I know this has been covered in varying degrees in other posts, but as it has been a while I thought it might be okay to try again for more recent info.

I thought I would ask to see what software people are using, like and can recommend. Currently, I use National Geographic Topo! 4.0 (I can't seem to get the 4.5 updgrade), EasyGPS (really like this one), ExpertGPS (not sure if I should purchase after the trial ends), Garmin Map Source, and Google Earth.

I would like to upload gps tracks to topo maps and google earth, plot way points on my PC and transfer to my gps, transfer way point files to my gps, overlay maps and other things like that. I would really like to be able to plan trips ahead of time, make print maps and download to my gps. I would also like to be able to make post trip maps that had tracks and waypoints. I would like to integrate both of these things on a topo map and on google earth.

I put the garmin topos on my handheld gps, and am thinking that may have been a mistake. I really only use the gps for back country trails, but the topo detail level leaves off the route names (eg: 3N13).

What are you using? What works? I have been looking at the Delorme Topo & Backcountry products, does anyone have any feedback? I sure like the Delorme books as a reference.

I am interested to hear what people are using.

I use a Mac, but here is my writeup.

I haven't been able to find a solid workflow for sharing tracks on the Mac - and wasn't about to spend another several hundred dollars on software - so here's what I've come up with. I still need to do a real-life test, but I think I have something worthy of sharing. If anyone has any tips on how to cut out a step or two, please let me know...

Goals:
To share trail tracks in GPX format;
To geotag photos;
To edit tracks and view them before transferring to the GPSr or sharing;
To complete all tasks on Mac OS X with a budget of $0.

Required software:
GPSPhotoLinker: http://oregonstate.edu/~earlyj/gpsphotolinker/download.php
Google Earth: http://earth.google.com
GPSBabel: http://www.gpsbabel.org

Issues:
Many WYSIWYG track editors delete time stamps upon save.
Saving tracks on the GPSr (clicking "save") before the memory fills up deletes time stamps.
Mapsource doesn't run natively on the Mac.
Many geocaching applications don't support tracks.

Workflow:
[1] Setup the GPSr to save tracks to the data card. Tracks > Setup > Data Card Setup (this retains time stamps)
[1a] Be sure to check current time on the GPSr and camera - adjust if necessary. They need to match, of course.
[1b] Drive your favorite trail and log some tracks!
[2] Connect GPSr to the Mac via Main Menu > Setup > Interface > USB Mass Storage
[3] Drag & drop gpx tracks to the computer.
[4] Link tracks and photos with GPSPhotoLinker.
[5] Archive original tracks. (Save them in a safe folder - to retain time stamps.)
[6] Open tracks in Google Earth. View, edit, and export selected as .kml.
[7] Use GPSBabel to convert from .kml to GPX XML. (note: deletes time stamps)
[8] Add a name to the track file. Open TextEdit and between <trk> and <trkseg>, (limit to about 15 characters) and add:
<name>###</name>
[9] Optional: Open new GPX trail file in Google Earth to double-check file accuracy.
[10] Use GPSBabel to transfer to GPSr. Be sure to select TRACKS!

Tested with:
Garmin GPSMap 60csx

Excellent info.........thank you Sarah. I too am using a GPSMap 60 csx. What maps do yu have loaded into you GPS receiver?

I will be looking into the software you mentioned tomorrow. Any known issues with using this software on a PC?

Side Note............Russ Chung where are you, as I know you are a prolific gps user?

No problem, Brian. I hope it is useful for you. I loaded in the Garmin maps. I forget which disc I have - I'll have to look in the safe. They are OK. (i.e. Don't trust that there's a gas station beyond the hill.) I got an SD card and filled it with almost every area that I could ever think of going to in the USA, except for the place we went last weekend (St. Louis MO)! LOL It sure does hold alot though.

I haven't used any of the software on the PC except Garmin (I use VMWare Fusion), but I think the workflow there can give you some ideas as to how to compose yours. Let us know how it works!

If you haven't done it before, geotagging is super neato. Here is an example, Flickr supports it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sw33t/sets/72157601513586890/map/
The map isn't the most intuitive, you do have to scroll it to see all of the dots.

Sarah, do you have to buy the google earth upgrade to load you tracks and export them in .kml? I think I tried to do this before and the $$$ upgrade was required.

I had to upgrade to make or download tracks with GE

I will definitely be playing with some GPS stuff for the next few days/weeks trying to see what works.

Keep the ideas coming........

Sarah, do you have to buy the google earth upgrade to load you tracks and export them in .kml? I think I tried to do this before and the $$$ upgrade was required.
Oh darn, I think you're right. Yes, I have a license. My bad.

Oh darn, I think you're right. Yes, I have a license. My bad.

I was just ready to renew my license to Google but they just change their licensing, the 20 dollar up is not available any more. They want 500 for the professional and no longer will support the cheaper up grade.

I now use World Wind 4 version free.

You can try GPSVisualizer to convert Garmin files to GE files.

Greetings,

I have a Lowerance iFinder Expedition GPS unit and I use a combination of National Geographics TOPO 4.5 along with GPSBable and GPS Trackmaker. GPS Trackmaker is a free application that is great for editing my tracks and will save in several formats including the Lowerance .usr format. I will plot a trip using NG software or Google Earth, edit it in trackmaker and load it into the GPS unit. GPSBable is used to convert NP and Google Earth to GPX or USR format.

GPS Trackmaker can be found at http://www.gpstm.com/

Enjoy

sorry guys, im a bit of a GPS idiot. i just bought a (DONT LAUGH) tomtom xl330s http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/29/tomtom-intros-one-130-xl-330-gps-units-with-new-car-mount/. ive been reading all of the posts and i cant make sense of what half of you guys talk about with regards to downloading software and such... how do i find if my gps is capable of upgrading topo maps and all that... its a good city driving gps but i really want to be able to navigate when im in the mt's and stuff. thanks for any help.

Brian,

I know this thread is starting to age but I wanted to mention that I use Delorme Topo 7.0 (I also have Delorme Street Street Atlas 2008, but hardly use it). I have them installed in my laptop with a generic gps receving unit plugged into a USB port. It works great and I really like the large screen!

In my options pull down menu it looks like Delorme Topo can be used in the following GPS products:
Garmin
Delorme Earthmate
Rockwell
Radio Shack Digi Traveler
Trimble
Magellen
Lowrance/Eagle
Brunton

How are you coming on your research?

I have turned to the following........but am not particularly enamored with any of them. I would welcome some more suggestions.

Garmin GPSMAP 60 csx
Garmin MapSource Topo
National Geographic Topo 4.0
EasyGPS
ExpertGPS
Google Earth

This allows me to do many of the things I would like to do, but it can be a multi-step and time consuming process.

I am not particularly fond of the NatGeo product and have been considering the DeLorme Topo version.

I am still lost as to how to best record tracks, create .kml files for Google Earth, and to also create and print TOPO maps with the same information. I would also like to use the aforementioned programs to help find and locate spots, add them to .kml files and TOPOs and load those back into to my handheld GPS.

Obviously, there is still much to learn on this subject.

Brian,

On your next trip up my way, come by my place and try out the Delorme Topo on my lap top to see if you like it. Lemme know if you are interested.

I am a long time National Geographic Topo User but I just switched over to DeLorme Topo USA and Street Atlas USA, here is why.

The main reason I liked Topo was the USGS maps, that was great. The main issue I have with it is that it really looks like National Geographic is moving more toward an Internet based approach and that is just not going to work with expedition type wheeling in mind.

I got a good deal on the DeLorme software and GPS dongle so decided to give it a whirl. The main issue with the DeLorme software is it does not use the USGS maps, it uses their own maps. This is easily fixed by using their Netlink tab to download maps for a fee. I highly recommend getting an annual subscription which gives you unlimited downloads.

Here are the features that I really, really like about using DeLorme software:

USGS Maps: These are the same maps as Topo has although not as polished looking and only at the 1:24000 level (only level that really matters to me).
Aerial Imagery: There are a few different flavors of aerial imagery available, this is really handy for tracing out trails and such.
NOAA Nautical CHarts: One day I'll have a boat!
Draw Roads: This is the real cincher for me. I can draw roads on the map that are then routable in either DeLorme Topo or Street Atlas. This was I can pre-stage an entire event with routes and have my computer lead me through the entire weekend.
Compatibility: DeLorme makes it a little easier to share than Topo does.

I really like that the two pieces of software can share information well (it's easier to build a route in Street Atlas so I load the custom road layers into SA, build and safe the route, then bring it over to Topo for use) and are faily easy to use while on the move. I had my machine running with Topo when I was in JV last NOvember and it got the job done very well.

The only issue I have with DeLorme software is the lack of Macintosh support, it is PC only. Topo does have a Macintosh side but it's not always on par with the PC side feature wise. I've worked around that issue by getting a PC laptop for my navigation machine.

So.. There it is.

Sarah, do you have to buy the google earth upgrade to load you tracks and export them in .kml? I think I tried to do this before and the $$$ upgrade was required.

what are you guys trying to do? i use the free version of google earth and i can save, create, and load tracks in .kml. you can use an internet site to translate .kml into any other format you want.

you can also use gps tracking with the free version of google earth. the old GE feature of gps tracking that you had to pay for was not good anyhow.

i use GE for wheeling. the limitation being that i need to cache the satellite images i need before i go out.

Draw Roads: This is the real cincher for me. I can draw roads on the map that are then routable in either DeLorme Topo or Street Atlas. This was I can pre-stage an entire event with routes and have my computer lead me through the entire weekend.

Are you saying that DeLorme will auto route you offroad? Your computer or GPS receiver tells you to turn left on 3N34 in 50'?

I have been using Nat Geo Topo for many years. I have had DeLorme Topo USA 7.0 for about a year and I really don't have much time invested in it. The learning curve for DeLorme is more difficult than Nat Geo.

I can draw roads on Nat Geo Topo. I save the .tpo file and then convert it to .gpx file using GPS Babel. http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/gpsbabel/ I can upload the .gpx file to MJR. Anyone can download the .gpx file and use it on their own GPS receiver as a route (but not autoroutable).

Are you saying that DeLorme will auto route you offroad? Your computer or GPS receiver tells you to turn left on 3N34 in 50'?

Yes. It takes a little bit of getting used to exactly how to join roads and such but, for example, I have a route saved now that takes me from I-15 to Pioneer town via Cleghorn, Pilot Rock, Dishpan, Holcomb, John Bull, Jacoby, 3N03, and 2N02. If I flip the computer on at the Cleghorn exit it will tell me every turn to make until I reach the Pioneertown Bowl.

I can draw roads on Nat Geo Topo. I save the .tpo file and then convert it to .gpx file using GPS Babel. http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/gpsbabel/ I can upload the .gpx file to MJR. Anyone can download the .gpx file and use it on their own GPS receiver as a route (but not autoroutable).

I've used GPS Babel a little bit when setting up some trails and it works well. Also with GPS Babel you can make the routes you upload into routable roads in Topo by converting the GPX file to a CSV then editing the CSV to tell Topo it's a road.