Downloading Cachemate onto m500

[+Captain__Moroni]

Hi I am still getting into caching and i found out that i could use a palm to go paperless geocaching. I would love to have all of the cache info on an electronic with me. I already have a gps, so i dont want to buy a fancy new one with paperless, i'm fine with having to bring two electronics around with me. So, I found a m500 on ebay, but before i buy it, i want to be sure that it will work right for me.

 

So my question is, how do i download Cachemate (or just the cache info in general) onto a palm m500? Do i have to use GSAK? (Because that program doesnt like me very much).

[jholly]

Hi I am still getting into caching and i found out that i could use a palm to go paperless geocaching. I would love to have all of the cache info on an electronic with me. I already have a gps, so i dont want to buy a fancy new one with paperless, i'm fine with having to bring two electronics around with me. So, I found a m500 on ebay, but before i buy it, i want to be sure that it will work right for me.

 

So my question is, how do i download Cachemate (or just the cache info in general) onto a palm m500? Do i have to use GSAK? (Because that program doesnt like me very much).

Yes the M500 works just fine with Cachemate. Basiczally you load the program on to the SD card and install from there. Do some searching here, I've posted a couple times. GSAK is the easiest but I suppose you could process a gpx file and load that.

[+Cardinal Red]

Hi I am still getting into caching and i found out that i could use a palm to go paperless geocaching. I would love to have all of the cache info on an electronic with me. I already have a gps, so i dont want to buy a fancy new one with paperless, i'm fine with having to bring two electronics around with me. So, I found a m500 on ebay, but before i buy it, i want to be sure that it will work right for me.

 

So my question is, how do i download Cachemate (or just the cache info in general) onto a palm m500? Do i have to use GSAK? (Because that program doesnt like me very much).

 

Yes the M500 works just fine with Cachemate. Basiczally you load the program on to the SD card and install from there. Do some searching here, I've posted a couple times. GSAK is the easiest but I suppose you could process a gpx file and load that.

 

Wait a minute there. An SD card is NOT necessary with CacheMate. I NEVER used one. GSAK is not easy. Yes, you can "process a gpx file" through the cmconvert program (CacheMate File Converter). There were a lot of CacheMate discussions here a long time ago. A dying subject now, but you can still read through them.

 

GSAK is totally unrelated to CacheMate. I had used CacheMate quite often (not for some time though), and I have NEVER used GSAK. BUT, you are not a Premium Member. That would be a bit of a problem. You need to buy a Premium Membership ($30 per Year) to be able to get GPX files. That is where all the data is.

 

CacheMate always was a free download (probably still is) that would load and work perfectly as a demo for a small number of caches. Buying and entering the Registration Code made it fully functional for several thousand caches (even without an optional memory card).

 

If the m500 is a complete package (with charging cradle and software), even as a Non-Premium member you could copy selected text from individual cache pages to the Palm (slow process). But to get bulk data in there quickly, you need that Premium Membership. The last I looked (two years ago?), about $30 for a complete m500 package shipped was a common price point. But you have no guarantee the battery will hold a good charge (several days worth). A new battery was about $10. Some even come with the tool to open the case to allow battery access.

 

If you do get a Premium Membership, generate a GPX file, download it to your computer ... Then you are ready to run the file through the cmconvert program (the CacheMate File Converter). What GPS do you have? How are you getting your caches into your GPS now? A free program, EasyGPS, is how I loaded the same GPX file to my NOT-paperless Garmin. But as you pointed out, I needed the Palm to hold all the cache page details.

 

Then comes the fun where you set up the HotSync for the first time. It works best from the charging cradle, but there is a much less cumbersome cable available on ebay. Just don't lose that charging cradle if you go that route. When the alternate cable occasionally stops working, the cradle would bring it back to life again (eventually). I don't want to discourage you. Just be aware an m500 is NOT exactly Plug-n-Play. But I managed well enough till I got a Paperless Oregon. That also can be finicky at times, but I am NOT going back to that dust collecting Palm any time soon. Good Luck. If you get the Palm and get stuck, drop me a note. I could learn it all over again and help you out.

[jholly]

Hi I am still getting into caching and i found out that i could use a palm to go paperless geocaching. I would love to have all of the cache info on an electronic with me. I already have a gps, so i dont want to buy a fancy new one with paperless, i'm fine with having to bring two electronics around with me. So, I found a m500 on ebay, but before i buy it, i want to be sure that it will work right for me.

 

So my question is, how do i download Cachemate (or just the cache info in general) onto a palm m500? Do i have to use GSAK? (Because that program doesnt like me very much).

 

Yes the M500 works just fine with Cachemate. Basiczally you load the program on to the SD card and install from there. Do some searching here, I've posted a couple times. GSAK is the easiest but I suppose you could process a gpx file and load that.

 

Wait a minute there. An SD card is NOT necessary with CacheMate. I NEVER used one. GSAK is not easy. Yes, you can "process a gpx file" through the cmconvert program (CacheMate File Converter). There were a lot of CacheMate discussions here a long time ago. A dying subject now, but you can still read through them.

 

GSAK is totally unrelated to CacheMate. I had used CacheMate quite often (not for some time though), and I have NEVER used GSAK. BUT, you are not a Premium Member. That would be a bit of a problem. You need to buy a Premium Membership ($30 per Year) to be able to get GPX files. That is where all the data is.

 

CacheMate always was a free download (probably still is) that would load and work perfectly as a demo for a small number of caches. Buying and entering the Registration Code made it fully functional for several thousand caches (even without an optional memory card).

 

If the m500 is a complete package (with charging cradle and software), even as a Non-Premium member you could copy selected text from individual cache pages to the Palm (slow process). But to get bulk data in there quickly, you need that Premium Membership. The last I looked (two years ago?), about $30 for a complete m500 package shipped was a common price point. But you have no guarantee the battery will hold a good charge (several days worth). A new battery was about $10. Some even come with the tool to open the case to allow battery access.

 

If you do get a Premium Membership, generate a GPX file, download it to your computer ... Then you are ready to run the file through the cmconvert program (the CacheMate File Converter). What GPS do you have? How are you getting your caches into your GPS now? A free program, EasyGPS, is how I loaded the same GPX file to my NOT-paperless Garmin. But as you pointed out, I needed the Palm to hold all the cache page details.

 

Then comes the fun where you set up the HotSync for the first time. It works best from the charging cradle, but there is a much less cumbersome cable available on ebay. Just don't lose that charging cradle if you go that route. When the alternate cable occasionally stops working, the cradle would bring it back to life again (eventually). I don't want to discourage you. Just be aware an m500 is NOT exactly Plug-n-Play. But I managed well enough till I got a Paperless Oregon. That also can be finicky at times, but I am NOT going back to that dust collecting Palm any time soon. Good Luck. If you get the Palm and get stuck, drop me a note. I could learn it all over again and help you out.

 

Last comment first. On 64bit systems (about all that has been available for the last few years) Hot Sync will not work because the needed drivers aren't there. There were some 3rd party ones a few years ago, but considering the red hot palm market they might not be around any longer. Maybe a google search will be happy.

 

The first comment is that the SD card is not really needed, unless you don't have hot sync working. You then put the program on the SD card to install it. Also without hot sync available life is much simpler and easier if you put the database on the SD card. The application can't run on the card but the database can be on the card.

 

Yes the free download works for 10 caches only. I forget if it is time limited.

[+Cardinal Red]

OK. You got some good serious advice about Cachemate from two experienced former users. I even learned something new myself. However, there is a good reason we are both former users. CacheMate was better than nothing, or was an acceptable alternative when the new paperless GPS units were new and EXPENSIVE. My first GPS, a GPSMap 76S cost me $400.00, and yes that was quite a few years ago. I have never paid that much for a unit since.

 

And there are not any typo's there. No Color. No USB. No SD slot. No High Sensitivity receiver. $400'00 - and it works as well as the day I bought it (which was pretty darn good back then). But I don't use it any more either. I have actually upgraded 5 times since then. They all still work, and not one of them holds a candle to the now outdated, now discontinued, now price slashed paperless Oregon 450t I still use today.

 

Get a Premium Membership (for the data). Get a paperless GPS. Let CacheMate rest in peace. But we at least answered your question before I said that. Add $100 bucks or so to the cost of the Palm, a new Battery?, Cachemate, and I promise you WILL have a better caching experience with it. Unless you really love a challenge. There is that.

[jholly]

OK. You got some good serious advice about Cachemate from two experienced former users. I even learned something new myself. However, there is a good reason we are both former users. CacheMate was better than nothing, or was an acceptable alternative when the new paperless GPS units were new and EXPENSIVE. My first GPS, a GPSMap 76S cost me $400.00, and yes that was quite a few years ago. I have never paid that much for a unit since.

 

And there are not any typo's there. No Color. No USB. No SD slot. No High Sensitivity receiver. $400'00 - and it works as well as the day I bought it (which was pretty darn good back then). But I don't use it any more either. I have actually upgraded 5 times since then. They all still work, and not one of them holds a candle to the now outdated, now discontinued, now price slashed paperless Oregon 450t I still use today.

 

Get a Premium Membership (for the data). Get a paperless GPS. Let CacheMate rest in peace. But we at least answered your question before I said that. Add $100 bucks or so to the cost of the Palm, a new Battery?, Cachemate, and I promise you WILL have a better caching experience with it. Unless you really love a challenge. There is that.

No argument here. My erex 30 is by far better than my GSMAP 76CSx and my palm M500. Less to fuss with and all the information is right there on one device. Only down side is writing logs with the joy stick is not at easy as it is on the M500.

 

If you go the Cachemate route expect to put out some effort getting it all working. If your not comfortable with computers it might be a bit daunting.