putting caches on an etrex 10

[+Amethyst Moon]

So I won a new etrex10 at the Berkshire Geobash which is totally awesome, because the gps I had died. How do I put caches on this thing?

 

thanks in advance!!

 

Kara

[+StefandD]

1. By the Send to My GPS button on each cache page (you might have to install Garmin Communicator first).

2. By the GPX file button on each cache page and save/copy it to the map \Garmin\GPX\ on your eTrex.

3. By creating a pocket query, downloading it, extracting it and copy the two resulting GPX files to the map \Garmin\GPX\ on your eTrex.

4. By the use of a third party application, like GSAK or GAPP.

Needless to say your eTrex needs to be connected to your pc/mac.

 

Deleting the caches is just a matter of deleting the appropriate GPX files in the map \Garmin\GPX\ on your eTrex.

[+Amethyst Moon]

1. By the Send to My GPS button on each cache page (you might have to install Garmin Communicator first).

2. By the GPX file button on each cache page and save/copy it to the map \Garmin\GPX\ on your eTrex.

3. By creating a pocket query, downloading it, extracting it and copy the two resulting GPX files to the map \Garmin\GPX\ on your eTrex.

4. By the use of a third party application, like GSAK or GAPP.

Needless to say your eTrex needs to be connected to your pc/mac.

 

Deleting the caches is just a matter of deleting the appropriate GPX files in the map \Garmin\GPX\ on your eTrex.

 

Where do I get the Garmin Communicator?

[+Amethyst Moon]

never mind. I found it!

[+Amethyst Moon]

I downloaded the PQ and just got a .loc file. Is that what I need? Where are all the gung ho obsessed GPSr users when you want/need instant gratification LOL.

[+GeoTrekker26]

I downloaded the PQ and just got a .loc file. Is that what I need? Where are all the gung ho obsessed GPSr users when you want/need instant gratification LOL.

 

You need to better explain what you are doing because PQs do not produce .loc files. When you create a PQ you can run it without selecting a day to run and it will show a list of caches that will be in the PQ. THis is the preview list and is not the PQ. If you download a cache from the preview list, it will be a LOC file.

 

To get the PQ you MUST select a day for it to run and give it a name. The day you select can be the current day. If you select today and submit the PQ you will get an email, generally within 15 - 30 minutes, with two links, one to view your PQ and another to download your PQ.

 

Select download and save to a convenient place on your computer. When it is saved you extract the two GPX files and save them to you [GPS DRIVE]/Garmin/GPX folder. Most PQs generate two GPX files however it is possible that you will get only one in the ZIP file.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Before you move any GPX files to the GPS you need to look into your [GPS DRIVE]/Garmin/GPX folder and delete any LOC files that are there. If you found any, reboot the GPS. IF the GPS sees any LOC files it will treat all files, LOC and GPX as LOC.

[+Amethyst Moon]

Ok that was my mistake. I didn't select a day. I always wondered why sometimes the PQ thing would send an email, but usually it wouldn't. There are no .loc files on the gps, but there is one gpx file of a cache where I clicked "send to gps.

[Pacific NW]

If you really want to go nuts, you can use Garmin's free "POI Loader" software to load thousands of caches (as Points of Interest) to the eTrex 10. You won't get the hint and detailed logs, but you will get the basics such as cache owner, cache name, terrain & difficulty rating. The trick is to generate a bunch of pocket query .GPX files (need premium GC.com subscription), unzip them, place them all in a single folder, and then point Garmin's POI Loader software to that location while your eTrex 10 is connected to the computer.

 

If you want to go even a step further, you can download and use the third-party GSAK software (Windows only), and have hints and more details put into the POI files. A little more complicated, but certainly doable.

[+indigo1975]

I cannot download a working version of Gamins Communicator to any of my current browsers, including Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Firefox! I see I can download 1 cache at a time by downloading the file to Pc and then transfer over, but is really my only option???