maemo.org - Talk - View Single Post - GeoCaching Beginner Questions

	silvermountain	2009-07-01 , 09:03
	Posts: 1,359 \| Thanked: 717 times \| Joined on May 2009 @ ...standing right behind you...	#9

Originally Posted by monch1962

- I use Google's maps. Before I go out, I fire up Maemo Mapper and just drag the screen over the area I want to visit; the maps get downloaded over my home WiFi link, and saved onto the MicroSD card in the N810. When I'm out, I can start up Maemo Mapper and all the maps are there. As you probably know, Google Maps come in a variety of resolutions, and you only want to download maps in 1 or 2 resolutions or you'll fill up your MicroSD card. Here in Australia, I'm using the "zoom=6" and "zoom=8" maps; one gets me to the general area, and the other lets me zoom in to get a greater level of detail. However, we're generally out caching in the bush here, where there may be only 1 road stretching for 30 miles between caches; it's probably different where you are, so you really need to use trial and error to see what works for you

Thanks for the reply!
My N810 is actually 'dead' right now, it ran out of juice and it's almost 2am here so I'll charge it up as I go to sleep.

Trying to download a map at say, level 12, results in an error saying 'Failed downloading 12 maps'. I keep getting that error message when trying to download maps.
Seems to happen mostly with Google maps...but not consistently...weird.... Oh well, I got SOME maps down.

EDIT: I just was able to download a lvl 8 Yahoo Satellite map. Looks good but will absolutely need something..closer to the ground..

Yes, I can see how I would benefit from a more detailed map but it also appears that any map at zoom level 5 or more granular will be enormous!

Originally Posted by monch1962

- I download .gpx files from the geocaching.com site. To view them in Maemo Mapper, you need to first filter out all of the log entries in the .gpx file; if you don't do this, they won't load properly. Once you've done this, I start Maemo Mapper, and load in the .gpx file as a POI (Points Of Interest) file - the cache locations then show up as purple dots in Maemo Mapper

Thanks, great heads-up. I'll see if I can figure out what the log entries are and delete them in some text editor on the N810.

Originally Posted by monch1962

- I've found the N810's GPS to be extremely reliable (in fact, it does a better job than one of our dedicated Garmin units), but the battery life isn't great. I think I probably get about 4-5 hours before the batteries go flat, so I've got a Nokia charger set up in the car. When we finish a cache, I get into the car, hook the N810 to the charger, then go on to the next cache

Great to hear it's reliable - I'm just having a heck of a time getting a fix/lock. Then suddenly it happens..maybe 10-15 mins later. I'm hoping I'll have a better luck tomorrow when I'm outdoors with it.

Finally, I wish geocaching.com would allow new members to download 1 or 2 gpx maps for free to get a feel for how it works following the directions.

Thanks again!

__________________
.N810 experience: Since 6/2009
My Twenty Favorite OS2008 Applications:
AutoScan, Diablo5 Theme, Dialcentral, DragLock, EmelFM2, FlipClock, gPodder, Headphoned, Knots 2, Maemo Mapper, mPlayer, openNTPD, OpenSSH, Panucci, Personal Launcher, QuickNote, Seqretary, SlideLock, Telescope, YellowNotes

Last edited by silvermountain; 2009-07-01 at 09:50.

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