Geocaching
 

Hi new to this site and waiting for my N800 to arrive.
In the meantime is ther any geocaching apps around that allow you to downlaod waypoints?
Spent a few days browsing this site prior to purchase thanks guys for parting me from my money :) :) Very informative but withh have to get my head round a brand new technology.
come from an Acorn RiscOS background somemight say the original OS for ARM chips so concept of small applets not new.

Cheers

Re: Geocaching
 

Maemo-mapper isn't specifically designed for geocaching, but there is software called POIloader (search the forums) that can add POI's to maemo-mapper's POI database.

Re: Geocaching
 

Thanks for that but not quite whats I'm looking for, geocaching file data specifically structured to suit but will be back to checkout POIloader.
Its just that N800 does appear to have the ideal screen for outdoor useage I wonder if anyone has considered it for the GIS industry

Re: Geocaching
 

along the lines of GIS, install "proj" and "maemo-mapper" and enable the Terraserver or WMS repository of maps. you can get some topographical maps of the US.

Re: Geocaching
 

I've done a few caches using my BT GPS and Maemo-Mapper. Enable the Compass+Raw view and turn on trails --- add the endpoint manually. Made things MUCH easier for me, especially since I had all the geocaching.org web files (and comments) saved. Not sure what else you'd want :)

Re: Geocaching
 

if you download the list of cashe in a .loc file, you can use this application to import all of them in you maemo-mapper database:

http://ioanghip.googlepages.com/wingeo.htm

thanks,
-ioan

Re: Geocaching
 

Many thanks Ioan that could just be the app I'm looking for. awaiting delivery of N800 so unsure as to how useful maemo-mapper is here in UK but will certainly give it a go.
Cheers

Re: Geocaching
 

dedicated gps units have a feature that points an arrow in the direction of the end point and tells you how many feet you have to walk. There is a Palm and PPC software package called 'cachemate' that does this on PDAs connected to a BT GPS or with internal GPS. Also, cachemate keeps a database of caches with all of the geocaching.com info inlcuding logs and hints and a hint decoder.

Maemo mapper works great for navigating on maps and I wouldn't want to see it's performance suffer from the addition of some of these kinds of features. I'd love to test out a 'cachemate' type app for maemo on my 770 if anyone builds it.

I did import geocache POIs and I uploaded a geocaching poi icon in the poi loader thread. That can give you driving directions go get close to a cache. I'll have to try the tracks and extra gps info some time. I only started the hobby recently, so I think I need a little extra help.

Re: Geocaching
 

N800 screen washes out quite a bit in direct sun, so I am guessing it is not transreflective. That may keep it from being ideal screen for outdoor usage.

Re: Geocaching
 

I found the N800 unusable in direct California sunlight, even if I could shade it a bit.

Re: Geocaching
 

well, I found 3 caches yesterday with maemo mapper and a bluetooth gps (my first finds). I imported the cashes coordinates to maemo-mapper using the app. I build http://ioanghip.googlepages.com/wingeo.htm and everything else was... a walk in the park :-)
here is the picture of the smallest cache we found yesterday:
http://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/...184d260421.jpg
... and this is just the beginning! :-)
-ioan

Re: Geocaching
 

How true, tried N800 in little bit of UK sunlight and even with screen at full brightness it was a waste of time.
Methinks Nokia if your trying to sell device as always on you should have taken account of global warming and increasing sun levels :) :)
I do hope it is possible to tweak brightness levels a bit more.

Geocaching - importing Pocket Queries into Maemo Mapper
 

Here is one way to maintain up-to-date cache databases in Maemo Mapper.
You need to have a Linux computer with the following software/utilities installed:
gpsbabel, sed and sqlite3. Internet Tablet might also work as a Linux computer although downloading and processing huge Pocket Query .gpx files may be little bit slow.

First, of course, you need to create a Pocket Query at geocaching.com

Then download convertGC2mmaper script and gpsbabel gcn800.style file.

Modify and run convertGC2mapper script on your linux computer for your needs. You need a skeleton database which has a category for geocaches. You can create it using Maemo Mapper. After running the script, load the new POI database to N800. The easiest way is to have the database on web server and download it to Internet Tablet N800 using wget.

Note that you can automatize the loading of Pocket Query gpx files to your Linux computer using, e.g. fetchmail. I put the fetchmail and convertGC2mapper script into the crontab so that I always have a new database available. If anyone is interested I can provide detailed instructions how to do the automation.

Essentially this same information is available in Finnish at http://www.geocaching.fi/wiki/N800
and GeoTablet blog

- eero

Re: Geocaching
 

I wrote up my N800 geocaching experience a while ago. Wow - it was hot that day.

Re: Geocaching
 

There is a program called geopoi in meamo garage that will convert Pocket Queries geocaching gpx files into POI for meamo mapper on the tablet. Very handy, or will be as soon as I get my hands on my n800 that I am getting for christmas.

https://garage.maemo.org/docman/?group_id=484