Ideal PDA Setup

Discussion about software such as GSAK, OziExplorer etc, as well as all things hardware, GPSrs, laptops, PDAs, paperless caching, cables etc
Geof
450 or more roots tripped over
450 or more roots tripped over
Posts: 1232
Joined: 10 August 04 12:26 pm
Location: Yarra Ranges

Post by Geof » 13 November 05 8:17 pm

I'v got cachemate (unregistered) and Desktop 4.1.4 working so that proves it all works I suppose :) .

15 Meg on dialup - fun. Start - Mow the lawn - is it done yet :lol: :twisted:

rhinogeo
2700 or more caches found
2700 or more caches found
Posts: 1213
Joined: 31 October 03 11:45 am
Twitter: rhinogeo
Location: Benalla, VIC

Post by rhinogeo » 14 November 05 8:48 am

Geof wrote:I'v got cachemate (unregistered) ....
Don't worry about trialling it, it's great :) . Go ahead and register it, you'll be glad you did

User avatar
where are we
Posts: 6
Joined: 23 August 05 6:56 pm
Location: Brisbane

Post by where are we » 29 November 05 2:56 pm

Thanks for an informative topic here. After I digested all the info I managed to grab a palm Vx on ebay for $41.50 plus postage. Can't wait for the postie to come!!!

Also, I may have outbid a fellow Australian geocacher. Sorry!!

User avatar
Webguy
2100 or more geocaches found
2100 or more geocaches found
Posts: 938
Joined: 10 May 04 2:19 pm
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Post by Webguy » 29 November 05 4:15 pm

swampgecko wrote:I must be lucky then as both my GPS lead and Palm lead are continuely hooked up, and I can be loading both at the same time. com 1 for the palm and com 3 for the gps I think I have. It's usb ports I am running out of. Btween the scanner, the cameras and the wife's MP3 player and the recharge lead for the infra-red mouse and a few other things, i am continually swapping plugs.
Mate, time for a powered USB hub, thats what I run, 8 USB ports most full all the time, no more swapping.

User avatar
Cheesy pigs
3000 or more caches found
3000 or more caches found
Posts: 1739
Joined: 02 June 05 6:51 pm
Location: Kingston

Post by Cheesy pigs » 09 December 05 10:04 am

Starting to look at PDAs myself, figure they are easier to carry around than the laptop. What do people know about the HP Jornada range. I am a puter spastic so would rather not end up with a shiny paperweight. I'd want to be able to support GSAK and probably Ozi. Any ideas other than already mentioned?

User avatar
Webguy
2100 or more geocaches found
2100 or more geocaches found
Posts: 938
Joined: 10 May 04 2:19 pm
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Post by Webguy » 09 December 05 10:33 am

GSAK as far as I know will not work on a PPC. OziCE will work on a Jornada, I have one, but not tried it in the field, just used it to look at a map for curiosity sake.

User avatar
Cheesy pigs
3000 or more caches found
3000 or more caches found
Posts: 1739
Joined: 02 June 05 6:51 pm
Location: Kingston

Post by Cheesy pigs » 09 December 05 10:46 am

Thanks for that, having a look on ebay to find something that will do what I want. :)

energizer61
300 or more found
300 or more found
Posts: 353
Joined: 25 October 04 5:18 pm
Location: Burnie Tasmania

Post by energizer61 » 09 December 05 11:56 am

Webguy wrote:GSAK as far as I know will not work on a PPC. OziCE will work on a Jornada, I have one, but not tried it in the field, just used it to look at a map for curiosity sake.
GSAK won't work on a PPC, but GPXSonar will, & does the main thing's you want it to do in the field, then talks to GSAK when you get home...

OZICE is the Duck's Intestines for caching.... it's all I use ;)

Oh, CP.... I don't know how much a Jornada is, but having a GPS built into the PPC, as in the Navman, works well for me ;)

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:

Post by CraigRat » 09 December 05 12:08 pm

Just to confuse things

I use my Navaman now in the car only and have gone back to using the geko out in the scrub... something tells me the navman would like a drop on the rocks..... plus the geko is a bit easier to carry.

BUT... its great for maps and all that stuff (OziCE rocks!!)... and GPXSonar is great for managing cache logs and all that.

My $0.02

User avatar
Mr Router
1500 or more caches found
1500 or more caches found
Posts: 2782
Joined: 22 May 05 11:59 am
Location: Bathurst

Post by Mr Router » 09 December 05 4:42 pm

energizer61 wrote:GSAK won't work on a PPC, but GPXSonar will, & does the main thing's you want it to do in the field, then talks to GSAK when you get home...
What happens when PPC won't run GPXSonar.exe saying it is not a PPC file.
We have loaded this file so far four different ways to the PPC and still no joy :twisted:

energizer61
300 or more found
300 or more found
Posts: 353
Joined: 25 October 04 5:18 pm
Location: Burnie Tasmania

Post by energizer61 » 10 December 05 12:49 am

Mr Router wrote:[
What happens when PPC won't run GPXSonar.exe saying it is not a PPC file.
We have loaded this file so far four different ways to the PPC and still no joy :twisted:
I'd guess the GPXSonar.exe file you are trying to run is the installation file, that needs to be run on your desktop PC & it will install the necessary files on your PPC via activesync... just a guess, failing that ...dunno :?

User avatar
Zytheran
2000 or more caches found
2000 or more caches found
Posts: 961
Joined: 19 May 04 12:08 am
Location: Adelaide, Newton

Post by Zytheran » 18 December 05 2:53 am

After been burnt a few times with out of date paper printouts I bit the bullet and got a 2nd hand PDA off EBay. The plan is to initially have my weekly GC gpx file put the cache pages onto a PDA.
Unit chosen: HP Jornada 568

Method:
Extract out weekly gpx file from weekly GC.COM email and import into GSAK, updating everything. This is the 500 nearest unfound caches.
Once into GSAK I:
1) export it to another gpx file for use in Google Earth with cache names instead of waypoints
2) upload to the GPS using cache names not waypoints
3) *new* export as html file into the autosync directory on the PC that makes it's way onto the PDA.

This export gives me a web page with various options, all of which lead to the full cache listing with the notes for the last 5 visits plus cross refernce the nearest caches etc. GSAK's html export is really good IMHO.

Reason for the Jornada 568 ($112) vs. Palm Vx ($50)

Cache reasons:
Jornada has 64MB memory and can accept CF cards for huge store. (bit of an overkill but someone once said 64k memory was more than enough for a computer)
Displays big images (raster images of maps thanks to GA)
Jornada natively supports html files via Internet Explorer (yeah , yeah, I think windows sucks too) This avoids conversions.
The autosync works really well.
Battery lasts 14 hours which is long enough for most caching days.

Other reasons:
Plays MP3's easily.
Runs Java easily.
Can natively surf the via USB/network card/etc.
Seems to have large range of software.
Was 2 less years out of date than Palm.

User avatar
Cheesy pigs
3000 or more caches found
3000 or more caches found
Posts: 1739
Joined: 02 June 05 6:51 pm
Location: Kingston

Post by Cheesy pigs » 18 December 05 9:22 pm

Well that makes me feel much better Zytheran. On Friday I smacked down all comers and got a Jornada 568 on Ebay. Once it arrives I hope to get it quickly set up with ozi CE and then find something to carry over gsak info or similar.

User avatar
Zytheran
2000 or more caches found
2000 or more caches found
Posts: 961
Joined: 19 May 04 12:08 am
Location: Adelaide, Newton

Post by Zytheran » 19 December 05 10:38 pm

btw, when using the Jornada 568 with GPXSonar you need to go into the archives and use the Pocket PC 2002 version.
Just downloaded and ran it up now and it gives the same html sorta view plus allows for keeping notes etc.

User avatar
Cheesy pigs
3000 or more caches found
3000 or more caches found
Posts: 1739
Joined: 02 June 05 6:51 pm
Location: Kingston

Post by Cheesy pigs » 20 December 05 10:05 am

thanks for that I'll keep it in mind

Post Reply