GPS (Global Positioning System) Activities
To plot GPS data from your device to your computer:
- Connect GPS device to computer. This is done with a USB or serial cable.
- GPS & computer syncing. When using a Mac and Garmin GPS, you may need the GPS Garmin Communicator Plugin to communicate between Garmin GPS and computer.
- Convert GPS files into desired format. Use GPSBabel or similar software to convert the native files in the GPS device to gpx or kml (kmz) files.
- Plot the data using TrailRunner , Google Earth, GPS Vizualizer, or similar GPS mapping software
To plot data on Google Earth from a table of waypoints
- Create a spreadsheet
- Make sure that all columns have descriptive headers. The latitude should precede the longitude, and the columns labeled appropriately (see an example of (1) volocano data; (2) plant distribution e example)
- Save the file as a csv file and convertto a kml it using GPS Vizualizer or similar program.
- Sample file of California volcanoes or file of plant distribution.
GPS Information
- GPS Glossary - GPS terminology
- GPS - The United States Global Positioning System
Sample Activity - Mammoth Mt.
- GPX file (waypoint and track data from ski trip)
- KMZ file (waypoint and track data from ski trip. This was downloaded from )
- Mammoth photos - Norman Herr's Mammoth photos
- Sample plotted data: Mammoth Mt. ski trip: day 1; day 2.
Resources
