Topic: Google Earth path and uploading to Humminbird PC

[SEMOmike]

Guys, maybe someone here can help me, Sardis Lake, MS's north end is not on my navionics map on the chip that I use, however this portion of the map is on the paper version of the map.  What I did was scan this map, overlaided it to google earth so I could pull off the channel coordinates when I run my mouse over it.  What I would like to do, is create a path on Google Earth and my overlaid Fishign Hotspots map then upload it to my Humminbird so I can always find the channel when I'm on the north end of the lake.  Is this possible?

When I save the path it is a kmz file, I tried to rename it and open in Humminbird PC but no dice.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[RGecy]

You need to save it as a GPX file if possible.

Robert

[Drifter]

KMZ is the GE zip file format. Use KML as your Save As File type from GE.  Download and install GPSBabel ( GPSBabel link ). Your input format will be KML and your output format will be GPX. You should end up with your path being a track with the same name you used for your path in GE. You can can also set a filter in GPSBabel to convert the track to a route. (There is a limit of the number of waypoints you can have in a route though.) Humminbird PC will complain about not finding the declaration of element 'gpx' in the GPX file, but it can open the file. Then you can copy the track / route to another file or upload it from there to your unit.

Click to enlarge =>

[SEMOmike]

I have tried that, I saved the path file as a .kml, used POIedit2007 to save as a .gpx file.  Humminbird PC will open the file, however there are no waypoints within the track when it opens.  There has to be a way to do this.  I can't imagine noone has ever created a path/track on Google Earth and wanted to upload it to a PC

[SEMOmike]

Drifter,

I will give that a shot.  How do you upload it to Humminbird PC?  I can't seem to get that program to work very well!

[Drifter]

Use the GPSBabelGUI program after you install GPSBabel so you don't have to fumble around with the command lines. Use the Open option in the Humminbird PC File menu to open the file created by GPSBabel. Click OK on the Warning Window and select Yes on the Confirmation Window. Humminbird PC has come a long way, but ...

[SEMOmike]

I actually got it to work, that is fantastic, (thanks) do I want to save a path as waypoints or a route?

[SEMOmike]

anyone know the limit to the number of points you can have in a track.  The track did save in my Humminbird PC program, but I haven't uploaded it to the unit yet.  Is there where the problem can arise with too many points, or would it have not saved in Humminbird PC if I had too many points?

[sonar2000]

I think it is 3000 waypoints that can be saved.      Chuck

[mendota]

You are allowed 50 tracks, with something like 20K waypoints per track.

As I have warned elsewhere, there are offsets in the GE aerial images, so don't count on it being real accurate until you have determined exactly whart the error is.

Edit - I have a 1197.  You mileage may vary with other models.

[jimf]

hoe do you make a overlaided on google earth ? I try it but can't find were to do it at on goolge maps.
JIM

[sonar2000]

OK, I misunderstood the question.  3000 waypoints is correct but track points are different.  I believe the 20,000 per track with 50 tracks limit is correct.  that would  be 1,000,000 track points.  the distance covered will vary with the selection of when to drop a track point or how often to drop the point.  chuck 

[Drifter]

... do I want to save a path as waypoints or a route?

I'd save it as a route so that I could call it up to navigate to it. I'd also save some individual waypoints in GE and check them for accuracy the next time I went out. For trustworthy navigation out on the water, I'd save waypoints on the unit where the turns are and then use them to make a good route after loading them up on the computer. Saved tracks (recorded during an actual run - renamed and edited for display characteristics on the computer) are more use to me for something like a narrow river where waypoints too close together can make navigating a route difficult.

From the 997 manual PDF file ...

Routes link two or more waypoints together to create a path for navigation,
and are used in trip planning. You can link individual waypoints together by
using the GOTO key. A route represents your intended navigation and shows
the shortest path from each waypoint to the next. As you travel a route,
staying on the route line is the most efficient way to get to your destination,
although you should always look out for obstacles not shown on the chart.
Your 900 Series™ can store up to 50 routes that can each contain up to 50
waypoints.

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It might be worth a new post to describe how you did the overlay in Google Earth. It sounds interesting.