPride

2. Pocket Queries, GSAK, Street Atlas, & CacheMate 102 Welcome to all! 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, GSAK, Street Atlas, & CacheMate 102 • Review of GSAK 101 Event – some updates to pass on • CacheMate for Palm • GSAK Tips & Tricks • Q&A

4. Quick review of the 101 Event • The creation of pocket queries in geocaching.com • The goal was to extract as much out of geocaching.com so that you can organize it in GSAK • Delorme Street Atlas • Making radii for geocaching.com • Making polygons (and other shapes) to filter caches in GSAK • GSAK • Initial setup • Basic features • Intro to filtering • Polygon filtering • A very powerful way of searching and narrowing down caches to export them to your GPSr

5. GSAK Update – Importing Polygons 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. Click Select File Browse to the file and click Open Thanks to wemedge for this hint!!!!

6. GSAK Update – Importing Polygons You will have to delete BEGIN POLY And END if the polygon file was created with Street Atlas So it looks like this prior to running the filter Note – No clean up needed if importing from Google Earth

7. GSAK Update –Using Google Earth for polygons Download Google Earth from http://earth.google.com Move and zoom the map to the area you want, then select the Add Polygon tool

8. GSAK Update –Using Google Earth for polygons This window will appear and the cursor will change to a crosshair when over the map area (not in snapshot)

9. GSAK Update –Using Google Earth for polygons Draw your polygon by clicking each point Yours can have any number of points

10. GSAK Update –Using Google Earth for polygons Right Click the polygon Then select Save As…

11. GSAK Update –Using Google Earth for polygons 1. Browse to your save location 3. Click Save 2. Ensure .kml is selected Change file name if need Go back to importing the file into the polygon filter in GSAK section

12. CacheMate 4 • Overview • CacheMate 4 is a Palm/Pocket PC based caching tool. • Portable database of caches • GSAK can create the database (.pdb) files for export to the Palm version or GPX files for the Pocket PC version. • Shareware – only $8! • Palm - http://www.smittyware.com/palm/cachemate/ • PPC - http://www.smittyware.com/ppc/cachemate/

13. CacheMate 4 • A great database application for the Palm (and PPC) • The memory capacity and speed of the Palm will dictate what you should transfer to it • I’ve used Palm M125, Palm Z22, Palm E2 – All work well • CacheMate is capable of multiple databases just like GSAK • This will allows for a ‘working’ database for your day-to-day caching • Another database for your own caches with the corrected coordinates in them (Great for those ‘phone the owner’ situations) • And many others… • More info • Icenrye Videozine Episode #24 - http://blip.tv/file/675412 • Side note - A great video podcast on caching (no iPod needed!) • GSAK Macros for CacheMate • http://gsak.net/board/index.php?showforum=27

14. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup In GSAK you will have to create a CacheMate Palm export database file (.pdb) This can be done in two ways: 1. File  Export CacheMate PDB File… Or 2. Add an icon to the tool bar for CacheMate

15. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup Pocket PC users take note!!! 1. Check for correct location for PDB file 2. Select options to suit your needs [FYI - %drop2 removes the GC from the waypoint names] 3. Click Generate

16. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup Since this section can vary from one Palm type to another, follow the syncing instructions that came with your Palm. It is also assumed that you have already installed CacheMate on your Palm.

17. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup In your Palm, Tap CacheMate When CacheMate sees a new database this screen will show

18. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup The name of the PDB file is here Categories are If you want caches in a different database, Tap the pulldown with Default and select a new or current database Tap OK when you are ready When import is finished this will display – Tap OK

19. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup This is the main screen of CacheMate CacheMate Title – Tap here for pulldown menus Cache list Scroll Bar Enter a new cache (Rarely used) Sort by Cache Name or Waypoint (GCxxxxx)

20. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup 1. Tap on the CacheMate title 2. Then Tap Option 3. Tap Preferences

21. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup Change distance units to s. miles Set other setting to suit your needs. When you are finished, Tap OK

22. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup 1. Tap on the CacheMate title 2. Tap Option 3. Tap List Options 4. Extra Info options are: I use the Waypoint option 5. Tap OK

23. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup This is the screen status pulldown It shows what screen you are on and you can select other screens by Tapping on it On the main list, Tap a cache to view it At any time you can Tap Done to get back to the main list

24. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup The Description page Note the scroll bars on the right The Hints page You can set the hints to decode automatically or Tap Decode

25. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup It is possible to log your finds/DNFs etc via Cachemate. There is more information on how to do this at: http://boulter.com/geocaching/logger/ Click on the help link for full directions Log page You can log finds via this page. The Past Logs page Any encoded logs can be decoded by Tapping Decode

26. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup To change the way the main cache page is displayed, Tap the Title Bar, Tap Options, and then Tap View Options Overview With the default settings, this page will show the main cache information and the Hints

27. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup Record View Options Page These are the options that I use Once you set the options you want Tap OK and then Tap OK

28. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup Notice the pushbuttons at the top Overview This is the original page Overview, Info, Details, Hints, Log, Previous Logs This Overview page now has the main cache information, hints, past 5 logs

29. CacheMate 4 – Initial Database and Setup Assigning the Palm buttons to CacheMate Functions 1. Under the Option Menu Tap Buttons… 2. Select the button … 3. Select the function

30. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Your Finds • Managing your finds in GSAK and running statistics on them • Well Rounded Caches • To find all Terrain/Difficulty combinations • Challenge Caches • Find caches based upon location, date placed, etc • Caching in a Group • Go for caches that none in the group have found • Google Maps in GSAK • Local cacher, String Theory (aka Markp99), developed a great Macro for GSAK to show your filtered caches in Google Maps

31. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Your Finds • Managing your finds in GSAK and running statistics on them • You will need to download your “My Finds” Pocket Query first • Go to: http://www.geocaching.com/pocket/ • Scroll to the bottom of the page, under My Finds, Click Add to Queue • You will get this file in email • Download it and open GSAK

32. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Your Finds • In GSAK, select Database  New… Title the database ex - MyFinds Click Create

33. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Your Finds 1. Select File  Load GPX/LOC/ZIP… 2. Browse to the My Finds PQ file 3. Uncheck Clear Database… 4. Click OK

34. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Your Finds • Running Statistics on them with All Purpose Statistics Generator in GSAK • Go to: • http://gsak.net/board/index.php?showtopic=4623 Click on the most recent version Click Open

35. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Your Finds • Runing Statistics on them with All Purpose Statistics Generator in GSAK 1. Click Install the macro 3. Select  Macro  Run/Manage… 2. Click Go

36. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Your Finds • Runing Statistics on them with All Purpose Statistics Generator in GSAK 1. Select FindStatGen3.gsk 2. Click Run

37. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Your Finds • Runing Statistics on them with All Purpose Statistics Generator in GSAK 1. Select OK (This might not show up on first run of the macro)

38. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Your Finds • Runing Statistics on them with All Purpose Statistics Generator in GSAK Important – Select your “My Finds” database here Important – Your EXACT geocaching.com user name There are a ton of options here Try different combinations These are the settings that I use When you are done with your settings, Click OK

39. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Your Finds • Runing Statistics on them with All Purpose Statistics Generator in GSAK The results will be shown in your internet browser There is much more info as you scroll down in your browser… Check the link for the macro – It is updated often and many new features are added all the time

40. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Well Rounded Caches • To find all Difficulty/Terrain combinations (81 in total) • e.g. – 1/1, 1/1.5…. 5/5 • GC15E8N is the NE Well Rounded Challenge Cache • http://tinyurl.com/56xjdt • In GSAK, there are many tools to assist you with this • Sorting by the Terrain and Difficulty columns and comparing them with your finds • Macros: • Fizzy Challenge Macro • Great macro – note you will need to used the Stats Macro for your finds prior to running this macro • http://tinyurl.com/4vjxqo • Well Rounded Nearest • Finds nearest terr/diff caches • http://tinyurl.com/62aoge

41. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Challenge Caches • Delorme Challenge • Challenge Marco • Unbelievable marco – incorporates many of the US Delorme Challenges into one Marco! None of the NE Delorme Caches have been added… yet. • http://tinyurl.com/5rb7g6 • Using GSAK to export your found caches to Street Atlas to verify grids that are complete and needed to be done. • NH Delorme Grids for Street Atlas are at: • http://home.comcast.net/~glonchspride/NHDelorme.zip • http://home.comcast.net/~glonchspride/NHDelormeTurnEveryPage.zip • n Degrees Challenges • NH – 9 Degrees of NH – GC17YQH • Grid for Street Atlas • http://home.comcast.net/~glonchspride/9DegreesofNH.zip

42. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Challenge Caches • Delorme Challenge • Using GSAK to export your found caches to Street Atlas to verify grids that are complete and need to be done. 1. Set your filter on your Found cache database 2. File  Export  Street Atlas TXT File…

43. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Challenge Caches • Delorme Challenge 1. Ensure your path and filename are correct 2. Change name if you want %code is GCxxxxxx %drop2 is drops the GC 3. Click Generate

44. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Challenge Caches • Delorme Challenge • To Import the Challenge grids in to Street Atlas 1. In Street Atlas Select File  Transfer  Import… 2. Select the Delorme .dmt file that you want 3. Click Import

45. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Challenge Caches • Delorme Challenge • To import your found caches in to Street Atlas 1. Click Draw then File… 2. Click Import

46. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Challenge Caches • Delorme Challenge • To import your found caches in to Street Atlas 1. Select the file with the exported found caches 2. Click Open

47. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Street Atlas – Delorme Challenges • Examples NH Delorme Challenge NH Delorme Challenge – Leave No Page Unturned

48. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Caching in a Group • Go for caches that none in the group have found • Two ways to do this: • It’s Not About The Numbers website and GSAK • http://www.itsnotaboutthenumbers.com/compare_gsak.php • Macro in GSAK • Group Caching macro • http://tinyurl.com/4u6y4r

49. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Google Maps in GSAK • Local cacher, String Theory (aka Markp99), developed a great Macro for GSAK to show your filtered caches in Google Maps • MyGME v3 - http://tinyurl.com/67qu7s • Install the macro as explained in the Statistics section • Filter your caches • Draw a polygon around the area you want to map • In this example, a caching run is planned around the Pawtuckaway State Park • Import this polygon in to GSAK to filter your caches • Use the new tip at the beginning of this document to import!

50. GSAK Tips and Tricks • Google Maps in GSAK 3. Select Marco  Run/Manage… 1. The imported polygon 4. Select myGMEv03 macro 2. Run your filter with other options if you like – e.g. – Traditional only, less than 3/3 terr/diff – etc. 5. Click Run