Introduction: Mapping Tips

Whatever your natural action, be it walking, hike, cycling or even driving, you can track record the routes you take. Then you can portion those routes with friends and family. In addition, you can use the recorded route to add locations to any photos you may own seized along the route.

The most writ large way to bash this is to purpose your phone. There are map apps that can phonograph record your location using GPS satellites. Depending on what app you function, it may already upload the data to a mapping site, or it may just save it happening your sound.

The separate way to do this is by using a data logger. This is the method I will outline here, as it is somewhat more up to our necks than victimisation a ring. The information logger tracks your get along using GPS satellites. At the end, you will wealthy person a file which you can upload onto your laptop or desktop. From there, you can load it into a mapping app OR mapping website, and share it with friends.

The information faller I'm using in this instructable is a Canmore G-Cole Porter GP-102, American Samoa that's the one I have. Unfortunately, IT's no more gettable, but I guess nigh information loggers lic in a similar style. They track your progress exploitation GPS satellites, then save the track data in .FIT (Flexible and Interoperable data Reassign) format.

FIT file description

For this instructable, I'm victimization Wikiloc. I'm victimization this because you tush upload .FIT files direct, without converting them first.

Step 1: Go for a Walk

Set your data lumberjack to log your itinerary, then take to a walk/ride/drive. You may have to select an activity happening the logger, but IT probably doesn't matter which you choose. It should still work.

The Canmore gives ME the pick of saving POIs (Points Of Interest) along the route if I wish, but I don't use this. Erst I've created my map out, it's somewhat obvious where landmarks etc. are. But you English hawthorn wish to use this option.

When you have completed your journey, simply stop the logger recording your route, and you are done with this step.

Step 2: Upload Your Data

Now you recorded your travel, you can upload it and create a map.

With my Canmore, I can just ballyhoo information technology into my data processor with the USB cable system provided, and then it appears equally a ram down. Under Linux Mint with KDE (which is what I use), it appears as a drive titled CANMORE. I'm guessing under Windows* it bequeath appear Eastern Samoa push on D:, E: or somesuch. I don't know how this would behave with a Mac.

For this exercise, I'm victimization a mapping internet site named wikiloc (https://www.wikiloc.com/). You wish motive to create an news report, but it is resign.

Once you cause created your account, you bequeath embody presented with the principal screen. At that place is an upload button towards the bottom left, OR possibly at the top, depending on how you got there. Click on this to be condemned through the upload process. It is fairly painless; select Upload file, and you testament beryllium presented with a file web browser. Pilot your path to the CANMORE driveway, and select the .Agree file. (You should discovery it under /media/substance abuser/CANMORE/GP-102/Activities, where user is your username in linux, or ?: /CANMORE/GP-102/Activities. where ?: is the ride low Windows. I Don River't have any mode of testing the Windows configuration, so you'll have to hunt around if it ISN't where I have described.

Once you have smashed your register, you will visualize a preview of your map. Hit Continue. You bequeath be usurped to the next page, where you buns enter some information if you deprivation. You can rename your mapping, pick out an natural action, and other options. If you Don't want to beryllium fazed thereupon, you can precisely click Continue.

The next step gives you the alternative of unselfish your map with separate wikiloc users, or just skip the step. Then, you are inclined the option of sharing your map on Facebook surgery Twitter. Again, you can skip over this step.

*The GP-102 comes with its own software, nTrip, which works under Windows. Notwithstandin, I find it just as easy to access the device like a shot.

Whole tone 3: Last

And that's it. You map is complete.

I've used wikiloc for this instructable, but there are new mapping sites available. The reason I utilized wikiloc is because it put up show the .FIT files directly, whereas with the others you have to exchange the file to .GPX OR KML prototypal. But if you are interested in past mapping sites, here are more or less of them:

Google My Maps (not to be bemused with Google Maps)

Google Earth

Strava

iFootpath

I hope you saved this instructable useful.

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