Uploading Feature layers from ArcMap 10.2 to store as waypoints, routes and tracks in a GPS receiver

Task
To upload feature layers in Arcmap 10.2 and store them as waypoints, routes and tracks in a GPS receiver.

Things to note

- Arcmap 10.2 just like google earth, only recognizes two types of GPX files- Waypoint and Tracks.
- ArcMap 10.2 has a GPS extension but this comes with a serial com port connection.
-DNR GPS plugin seems to have some technical issues in ArcMap 10.2 but works great with Arcmap 9.

Thanks for viewing, head for the comments sections or feedback page and share your thoughts.

Uploading vector layers from QGIS and store in GPS receiver (USB Port) using DNR GPS

Overview
This post is what I would like to call the USB route to uploading GPX layers from QGIS into a USB Port GPS receiver.
Note-
- The GPS receiver- Garmin Dakota series- comes with only USB Port. If your receiver comes with a serial com port, you can do the upload direct without going through DNR GPS.
- Apart from converting files, DNR GPS also serves as an upload vehicle for GPS receivers.
- The DNR GPS is not acting as a converter in this procedure but an upload vehicle.
- In QGIS, one can digitize layers on the image using GPX file format direct.

Task
We want to create and upload layers (point, line and polygon) from QGIS and store as waypoints, route and track in our GPS receivers. Steps to follow- (a) Trace out waypoint, route and track layers on the image in QGIS; b) Upload to the GPS receiver using DNR GPS.
Note- One can save it straight into the GPX folder in the drive of the receiver but this denies one the opportunity that DNRGPS offers, which is, viewing the contents of the GPX file before upload.

Procedure
1. Launch QGIS. Go to Layer>Create new layer>Create new GPX layer.


2. Digitize waypoint, route and track features (point, line and polygon) on the image. The waypoints are in red, the route in purple and the track in yellow. Make sure the layers are properly saved after digitizing.


3. Launch DNR GPS. Go to File>Load from>File. Navigate to the folder where the gpx file was saved. Open the gpx file from the working folder. A message box will show indicating the file has been successfully loaded.


4. Click on Waypoints and the waypoints created in QGIS will appear. Take a good look at the Tracks(red boxed) and Route buttons(green boxed). Note that the tracks and routes that were created were also uploaded together with the waypoints. Click on them to check the contents.


5. Go to Track and click Upload. Do the same for route and Waypoint. A message box saying Upload Complete indicates the file has been uploaded to the GPS receiver.



6. Disconnect the GPS receiver and check for the uploaded waypoints, route and track.


Hope you are already practicing with the QGIS. Feel free to send your feedback and comments.

Tip- you can double click on the images and it will open in a new window in a larger size.

Converting line features from google earth KML and upload as routes into a GPS receiver using DNR GPS

In this post, we will deal with line features which are features that are made up of waypoints but with different starting and ending points. GPS receiver organize data in three forms, waypoints, routes and tracks. DNR GPS recognizes only two types of GPX files- waypoints and tracks when loading KML files from google earth. A menu function in DNR GPS that will take of that glitch nicely.

Task
Typically when trying to convert line feature KML files from google earth into GPX files in DNR GPS, the line features keep showing up as tracks during loading. Well this process will show you how it is done.

Procedure
1. Launch Google earth and create the path or line feature. Observe the red line we have created representing a street. Look in the places window on the left- omerelu.


2. Right Click on the layer > Save Place As.


3. In the Save as dialog box, save type as KML


4. Launch DNR GPS. File>Load From> File


5. Load into DNR GPS, make sure the file type is set to KML


6. The file is loaded into DNR GPS as a KML file. Note the line feature is loaded as a track (see red boxed areas).


7. Go to Edit > Convert Table To> Routes


8.  The file is converted to Routes immediately!!  Notice it is now loaded and seen as Routes.
Note the file is still in KML format


9. Go to File>Save To >File and save file as a GPX file. It can then be uploaded into the GPS receiver.


10. To upload the route. Connect the GPS receiver. Go to Route>Upload.1.      Follow the subsequent dialog boxes to name the file and watch out for the message box confirming ‘Upload Complete’.

Uploading data in excel spreadsheet into a GPS receiver

A lot of field work data is reported in the form of tables and spreadsheets. A field staff will normally document his or her field data in excel tables and then file them in with the report. Therefore, it is usually the first source to retrieve locational data from. We will be demonstrating this process using the DNR GPS software as an intermediary to do the conversion to GPX files as well as to upload the data into the GPS receiver.

Task
In this demonstration, we will do the following:
- Save Excel data in a format that DNR GPS will recognize- Text Tab delimited.
- Convert using DNR GPS to GPX format
- Upload to the GPS as Waypoints, routes or tracks.

Procedure
1. Launch microsoft Excel. Navigate to where the file is and Open in excel.


2. Save type as Text (Tab Delimited)*txt* in the Save as dialog box. Click yes for any prompts that pop up during the process.


3. Launch DNR GPS. File > Load From>File (red boxed). Navigate to the Text file just created.


4. Open it and it will load into DNR GPS.


5. File > Save To> File. In the Save as dialog box, this time for Save Type as - select from the dropdown list- GPS Xchange file *gpx*


6. Select Waypoints, tracks or routes as is appropriate. For this demo, waypoint is selected.


7. Connect the GPS receiver, go to Waypoints> Upload. It will prompt for the name, fill the name and OK. The Upload complete message box will show.


8. Disconnect the GPS receiver and check the GPX folder in the Garmin drive for the waypoints.

How to Check the Garmin GPS receiver for GPX files
Go to the Drive on your computer- Garmin Drive E
Open the drive and Click on the Garmin Folder
In the Garmin Folder, locate the GPX folder
Open the folder and look for the uploaded file.

Basics Theory of Global Positioning Systems Technology (GPS)

Back to the basic – by popular demand

Mapping is any activity carried out with the intent of collecting credible and accurate data on an object e.g. Building, roads, human genome or phenomenon e.g. buying patterns, smuggling and illegal immigration. To go a step further, spatial mapping is when the geographical coordinates of the object or phenomenon is also taken. In other words, the GPS coordinates!!!!

So what are geographic coordinates ooh!!

Geographic coordinates are the X and Y of any object position on the face of the earth pronto!! X stands for the longitude, Y for the Latitude. The X and Y tells us the unique position of an object on the face of the earth.

How do we now get the X and Y coordinates when mapping? Namely on the field and in the laboratory or on the Workstation even your mobile device!!First Choice? Lets take field mapping first

We deploy a technology called Global Positioning System Technology, GPS for short. The technology works through what we know as GPS Enabled devices. These are common now as almost all telecommunication devices, cars, trains even wristwatches are now GPS Enabled!!!

How do we use these devices?

When we use these devices to map a road for example, we use certain functions that exist in the devices. These functions assist us to get a real life representation of how the road looks. Really, a road doesn’t look like a lamp post, neither does it look like a building!!!

Note: not all GPS Enabled devices have Mapping capability but all have the ability to register the basic X and Y of a location. Devices designed with the objective of mapping are usually labelled as so. For example- Handheld GPS devices, Rugged GPS Enabled Notebooks amongst others.

So what does the GPS technology map? The GPS Enabled devices map what we call features. Features are of three main kinds- Points, Area and Lines.

Second Choice: How do we now get the X and Y coordinates when mapping? When one cannot go out? Mapping can also be an indoor activity lol One cannot map human genome in the garden anyway!!! Lol

Today, we are all familiar with dynamic or internet based maps, satellite imagery and aerial photographs. In a GIS Laboratory or Workstation and with the right tools for analysis and interpretation, certain X and Y coordinates of recognizable locations on the earth surface can be extracted. Note that these remotely sensed datasets must be themselves georeferenced.

Even simpler is your handy google maps engine. Here by simply clicking geocoded locations on the face of the earth, their X and Y coordinates can be extracted For example putting in a search for lagos will generate a marker on the google map engine that contains the X and Y coordinates of Lagos!!!!!!

Go to presentation page on menu bar and click links on presentations titled 'GPS Data' and 'Coordinates&Projections'for greater details