Android Geocaching App - Part 4

I was looking for as much information as I could.   There was not a lot that I could find but I can take the time to help you figure out how to load information into your geocaching app.

First you need a gpx file.  This is most easily done with one of two options.  The two options require a premium memberships, and some understanding of pocket queries.

You need to create a pocket query for what you are looking for.  There are a number of options to do that.  If you go to your profile page and select the "pocket queries".  Take the time to create a pocket query for the area that you want. There are a number of options to make a query, I will not go through them all here.  You want your file to be available for download.

The other would be to create one through another program through GSAK.  Then upload that file to GSAK. In that case you can go to your 'my profile' page, and and to your saved gpx files.  Upload the file there.

When you are ready to download the file go to your application and go to the first screen titled "Search" at the top.  Select menu and click on your saved caches button.

You can then go to a screen with Download Pocket Queries, you will get a menu of all the pocket queries that you are able to download.  Select the one that you want to download. It will give you some information on the file, and you can compete the download.  It will just take a while do download, and then transfer the information into the program.  Into a format that can be used. 

You can also take the time to load a file from your computer.  This should allow larger files. I am not sure how yet.. but it is coming.

It took about 15 minute to process a 500 count file.  With the new 1.01 update it took only a minute or two to do the same amount.

Once you have it down you select your saved caches (from the menu) it will open all of those files.  Voila.. you have a lot you can use as your drive around and offline.

Android Geocaching App - Part 1- Initial Impressions

Android Geocaching App - Part 2 - Searches, Trackables, and Settings

Android Geocaching App - Part 3 - Geocache Navigation

Android Geocaching App - Part 4 - Loading Saved Files

Android Geocaching App - Part 5 - Final thoughts

Android Geocaching App - Part 3

We are on to finding and heading to the local geocaches.  In part 2 we looked at the setting and some of the different ways to search .. now we will move on to the search.

If we select the Find Nearby Geocaches that we mentioned before a screen pops up with a number of options.  In general I have searched for 20 unfound traditional caches.  I do not spend much time with many of the others, If I do I will have searched on my Oregon GPS

Understanding the Found Caches

When your list of caches comes up there is a lot of info that will pop up right away.

• There is a Symbol that shows the cache type (from GC.com) If you have found it the type will show with a large check box.
• Name of cache
• Terrain/Difficulty
• Size
• GC #
• Distance and Bearing
• There are also three bars.  The three bars will show you disabled, premium and found.
• Bugs - with the number that are inside.

Geocache Details

When you select the cache that you are looking for you will jump to the next screen with more info.  The menu at the top will show you the previous info, but will also include who placed the cache, and the date hidden.

Following down are the following menus

Navigate to Geocache

I will cover it lower on the page. 

Save for offline use

Saves the cache for when you are out of cell area.. or loose signal.

Description

Pulls the description from the cache page

Recent Logs

This will show you the recent logs on the cache.  If you are looking at a saved file that list will be 5 caches (or whatever you downloaded on a custom file)  If you are using live, it gives you get the last 10, there is also a handy button to show you the next 10.  You have access to a number of logs if you need them

Hint

Who could not use a hint now and then.

Attributes

This will show you the attributes that you can use on the cache page.

Inventory

A list of the trackables in the cache.  Clicking on them give you the symbol art, name, tag/coin and #.  It will take you to the trackable page so that you can review the description and see the goal of the trackable. It will even take you to the trackable cache page if you wish.

Photos

This will show all the photos that people have uploaded on the cache page.  I always wanted this to help find a spoiler.  I finally got it.

Post a Log/Field Note

This takes you to the page to log your cache. On that page is

Select log type

Found/DNF/etc

Auto Post Log

This will set it to post when you are done on GC.com or throw it onto your field notes to complete logging offline later.

Save and Dismiss

Save it until later?  I will follow up on this one.

Submit to Geocaching.com

Pretty obvious.

--now jumping back to the previous screen where we left off.

Find Nearby Geocaches.

Do another search from this point as center point

View on Geocaching.com

Jumps to the website so you can see the cache page

View on External map

This lets you pick another location on your android device to look.  In particular you can use this option to take you to the program to use your auto to help you navigate to your cache, giving you turn by turn instructions.

Navigating to a Cache

As mentioned above you can select this to help you jump to your navigation. You will get a green pin for the cache.  a blue dot for you and a line for how far to go.  on the top of the screen in a little black bar is the cache name and how far away you are.  Your blue dot may have a circle around it.  That circle gets bigger or smaller based on the accuracy of the signal.

Map Mode

You can hit your menu button and select map mode to change it to satellite mode (I prefer)

My location

there is also a menu button that will always jump you back to your location, so if you are panning around it can jump you back

Add waypoint

Another vital button is adding a waypoint.  This will take you to a point where you can enter the location.  This is ideals for some puzzles and mutlis.

Compass

This will let you jump to the compass.  It will point you in the direction you are heading.. give you the coords at your location, and where you are going. and your gps accuracy. 

Thoughts

I am getting better at this, I have started to really enjoy using this, and writing this has helped me find a number of little hints tricks.  but is is very responsive to me, and is easy to use.

next - Part 4 - Loading Saved Files

Android Geocaching App - Part 1- Initial Impressions

Android Geocaching App - Part 2 - Searches, Trackables, and Settings

Android Geocaching App - Part 3 - Geocache Navigation

Android Geocaching App - Part 4 - Loading Saved Files

Android Geocaching App - Part 5 - Final thoughts

Android Geocaching App - Part 2

Initial Menu and settings

Well onto part 2.  When it first boots and yout get past the spash screen with the little "be carful and don't die geocaching" warning at the bottom of the screen. 

Inital screen

Your initial screen has four seperate settings.

• Find nearby caches
• Search by location
• Search by GC code
• Trackables

If you hit your menu button a few more options pop up.

• Saved
• Settings

Find nearby caches (See Android Geocaching App - Part 3)

I was going to start with finding the nearby caches next but I decided to go through the other settings they will make the other settings easier in the process.  So stay tuned for the next part.

Search by Location

There are a few ways to search by location. You can enter an address, zip code, airport ID, or Lat/Long.  I expected the ability to search by the address, and also to search by a zip code, and Lat/Long was just obvious.  It was the airport ID that caught me off guard.  I am not sure where it would be used, but I guess it is nice to have more options. 

A search will bring up the nearest caches to the location.  I always hate using zip codes, whenever I search I do not get the center of town, but the center of the zip code.  That means middle of fields or in the hills.

Search by GC Code

This one is pretty obvious.  You can also use this to look at unpublished caches, you cannot log them if they are locked (I tested it) , but you can use this to look for them.

Trackables

This lets you enter a trackable number.  Eventually they will add it so you can pick up a trackable.  At the moment you cannot do anything but look up the trackable.  The only use that I can see is to be able to see the goal of the trackable. 

Saved (Menu button item) See part 4

The Saved selection takes you to a screen where you can download a pocket query.  I will cover this more in Part 4

Settings (Menu button item)

This opens the menu buttons screen and has a number of options that I think are vital to understanding the rest of the program

Name/Password

The name and password of your GC account.  You can alter it here if you need to.  Let a friend search?  Who know what reasons, but it is here

Submit field notes

You can choose to save your field notes and submit them all at once, or you may enter a place where you have no reception.  This setting lets you send the logs when you are able

Search Filters

You have two options here  Traditional and All.  If you are set on traditional all you will get in your search is Traditional Caches. If you select all you will get all the other options: puzzles, earthcaches, mystery, etc.

Show all/Hide finds

You can have it include your finds or hide them

Returned results

This is where you can set how many caches you want to pop up in your search.  I always set it for 20.  There area always a number of caches that I am ignoring and do not want to check out.  Or some I search for continually and cannot find. You can set the numbers for 5,10,15, or 20.

Units

Meters or Feet, your choice.

Map/Compass

When yo decide to navigate to a cache, this tells you what will come next.  It can take you directly to the Google map to navigate your way, or the compass mode.  There is a bug in some of Android phones that cause a crash on the map page.  If that happens to you this is a setting that you will need to switch.

dbase location

SD card/Phone.  You can select where it is saving your info. I have not seen a benifit either way.

Search for GPX

I will have to look for this one.  I tried a search with no luck.  But it could be that it needs to be in a certain location

next - Part 3 Geocache Navigation

Android Geocaching App - Part 1- Initial Impressions

Android Geocaching App - Part 2 - Searches, Trackables, and Settings

Android Geocaching App - Part 3 - Geocache Navigation

Android Geocaching App - Part 4 - Loading Saved Files

Android Geocaching App - Part 5 - Final thoughts

Groundspeaks Geocaching Andriod App Part 1 - Initial Impressions

Well here goes the run with Groudspeak's app.  This will be multiple parts focusing on the Android app and how it works, and what you can expect from it.

First I should point out that I use a Sprint Hero running 2.1.  I have tried a number of other apps, all with their ups and downs. I did not pay money for any of them.  I stuck with the free versions, or apps that were free.  So the chance to jump on the app was great for me.  We were told that it was coming out sometime during the week, so I would check the app store every few hours.   No luck at all.

Loading

Finally the app appeared in the store.  I downloaded it and it said there was 50-100 dowloads at the time. So woo hoo here I go off to the great beyond.  <poof> $9.99 vanished from the checking account and a few minutes later I was downloading.

No problems on the load.  Well there was one. Where I was at work had a poor download speed.  Well I guess there was not hurry.. I was at work after all.  Not much I could do there.

Impressions

It was running nicely.  I liked the splash screen, it reminded me of a place I camped a few months ago.  It smoothly ran me to the screen that asked me what I wanted to do: Find geocaches, different searches, and a trackables button. 

I zoomed through a number of screens, I had it search for the nearby caches and came up with a list.  Skimmed through a number of caches on the screen.  I clicked on one and the cache listings came up.  There were many different options that appeared, I looked through them and was able to get all the information from the cache page that you see on a page.  Description, hints, and other info. 

Clicking Navigate took me to a screen that let me look at the map of the area... with a line to a nearby cache.  The one at the destination.  It was a simple Google map. 

I took it out for a spin and found a cache.  I was happy with how smoothly it worked.  There was no delay. and I quickly noticed that on the map screen was a circle.  I eventually figured out that the circle around the dot that represented me was the margin of error.  It was pretty small, but there were times (inside and near buildings) that I could make it grow.

When I selected the option to actually navigate with the compass (from the menu screen) it took me right to the cache.  I am getting really good accuracy.  Far better than I expected, especially after I read about the iphone 3g gps issues.

Then it was a simple matter of logging the cache.  There are two options.  One that let me submit the cache as a field note, or just submit the log later.  Either could be a good option.  You may want to publish things later and write a longer note, or you may wish to do ir right then.  Depending on your skill with typing logs, or wanting to make it bigger later.

Final thoughts (part one)

It worked really nicely and I was happy to get my first cache with it.  I found two more that night, it worked smoothly and I did find some other little tricks that I will bring up when I continue with this.  But I would recomend it.

On that note.. some users are having issues with a few models.  Android phones often have a special UI over the Android operating system.  My Hero runs one called HTC sense, and also has some Sprint UI built in.  The Droid X has had a number of issues.  So you will spend some time working around them until the next update comes up.  Apparently they all have work arounds but you will want to be aware of it.

Android Geocaching App - Part 1- Initial Impressions

Android Geocaching App - Part 2 - Searches, Trackables, and Settings

Android Geocaching App - Part 3 - Geocache Navigation

Android Geocaching App - Part 4 - Loading Saved Files

Android Geocaching App - Part 5 - Final thoughts

The active caches from 2000

I am back with more of the oldest active caches.

I took the time to go through the listings and find the remaining caches from 2000.  If I have missed any let me know, or think that some should be mentioned let me know.  Jeremy was publishing caches in 2001 that were dated 2000. I made a cutoff at one point.

A few notes from the full list

• 108 caches from the first year.
• 15 caches from CA (10 of those in december)
• 8 caches in Gerogia
• 6 caches in Mass., Texas, Arizona
• 5 Caches in New Zealand, Austrailia, Utah, Oregon

Breakdown by months

• 7 from May
• 12 from June
• 7 from July
• 3 from August
• 7 from September
• 25 from October
• 17 from November
• 29 from December

Hopefuly you will be from a state with the three if you are trying to get one from each month GA, UT, MI.

The smallest GC code still active GCD in Airomanelli in Washington

Well enjoy the list.  If there are issues let me know and i will try and fix them.