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Statewide Pocket Queries

General Chit-Chat.
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Hkids4
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Statewide Pocket Queries

Post by Hkids4 »

Right now, there are over 4000 active Maryland geocaches. What method does everyone use to build their cache lists for all of Maryland ? I know multiple pocket queries are necessary, but.......Do you use particular zipcodes ? coords ? cities ? Then put them all together in GSAK ? Or are there other alternatives ? Just curious.

Thanks! Hkids4
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jpatton
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Re: Statewide Pocket Queries

Post by jpatton »

The best way to do it is to sort the queries by date placed. Pick the state of MD and no starting point.
Something like this:

Query 1 Jan 1, 2000 thru Dec 31, 2004
Query 2 Jan 1, 2005 thru July 31, 2006
Query 3 Aug 1, 2006 thur Dec 31, 2006

And so on until you get to the current date. Set them up so there are just under 500 caches per query. It can take a bit of time to set all the queries up, but once that is done there is not much to do to keep them current. There are no new caches being placed with the earlier dates, so they won't go over 500 per query. When the last query gets to 500 caches, pick an ending date so it has less than 500 and create a new query. As the caches in the older queries get archived or found, they will contain less then the optimal count. You can adjust the dates so the count stays at just under 500 per query. Once everything is initially setup, GSAK has a macro to tell you what dates to use with little or no waste.
Jeff
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Hitech-Squirrel
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Re: Statewide Pocket Queries

Post by Hitech-Squirrel »

I could have sworn that I posted a reply to this topic earlier. Oh well.

I create my cache lists based on geographic areas. I find that creating pocket queries based on the publication date of the cache to not really be helpful because I still have to skim the logs of caches that I plan to search to ensure that the coordinates are correct and that the cache is still there. A list based on a smaller area is easier to review and is as current as geocaching lists can be. Often times CO's do not update the status of the cache promptly and if you don't check the logs you can be searching for a cache that is not there. With a statewide list based only on publication date of the cache (and using my methodology), a cacher will not only have more logs to review for cache status, but also may not be able to get to that cache before its status changes again.

I find the cache along a route feature to be helpful to build my pocket queries from. Smaller targeted searches like this help ensure that I find the type of cache I want to search for. Larger lists, IMHO, are just not going to be current because cache status is not always accurate.

I hope this helps.
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Manitto
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Re: Statewide Pocket Queries

Post by Manitto »

I update my state queries every 2 weeks, if a cache's status has changed I will have the update. If I still cannot fnd it I will check the availablility online with my cell phone. The complete state of MD takes 9 queries. I load them into GSAK and the export a custom POI which includes the total cache writeup into my Nuvi. In my 60 csx I load only the caches from an area polygon filter of the area that I will be traveling thru.
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_JohnnyCache
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Re: Statewide Pocket Queries

Post by _JohnnyCache »

With the start of CAM coming soon, I thought I'd resurrect this topic for those wishing to load the entire state into their GPSr.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.

-- Albert Einstein
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