GPS Logging and Mapping

[John Clonts]

I'm a big fan of logging flights with my handheld gps and plotting them on
various maps,
for giving maps to friends who I've taken for "fun flights", and especially
for evaluating my
instrument training and competency.

I use OziExplorer and OziExplorer 3D. Below are some notes I've made about
the various processes (sorry about the format, it was pasted from a Word
doc)

Also, I posted some examples to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation entitled
"Oziexplorer Examples"

Cheers,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas
N7NZ


Ozi Explorer

------------- Waypoint generation

http://www.navaid.com/CoPilot/

Be sure to include waypoints and airway intersections if desired. Many
waypoints

\are actually considered "reporting points"

important: indicate version 3.0 of Copilot, and "add db to existing points"
= No

Then convert the copilot database to oziexplorer waypoints using

http://wayhoo.com/index/a/gpsbabel

important: for some reason the generated waypoint file will not be usable by

oziexplorer. To fix, open the file with wordpad and then just save it.

(must be some cr/lf goofiness or something)

------------- To print:

Printing from oziexplorer directly causes an application error.

Instead, print to a color image (bmp). convert this immediately to a jpg or
png,

'cause bmp's are huge. (especially if you're going to email it to folks)

------------- Conversions:

The trial/demo version of Oziexplorer can use only bmp's.

pdf-to-bmp: use imagemagic, convert somefile.pdf somefile.bmp

or better, ghostscript:

gs -sDEVICE=pnggray|png16 -r150 -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sOutputFile=DAL_KNEAD.png
DAL_KNEAD.pdf

For some reason approach plate pdfs from myairplane.com convert more clearly
than those

from AOPA (despite the converse in the adobe reader)

The demo version of Oziexplorer will only use bmp for map. Otherwise though,
always use

something else because bmps are huge.

------------- Map sources:

---- Sectionals: kyler laird's
http://aviationtoolbox.org/raw_data/FAA_sectionals/current/

May have to rotate/warp by .5 degree or so to "orthogonalize".

(Registered version of oziexplorer allows multiple reference points)

also see rec.aviation.misc postings marked "AVIATIONTOOLBOX"

Also available at www.myairplane.com

---- Approach plates:

www.myairplane.com (these seem to convert to bmp more clearly than AOPA's)

www.aopa.org (members only)

---- Civil maps:

yahoo, mapquest, etc

my favorite though is: http://tiger.census.gov/cgi-bin/mapbrowse-tbl. To get
an

image bigger than 422x359 though, click on "download GIF image", then
manually change

the URL parameters at the end of the URL from "ht=359&iwd=422" to whatever
you want.

---- Radar Images


The NWS radar city references seem to be from the US Census Gazetteer:
http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/. Another source for similar data
though is from USGS Geographic Names Information System ,
http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnis/web_query.gnis_web_query_form. The latter
is what is used by Wayhoo.
CBAV references seem to be airports as opposed to VORS. Except that the
ones marked '+' are actual radar sites.


------------- Other Topo and Sat Image

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/geographic.aspx
http://www.terrafly.com/TP/advancentry.html
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=42.48&long
itude=-71.15
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?scale=50000&lon=2.43&lat=48.88

[Paul Tomblin]

In a previous article, "John Clonts" > said:
>------------- Waypoint generation
>
>http://www.navaid.com/CoPilot/
>
>Be sure to include waypoints and airway intersections if desired. Many
>waypoints are actually considered "reporting points"
>
>important: indicate version 3.0 of Copilot, and "add db to existing points"
>= No
>
>Then convert the copilot database to oziexplorer waypoints using
>
>http://wayhoo.com/index/a/gpsbabel

If you're going to convert it to oxziexplorer you might prefer to start
with a GPX database generated at http://navaid.com/GPX/ instead. Same
options as CoPilot, just a different final file.

--
Paul Tomblin > http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
"He passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the
platform upon which he was standing collapsed." "I thought he was hanged?"
"That's what I said, isn't it?"

[Cub Driver]

On Thu, 20 May 2004 23:41:01 GMT, "John Clonts" >
wrote:

>I'm a big fan of logging flights with my handheld gps

I just discovered that my Garmin III+ has been logging me all this
time. I change the batts the other day and stumbled across a screen
that informed me that my "trip" had been 3,105 miles long, at an
average speed of 57.1 knots.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! blog www.vivabush.org

[Glenn Westfall]

Apparently my server does not have the alt.binaries.pictures.aviation
group. I am very interested in using OziExplorer for the same thing.
Is there a way you can post those pictures somewhere else? Or email
them to me?

Thanks,

Glenn


On Thu, 20 May 2004 23:41:01 GMT, "John Clonts" >
wrote:

>I'm a big fan of logging flights with my handheld gps and plotting them on
>various maps,
>for giving maps to friends who I've taken for "fun flights", and especially
>for evaluating my
>instrument training and competency.
>
>I use OziExplorer and OziExplorer 3D. Below are some notes I've made about
>the various processes (sorry about the format, it was pasted from a Word
>doc)
>
>Also, I posted some examples to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation entitled
>"Oziexplorer Examples"
>
>Cheers,
>John Clonts
>Temple, Texas
>N7NZ
>
>
>Ozi Explorer
>
>------------- Waypoint generation
>
>http://www.navaid.com/CoPilot/
>
>Be sure to include waypoints and airway intersections if desired. Many
>waypoints
>
>\are actually considered "reporting points"
>
>important: indicate version 3.0 of Copilot, and "add db to existing points"
>= No
>
>Then convert the copilot database to oziexplorer waypoints using
>
>http://wayhoo.com/index/a/gpsbabel
>
>important: for some reason the generated waypoint file will not be usable by
>
>oziexplorer. To fix, open the file with wordpad and then just save it.
>
>(must be some cr/lf goofiness or something)
>
>------------- To print:
>
>Printing from oziexplorer directly causes an application error.
>
>Instead, print to a color image (bmp). convert this immediately to a jpg or
>png,
>
>'cause bmp's are huge. (especially if you're going to email it to folks)
>
>------------- Conversions:
>
>The trial/demo version of Oziexplorer can use only bmp's.
>
>pdf-to-bmp: use imagemagic, convert somefile.pdf somefile.bmp
>
>or better, ghostscript:
>
>gs -sDEVICE=pnggray|png16 -r150 -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sOutputFile=DAL_KNEAD.png
>DAL_KNEAD.pdf
>
>For some reason approach plate pdfs from myairplane.com convert more clearly
>than those
>
>from AOPA (despite the converse in the adobe reader)
>
>The demo version of Oziexplorer will only use bmp for map. Otherwise though,
>always use
>
>something else because bmps are huge.
>
>------------- Map sources:
>
>---- Sectionals: kyler laird's
>http://aviationtoolbox.org/raw_data/FAA_sectionals/current/
>
>May have to rotate/warp by .5 degree or so to "orthogonalize".
>
>(Registered version of oziexplorer allows multiple reference points)
>
>also see rec.aviation.misc postings marked "AVIATIONTOOLBOX"
>
>Also available at www.myairplane.com
>
>---- Approach plates:
>
>www.myairplane.com (these seem to convert to bmp more clearly than AOPA's)
>
>www.aopa.org (members only)
>
>---- Civil maps:
>
>yahoo, mapquest, etc
>
>my favorite though is: http://tiger.census.gov/cgi-bin/mapbrowse-tbl. To get
>an
>
>image bigger than 422x359 though, click on "download GIF image", then
>manually change
>
>the URL parameters at the end of the URL from "ht=359&iwd=422" to whatever
>you want.
>
>---- Radar Images
>
>
>The NWS radar city references seem to be from the US Census Gazetteer:
>http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/. Another source for similar data
>though is from USGS Geographic Names Information System ,
>http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnis/web_query.gnis_web_query_form. The latter
>is what is used by Wayhoo.
>CBAV references seem to be airports as opposed to VORS. Except that the
>ones marked '+' are actual radar sites.
>
>
>------------- Other Topo and Sat Image
>
>http://terraserver.microsoft.com/geographic.aspx
>http://www.terrafly.com/TP/advancentry.html
>http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=42.48&long
>itude=-71.15
>http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?scale=50000&lon=2.43&lat=48.88
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Dean Wilkinson]

AirPlan can plot GPS track data right on an aviation map, or over a
sectional chart. It is also a full blown flight planner and moving
map.
http://www.razorsedgesoft.com/airplan/index.htm


"John Clonts" > wrote in message >...
> I'm a big fan of logging flights with my handheld gps and plotting them on
> various maps,
> for giving maps to friends who I've taken for "fun flights", and especially
> for evaluating my
> instrument training and competency.
>
> I use OziExplorer and OziExplorer 3D. Below are some notes I've made about
> the various processes (sorry about the format, it was pasted from a Word
> doc)
>
> Also, I posted some examples to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation entitled
> "Oziexplorer Examples"
>
> Cheers,
> John Clonts
> Temple, Texas
> N7NZ
>
>
> Ozi Explorer
>
> ------------- Waypoint generation
>
> http://www.navaid.com/CoPilot/
>
> Be sure to include waypoints and airway intersections if desired. Many
> waypoints
>
> \are actually considered "reporting points"
>
> important: indicate version 3.0 of Copilot, and "add db to existing points"
> = No
>
> Then convert the copilot database to oziexplorer waypoints using
>
> http://wayhoo.com/index/a/gpsbabel
>
> important: for some reason the generated waypoint file will not be usable by
>
> oziexplorer. To fix, open the file with wordpad and then just save it.
>
> (must be some cr/lf goofiness or something)
>
> ------------- To print:
>
> Printing from oziexplorer directly causes an application error.
>
> Instead, print to a color image (bmp). convert this immediately to a jpg or
> png,
>
> 'cause bmp's are huge. (especially if you're going to email it to folks)
>
> ------------- Conversions:
>
> The trial/demo version of Oziexplorer can use only bmp's.
>
> pdf-to-bmp: use imagemagic, convert somefile.pdf somefile.bmp
>
> or better, ghostscript:
>
> gs -sDEVICE=pnggray|png16 -r150 -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sOutputFile=DAL_KNEAD.png
> DAL_KNEAD.pdf
>
> For some reason approach plate pdfs from myairplane.com convert more clearly
> than those
>
> from AOPA (despite the converse in the adobe reader)
>
> The demo version of Oziexplorer will only use bmp for map. Otherwise though,
> always use
>
> something else because bmps are huge.
>
> ------------- Map sources:
>
> ---- Sectionals: kyler laird's
> http://aviationtoolbox.org/raw_data/FAA_sectionals/current/
>
> May have to rotate/warp by .5 degree or so to "orthogonalize".
>
> (Registered version of oziexplorer allows multiple reference points)
>
> also see rec.aviation.misc postings marked "AVIATIONTOOLBOX"
>
> Also available at www.myairplane.com
>
> ---- Approach plates:
>
> www.myairplane.com (these seem to convert to bmp more clearly than AOPA's)
>
> www.aopa.org (members only)
>
> ---- Civil maps:
>
> yahoo, mapquest, etc
>
> my favorite though is: http://tiger.census.gov/cgi-bin/mapbrowse-tbl. To get
> an
>
> image bigger than 422x359 though, click on "download GIF image", then
> manually change
>
> the URL parameters at the end of the URL from "ht=359&iwd=422" to whatever
> you want.
>
> ---- Radar Images
>
>
> The NWS radar city references seem to be from the US Census Gazetteer:
> http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/. Another source for similar data
> though is from USGS Geographic Names Information System ,
> http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnis/web_query.gnis_web_query_form. The latter
> is what is used by Wayhoo.
> CBAV references seem to be airports as opposed to VORS. Except that the
> ones marked '+' are actual radar sites.
>
>
> ------------- Other Topo and Sat Image
>
> http://terraserver.microsoft.com/geographic.aspx
> http://www.terrafly.com/TP/advancentry.html
> http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=42.48&long
> itude=-71.15
> http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?scale=50000&lon=2.43&lat=48.88

[John Harper]

Hmm. I've never tried a logging flight. Didn't Air France try
this with a 320 at Mulhouse? And there's that amazing saw
thingy dangling from the heli in one of the Bond movies.

( :-) for the irony challenged)

John


"Dean Wilkinson" > wrote in message
m...
> AirPlan can plot GPS track data right on an aviation map, or over a
> sectional chart. It is also a full blown flight planner and moving
> map.
> http://www.razorsedgesoft.com/airplan/index.htm
>
>
> "John Clonts" > wrote in message
>...
> > I'm a big fan of logging flights with my handheld gps and plotting them
on
> > various maps,
> > for giving maps to friends who I've taken for "fun flights", and
especially
> > for evaluating my
> > instrument training and competency.
> >
> > I use OziExplorer and OziExplorer 3D. Below are some notes I've made
about
> > the various processes (sorry about the format, it was pasted from a Word
> > doc)
> >
> > Also, I posted some examples to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation entitled
> > "Oziexplorer Examples"
> >
> > Cheers,
> > John Clonts
> > Temple, Texas
> > N7NZ
> >
> >
> > Ozi Explorer
> >
> > ------------- Waypoint generation
> >
> > http://www.navaid.com/CoPilot/
> >
> > Be sure to include waypoints and airway intersections if desired. Many
> > waypoints
> >
> > \are actually considered "reporting points"
> >
> > important: indicate version 3.0 of Copilot, and "add db to existing
points"
> > = No
> >
> > Then convert the copilot database to oziexplorer waypoints using
> >
> > http://wayhoo.com/index/a/gpsbabel
> >
> > important: for some reason the generated waypoint file will not be
usable by
> >
> > oziexplorer. To fix, open the file with wordpad and then just save it.
> >
> > (must be some cr/lf goofiness or something)
> >
> > ------------- To print:
> >
> > Printing from oziexplorer directly causes an application error.
> >
> > Instead, print to a color image (bmp). convert this immediately to a jpg
or
> > png,
> >
> > 'cause bmp's are huge. (especially if you're going to email it to folks)
> >
> > ------------- Conversions:
> >
> > The trial/demo version of Oziexplorer can use only bmp's.
> >
> > pdf-to-bmp: use imagemagic, convert somefile.pdf somefile.bmp
> >
> > or better, ghostscript:
> >
> >
gs -sDEVICE=pnggray|png16 -r150 -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sOutputFile=DAL_KNEAD.png
> > DAL_KNEAD.pdf
> >
> > For some reason approach plate pdfs from myairplane.com convert more
clearly
> > than those
> >
> > from AOPA (despite the converse in the adobe reader)
> >
> > The demo version of Oziexplorer will only use bmp for map. Otherwise
though,
> > always use
> >
> > something else because bmps are huge.
> >
> > ------------- Map sources:
> >
> > ---- Sectionals: kyler laird's
> > http://aviationtoolbox.org/raw_data/FAA_sectionals/current/
> >
> > May have to rotate/warp by .5 degree or so to "orthogonalize".
> >
> > (Registered version of oziexplorer allows multiple reference points)
> >
> > also see rec.aviation.misc postings marked "AVIATIONTOOLBOX"
> >
> > Also available at www.myairplane.com
> >
> > ---- Approach plates:
> >
> > www.myairplane.com (these seem to convert to bmp more clearly than
AOPA's)
> >
> > www.aopa.org (members only)
> >
> > ---- Civil maps:
> >
> > yahoo, mapquest, etc
> >
> > my favorite though is: http://tiger.census.gov/cgi-bin/mapbrowse-tbl. To
get
> > an
> >
> > image bigger than 422x359 though, click on "download GIF image", then
> > manually change
> >
> > the URL parameters at the end of the URL from "ht=359&iwd=422" to
whatever
> > you want.
> >
> > ---- Radar Images
> >
> >
> > The NWS radar city references seem to be from the US Census Gazetteer:
> > http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/. Another source for similar
data
> > though is from USGS Geographic Names Information System ,
> > http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnis/web_query.gnis_web_query_form. The
latter
> > is what is used by Wayhoo.
> > CBAV references seem to be airports as opposed to VORS. Except that the
> > ones marked '+' are actual radar sites.
> >
> >
> > ------------- Other Topo and Sat Image
> >
> > http://terraserver.microsoft.com/geographic.aspx
> > http://www.terrafly.com/TP/advancentry.html
> >
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=42.48&long
> > itude=-71.15
> > http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?scale=50000&lon=2.43&lat=48.88