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copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 03 February 12 2:58 pm
by mtrax
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..

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 03 February 12 4:13 pm
by caughtatwork
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.

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 03 February 12 5:11 pm
by mtrax
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?

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 03 February 12 5:27 pm
by caughtatwork
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.

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 03 February 12 6:26 pm
by CraigRat
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.

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 03 February 12 6:38 pm
by mtrax
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

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 03 February 12 8:09 pm
by CraigRat
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

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 03 February 12 10:09 pm
by Richary
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.

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 03 February 12 11:02 pm
by mtrax
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

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 03 February 12 11:05 pm
by mtrax
So only two issues to look out for
1 duplicate names
2 exceeding maximum number of caches

Re: copying PQ directly to GPS?

Posted: 04 February 12 8:00 am
by quiet1_au
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 :-)