Custome route upload

[cdevens]

Hello all,
 
I am Legally blind so reading street signs is a bit of a pain.  I have been using a voice navigation GPS for my touring thus far.  This is a bit limiting because I am restricted to the GPS's route.  I am looking for a way to create a route in say Google maps and upload it to the GPS.  Can this be done and if so what GPS's support this option?  Also, I can't see GPS screens very well so it has to have a voice navigation option. 

I can see well enough to set up a GPS, it just isn't practical for me to stop every few miles and try and look at little screen with a magnifying glass.  The GPS has been working well for me so far, but I'm planning a longer trip this year and just want to be able to upload and save a route for every day of my trip.  I'll be pretty much entering the ACA's maps into google earth and uploading it to my voice enabled GPS, if they make a GPS that will let me do that.
 
Thanks for the help.
Clarence.

[johnsondasw]

Wow! that's cool, that you're going for it.  I wish I could give techie advise, but I'm not much in that department.  I'm sure there are some on the forum that can.

Good luck.

[FredHiltz]

... I am looking for a way to create a route in say Google maps and upload it to the GPS.  Can this be done and if so what GPS's support this option?  Also, I can't see GPS screens very well so it has to have a voice navigation option. 

... want to be able to upload and save a route for every day of my trip.  I'll be pretty much entering the ACA's maps into google earth and uploading it to my voice enabled GPS, if they make a GPS that will let me do that.

Hi Clarence,

I cannot help with Google Maps to GPS, although it may well be possible. It is not necessary, however, as ACA has already made GPS routes from all their maps. You can get them in the GPX format, which just about every GPS program can read, on the Routes & Maps page of the web site. Look for the GPS Information link. While you are there, download the GPS Data User Guide, which tells how to make custom routes for each day's ride.

GPS receivers store a limited number of routes. 50 is typical. You could make a GPS route covering two or three days of riding to stretch that limit. Look for a receiver that has room for many waypoints, too. 1000 is a typical number, which is not enough to get you across the country. In practice, you will likely have to reload the receiver once or twice on a long ride. You can carry the data on a CD or a memory stick and scrounge some time on a computer along the way.

The hand-held units made for hiking are good on a bike because they are waterproof and run for two or three days' riding on two AA cells. Most of them do not have voice prompts, though.

Automotive units and PDAs with a GPS accessory do have voice prompts and bigger, brighter screens. However, their battery drain is high to support the screens and few of them are waterproof.

You need to do some shopping to find a good compromise that does voice prompts, has a socket for an earbud to hear them, and stores enough routes. A good place to start is http://gpsinformation.net/, where you can find articles about everything GPS and links to all the details. You might start with their feature matrix articles.

Their forum would be a great place to post your situation, too, as a much broader audience than us cyclists will see it. Please write back with what you find. Other folks will be interested.

Fred

[mdxix]

You can create a route on Google maps using GPSies web site at:
http://www.gpsies.com/

Select the track creator tab, plot your route on your favorite map (Google, MS, etc). From there, you can download as GPX.

[cdevens]

Ok, it has been a few months since I posted this question.  I thought I'd let anyone interested know what I found. Here is how I solved my problem.  I use a TomTom witch uses the .OV2 file format.  I downloaded the GPS data from ACA then use GPSBABLEGUI to convert the GPX file format to OV2.  Next, I use a program called TYRE "trace, your, route, everywhere"  This is a program that will use Google maps to plot a route then upload it to a TomTom.  Using TomTom''s itinerary function.  TYRE, lets me load the ACA GPS file that I converted into .OV2 and selectively start to place the waypoints.  I tell google maps in TYRE to plot the route via the waypoints with it's walking function.  This ends up with a route that is very very close to the route on the paper/PDF maps I have.  Then it is a simple matter to have TYRE do the voodoo that lets TomTom read the data.   

Problems:  It is very tedious to load the waypoints.  Some of the ACA GPS data files use waypoint names that are not straightforward.  This makes it hard to differentiate between routing waypoints and the waypoints pointing out the restaurants and campgrounds. In all fairness I have only mapped out two routes. The ADK loop and the section of the Atlantic Coast route from CT to PA. Which runs right past my house.  The ADK waypoint names are useless, so it was a lot of guess and check.  The Atlantic Coast route was much easier, because the waypoint names more accurately let on what they were.  Trust me I'm not whining having the waypoint data in the first place makes life very easy for me. 

Switching gears:

Now that I can get the GPS to tell me when I'm passing a road I need to turn into, but can't see the street sign, how do I get the device built for a car to not run out of juice?

Simple I just made my bike load heavier.  Using rechargeable D cell batteries wired together to achieve the desired voltage for the GPS.  Then I just use the cable that powers the unit in the car, to connect my big battery to the GPS.  Now like mooching power from fast food restaurants to charge cell phones I just use it to charge my big battery.  Which will also charge the cellphone if I need it to.  The next step is to use a solar panel on the rear rack to charge the big battery.  I just don't think a 5w panel will be enough to charge the battery, and a 10w panel takes up a lot of space on the bike.

The other problem I'm going to have to deal with is the GPS I have isn't waterproof.  I could have bought one designed for motercycles but I just couldn't justify that much cash.  I think sticking the GPS in a ziplock should take care of that problem.  Lets hope so. 

Now that this is all worked out, I'll be giving it a try on the ADK loop mid October if the snow holds off, or in the spring as soon as it melts.


I hope this was understandable.  I'd be happy to explain it in greater detail if asked.
happy spinning

[FredHiltz]

... Problems:  It is very tedious to load the waypoints.  Some of the ACA GPS data files use waypoint names that are not straightforward.  This makes it hard to differentiate between routing waypoints and the waypoints pointing out the restaurants and campgrounds. In all fairness I have only mapped out two routes. The ADK loop and the section of the Atlantic Coast route from CT to PA. Which runs right past my house.  The ADK waypoint names are useless, so it was a lot of guess and check.  The Atlantic Coast route was much easier, because the waypoint names more accurately let on what they were.  Trust me I'm not whining having the waypoint data in the first place makes life very easy for me...

Hi Clarence. You may be looking at waypoint names in the ADK file and waypoint comments in the Atlantic Coast file.

You are right that the names are not descriptive. The GPS Data User Guide that I wrote about on May 17 explains the naming conventions. We named the waypoints to satisfy two criteria: 1) they are unique throughout the entire bicycle route network so that you can combine any files you like without name conflicts, and 2) when sorted alphabetically, they appear in the sequence you would ride along the paper map. Most GPS data programs list waypoints in alphabetical order.

The waypoint comments, however, are descriptive. The guide recommends that you use these to help when renaming the waypoints on your route to make the names more useful.

The routes in the GPX files will help you distinguish the route guidance waypoints from the off-route points of interest. Most GPS data programs can provide a list of the waypoints in a GPS route. Use that list when translating your formats through the sequence of programs that you found.

Congratulations on finding the software path. You are one persistent biker!

Fred

PS A note here for others reading this thread. If you have not yet purchased a GPS receiver for bike touring, browse this forum for suggestions. The hand-held hiking units are much better for most riders (but they do not have the voice turn instructions that Clarence needs). They are waterproof, rugged, run a couple of days on two AA cells, and come with software that handles all the steps Clarence describes in a single package.

F