The info on this page is still being tweaked. If you see anything that needs to be addressed, you can contact me thru http://www.geocaching.com - my username is: phat.bak
There are other Mac programs out there that can do some of this with versions of OSX below 10.2. Transferring waypoints can be done with practically any OS. There are other Palm readers besides CacheMate that may work with other OS versions. (I used to use Plucker and GPSy with OS9)
This setup runs natively and doesn't use Virtual PeeCee to run Winblows software. I tried several programs and combinations, but this is what works for me.
You must be a paid member of Geocaching.com to get the needed .GPX files for processing. If you are not a member, you can get the GPX files one at a time from each individual cache page - but it is a 'pain' to deal with. Pay the money and become a member - it's worth it.
NOTE: The new USB Garmins have introduced new issues with connectivity. Success with Garmin USB is predicated upon two things: current device firmware and OS/X 10.3.8 or newer. OS X version 10.3.8 and all versions of 10.4 added a workaround to compensate for the Garmins not responding correctly to device enumeration. This allowed the Garmins to work intermittently. In the middle of 2005, Garmin released firmware updates that improved their USB behaviour as seen by OS/X. The required version varies from model to model; just update to the latest. If you have a version older than summer of 2005, you will almost certainly need to update. Until Garmin releases a firmware updater that works on OS/X, you will need to do this update from a Windows system. (Info lifted from GPSBabel website)
To transfer waypoints:
For PDA:
To transfer waypoints:
Save the GPX file you got from Geocaching.com to a convenient location.
Connect GPS to the serial cable that came with your GPS.
Connect to 'USB to Serial' converter cable to the supplied serial cable that came with your GPS.
Plug in the USB end of the 'USB to Serial' cable to your Mac.
Turn ON your GPS.
Open MacSimpleGPS.
(If
Mac SimpleGPS does not see to communicate with your GPSr, quit Mac SimpleGPS, turn off your GPSr, and unplug your USB-to-Serial adapter. Reconnect everything and re-run Mac SimpleGPS. Be sure to check the Preferences to make sure eveything is set properly. Try again.)
To upload waypoints to your GPS from the GPX file (from Geocaching.com), type 'Open Apple - O' or select 'Open' from the 'File' pulldown menu. ('Import' does the same thing)
Navigate to the GPX file that you saved to your harddrive, highlight it and click the 'Open' button.
Once the waypoints have loaded, choose 'Send Wayponts' from the 'GPSR' pulldown menu.
Select 'All', and click the OK button. The waypoints will transfer to your GPS.
Sometimes two 'Send' boxes appear (one on top of the other). If this happens, simply Cancel the remaining box after the first download finishes.
To download waypoints from your GPS to 'MacSimple GPS' (so you can save newly created waypoints form your GPS), choose 'Receive Wayponts' from the 'GPSR' pulldown menu. Then choose 'Save As' from the 'File' pulldown menu.
14 When done, Quit MacSimple GPS.
For PDA:
Open MacCMConvert.
Click the 'Select File' button to open/import your newly downloaded GPX file.
Check all boxes (if you want them) and choose the number of previous logs you want (the present limit is 5?)
Click the 'Send to PDA' button.
On the next screen, select your HotSynch name and click the OK button.
Select the 'Quit' button, unless you want to upload another GPX file.
Press your HotSynch button on the Palm. It will 'Install' the current GPX file to the Palm.
When you start up CacheMate on the PDA it will ask to Import the GPX database to CacheMate.
Choose the category you wish the cache pages to be filed in (from the Category pull-down list) and select the OK button. I usually put them in the Not Found category. It will merge the new database with the preexisting one in CacheMate. (This may take awhile, depending on the number of caches you have chosen to import and the number of caches already in your database.
You're DONE!