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Paperless Caching

Paperless caching demonstration at Mega Scotland!
Come and see how it's done!

What is paperless caching?
Quite simply it is caching without having to print out the cache page description! Instead you download all the cache page information including description, hints and logs directly to a GPS receiver, PDA (personal digital assistant) or phone.

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What devices support paperless caching?
GPS receivers like the Garmin Colorado, Oregon and Dakota allow you to easily transfer the cache information to view on the screen. Other GPS units like the Etrex series don't have the capability to display anything other than the basic information such as the cache name. Some of the Garmin 60 series can hold some cache information such as hints but not the full description and logs.

Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's) also accept the cache information but need to be running a program to view it. PDA's are devices that run the Windows mobile operating system (sometimes called Pocket PC) and Palm devices (running the Palm operating system). At the simplest level you can store the cache information as web pages and use the web browser to view them.

Many mobile phones also use Windows mobile (and work like a PDA with built in GPS). The Apple iPhone and Blackberry devices as well as some other mobiles have specific applications you can download for paperless geocaching. These applications let you connect to the geocaching.com website in 'real time' to look at cache information as well as navigate directly to caches.

So how do you get this cache information?
The cache page has links to allow you to download the information in several ways. The LOC file and Send to GPS options only contains the coordinates and cache name. To get the full information you need to download the GPX file or if you have a compatible phone the Send to Phone option. These hold the cache name and number, the description, hint and logs. Also included are additional way points that are on the cache page such as parking and stages or clues. The only thing not included are the images from the gallery. Downloading the LOC or GPX file for a cache only gives you the information for that cache. If you want multiple caches you need to create a Pocket Query (PQ) which gives you a single GPX file but with information about all the caches stored in it. A PQ can hold upto 1000 caches. You can also do a search for nearby caches and then tick the boxes of those you want and download the single LOC file with the caches in it.
To use the GPX and Send to Phone options and create Pocket Queries you need to be a premium member.

I've got the GPX file, what do I do with it?
If you are using a Garmin Colorado, Oregon or Dakota GPS you can simply copy the GPX file directly to the device and it's ready to go. With a PDA (Windows or Palm) you need a program to open the GPX file and convert it to a format the PDA can read.

The most popular programs are GSAK and Cachemate as they are both inexpensive. There are many others available and people do have their own preferences. The explanations below will use GSAK and Cachemate but the others work in much the same way.

GSAK
The Geocaching Swiss Army Knife is a free program but has a 'nag' screen if you don't buy it! The current price is $US25. You load the GPX file into GSAK and then convert it to whichever format you want for your PDA. For example, you can export the file to use with Memory Map (Ordnance Survey digital maps), an HTML file to view in your PDA web browser, a database to use with Cachemate on the PDA or a file to load into a TomTom car sat nav.

Cachmate
Cachemate is a database application that runs on the Windows or Palm PDA and allows you to store all the cache information easily and also edit logs, manage trackables and even upload your logs directly to geocaching.com. Cachemate is currently $US10 to buy. Cachemate also has a GPS utility that lets you 'go to' the cache you select using the PDA GPS receiver.

Other Programs
These are some other programs that do the same as GSAK.
Geocache Log - very similar to GSAK in what it offers and does. Free with usage limitations, $US25.50 to buy.
EasyGPS - a more basic program for handling waypoints and GPX files. Free to use but you don't get maps. They are available on the Expert GPS product which you pay for.

So, how do you do paperless caching then?

Here are links to 'How to' papers I've written explaining how to use GSAK and Cachemate with Garmin GPS's, PDA's and TomTom satnav. I've also provided links to the phone applications (on the geocaching website). All the papers are in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format.

How to create a Pocket Query and transfer it into a Garmin Colorado/Oregon/Dakota. Transferring the GPX file directly to the GPS without any other software.
How to create files for Memory Map on the PC and PDA using both HTML files and Cachemate database. This uses custom icons created by Lordelph which display on the PDA screen and PC screen with Memory Map.
How to create files for the TomTom sat nav so caches display as cache icons on the screen
Caching with the Apple iPhone. Link to the application on geocaching.com
Caching with the Blackberry and other mobiles. Link to the Geocache Navigator application on geocaching.com
Useful links on software applications from the geocaching.com website
Download the Powerpoint presentation from the 'Paperless Demo' at Mega Scotland. This is converted to an Adobe Acrobat pdf document.
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