Geocaching Tools

I'll add useful tools to this page as I find out about them. If you are using anything that isn't on this list, please send me a note about it. Otherwise I might never discover it.

Tools I'm Using

Tool 

Use 

Geocaching Swiss Army Knife (GSAK)

How I use it: Like the CD player when it first came out, I avoided this program for a long time. I thought I was doing fine without it. But I finally tried it, mainly for the purpose of getting custom cache icons in MapSource and on my Garmin 60CSx. I use it to:

  • Filter caches in many different ways to load the ones I want to hunt.

  • Display custom cache icons and cache names (instead of waypoint "GC" names) in MapSource and on my Garmin 60CSx.

  • Load my PDA and GPSr with the same data from the same program.

There are many other ways to use it, but I'm taking it easy.

CacheMate

CacheMate™ is a database for tracking GPS cache hunts. Works with Palm OS (I'm using it on a Palm T|X). You can store information about caches or benchmarks, decode hints, and transfer data between CacheMate and the MemoPad application. Registered users can import LOC and GPX formatted XML files, which are available from Geocaching.com. Registration costs $7.

How I use it:  I use CacheMate to carry Pocket Query information on my Palm TX. I load waypoints into CacheMate from GSAK.

CMCONVERT

is a database for tracking GPS cache hunts. You can store information about caches or benchmarks, decode hints, and transfer data between CacheMate and the MemoPad application. Registered users can import LOC and GPX formatted XML files, which are available from Geocaching.com. Registration costs $7. Works with Palm OS.

CMConvert goes with CacheMate™ and is a separate file converter tool is required for importing GPX/LOC XML files. For Windows, and a Mac OS X front end is available.

How I used to use it: I  used it to convert files for CacheMate, but now I load CacheMate from GSAK.

MapSource

This software from Garmin provides detailed maps and data transfer functions to/from the GPS.

How I use it: load detailed maps into my Garmin GPS V, create routes and waypoints and transfer them to the GPSr, retrieve waypoints, routes, and track logs from the GPSr for storage on the computer.

geocaching.com pocket queries

Geocaching.com allows you to run a query for caches, and download a file in the GPX format. The GPX file contains cache page information, including the last few logs.

How I use it: to get cache page information onto my computer. I have a regularly-scheduled query that runs three times a week to get the nearest 400 caches that I haven't found and don't own. I also use the "caches along a route" feature in conjunction with Goole Earth. Finally, I occasionally generate a GPX file of my finds for use with CacheStats.

GPSBabel

This program converts data between many different formats for GPS units and mapping programs.

How I use it now: actually I don't use it directly, but it is used "under the skins" by GSAK..

How I used to use it: to convert the "not found / not owned" and "found" GPX files into Garmin MapSource format for viewing on my computer (for planning purposes) and loading on my Garmin GPS V for field use.

Google Earth

Cool beyond words! See before you go. Aerial/satellite photos of most of the world. 3D terrain. Fly around, search for just about anything. Requires the program to be installed on your computer, and also requires an Internet connection while you are using it.

How I use it: drag GPX files into it and see the caches on the aerial photos. Click on one to get the link to the cache page on geocaching.com. Get driving directions to a cache. I also use Google Earth to generate the KML files for caching along a route.

Google Maps

Mostly like Google Earth, but harder to move around. Doesn't require a program to be installed on your computer, though. It's browser-based. Well, the Smart Phone versions do require you to install the app on your phone.

How I use it: CacheBerry uses Google Maps to display caches. You can select multiple caches in CacheBerry to be displayed on a map.

CacheStats

If you like to keep tabs on your geocaching statistics, you'll love CacheStats. How has your find rate been holding up over the years? What are your longest streaks? How are you doing compared to last year? Want to see what it will take to reach your end-of-year goal? CacheStats analyzes your "My Finds" pocket query to find out all this and more. CacheStats is free.

How I use it: View my stats and produce this page.

PLUCKER 

Note: as of 3.31.2009 this 
link is giving an error.

Synchronizes a PDA to the offline HTML cache pages created by GPX Spinner. I have used this, and it seems to work well.

How I use it: to view the pages listing free wifi locations. Originally I used it to load cache pages on my Palm TX for paperless geocaching, but I don't use it for that anymore, now that I am using CacheBerry.

Tools I'm Not Using

For one reason or another, I'm not currently using these tools. That doesn't mean I don't think they're any good, but I'm just using something else right now. 

Tool 

Use 

CacheSphere

With CacheSphere you can use your iPhone to carry and view your geocaching.com Pocket Queries* and GPX files. Paperless Geocaching lets you find and view cache details, logs, hints and inventories in the field. $7.99 on the iTunes App Store.

How I used to use it: view cache details, logs, hints and inventories in the field, navigate to the cache if I don't have my Garmin with me, make field notes for uploading to geocaching.com.  I loaded waypoints into CacheSphere from GSAK..

CacheBerry

With CacheBerry you can finally use your BlackBerry device to carry and view your geocaching.com Pocket Queries* and GPX files. Paperless Geocaching lets you find and view cache details, logs, hints and inventories in the field – all on your BlackBerry®. Registration costs $14.95.

How I used to use it: Before I switched to iPhone, I used it to view cache details, logs, hints and inventories in the field, make field notes for uploading to geocaching.com.  I load CacheBerry from GSAK..

BlackStar

BlackStar is a free Navigation/Geocaching utility, available for Blackberry devices.

How I used to use it: Before I switched to iPhone, I used it as a backup for my Garmin GPSMap 60CSx. BlackStar didn't replace the Garmin unit, for the following reasons:

  • The BlackBerry doesn't have a magnetic compass built in, so BlackStar's compass rose and cache direction pointer only work when you're moving.

  • According to the documentation, BlackStar performs slowly with a database of more than 200 caches. There is a workaround where the cache database is stored on bcaching.com and the distance calculations are done there, and the nearest 20 caches are sent to BlackStar. However, this requires wireless data transfer, and sometimes I cache in areas that don't have cell coverage.

I'd Rather Be Caching (bcaching.com)

BCaching is a free service intended to make caching with a mobile Internet-connected phone easier. No more printing out cache pages, no loading your paperless device with the latest updates, no loading field notes from your device back to the computer. Less work, more fun..

How I used to use it: as a cache database for BlackStar (see above).

GPX Spinner

Use to create HTML cache pages for offline viewing or loading on a PDA. I have used this, and it seems to work well.

How I used to use it: to create HTML cache pages on my computer, in preparation for using Plucker to copy them to my Palm TX. I don't use it anymore, now that I am using CacheMate.

ClayJar Watcher

Geocaching Specific - Freeware application that helps you manage your Pocket Query GPX files. I've worked with it a little. The filtering and sorting seem to work very well. Lets you view the cache pages offline. Seems to take a lot of system resources, but I'm running it under Windows 95. The cache pages it produces have links to street maps, topo maps, and aerial photos from a couple of sources.

I loaded this one, and think I registered it, but eventually found that I wasn't using it any more.

QuakeMap

Draw your route, print aerial and topo maps and see waypoints (including geocaches) on the map. Load them to GPS. Load track logs from GPS and analyze them. Watch your current position on the map. The printable, scaled aerial photo maps with geocaches on them are exceedingly cool! Click here for a sample.

I was using this until Google Earth came out. Google Earth has more recent, color photos is much easier to steer around, and has many other cool features.

Cache mapping at austinexplorer.com

This is a map of caches in the Austin, Texas area. Register with austinexplorer.com, using the same user name you use for geocaching.com, and the map will be color coded to show which caches you have found.

Utopia

Like Watcher, helps you manage your Pocket Query GPX files. Can be set to link to a map or aerial photo by double-clicking a cache record. Doesn't seem to allow viewing of cache pages offline, but I may find out otherwise as I have time to work with it.

EasyGPS

The Groundspeak version of EasyGPS allows you the ability to download waypoints from the Geocaching.com site and upload them directly to your GPS unit!  I haven't experimented with it yet. Online help here.

BMGPX

For working with NGS benchmarks. Converts the .dat files available from the National Geodetic Survey to GPX files. The website appears to be down.

GPX2HTML

Appears similar to Watcher.

CacheMaps

CacheMaps v4 has been designed to be used next to GSAK. A lot of the functionality that was available in previous versions of CacheMaps, is available in GSAK now in a much better form. What GSAK is lacking is a mapping function, which is the core of CacheMaps. Now it is easily possible, using CacheMaps, to show maps for the selected caches. You can however also use CacheMaps without GSAK. 

GPXView

Downloads GPX files to Pocket PC for viewing of cache pages. Note: requires Pocket PC: doesn't work on Palm OS.

MobiPocket free reader

View cache pages on mobile device. Works with Palm OS, Pocket PC, Windows CE, and some cell phones..

Other Tools

Tool 

Use 

Tools at texasgeocaching.com
Click "Tools" on menu.

Check here for more tools that may or may not be listed on my page.