GPS help

[4skins]

I have a Garmin Quest which I haven't bothered to learn much about yet and I need a crash course tonight so I can use it to follow a route this weekend.

I wanna plot in a course from the maps on my PC then follow a complicated series of roads on Sunday without pulling out the maps.

If you wouldn't mind me phoning you tonight to pick your brains, PM me your home phone and I'll give you a bell.

Johnny 4s

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I have a Garmin Quest which I haven't bothered to learn much about yet

See there is you first problem...

I have a Garmin Quest and it is very easy to use... but my first bit of advise is the manual...???

[upshift]

I wanna plot in a course from the maps on my PC
Johnny 4s

Plotted on Mapsource I hope ?, as far as I know there is no other way to do this.

[cooneyr]

Plotted on Mapsource I hope ?, as far as I know there is no other way to do this.

Doesn't have to be done in map source as long as it is a format that can be converted to a GPX file using something like GPSBabel.

PM sent J.

Cheers R

[4skins]

You're exactly right Nighthawke, but I want it NOW and I'm a bloke, we don't read manuals.

Anyway, I've got it sussed (without reading the book). Helps if you have the right base maps first!

Just going out for a test route round the block.

[Bass]

You're exactly right Nighthawke, but I want it NOW and I'm a bloke, we don't read manuals.

Anyway, I've got it sussed (without reading the book). Helps if you have the right base maps first!

Just going out for a test route round the block.

Just don't get caught routing where you shouldn't

[Padmei]

Just don't get caught routing where you shouldn't

Te he he he said routing

[NordieBoy]

I wish MapSource would let parts of a route be off road and auto calculate others (don't re-calculate this section type thing).

I use Google Earth to draw a track where I want to go (especially if off-piste) and save it as a kml.
Convert the kml to a gpx.
Import the gpx into mapsource and trim the number of points down to 1 per 200m or so.
Save the track as a gpx.
Open the gpx file in a text editor and change it from trkpts to rtepts etc.
Upload the resulting route to the Quest.
This way dosn't load the Quest up with any waypoints.

This is only if you really want to follow closely a route that's off road.

I'm also starting to use MapEdit to draw a track and add it to my "Nordie's ADV Mapset" and uploading it to the Quest as a complete map.

I also downloaded and compiled the Nelson Topomaps which look quite cool.
Can you tell I like playing with my GPS?

[cooneyr]

I wish MapSource would let parts of a route be off road and auto calculate others (don't re-calculate this section type thing).

Easy - change the map you are viewing (in Mapsource) from the auto routing maps to the topomaps (if you have them) or use the options to turn of the auto routing. I often use the auto routing to get between home and the end of the "interesting" section then flick to the topomaps and manually click my way along the "interesting" bit then use the auto route for the next bit etc etc

There is one problem with using the auto routing though in that in the GPX file is uses the "gpxx:rpt" lines which only work if you have the auto routing maps on the GPS. This is ok if you are preparing a route for yourself (dodgy) but if you are preparing a route for somebody else (even dodger) then you need use something that will turn every point along the route into a rtept line. RouteConverter does this but it not that nice to use (have to go back through a text editor to clean things up as RouteConverter creates waypoints, a route and a track from the same set of route points).

Convert the kml to a gpx.

I'm assuming that you use GPSbabel for this? It is really easy to use if you dont and has other benefits being -

Import the gpx into mapsource and trim the number of points down to 1 per 200m or so.

GPSbabel can easily thin a route to no more than x number of points - does this very nicely too.

Open the gpx file in a text editor and change it from trkpts to rtepts etc.

GPSbabel does this as well. You can decide if you want to convert the track to a route or convert the track to a route and keep the track as well.

Can you tell I like playing with my GPS?

As much as me???

Cheers R

[NordieBoy]

Easy - change the map you are viewing (in Mapsource) from the auto routing maps to the topomaps (if you have them) or use the options to turn of the auto routing. I often use the auto routing to get between home and the end of the "interesting" section then flick to the topomaps and manually click my way along the "interesting" bit then use the auto route for the next bit etc etc

Hmmm....

There is one problem with using the auto routing though in that in the GPX file is uses the "gpxx:rpt" lines which only work if you have the auto routing maps on the GPS. This is ok if you are preparing a route for yourself (dodgy) but if you are preparing a route for somebody else (even dodger) then you need use something that will turn every point along the route into a rtept line. RouteConverter does this but it not that nice to use (have to go back through a text editor to clean things up as RouteConverter creates waypoints, a route and a track from the same set of route points).

Yep, don't want lots of waypoints cluttering up the GPS.

I'm assuming that you use GPSbabel for this?

Been using it since I got my 1st GPS.

GPSbabel can easily thin a route to no more than x number of points - does this very nicely too.

GPSbabel does this as well. You can decide if you want to convert the track to a route or convert the track to a route and keep the track as well.

Ummm....
I had actually been using it for this some time ago but... forgot

As much as me???

How many GPS'sss have you got?


So my gpsbabel command should look something like...
gpsbabel -i kml -f "%f" -x transform,t=r,del position,distance=100m -o gpx -F "%f".gpx

To translate a kml to a gpx with trk to rte and a rtept every 100m.

Set that up as a right-click option for kml files and I'm away

I can already right-click on a gpx file and upload it to the GPS.

[cooneyr]

....How many GPS'sss have you got?

I just dont break them

So my gpsbabel command should look something like...
gpsbabel -i kml -f "%f" -x transform,t=r,del position,distance=100m -o gpx -F "%f".gpx

To translate a kml to a gpx with trk to rte and a rtept every 100m.

Not used the distance function bit other than that it looks about right (shouldnt it be transform,trk=rte,). I use the total points function cause of the limitation in the number of points per route. The quest can only handle 50 points in a route can't it?

Should do some more work on the ADVroute page some day.

Cheers R

[NordieBoy]

I just dont break them

They're not broken. Just resting.

Not used the distance function bit other than that it looks about right (shouldnt it be transform,trk=rte,). I use the total points function cause of the limitation in the number of points per route. The quest can only handle 50 points in a route can't it?

Looks like the transform function can use the first letter. trk=wpt t=w

I've been having a play and if the route uses waypoints then it looks like 50 points or so but if they're routepoints then it can use more.
Or something.
To be confirmed.
YMMV

Should do some more work on the ADVroute page some day.

Yes.

[cooneyr]

...I've been having a play and if the route uses waypoints then it looks like 50 points or so but if they're routepoints then it can use more.
Or something.
To be confirmed.
YMMV....

Very keen to hear more about this as it the biggest single issue I have work through with my site. If I can simply convert the track to a route with however many routepoints this minimises the number of files, hence work and potential confusion.

Other thing this may resolve is the need to check if you can have multiple routes in a single file. I broke the DB1k route into 5 250 point route files but if the route can have more than 250 points (raw data has about 8000) or I can have one file with five routes this helps keep things simple as well.

I'll have a play with this before the Lees Valley darkness run.

Cheers R

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I wish MapSource would let parts of a route be off road and auto calculate others (don't re-calculate this section type thing).

I am sure you can use your avoidances (just leave as unsealed and avoide all other roads etc...)

make two or three different routes for the trip...???

[NordieBoy]

Very keen to hear more about this as it the biggest single issue I have work through with my site. If I can simply convert the track to a route with however many routepoints this minimises the number of files, hence work and potential confusion.

Other thing this may resolve is the need to check if you can have multiple routes in a single file. I broke the DB1k route into 5 250 point route files but if the route can have more than 250 points (raw data has about 8000) or I can have one file with five routes this helps keep things simple as well.

I'll have a play with this before the Lees Valley darkness run.

Cheers R

Getting closer...
gpsbabel -i kml -f filename.kml -x transform,rte=trk,del -x position,distance=100m -o gpx -F filename.gpx