copying PQ directly to GPS?

Discussion about software such as GSAK, OziExplorer etc, as well as all things hardware, GPSrs, laptops, PDAs, paperless caching, cables etc
Post Reply
User avatar
mtrax
Posts: 1974
Joined: 19 December 06 9:57 am
Location: Weston Creek, Canberra

copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by mtrax » 03 February 12 2:58 pm

I am assuming I can copy the GPX files in a PQ directly to my GPSr? I normally processed my PQ with GSAK on my desktop and I have never done this in the past.

The reason is I would like the capability to generate data out in the field with just my smart phone, which I can connect to my GPS and mount it etc..

Are there any gotchas?
like duplicate waypoints etc..

User avatar
caughtatwork
Posts: 17015
Joined: 17 May 04 12:11 pm
Location: Melbourne
Contact:

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by caughtatwork » 03 February 12 4:13 pm

GC or GCA?
That will depend on the app parser in use.
It will also depend on how the app works.

If you use 1.0.1 GCA files they should look the same as GC ones. Anything else, you may have an app problem with.

Garmin does not support the GCA format, so they will not show up. You will need to use 1.0.1 GCA files to work.

User avatar
mtrax
Posts: 1974
Joined: 19 December 06 9:57 am
Location: Weston Creek, Canberra

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by mtrax » 03 February 12 5:11 pm

caughtatwork wrote:GC or GCA?
That will depend on the app parser in use.
It will also depend on how the app works.

If you use 1.0.1 GCA files they should look the same as GC ones. Anything else, you may have an app problem with.
Garmin does not support the GCA format, so they will not show up. You will need to use 1.0.1 GCA files to work.
I will be downloading them directly into my Dakota 20 and most of the time it will be GC when I'm O/S.
But should I set my GA GPX to 1.01 by default or does that depend on how I'm using them?

User avatar
caughtatwork
Posts: 17015
Joined: 17 May 04 12:11 pm
Location: Melbourne
Contact:

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by caughtatwork » 03 February 12 5:27 pm

1.0.1 will work as well as a GC file, so probably best to choose that format permanently.

http://geocaching.com.au/my/settings
Look for GPX Version and choose 1.0.1 (Compatible)

I don't know what happens if you load two files with the same waypoint code. I've never done it. Someone probably will be along to let you know shortly.

User avatar
CraigRat
850 or more found!!!
850 or more found!!!
Posts: 7015
Joined: 23 August 04 3:17 pm
Twitter: CraigRat
Facebook: http://facebook.com/CraigRat
Location: Launceston, TAS
Contact:

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by CraigRat » 03 February 12 6:26 pm

I'd use 1.0.1 for all instances nowadays, support for the 1.0 or 1.1 GCA formats is so limited it's not funny.

1.0.1 will work in ALMOST everything.

Baack to the original question:
You should be able to copy GC gpx files in to your Garmin unit without using a 3rd party app, I've done it before. I dont know about Magellans and whatnot however.

User avatar
mtrax
Posts: 1974
Joined: 19 December 06 9:57 am
Location: Weston Creek, Canberra

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by mtrax » 03 February 12 6:38 pm

CraigRat wrote:I'd use 1.0.1 for all instances nowadays, support for the 1.0 or 1.1 GCA formats is so limited it's not funny.

1.0.1 will work in ALMOST everything.

Baack to the original question:
You should be able to copy GC gpx files in to your Garmin unit without using a 3rd party app, I've done it before. I dont know about Magellans and whatnot however.
Great I will just need to check that Astro or some other file managers can unzip the PQ file and I should be able just to use a OTG cable from my Android phone + wifi for add-hoc PQ

User avatar
CraigRat
850 or more found!!!
850 or more found!!!
Posts: 7015
Joined: 23 August 04 3:17 pm
Twitter: CraigRat
Facebook: http://facebook.com/CraigRat
Location: Launceston, TAS
Contact:

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by CraigRat » 03 February 12 8:09 pm

mtrax wrote: Great I will just need to check that Astro or some other file managers can unzip the PQ file and I should be able just to use a OTG cable from my Android phone + wifi for add-hoc PQ
You should be ok if the phone supports host mode.

I've done it with my Iconia Tablet and I hear the SGS2 has host capabilities

User avatar
Richary
8000 or more caches found
8000 or more caches found
Posts: 4189
Joined: 04 February 04 10:55 pm
Location: Waitara, Sydney

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by Richary » 03 February 12 10:09 pm

caughtatwork wrote:I don't know what happens if you load two files with the same waypoint code. I've never done it. Someone probably will be along to let you know shortly.
I used to load my old yellow eTrex with the start of the name rather than the code, it made more sense when I was out hunting. One trip I was going from Adelaide to Melbourne and when I got to an SA cache it wasn't in the GPS.

The SA cache load I had generated along the highway had it's entry overwritten by a Victorian cache with the same first lot of letters that GSAK had chosen as smart names (I had SA and Vic in 2 separate databases so did 2 separate uploads to the GPS).

I had the laptop with me anyway so could just re-enter the coords manually for the find so it wasn't a problem.

User avatar
mtrax
Posts: 1974
Joined: 19 December 06 9:57 am
Location: Weston Creek, Canberra

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by mtrax » 03 February 12 11:02 pm

CraigRat wrote:
mtrax wrote: Great I will just need to check that Astro or some other file managers can unzip the PQ file and I should be able just to use a OTG cable from my Android phone + wifi for add-hoc PQ
You should be ok if the phone supports host mode
I've done it with my Iconia Tablet and I hear the SGS2 has host capabilities
Yeah it works fine on sg2 not so much on my xoom but ics should fix that

User avatar
mtrax
Posts: 1974
Joined: 19 December 06 9:57 am
Location: Weston Creek, Canberra

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by mtrax » 03 February 12 11:05 pm

So only two issues to look out for
1 duplicate names
2 exceeding maximum number of caches

User avatar
quiet1_au
5500 or more caches found
5500 or more caches found
Posts: 338
Joined: 24 April 10 1:26 pm
Location: Box Hill South

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Post by quiet1_au » 04 February 12 8:00 am

As I recall I used to manually download and copy individual GPX files to my Garmin when I first started, renaming each one to their GC/GCA code.gpx Ugh! Painful!

Then I discovered GSAK and never looked back. It takes a number of geocache entries and creates a single GPX file. It's only available for Windows but will work (with broken icons) on a Mac using Wine if you're prepared to play on the command line to get things installed. That's what I did when I went overseas. One advantage of GSAK over PQ is that you can store the calculated GZ location for multis/mysteries so that the cache will take you straight to GZ so you don't have to find notes (which I forever lose)

I also turned premium on "the other site" so I could use their PQ functionality - with GCA of course you can do that already :-)

Post Reply