How to show a track on google earth, after the fact?

[FairweatherDave]

One thing you might want to consider is the distinction between creating a picture with your track drawn on it, (which is fine and may suit your purposes) versus creating a track line in google earth as a kml file(kmz?). The point is that google earth is so interactive, unlike a screen grab. Sometimes I will look at a track and then zoom in really close for the detail,eg an anchorage or interesting location. A screen grab is no good for that. Google earth offers so much more its worth a play.

 

[dylanwinter]

One thing you might want to consider is the distinction between creating a picture with your track drawn on it, (which is fine and may suit your purposes) versus creating a track line in google earth as a kml file(kmz?). The point is that google earth is so interactive, unlike a screen grab. Sometimes I will look at a track and then zoom in really close for the detail,eg an anchorage or interesting location. A screen grab is no good for that. Google earth offers so much more its worth a play.

I agree

I made this interactive map for google earth

it is the most frequently viewed thing on my website

and if that failed it is on this page

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/sailing-around-britain/interactive-map-of-the-journey-so-far/

 

[GHA]

For those who can do a little JavaScript, it is also possible to plot GPS tracks on zoomable Navionics charts thanks to the Navionics web api. Here's an example from my own "play time" site - https://thegpsblog.com/activities/weymouth-to-exe-november-2016

Aidan

What a great page, well done

 

[dslittle]

It's paper charts and iPhone/tablet. But can't photograph the chart, far too many of them!

If you have Navionics on your iPhone, why not just do a screenshot of your track OR, as I do if total accuracy isn't important, take a screenshot of the route???

 

[[70521]]

For those who can do a little JavaScript, it is also possible to plot GPS tracks on zoomable Navionics charts thanks to the Navionics web api. Here's an example from my own "play time" site - https://thegpsblog.com/activities/weymouth-to-exe-november-2016

I'd be interested in understanding how that is done.

 

[Dictys]

I've just done this by loading various vessels Voyage Data Recorder log files into excel, stripping out the stuff before the NMEA code, then using a online converter to convert the pure NMEA into a KML file which then I loaded into google earth, to be fair it worked a treat

 

[steve yates]

If you have Navionics on your iPhone, why not just do a screenshot of your track OR, as I do if total accuracy isn't important, take a screenshot of the route???

Slaps forehead and says duh!
You sir, are a genius. Some of the rest of are off the scale in cleverness, but this method will do me fine. Thanks all.

 

[wwarw00]

I'd be interested in understanding how that is done.

Many GPS units store data abouts tracks in a format called GPX.

That (or any other format) can be converted to a more JavaScript friendly format called JSON. I do this with serverside processing but there seem to be JavaScript libraries that will do this e.g. https://mapbox.github.io/togeojson/

With this "JSON", you can use the Google Maps API to draw a line on a Google Map e.g. see https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/polyline-simple for an example.

The Navionics "web api" is then used to overaly the Navionics chart on the Google map - see http://webapiv2.navionics.com/examples/4000_gNavionicsOverlayExample.html for an example

Both the Google Maps API and the Navionics Web API require "license keys" but they're currently free for low/non-commercial use.

That's the main steps. There's loads of other "bells and whistles" on https://thegpsblog.com/ pages but they're all additions on top of the above basic steps.

Hope this helps

Aidan