Using a TomTom for Geocaching?
by Jeff on December 27, 2008
This is something I was always wondering…
Article courtesy Andrew Muirhead
Geocaching, if you are unfamiliar with the phrase, is the word used to describe the sport which utilizes billion dollars worth of military hardware to find tupperware boxes in the outdoors!
Like some kind of modern day treasure hunt, A ‘geocacher’ will hide an object (usually a small tupperware box) in an interesting location, then go online and post the grid reference on a website. Fellow geocachers will then download the GPS co-ordinates and locate the hidden object using their GPS receiver. They would then log their find in the included log book, and possibly take an item from the cache and replace with another of equal or higher value. Once home, they would log their find on the website.
Now, a TomTom is not really designed for finding these caches but with a little know how, it can be put to good use.
The first step is to build a database of caches. The largest online database is at geocaching.com. You will need to register as a ‘premium user’ to take full advantage of this site, but it is well worth it, as well as being inexpensive. Once registered, you can search for and download cache details in the GPX format. This is a fantastic format as it includes a ton of information on caches which will be very handy in your database.
Next step is to organise your database. Download a program call ‘Geocaching Swiss Army Knife’ also known as GSAK. This is where the fun begins! You can do an incredible amount of database organising with this program as well as exporting to the TomTom, which is what we will focus on here.
Once you have your database, GSAK will export all your caches as TomTom POI files. You can then copy them to your maps folder on the TomTom. I have my TomTom to warn when a cache is in my area, so when driving I get an alert if one is nearby, it saves stopping and looking at the map all the time!
Another great tip is to export the database to the TomTom. First you export the database as HTML, then copy the directory generated to the Docs folder on the TomTom. This will enable you to look up information on the cache while on ‘the ground’. Very handy if you are having trouble finding the cache, you can look up any hints and also read other finders reports for clues as to where to look!
So, grab your TomTom and head out caching!
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