Raymond Spruance III
2016-12-01 23:51:20 UTC
How can I get a GPX from IHikeGPS to Windows without Mail & iTunes?
Here is a tutorial I wrote up for the Windows folks, which should alsomostly work on the Macintosh or even Linux.
It all starts with the GPX track from the mobile device!
Every step documented below was tested by me, so I know it works.
You can pretty much just cut and paste and it should work for you too!
Good luck backcountry hiking!
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How to view tracks offline on USGS topo maps maps in windows for free:
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NOTE: Google Earth freeware can be made to show USGS topographic maps & GE
can view tracks & elevation profiles; but GE is online software, not
offline.
Note: OSM maps are fine for roads and if you stay on trails but OSM maps
are almost useless for backcountry hiking in the USA (USGS topo maps work
best).
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Main URLS:
1. OziExplorer Trial (Map & Track & Elevation Profile Viewer):
http://www.oziexplorer.com/
http://www.oziexplorer3.com/eng/downloads/395/oziexp_setup.exe
2. OziExplorer conversion of map PDF to OziExplorer compatible TIF files:
http://www.oziexplorer3.com/utils/image_convert.zip.
3. GPSbabel (track conversion):
https://www.gpsbabel.org/download.html
4. USGS topo maps:
https://viewer.nationalmap.gov/launch/
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Summary of key steps:
a. Download and install OziExplorer Trial version software.
b. Download and install OziExplorer PDF-to-TIF Conversion software.
c. Download and install GPSbabel track-conversion software.
d. Download extremely detailed USGS PDF maps of the desired quadrangles.
--------
e. Convert the USGS geocalibrated PDF maps to geocalibrated TIF files.
f. If desired, stitch contiguous TIF maps together to create a composite
map:
g. Load and calibrate the USGS topographic map for your area of interest.
--------
h. Convert your mobile-device tracks into OziExplorer "plt" tracks.
i. Load and display the mobile-phone track overlayed on that USGS map.
j. Display the elevation/speed profile by distance/time.
============================================================================
A. Download and install OziExplorer Trial version software.
1. Download oziexp_setup.exe version 3.95 from http://www.oziexplorer.com/
2. Doubleclick oziexp_setup.exe and follow installation prompts.
3. Move the resulting desktop OziExplorer.lnk & OziExplorer Trial.lnk
shortcuts into your start menu.
4. Start the trial version (OziExpTrial.exe).
============================================================================
B. Download and install OziExplorer PDF-to-TIF Conversion software.
1. Download the OziExplorer PDF-to-TIFF converter:
http://www.oziexplorer3.com/utils/image_convert.zip.
2. Extract this zip file (it will create .\image_convert\).
3. Move the "image_convert" directory to your previously installed
oziExplorer hierarchy.
4. Put a shorcut in your start menu pointing to
./image_convert/ImageConvertOzi.exe
============================================================================
C. Download and install GPSbabel track-conversion software.
1. Download and install GPSbabel freeware to convert track formats
https://www.gpsbabel.org/download.html
2. Put a shortcut in your start menu to .\GPSBabel\gpsbabelfe.exe
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D. Download USGS PDF maps of the desired quadrangles.
1. Go to the USGS map site https://viewer.nationalmap.gov/launch/
2. At top left, press "Download Maps".
3. This will show in the right pane a map of the United States.
4. Left mouse drag your desired location to the center of that map.
5. Click the + (zoom) 7 times (re-center as needed) to see quadrangles.
6. It's simplest if you zoom until you have only 1 or 2 quadrangles in view.
7. In the left sidebar, click the blue "Find Products" button.
8. In the left sidebar "US Topo Available Products" section, click
"results".
9. In the left sidebar, scroll until you see the desired quadrangle.
10. Once you find the desired quadrangle, right click its "Download" button.
11. Choose to "Save Link As" so as to download the ~30MB PDF file.
12. Save the ~30MB PDF as the name of the quadrangle.pdf
Read this document for instructions on how to read the USGS map margins:
http://education.usgs.gov/lessons/mapmargin.pdf (details)
http://education.usgs.gov/lessons/map_margins_2p.pdf (summary)
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E. Convert the USGS geocalibrated PDF maps to geocalibrated TIF files.
1. You must put your PDFs in a folder all by themselves for the next steps!
c:\tmp\usgs_01.pdf
c:\tmp\usgs_02.pdf
2. Start ./image_convert/ImageConvertOzi.exe & point it to that map folder:
c:\tmp\
3. Wait (minutes) for the converter to actually finish!
Do not do anything else as the converter may pop to the fore.
There will be a cmd window for each PDF file converted.
Only when the successive cmd windows disappear, is the conversion done!
When the cmd windows disappear, close the original conversion window.
4. You'll notice the command that was run was the following syntax:
c:\> .\gdal_translate -of GTiff -co COMPRESS=LZW -co "TFW=YES"
"C:\tmp\usgs_01.pdf" "C:\tmp\ozi_converted\usgs_01.tif"
c:\> .\gdal_translate -of GTiff -co COMPRESS=LZW -co "TFW=YES"
"C:\tmp\usgs_02.pdf" "C:\tmp\ozi_converted\usgs_02.tif"
5. You now have a compatible TIF file for each of your USGS topographic
maps.
C:\tmp\ozi_converted\usgs_01.tif
C:\tmp\ozi_converted\usgs_02.tif
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F. If necessary, stitch multiple TIF maps together for a composite map:
1. Make a copy of each TIF quadrangle, e.g.,
c:\> copy usgs_01.tif usgs_01_cropped.tif
c:\> copy usgs_02.tif usgs_02_cropped.tif
2. I used Irfanview to crop but you can use any editor you like.
3. Open each file in your editor & crop to the 4 corners & save.
usgs_01_cropped.tif
usgs_02_cropped.tif
4. Slap the two files together using any photo editor you like:
Irfanview: File > Open > usgs_01_cropped.tif
Irfanview: Image > Create Panorama Image > Horizontal (if desired)
Irfanview: Image > Create Panorama Image > Add current file
Irfanview: Image > Create Panorama Image > Add images
Irfanview: Image > Create Panorama Image > Create image
5. Save the file noting that it is a composite tiled map.
usgs_01-02_cropped.tif
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G. Load and calibrate the USGS topographic map for your area of interest.
0. Read the help for calibrating maps & creating *.map calibration files:
http://www.oziexplorer3.com/eng/help/creating_maps.html
http://www.oziexplorer3.com/eng/help/spkeys.html
http://what-when-how.com/gps/moving-from-paper-to-digital-maps-gps/
Generally choose points near or at opposite corners.
Do not place two points on the same horizontal or vertical line.
Spread out the points as much as possible.
Note that the USGS topo maps are in degrees,minute,seconds (DMS) format.
25d 15m 25d 15m 25d 15m
110d 07m 30s 110d 00m 108d 45m 30s
+----------------------++----------------------+
| || |
| || |
| QUADRANGLE 1 || QUADRANGLE 2 |
| || |
| || |
| || |
| || |
| || |
| || |
| || |
| || |
+----------------------++----------------------+
25d 07m 30" 25d 07m 30" 25d 07m 30"
110d 07m 30s 110d 00m 108d 45m 30s
Unfortunately OziExplorer expects degrees and decimal minutes.
Here is a web site that will convert from DMS to DDM.
http://jeeep.com/details/coord
25 15.0000 25 15.0000 25 15.0000
110 7.5000 110 0.0000 108 45.5000
+----------------------++----------------------+
| || |
| || |
| QUADRANGLE 1 || QUADRANGLE 2 |
| || |
| || |
| || |
| || |
| || |
| || |
| || |
| || |
+----------------------++----------------------+
25 7.5000 25 7.5000 25 7.5000
110 7.5000 110 0.0000 108 45.5000
1. Copy the USGS TIF conversed map to .\OziExplorer\Maps\usgs_01.tif
Note that USGS topographic maps are easy to calibrate because each
corner is marked with the latitude and longitude, so write down the
coordinates for each corner below for your USGS map:
TopLeft: 25deg 15min 00sec N, 110deg 07min 30sec W
BotRight: 25deg 07min 30sec N, 110deg 00min 00sec W
-----
TopRight: 25deg 15min 00sec N, 110deg 00min 00sec W
BotLeft: 25deg 07min 30sec N, 110deg 07min 30sec W
Note that my USGS map said it was both DATUM WGS84 & NAD83.
2. Convert the USGS corner degrees, minutes, seconds to decimal degrees:
http://www.directionsmag.com/site/latlong-converter/
TopLeft: 25.250 N, 110.125 W (25 15.00 N, 110 7.50 W)
BotRight: 25.125 N, 110.000 W (25 7.50 N, 110 0.00 W)
-----
TopRight: 25.250 N, 110.000 W (25 15.00 N, 110 0.00 W)
BotLeft: 25.125 N, 110.125 W (25 7.50 N, 110 7.50 W)
3. Start the trial version (OziExpTrial.exe).
4. Click OziExpTrial: File > Load & Calibrate Map Image
5. Left click on the top left corner of the USGS map to mark "Point 1".
6. Manually type the top left coordinates into the Point 1 box.
7. Do the same for the other 3 corners of the USGS map (point 2, 3, & 4).
8. Then press Save in the calibration popup window.
9. Check calibration by comparing measurements to the USGS printed ruler.
OziExplorerTrial: View > Distance Display >
(Click on the left edge of the rule & then on the right end of the ruler)
(For example, it should display 3km for the standard USGS 3km ruler.)
10. Optionally, when you're done, zoom to the area you like & save:
OziExpTrial: Map > Map Open Position > Save Map Open Position > Yes
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H. Convert your mobile-device tracks into OziExplorer "plt" tracks.
1. Start gpsbabel & press the "input" section "Filenames" button.
2. Browse to your mobile device GPX file (e.g., "file.gpx").
3. In the "output" section, select the "OziExplorer" format.
4. Choose a file name (e.g., "file.plt").
5. Press the "OK" button and look to see whether it was successful:
C:\> gpsbabel -w -r -t -i gpx -f C:/tmp/file.gpx -o ozi -F
C:/tmp/file.plt
Translation successful
NOTE: The input file name can have quotes but not the output file name.
(Go figure.)
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I. Load and display the mobile-phone track overlayed on that USGS map.
1. Start the trial version (OziExpTrial.exe).
2. If the map isn't automatically loaded, then load the desired USGS map.
3. Load any number of PLT tracks that you want to view on the map:
(if needed) OziExpTrial: Map > Clear All Tracks on Map
(if needed) OziExpTrial: View > Show tracks on Map
OziExpTrial: File > Load from file > Load Track From File > file.plt
4. That displays your track on the USGS calibrated map.
NOTE: To load a track into OziExplorer over a blank map:
1. Start the trial version (OziExpTrial.exe).
2. OziExpTrial: Map > Blank Map
3. OziExpTrial: Load > Load Track From File > file.plt
4. That displays the track on the blank map.
============================================================================
J. Display the elevation/speed profile by distance/time.
1. Start the trial version (OziExpTrial.exe).
2. OziExpTrial: Load > Load Track From File > file.plt
3. That displays the track on the underlying map.
4. OziExpTrial: View > Track > Track Profile
5. That track profile chart has choices of:
x-axis: Distance or time
y-axis: Altitude or speed
============================================================================
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Appendix I: Google Earth
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How to view KML tracks on a topographic map on Google Earth on the PC:
0.
https://www.outdoors.org/articles/amc-outdoors/how-to-add-usgs-topographic-maps-to-google-earth/
1. Download the entire USA USGS topographic map for Google Earth:
Go to http://www.earthpoint.us/TopoMap.aspx
Press the "View on Google Earth" button
This will Download "EarthPointTopoMap_024802.kml"
Save as: /tmp/EarthPointTopoMap_024802.kml
2. Load the USA USGS topographic map into Google Earth:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > /tmp/EarthPointTopoMap_024802.kml
GoogleEarth: View > Sidebar
3. Select the Earth Point Topo Map USGS Quandrangles:
GoogleEarth: Places > Earth Point Topo Map > USGS Quadrangles
4. You can convert from GPX to KML by loading & saveing from Google Earth:
Google Earth: File > Open > MyTrack.gpx
Google Earth: File > Save Track As > MyTrack.kml (or kmz)
5. Overlay your track on top of the Google Earth USGS topographical map:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > MyTrack.kml
6. Right click on the track path & select "Show Elevation Profile"
Here's that for the first mile of my last hike off trail in the mountains.
Loading Image...
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Appendix II: Using Caltopo online USGS maps to display a track online:
1. Go to http://caltopo.com & import your gpx track using the following:
Caltopo: Import > Browser > filename.gpx > Import
Loading Image...
2. Note that once you find the area of concern, you can save the URL:
http://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=36.67921,-121.04832&z=15&b=mbt
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Appendix III: Android free offline USGS maps & tracking software:
ANDROID:
Backcountry Nav Topo Maps GPS free from CritterMap Software LLC
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crittermap.backcountrynavigator
For example:
1. Install Backcountry Nav Topo Maps GPS by Crittermap, at Google Play
2. Turn on your GPS (so that maps default to your local tile)
3. Run Backcountry Nav
4. To load a map, press the "Map Layers Menu" button (top right of center)
5. Select "Map Layers > Choose Map Source"
6. Press "Choose Map Source" & Select the "USA" button
7. From the many choices, choose "USA: Topo Maps"
8. From the many choices, choose one of:
CalTopo US 24K Topo Maps (free)
CalTopo (free)
USA Topo Mqaps - ArcGIS (free)
USTopo: Imagery with Markup (free)
USGS Topo Maps (free)
National Map Imagery Topo (free)
US Forest Service (free)
Alaska Topo (free)
etc.
NOTE: There are many other free maps to choose from, but these are the
basics.
8. Once you have a map tile in view, you'll want to download for offline use
9. Long press anywhere on the map tile in view to bring up a menu
10. Press "Select Areas for Download"
11. Sweep with one finger blue rectangles to download
NOTE: You can zoom in or out, and overlap rectangles until you get the
entire area you wish to download for offline use.
12. Once the area is selected, press the "Download your selection" button
13. You'll get a few options for naming conventions & folders & space needed
14. When you're done with the download options, select "proceed"
Note: I downloaded about a 20-mile square of USGS Topo Maps at maximum zoom,
which took up about 200MB.
US Topo Maps Free by ATLOGIS Geoinformatics GmbH
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlogis.northamerica.free
0. Turn on your GPS if you want the maps to default to your location.
1. Install US Topo Maps Free by ATLOGIS Geoinformatics GmbH
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlogis.northamerica.free
NOTE: I re-installed version 2.6.3 because the program got worse in later
versions, apparently, because step 6 below failed.
2. Accept the EULA & walk through the tutorial.
3. Press the hamburger menu & select "Choose Map"
4. Of the many choices I picked "US Topo traditional DRGs"
4. Of the many choices I picked "Scanned Topo Maps USA dynamic"
4. Of the many choices I picked "USGS National Map Topo"
5. To save for offline use, I pressed the three dots icon at top right
6. From there, I pressed Cache Map > Drat. It won't cache maps!
I'm sure it used to cache maps, so, I will backtrack to the older version,
and start fresh.
My Trails free by Frog Sparks
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.frogsparks.mytrails
Locus Map Free Outdoor GPS by Asamm Software, s. r. o.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus
1. Create a GPX track using OSMTracker for Android freeware
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.guillaumin.android.osmtracker
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Appendix IV: iOS free offline USGS maps & tracking software:
Loading Image...
FREE: Topo Reader, by Dennis Lindsey
PASS: Best USGS 24K maps, limit 5 free maps (too bad it doesn't do tracking)
Loading Image...
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PAY $8: iHikeGPS USA + SE & SW Canada Topo Maps, by James Associates
KEEPER: Second best maps plus does tracking on the map itself.
Loading Image...
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FREE: Topo Maps+, by Glacier Peak Studios LLC
FAIL. VERY Blurry USGS 24K topo maps with lousy zoom level.
Loading Image...
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