GPS coordinates from Google Earth?

[windboy]

Hello there,

I have owned for years one of the really archaic gps made by Garmin, the gps12.

It's pretty reasonable for tramping but has no map information which has made me consider other options.

However, there's google earth. It gives you actual coordinates of where your mouse pointer sits. I wondered is manually entering these in the gps 12 would be good enough to plan a offroad ride.

Anyone tried this before?

cheers,

[Zukin]

Hi there

I dont think they are too far off.
I used Maptoaster program, give me a minute and I will show you how

Cheers Scott

[bobsmith]

Just make sure that you're using the WGS84 coordinates on your gps. Most gps should have this by default but you can usually check this on the systems or similar screen and change it if necessary.

[Zukin]

Ok

Here is what I do

I use Maptoaster and simply put waypoints (the red dots you see on the map) where I want to go.
I always enter a waypoint just prior to an intersection and just around the corner so I know which way to turn.
I then load these onto my Garmin GPS (really easy to do) and then I go into my GPS and create a route (joining the dots in order - 1,2,3 etc) until I have a route - Easy

I use this for navigation all the time, but I still carry a map just in case

I get asked how I do it all the time, so if you are ever in Hawkes Bay I dont mind showing you.

The other advantage of the program is that I can search placenames, work out distances, and print any topomap I want and when I want it

Cheers Scott

[yod]

i use an eTrex and record the tracks
we tend to ride to someone elses plan (if you can call it that!) so im not really worried about following a particular track, i just like downloading the track record after i get back and then convert to a google earth file so i can see which roads we travelled

when i open the track in google earth its usually no more than about 10m off where the road appears so doing it in reverse shoud be no worse than that

[windboy]

Just make sure that you're using the WGS84 coordinates on your gps. Most gps should have this by default but you can usually check this on the systems or similar screen and change it if necessary.

Thanks Bobsmith, I've checked under the setup menu and it was setup as WGS84, whatever that means...

Ok

Here is what I do

I use Maptoaster and simply put waypoints (the red dots you see on the map) where I want to go.
I always enter a waypoint just prior to an intersection and just around the corner so I know which way to turn.
I then load these onto my Garmin GPS (really easy to do) and then I go into my GPS and create a route (joining the dots in order - 1,2,3 etc) until I have a route - Easy

I use this for navigation all the time, but I still carry a map just in case

I get asked how I do it all the time, so if you are ever in Hawkes Bay I dont mind showing you.

The other advantage of the program is that I can search placenames, work out distances, and print any topomap I want and when I want it

Cheers Scott

Thanks Zukin, That sounds very cool. Is your GPS a bit of an oldschool one like mine (ie no map built in)?

Do you manually type in the coordinates or you "upload" them via interface cable?

Not bad for NZ full carto maps at $191 I guess. I was trying however to not spend any dosh, as google earth seems very cool and best of all, it's free!

I'll have a look at your setup on the wwwwww ride.

later,

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Hello there,

Anyone tried this before?

I have done that... and they are not far out at all

[Youngjim]

Could'nt agree more Merv, well said

[jonbuoy]

Google earth is using WGS84 Datum if you can set your gps to that datum it should be OK, I don't think it will be 100% those co-ordinates on google earth are worked out from photos not plotted or surveyed I can't see it being too far out.

[merv]

Zukin which version of MapToaster are you using? Standard or Hi-Res and is there any value in the paying the extra $100 to get the NZAirPhoto?



Just checked out Google Earth - looks like if you buy the Plus version you can download your motorcycle tracks from your GPS but you can't upload planned motorcycle tracks from Google to the GPS.

[xwhatsit]

Google Earth indeed has decent enough accuracy to use for planning motorbike routes -- provided, as was mentioned, you set your GPS unit to the correct datum. The more upmarket versions of Google Earth (that you pay for) even have a function where you can plug your GPS into the computer and it will automatically upload the data to it. In the standard free version, these menus are greyed out. I believe this works two ways; if your GPS has logging, you can then upload the data to the computer and you can have a route of your trip on Google Earth.

[merv]

OK have you got a link to the version of Google Earth that you can buy to do that?

[scracha]

OK have you got a link to the version of Google Earth that you can buy to do that?

Anyone recommend good mapping software for a GPS enabled PDA? I know what I'd use back in $hitey Blighty but dunno who makes good NZ maps.

[xwhatsit]

OK have you got a link to the version of Google Earth that you can buy to do that?

Here: http://earth.google.com/products.html

Looks like the first version that does GPS is Google Earth Plus, which is listed at $US20. To upgrade, Google says while using Google Earth, `In the Help menu, select "Upgrade to Plus" or buy it now ' .Unfortunately it looks like I got it wrong; you can only import data and waypoints.

However there are solutions that convert *.kml (Google waypoint files) to *.gpx files, which is a GPS device file format (not sure which devices support this). So, you set up your waypoints on Google Earth. Export these to a KML file from within Google Earth. Then use one of these programs to convert the KML to a GPX file, which you then upload to your GPS like normal. I enclosed a screenshot of one called Kml2Gpx (http://mcrenox.com.ar/kml2gpx/).

[merv]

OK ta, you confirmed what I thought it said about GE Plus, so I'll hang in here and see what else Zukin says about MapToaster.

Currently I just use the topo maps that I got with my GPS and the maps aren't so good to look at on the PC.