GPS Tracklog

Live traffic - for free!

Google announced today that they are adding live traffic to Google Maps. Now you can't use this on your PND, but it is available on some GPS cell phones via Google Mobile.

This has me wondering about Google's economic model (give stuff away, make a killing on ads) and the coming cell phone GPS vs. PND wars. Using your cell phone as a GPS is nothing like the experience of a dedicated, decent sized touch-screen device and, while cell phones may take some market share (those folks with only rare or occasional navigation needs), I've thought that there is still plenty of room for growth in the PND market.

But Garmin and others better take a close look at this. I wonder how long it will be before a GPS manufacturer comes out with a dual model -- pay for traffic services, or get them for free in exchange for seeing location based ads.

Free traffic and satellite photos is a pretty good deal. And while I haven't found out what traffic service provider Google is using, their coverage appears to be good too. I routinely drive through Santa Rosa, CA, and live traffic reports have yet to show up on my nuvi 660, but here it is on Google Maps.

Free Geographic Information Tools Blog

There's a new geo-blog that's shown up this week -- Free Geographic Information Tools. Leszek Pawlowicz, the person behind it, has told me that "the first series of posts will mainly cover how to meet or beat most of the capabilities of Google Earth Plus (GPS import and export, spreadsheet import, address geocoding and real-time tracking) using free or cheap software."

Leszek has a great series of posts to launch his blog including, as promised, two on importing GPS data into Google Earth (here's the link to part 2). In them he covers EasyGPS, GPSBabel and GPSVisualizer. Welcome to the (geo-) blogosphere, Leszek!

Fast loading topos, aerial photos and weather radar on Google Maps

I've posted before about sites that mashed up Google maps with topo maps, and I haven't been all that impressed to date. Finally someone got it right though. Acme Mapper uses TerraServer imagery, providing access to topo maps and aerial photos (DOQs). And it loads fast. Now if it only had a GPS interface!

Via The Map Room

Related post:

• Convert Google Maps search results to GPS waypoints
• Get maps and aerial photos online: TopoFusion
• Free topos and aerial photos: USA PhotoMaps

GPS data search tool

Google recently announced their custom search engine tool. I didn't really see how I would use it at first; then I thought about creating a search engine designed to go after GPS data. After all, I find myself searching for it often for trip planning. So give it a try, perhaps with the name of a popular trail or a geographical area: 

     

Search for waypoints, tracks, POI's, maps and aerial imagery

I've included over 30 sources so far, including National Geographic TOPO!'s MapXchange, the TOPO USA file exchange, MotionBased, several points of interest (POIs) sites, a great U.S. DRG resource, sites with free Garmin maps, aerial photos, and more. I've tried to keep out sites that charge for data, or sites that will return massive numbers of duplicate or irrelevant results. Oh, and if you find yourself dealing with data types that your software won't handle, check out a GPS file converter.

Free topos and aerial photos: USAPhotoMaps

Everybody loves stuff they can get for free, right? Especially if it is way cool and quite useful. Well, USAPhotoMaps fits the bill. Created by Doug Cox, USAPhotoMaps is TerraServer-based, just like TopoFusion. And just like TopoFusion, you can look at aerial photos or topo maps of just about any location in the U.S. For some urban areas, you can even view color aerial photos down to 0.25 meters/pixel (see below left)!

One of the ways I've used USAPhotoMaps is to locate newer 4WD roads that don't appear on topo maps, which are usually much older than USGS aerial photos. In the image on the right below, I've drawn a track along a logging road. To the left below, you can see how I've been able to update a topo map with the hand-drawn track.

One of the other great things about USAPhotoMaps, is that Doug Cox just keeps updating it, adding new features and keeping it current.

USAPhotoMaps does lack some features, but all in all, it's a great program, and you sure can't beat the price. I believe it is particularly useful for people new to the world of GPS, who may not be ready to lay out money for mapping software and aren't quite sure what all they can do with it. If you've never transferred your track to your computer, to view it on an aerial photo, you've got a treat coming. And now you don't have any excuse not to!

There is a full chapter on USAPhotoMaps in my book, GPS Mapping - Make Your Own Maps.

Other posts in this series:

• * Choosing the best mapping software: Introduction
• * CD-based mapping software: National Geographic TOPO!
• * Get maps and aerial photos online: TopoFusion
• * Software for power mappers: OziExplorer
• * Free waypoint manager: EasyGPS
• * Converting GPS file formats

Downloading tracks to your GPS for navigation

I returned a couple of days ago from a week long mountain biking vacation at Lake Tahoe and Downieville, California. I had wanted to ride many of these trails for years and since I had not ridden them before, prior to going I downloaded tracks that others had posted online. Most of them came from MotionBased, although I did get a file of the Tahoe Rim Trail from National Geographic TOPO!'s mapXchange. Tracks from the latter are much easier to use now (even for non-TOPO owners), thanks to the newly minted ability of GPSBabel to convert .tpo track files from TOPO!

So I layered the downloaded tracks and waypoints on maps I then printed with TOPO!, constructed routes, transferred maps and tracks to my GPS, etc. But once on the trail, I was reminded what a useful tool these pre-loaded tracks are for navigation, especially when you are moving fast on a bike. The image at the left is one such track. Notice that I set the track color to blue.

The screen image to the right gives you an idea what this looks like in the field, as my actual track (in red) overlays the pre-loaded track as I progress along the trail. (These are reconstructed images, so the current position cursor is missing; I did not take my laptop on the ride to do screen captures!) With this sort of setup, it's easy to see at a glance if you've taken a wrong turn.

Now I do have a few caveats:

• This is no substitute for conventional navigation.
• The downloaded tracks are representations of someone else's experience, and may include a wildly inaccurate track, wrong turns, etc.
• Check to be sure that the downloaded track matches up to written trail descriptions and maps of the route that you are planning to take.

Plan GPS routes with Google Maps

I came across an interesting application this morning -- the Marengo GPS Route Planner, which allows you to create GPS routes using Google Maps. You'll need GPSBabel to transfer the GPX format routes to your GPS. Here is the full Marengo GPS Route Planner help page. Via Digg.

Related posts:

• Converting Google Maps search results to GPS waypoints.

Technorati tags: GPS

EarthTools - Contours in Google Maps

I've posted a multiple times about various ways to  view contour lines in Google Maps and Google Earth. Now comes EarthTools, a new Google Maps mashup that adds a contour overlay (see image at left). Various parts of the world can be seen at different zoom levels, with more detail and coverage being added over time. Unlike some other mashups attempting this, the contour data in EarthTools loads fast. Right now it only works in FireFox and the IE7 beta. Via Google Maps Mania.

Technorati tags: GPS

Waypoints - April 29, 2006

Hardware

• Talk about all-in-one. Here's a PDA that really does it all - GPS, cell phone, digital camera and Windows Mobile 5.0.
• Brunswick Corporation is selling their unit that manufactures GPS, which means that Navman is going on the block.
• A head-to-head comparison of Bones in Motion with the Garmin Forerunner 205.

Miscellaneous

• Appalachian Trail shelter waypoints in GPX and MXF format, along with other useful links.
• GPS Review makes a case for GPS resulting in safer driving and offers some tips to keep you focused on the road.
• The mainstream media still doesn't get the difference between GIS and GPS.
• Articles on the roadblocks to LBS acceptance in the U.S. and Europe.

Cool maps

• Gas prices mapped by U.S. counties. Feel the pain. Via Very Spatial.
• For our friends down under, a look at 400 years of maps of Oz.
• A mapping service that lets you input a zip code to view campaign contributions to the two major parties in the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, though it is currently down due to being Dugg. Via Very Spatial.

Geo-Google

• GEtrax opens OziExplorer and GPX files as KML files. It will also output Garmin track files to a KML file. Via Ogle Earth.
• How to easily convert a Google Maps URL to a KML file.
• Lots of improvements to Google Maps and Google Earth last week, covered here and here.

From Russia with love

• An article on GPS in Russia.
• Free Russian GIS maps.

Cellphones and GPS

• Dale DePriest defines A-GPS.
• An overview of cellphone GPS.

The military and GPS

• Janes provides some technical details and historical info on the GPS constellation.
• An article on the military's use of GPS to guide air-drops.

Technorati tags: GPS

Waypoints - April 22, 2006

There’s lots to cover this week, so let’s get right to it:

GPS Hardware

• Looks like my TomTom GO 910 review was well-timed. It appears that TomTom is now shipping the new unit in the U.S.
• Magellan has posted info on the Roadmate 860T. It is expected to be available in May. More information is available in the Magellan Roadmate 860T press release. Via GPS Review.
• Garmin’s blog discusses the Auto Multi Sport feature found on the Forerunner 205, 301 and 305.
• Engadget explores the trend towards all-in-one GPS devices.

GPS Software / resources

• I’ve added GPS-Tour.info to my list of online sources of waypoints and tracks. Via Google Earth Blog.
• An extensive list of GIS resources, via Ogle Earth.
• GPSInformation.net covers changes to G7toWin.
• GpsPasSion reports on GPSGate, which allows you to connect a single receiver to multiple applications simultaneously.

GPS in the news

• I think the Darwin Awards needs a GPS category.
• Minnesotans have the opportunity to participate in a GPS Amazing Family Race.
• GPS receivers are being used to help track down pets of Katrina victims.
• A report on a privacy group’s concerns over parents tracking their children with GPS. Via GPS Notes.
• Pocket Gamer speculates on the development of GPS-based games, which may be triggered by GPS-enabled Sony PSP devices.
• How about a GPS-enabled ATV wheelchair?
• Nielsen will use GPS to track exposure to outdoor advertising.

Geo-Google

• Google Maps Mania links to a U.S. campground map. Remember, you can convert Google Maps search results to GPS waypoints.
• Google Earth Blog links to Earthclimber, a Google Earth tool for exploring rock climbing destinations.
• Ogle Earth explores Iranian nuclear facilities via Google Earth and triggers a comment-fest in the process. Stefan goes on in his next post to explore  Google Earth myths and terrorism.
• Also from Ogle Earth, resources to check out global warming in Google Earth.
• Google Earth Blog carries info on new areas of high-resolution satellite and aerial imagery.
• Google Local or Google Maps? Looks like an identity crisis to me.
• Ogle Earth reports on a KML importer being included in the newest release of NASA World Wind.
• Google Earth Blog reports on a new search feature in Google Earth.

Technorati tags: GPS