DesertCruiser
Administrator
Registered: 01/15/10
Posts: 365
|
| | 02/08/10 at 12:15 AM | Reply with quote | #16 |
|
A friend just told me something that fits in this thread. I haven't checked this out yet, but when I do I'll post some info here on it. For a couple of years I used to pay for a pro account with Google Earth -- reason, to be able to add topo tracks to the satellite views in Google. With the free version you couldn't do that. Well now instead of $20.00 a year it's up to somewhere around $500 a year for the pro account -- BUT now you can add your topo tracks to Google Earth with the free account! Garmin and Megellan worked before. If anyone has more info it'd be great to hear about it. In the meantime when I get a chance, I'll give it a try and let you know.
So why is this a neat feature? Here's an example: we went east into a canyon once to see if it went through this mountain range to the other side, but we got blocked by a rock fall (a big one). Months later when exploring on the other side of the mountains we ended up going west into a canyon and couldn't keep going for some reason. When we looked at both of them on the Google satellite map we realized we were on the other end of the same canyon we tried to get through on months before from the other side. It was neat to see because you could tell that at one time the old trail went right through both of those obstructions. Great feature if it's true?
Google Earth Map is listed HERE if you don't have it downloaded on your computer.
Don....
|
| Loading... | |
DesertCruiser
Administrator
Registered: 01/15/10
Posts: 365
|
| | 02/11/10 at 04:34 PM | Reply with quote | #17 |
|
My friend Nick was correct. I finally had a chance to play with Google Earth today it's easy to upload your GPS tracks and way points to the Google earth satellite images. You use to have to pay for this feature, it's now free and it works even faster than it did before. See the screen capture and more on this Below.
When you go to Google Earth in the upper left of the window click on file then click open to go to your computer and find the topo track you want to see on the map. When Google opens it it will have a generic name, so you'll want to change that so you can find it later. In the Google Earth window on the left you'll see where Google put your file (it'll be at the bottom of the list if you have others already in there). Now just right click on the file and rename it (in this instance we named it Mud Caves for obvious reasons) Now you can right click on the name again and save the .kmz file to your computer (maybe where you keep your topo tracks?) then any time you want to see it in Google Earth just click on the .kmz file and it'll open the track, way points, in Google Earth.
When your in Google Earth you can also right click the name in Google Earth and click on e-mail and send the file to a friend (they must have Google Earth on their computer), when they open the file in their e-mail it'll open Google Earth and take them right to your topo track, way points. NEAT. Nice feature, and we're always open to new maps, ideas and ways to work with these maps.; We'd really like to hear from you!
Thanks Nick,
Don....
|
| Loading... | |
DesertCruiser
Administrator
Registered: 01/15/10
Posts: 365
|
| | 02/12/10 at 02:12 PM | Reply with quote | #18 |
|
For anyone that would like to add GPS tracks to your Google Earth Satellite Map, we've built a new page on the site with a complete set of instructions for doing this, as well as added a few bonus items that will help you keep track of the tracks!
HERE
We're always updating our maps and the information you need to use them.
Don.....
|
| Loading... | |
DesertCruiser
Administrator
Registered: 01/15/10
Posts: 365
|
| | 03/01/10 at 01:19 PM | Reply with quote | #19 |
|
Also thanks to Chris for making me think about this, if you don't have a GPS or GPS software and want to see the topo tracks that are on most of the Day Trips on the site, you can. All you have to do is download the .mps file into a folder in your computer and then open Google Earth and then follow These Instructions Make sure you have the open drop down box set to "All Files" to find the .mps file you want to open. Then open it and follow the instructions, simple, you'll be able to see the topo track on a Satellite Map.
Don.....
|
| Loading... | |
DesertCruiser
Administrator
Registered: 01/15/10
Posts: 365
|
| | 03/04/10 at 10:58 AM | Reply with quote | #20 |
|
Here's something we posted in the Desert Travel forum here that might help you using the Google Earth Maps -----------
Here's something else that will help when looking for differences in terrain on Google Earth -------
When you have Google Earth open at the top of the program window click on Tools / then Options and a box will open --- in this first window look for Elevation Exaggeration then set this to number 3. I don't remember if you have to apply this or not, but if it's available then click
Apply or Okay
Now drag the map around in an area where there's a big difference in elevation. There won't be any difference in a flatter area, but where there are big differences in elevation you'll be amazed at the view you'll get.
Don.....
|
| Loading... | |
DesertCruiser
Administrator
Registered: 01/15/10
Posts: 365
|
| | 04/24/10 at 04:16 PM | Reply with quote | #21 |
|
Apparently this was a popular topic -- so if anyone has any problems, questions, or advice they want or can offer on this or any map system, please have at it, it's the way we learn these things.
|
| Loading... | |
