Geocaching softwares?

[hendrickx]

I have a new TT540M on its way. Is there software I can install for geocaching? Would Tripmaster work for this, and further, can I swap between original software for driving and something else for geocaching use?

Thanks for helping a newbie!

 

[1XL-on-XR650L]

Though you may get some good advise here (in the Tomtom forums) regarding "tripmaster" and "offroad" third party apps (I have used them both for geocaching), the real trick is learning about how to adapt to the weaknesses of a car nav unit while playing a game that is predominately played with a hand held device. Battery life, fragility, and hardware/software that was designed to be in motion (rather than standing still or walking slowly) are all things that you will need to learn how to overcome. It can be done (I found my first 50 geocaches with my Tomtom ONE XL), but the 3rd party apps are only marginally effective. I found it easier to switch to the satellite setup screen and just match up the coordinates (Lon/Lat set to DEG MM.MMM). The 3rd party apps do get you out of the "road lock" mode, but they do so at the expense of processing time (lag behind real time updates). The coordinates displayed on the satellite setup screen are real time, and are not road locked.

 

[hendrickx]

Funny, I already found the satellite setup screen, walked around the house with it up for a bit, declared it perfect and was planning to try it with a compass in hand as well.

We shall see. All I'm after is enough to show the wife that it's worth purchasing a trail unit for this purpose.

 

[dmedraft]

For what it's worth...

.....my brother and his sons found their first 30 caches without a GPS at all.
Just from the descriptions and hints. I suppose if you get to the parking area for the ones that are 1 or 2 stars you could find them as easily as someone with a hand held.

I just started trying with a TomTom 140s. It has a walking mode and it seems to be pretty accurate. I have the way-point marked on the map using GSAK and when I get to the parking area I switch to browse map and just walk around until the arrow is on top of the way-point and start looking for the cache. I've been able to get to GZ using this method but haven't found a cache yet. I guess with experience you learn where to look for them. (I'm 0 for 3 so far).

If you're interested I'd like to keep in touch to compare notes on using the TomTom for geochaching. I've subscribed to the thread so I'll know when you make a post.

Thanks,
Dean

 

[wimmteam]

Play Geocaching

I?m very glad with my both TomTom, the ONE and the GO. I use them both to do Geocaching... I think my 984 Founds can show that it?s not only possible but very easy to play this game with a TomTom device. I?m not so glad with the TomTom Company, the client feedback and the service that TomTom gives to the clients... but... wile I have them I won?t buy another devices... still, except one or to two hand devices no other can give you the info that TomTom gives you on the field. Problems: Very low battery lifetime... again you have solutions for this.

Hers a website you can checkout

A space for sharing - Geocaching

Wimm Team
Geocaching in Portugal

 

[canderson]

I?m very glad with my both TomTom, the ONE and the GO. I use them both to do Geocaching... I think my 984 Founds can show that it?s not only possible but very easy to play this game with a TomTom device. I?m not so glad with the TomTom Company, the client feedback and the service that TomTom gives to the clients... but... wile I have them I won?t buy another devices... still, except one or to two hand devices no other can give you the info that TomTom gives you on the field. Problems: Very low battery lifetime... again you have solutions for this.

Hers a website you can checkout

A space for sharing - Geocaching

Wimm Team
Geocaching in Portugal

Beg to differ, but it was trying to find caches with my GO720 that got me looking for a purpose built handheld unit. Caches near roads invoke the TomTom road-snap feature where the displayed coordinates do not update to the real position, but instead update to a position nearest the road 90 degrees from your actual location. It's what they have to do to deal with the fact that the geolocation of roads in their map data isn't precise enough to keep the display from creating the occasional "off road experience". That you've made 984 finds with it says more about your superior skills as a geocacher than the TomTom's ability to get you there!

Still, it's hard to beat a TomTom (except certain recent brain-dead models) for geocaching from the automotive side. Using GSAK, it's very easy to create TomTom *.ov2 POI files of caches (both found and unfound if you like) and with the GO series, you can even have GSAK create HTML files of all of the cache descriptions, hints and logs, and read them with the GO mini-browser. Building itineraries for caching with *.ov2 POI lists is a piece of cake, although more easily done from Home than the unit's own panel as it's a bit easier to run with a keyboard and mouse.

For those that want to try to use one of these units for actual finds, be forewarned about the road-snap. Until you realize what's happening, it can drive you crazy. You may also find that a tool called OffRoadNavigator (see it at Le Web Bazar !!! Offroad Navigator !!! ) can be helpful. Have a look at the Navigate to Coordinates screen. It handles WGS84 with dd mm.mmm format easily. However, TomTom's internal firmware doesn't support non-snapped coordinate data since way back at Navcore 7 (or 6?) so like the unit's own reports, you'll need to get far enough away from a road for it to finally give up and start reporting real data again.

There are in fact now MANY good handheld units that provide a great deal more information in the field than the TomTom. Any of the current Garmin series (62, 78, Dakota and Oregon 450 and 550 models) capture the entire GPX data from pocket queries easily, and provide log data, hints, descriptions and all the rest of the important stuff. It's much easier than trying to export this information to the TomTom from GSAK, and that only works if you have a GO model with the browser built.

 

[canderson]

The 3rd party apps do get you out of the "road lock" mode...

For TomTom units that can run the older Navcore firmware, that's true - provided you have an application that will still try to do so. It hasn't been true for several years worth of new models. As an example, the author of Off Road Navigator just abandoned his attempts entirely at his version 2.0 because of this. The 3rd party applications simply no longer have access to unsnapped coordinate data. Really annoying of TomTom a) to drop that particular feature, and b) to drop SDK support altogether for developers. Keep watching -- it won't surprise me to find new TomTom models all start to show up on the 1000 platform with no "open" 3rd party capability at all. They've already announced that they're going to control 3rd party applications for the 1000 through some kind of store like Apple uses.

 

[dmedraft]

Glad to see this thread is alive again.
Since posting in June, I have now downloaded and installed the off road navigator in my TomTom One 140s. I now create an itinerary with the geocache way point as the only location. I save the itinerary then load it into off road navigator. I have off road navigator setup to find the location at zero yards. I just have to walk in the direction of the arrow and watch the distance marker as it drops to zero. Once it hits zero I am usually right on top of GZ and always make the find. For paperless caching, I just copy and paste the discription and hints into an email and send it to my phone. Not quite as good as html, but the discription and hint is really all I need when in the field. My total cost to date is $82.00 for the TomTom. (On clearance at Best Buy). I love using the Tom for geocaching and don't plan to buy a handheld ever.