Save those GPS track files!

[aadamson]

If you do some searching, it's pretty easy to figure out how to build a track file and use it with Google Earth . Here is one a freind of mine did on a recent trip in his Lancair Legacy .

Too bad, I went back and looked in my GPS's and I'd deleted the "trail" files. next time after a flight, I'll save it and download it for a path for google earth.

Cool stuff.

Alan

[RV_7A]

Man that is the coolest thing ever! Talk about keeping track of your trips.

-Jeff

[Brian130]

Wow. That's pretty sweet! Here's a page that will convert a files to be used on Google Earth or just Google maps. I had to find it because I have an old Magellan and didn't have GPX or LOC files.

Click here for the Google Earth if you have that downloaded:
http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/map?form=googleearth

Click here for the Google Maps if you'd rather use it online or haven't downloaded Earth:
http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/map?form=google


Supported file types:
BIN, CSV, GPX, HST, IGC, LOC, MPS, NMEA, NS1, PDB, PGL, PLT, RDN, TRK, PCX, TXT, WPT, XML

[aadamson]

Excellent find and thanks for posting.
Thanks!
Alan

[lbgjb]

i've got a 396--only way i could upload from gps was to use mapsource. computer new i hooked up usb, and mapsource worked, but any way to directly up load tracks to computer. and, when i stumbled thru translation system, i could see my maps, but not like shown above with main google mapping program. any suggestions

[aadamson]

I don't actually have a file at the moment. But I think it works like this.

a) use Mapsource to download the track from the GPS
b) save the trackfile and it will be in an extension of gdb (Garmin Binary format I believe)
c) use the "Visualizer" site and the GPSBabel converter interface to convert the file into something that the "Visualizer" site can use.
d) then go to the "google earth" "Visualizer" link and create the KML file that Google Earth will use. Use the "flight" type and not the other one (can't remember right now, what the two are called).

This should generate a KML file and it will either load GE directly, or you can download the KML and if you have GE loaded, all you have to do is double click the file.

If you like, send me the download from the 396 and I'll convert it and tell you exactly how to do it.... my email is adamson_alan@hotmail.com

Alan

[aadamson]

Once you have the file in something that the "visualizer" site can use, you can create custom maps of it. Some of them are pretty cool with colors for speed, or altitude, etc.

Dang, now I need a GPS file

Alan

[Brian130]

Originally Posted by lbgjb

i've got a 396--only way i could upload from gps was to use mapsource. computer new i hooked up usb, and mapsource worked, but any way to directly up load tracks to computer. and, when i stumbled thru translation system, i could see my maps, but not like shown above with main google mapping program. any suggestions

Using Mapsource, you should be able to download from your GPS and then "Save as..." a GPX file and open that directly in Google Earth.

[lbgjb]

it looks like my map source from 396 saved in file whose attributes are 'garmin gps database' and not seen by google earth. using the gpsbable gives me huge choices. any suggestions on best ones??? thanks.

[aadamson]

Brian,

The latest mapsource, and I don't know how far back, only offers the GDB, or MPS formats to be saved.

Alan