UKC

Before I buy a data cable for my old garmin etrex h, how easy, or possible is it to use google earth to export route coordinates to the GPS as waypoints for a route?

In reply to andy_e:

For importing into google earth:

http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/earth/XYnlG-1KlIg

Looks like it is possible but might need some translation software.

For exporting to google earth:

You need to save the file as as KML and then convert it to a GPX

http://www.gpsbabel.org/

In reply to andy_e:

Yep, I did it for a trip to Nepal last year. You need to download the free Garmin Basecamp software and go via that.

I had no problems. I point pointed a remote pass on Google Earth, exported it to GBC then exported to my Garmin eTrex 30. We never made it to that pass, but it was accurate enough pinpointing the last village before it - within 50m or so?

As the resolution is different in different areas of Google due to the imagery, you may have varying degrees of accuracy pinpointing just where you want to go, as some features you can see better than others. Unless you need accuracy to within a few metres this shouldn't be a problem.

In reply to JoshOvki:

Thanks for the advice, the next question is where can I find the old garmin cable to USB, without using a serial adapter?

In reply to andy_e:

I made my own cable, was quite straightforward and cheap.

e.g http://makezine.com/2006/06/07/how-to-garmin-etrex-data/

In reply to andy_e:

Hmm tough one. Converters are not that expensive?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-RS232-Converter-Cable/dp/B00077DJIQ

In reply to JoshOvki:

I was under the impression that the serial to USB converter caused problems. And you needed a serial port on your computer, or the cable that goes straight to USB.

In reply to Ste Brom:
That homemade cable looks the way forward, any way that conbined with a rs232 to USB adapter it would work? I don't think I have a rs232 port on my computer!

In reply to andy_e:

Yeah it can often be a bit hit or miss. Different converters work in a different way, so while one would work another might not.

Picked that one because someone in the reviews posted about getting it working with it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R26V1RW95PYXBZ/ref=cm_srch_res_rtr_alt_2

In reply to JoshOvki:

Thanks for that, any chance it might with windows 7? As I notice the info only mentions vista.

In reply to JoshOvki:



Exactly, very random. I had that problem years ago with another thing trying serial to USB. I didn't think people would still be trying to do that kind of thing. The 90s!

In reply to andy_e:

More expensive but I've got this thing (and the official Garmin cable, which might be the trickier bit):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Keyspan-High-speed-Serial-Adapter-230kbps/dp/B0000V...

I dug it out the other day and was amazed to find they are still releasing drivers for it:

http://www.tripplite.com/en/support/downloads/downloads-by-model.cfm?txtKey...

Just checked and it works fine with Google Earth (Etrex H). HTH

In reply to Ste Brom:

Is there a standard color code for r232 wiring? I'm confused which colour relates to each pin. Diagrams online seem to conflict.

In reply to andy_e:

For the record, this guy has another way of doing it as well:
http://thingstolucat.com/route-planning/

No solution for the serial > USB.

Some great Alaska images there too