Geocaching In High Tech Style
We dove head first into the 21st century with our Blackberry Curve and the GeoNavigator software. Before we cached with a Garmin 12 Map (don't laugh. It worked.) and a Handspring Visor Deluxe (you're still laughing). Needless to say, it was a chore.
We were addicted to our Blackberry after the first outing. Here are lessons we learned while geocaching.
Paperless Geocaching
It's hard keeping track of notes, waypoints, and descriptions in the field. Using your smartphone, or in my case, my Blackberry Curve, you can easily go paperless while geocaching.
Want to have previous logs of your cache available? Want to go ahead and take a peek at the hint? How about a topo map to guide you in the right direction? Let me show you how to go paperless geocaching.
Here's What You Need
- Supported phone
- Many options here. Check for your supported phone here.
- Geocache Navigator
- Check out the entire suite of Trimble products. For geocaching, you need GeoNavigator.
- TwitPic
- Tweet and share your adventures while out geocaching with your camera phone
Getting Started
Of course, there are a lot of programs for geocaching out there. What makes the GeoNavigator program shine is its direct connect with Geocaching.com, the source for cache data. With other programs you have to upload the GPX files to get going. Not so with GeoNavigator. The program is so powerful. All the tools you need are right here. Let's get started.You have some options to start out. Let's say you're on a road trip and have some extra time for geocaching. Great! Use the Quick Cache option to identify caches nearby. The list provides the distance and the direction from you.
Maybe you have a destination in mind. Select Find Caches and you can enter an address, an intersection, or a zip code and get caches. You select how many and how far.
Or maybe you want to go after a specific cache. You read about it or perhaps received a published geocache alert on your phone. Manually enter the cache code and you're off and running for that FTF.
Follow Me on Twitter
- aka Twitter
- 0 followers
- 0 following
-
- Interested in wildflower folklore? Check out my new article. http://ow.ly/B9Do
-
- Just published an article about one of my favorite things to do--geocaching. http://ow.ly/B8i6
-
- @cafepress A little creeped out here.
-
- More about geocachin Geocaching Tip: Learn How to Read a Topo Map: As I related last week, we had quite an adventure... http://bit.ly/33NCR5
-
- Here is my latest article on how to develop a conservation plan. http://ow.ly/ATld
Get Stuff
More For Blackberry Owners
- Crackberry
- Very active forums. The definitive site for the Blackberry owner
- Trimble Outdoors
- Products for your GPS-enabled phone. Go hiking, running, geocaching. The tools you need
- Geocaching.com
- You can't geocache without this site.
- TwitterBerry
- Tweet while geocaching! Share the love!
- TwitPic
- Such a cool service, it gets a second link
- Vlingo
- Your personal assistant in the field. It will open applications for you. Send your emails. Send your tweets. Make toast. Well, not that, but my assistant--I call her Yvonne--is a help always. Free application.
The Exploring Blog
Tales from the field.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byStay Current With the Latest In Geocaching With Your Blackberry
The Small Print
* Now available with Verizon Wireless
* Your GPS coverage is only as good as your phone coverage. If you're caching in the Boondocks, bring along the old GPSr if you have one.
* Geocache Navigator is a yearly subscription. There is a nice long trial to get you acquainted with the program to see if it's for you.
* Unlike your GPSr, your smartphone is not weather resistant. Repeat
Getting Your Smartphone
If you'd like one, here a place to start to get a good deal on your own Blackberry.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Share Your Geocaching Experiences!
Treasures-By-Brenda wrote...
I have a son who loves geocaching. Every chance he has, he turns a school project into something related. I'll be e-mailing him the link to your lens.
Brenda
Posted February 19, 2009
Reasons To Go High Tech
- No more batteries! And not just one kind. AAs for the GPSr. AAAs for the PDA. Gez!
- No more paper! No more lists of caches, with coordinates scrawled on the size.
- My geo-bag just got a whole lot lighter.
- It's more accurate. My BB responds so much quicker while out in the field.
- Did I say no more paper?
- With the handy topo maps, no more taking the wrong direction. No more going up the hill when I could have gone around. No more surprise wetlands. Hurrah!
More Geocaching Fun
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching, 2nd Edition
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 11/11/2009) 
Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS Receiver
Amazon Price: $115.00 (as of 11/11/2009)
Geocaching Women's Light T-Shirt
Amazon Price: $22.00 (as of 11/11/2009)
It's a Treasure Hunt! Geocaching & Letterboxing
Amazon Price: $8.00 (as of 11/11/2009)
20 Compass Rose Geocoin Geotokens Geocoins
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 11/11/2009)
Tips For Geocaching High Tech
- If you're going someplace that you don't know well, set a waypoint at your car.
- Maximize your phone's battery. Keep it on a charger while driving to the cache site.
- Minimize the number of applications running in the background. Using a GPS is battery expensive. Don't add to the drain by having other apps that you're not using, running.
- Carry a spare battery if you're going to be out for a very long time. You may need your GPS to get back to your car. That's not the time to find out it's dead.
- Put your phone on standby to minimize battery drain when not actively seeking a cache.
Our Favorite Geocache
"Remember it's not the number of caches, but the journey to the finds that makes the game. Cache on!"
by wayfarer
My name is Chris. I am a Minnesota artist, specializing in watercolor landscapes of the North Country. Weborg Lodge combines two of my passions - pain...
(more)Explore related pages
Geocaching Shirts- For a large selection of funny and serious geocaching shirts come to http://www....
Geocaching Guidelines
- The new sport of 'Geocaching' is becoming all the rage around the world. Maybe t...
Get Lost ! Not with the Latest Car GPS Navigation Systems- Most men dread the idea of stopping to ask for directions. Well with a GPS Navig...
GPS SYSTEMS REVIEWS AND SHOPPING GUIDE - GEOCACHING BOOKS- Geocaching news for you so you don't have to.
Geocaching is the Best Sport- Geocaching is basically a global treasure hunt. You enter the coordinates of a c...
Geocaching Headquarters Headquarters- Geocaching Headquarters This is all about geocaching and using GPS units. If yo...
