© Geoff Radcliffe 2011
A route links a set of waypoints. Each waypoint represents an actual location to which the walker is directed. Waypoints can be used to mark points of interest or points in which the route changes direction.
The location of waypoints can be determined by looking at a map (either a paper map or a digital map) or by using freely available software such as Google Earth. However when determining a waypoint’s location using a paper map you need to be aware of the grid and datum the map uses.
When you create a waypoint that you may want to navigate to you need to give it a meaningful name that can easily be found by searching. Bear in mind any naming restrictions your GPS device has (for instance my Garmin device will only allow 14 character names for waypoints). You may also want to adopt a naming system such as giving names a prefix such as BB- for bed & breakfast, or TI- for tourist information.
You may want to include waypoints at:
Part of the problem is that GPS devices will not always give you your exact location. It may only be accurate to within 15 metres. Consider what happens when reaching a junction of paths when following a route. If you place a waypoint at this junction, then when you reach this junction the GPS device may indicate that you still have 15 metres to go and that it is to your left which could lead you to taking the wrong path. If you are going straight on at a junction of paths, there seems little point in including a waypoint at a junction as the next waypoint will indicate the correct direction.
Routes are known as paths in Google Earth. If the path can be seen clearly in Google Earth, then the entire path can be plotted using the Add Path tool.
If some parts of the route can not be clearly seen in Google Earth, a path can be created just using obvious landmarks on the route and the detailed editing can be done using another software package.
Once created the path can be saved as an .kml file. Using GPSBabel the .kml file can be converted to another format which can be imported into some other mapping software such as Garmin Mapsource. The path or route can then be uploaded into a GPS device together with any waypoints. The route can then be edited in the mapping source and additional waypoints added.
Using MapSource a route can be created either by first creating a set of waypoints and then linking them to form a route or by using the Route Tool to create and link waypoints on a digital map (note waypoints created in this way don’t appear in the Waypoints Tab). Ideally you would have the appropriate large scale map loaded so that the locations of the waypoints can easily be determined and entered. If not, the the location of each waypoint can be determined using a paper map and entered into MapSource. This process can be fairly laborious and is also prone to human error.
Once a route has been created it can be viewed in Google Earth using a menu option in MapSource. The route appears as a path in Google Earth and may be edited in Google Earth, saved and imported back into Mapsource.
To edit a route, press the Selection Tool button. Clicking on a Route but not on a Waypoint selects the Route (the route colour becomes yellow). To de-select a route, click on the map away from any route. A route must be highlighted in yellow to edit it. If it is red it will not be edited. Routes may also be selected using the Routes Tab.
NB To cancel a move, press ESC.
NB Double-clicking shows the Waypoint Properties and ends a move.
To show a route in Google Earth, click View in Google Earth from the View menu.
GPSBabel converts waypoints, tracks, and routes between popular GPS receivers and mapping programs. It also has powerful manipulation tools for such data.
I use it to convert Google Earth .kml files to either .gpx files or to Garmin MapSource databases. It also has the ability to convert a track to a route and vice versa.
This excellent free software for GPS data conversion and transfer can be downloaded from http://www.gpsbabel.org/