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National Map Corps

 

This is a unique volunteer effort to help update the Nation's geospatial information.  See the website for more details.

 

National Map Corps

 

 


You will find information regarding GPS functionality, types of GPS units, things you can do with a GPS unit, GPS tools, etc.


Units



Create/Upload/Download Waypoints, Tracks and Routes Using Google Maps

 

****Under construction*****            ****New Update****

 

The following describes how to use the map below to generate data for upload to a GPS.  Currently, only the CSV option works with the following directions. 

06.21.06

Added an Export to GPX Format button that will create a GPX format for waypoints.  The text that gets created can be copied into a textfile with (.GPX) extension, then run the GPSBabel command below for upload to the GPS unit.

 

More will be offered as time permits.

 

Please Checkback Later....

 

You can use the following instructions to create waypoints, tracks, and routes on this map and then use a freeware GPSBabel to convert this information into a generic format that can be read by a typical Garmin Unit.  Similar steps are available for Magellan.

 


Create/Upload Steps

 

 

1. Create Points on the map (see below).

 

Take the CSV data and copy to NotePad and attach the csv extention (e.g. "sac1.csv"--use the quotes so an additional .txt extension is not added.



2. Download the gpsbabel zip and extract to directory


3. Run the command line where you installed the gpsbabel exe file to convert the CSV formatted file to the GPS Standard GPX format.

 

syntax:  gpsbabel.exe -i csv -f sac1.csv -o gpx -F sac1.gpx


4. Run gpx to Garmin to upload data to a garmin unit. Substitute magellan for garmin if using Magellan.  See GPSBabel documentation for more details.

 

syntax:  gpsbabel.exe -i gpx -f sac1.gpx -o garmin -F com1:

 

The GPS points will be uploaded and tagged with WPT00X for waypoint names.  IF you want custom names, then you can open the GPX file in a text editor and change the name, but you are limited to 8 or 10 characters depending on the kind of unit.

 

 

Download data from GPS unit to GPX format

 

 

1.  Connect GPS unit to computer via serial/USB port.  Turn GPS on.  Note which port the unit is connected to COM1, COM2, etc

 

2.   Run the command line where you installed the gpsbabel exe file to download the data from the GPS to a GPS Standard GPX format.

 

syntax:  gpsbabel -i garmin -f com1: -o gpx -F gpsdata.gpx

 

 

for usb:  gpsbabel -i garmin -f usb: -o gpx -F gpsdata.gpx

 

 Check the GPSbabel site for more formats and information. 

 

 

Next steps...import/read the GPX formatted file to show up in the Google map.  There is also an option to create a KML file for Google Earth.

 

Download to KML (untested):  gpsbabel -i garmin -f usb: -o kml -F myposition.kml

 

 

 


Google Maps JavaScript API Example Create a line with clicks, then convert that to a list of points This shows how to create a list of waypoints, track points, or route points with a Google Maps front end.
Last Click Lat/Long:      

Segment distance :   Total distance :