GPS Database/Open Directory

[Guest rediguana]

Hi all. Just curious to know if many people are interested in the development of a web site where one can register waypoints etc, such as

 

* service stations

* trailheads

* points of interest etc

 

This db would be open and maintained under an open directory license, with the idea that you could download the database in whole/part for your country for use with your waypoint management software.

 

As someone who loves to travel, and now has a GPS, I'd love to be able to have a db and selectively chose what information I want on my GPS. I also want to be able to share my waypoint data with others, and have them share with me. I also want to be able to do this when I don't have Internet access.

 

I haven't yet found any good site out there that does this and has the data in a downloadable format. If there is, I'd love to be directed towards it.

 

I look forward to your thoughts, comments and suggestions.

 

Cheers Gav

[Guest EyezOfTheWorld]

Heya, have ya seen www.gpsresource.com? They have tens of thousands of coordinates, maybe into the 100,000's. Have looked how many there are for other countries but the U.S. has LOADS of 'em! Is this the kind of site you were thinking of?

[Guest rediguana]

Its kind of what I am thinking about, but I want to make more. They don't make the waypoints downloadable in a format so that they can be uploaded to a GPS. It also appears that they don't support the upload of waypoints either.

 

I want a site where GPS enthusiasts can upload waypoint information to a shared database, and anyone can search and download waypoints in a format for upload to their gps via computer. Or download waypoint databases for inclusions with GPS and mapping software.

 

I live in New Zealand, and the sort of things I want to be able to do include :-

 

* download all service stations on a selected highway I'm travelling on (or just a certain brand of station)

* download trailheads

* golf courses etc

 

This shouldn't involve identifying each place in a database and then manually entering each waypoint. It should be possible to run a search, and if the results look acceptable, then download the results of the search into a file, which can be opened in something like EasyGPS and others for instant upload to the GPS unit. Otherwise it is way to long and cumbersome to make waypoint management useful.

 

I haven't found a site like this yet - as most just provide the coordinates on a web page. So I'm thinking about building one myself and wanted to get some feedback on it.

 

Hope that gives you a better idea of what I am looking for and what I intend to do.

 

Cheers Gav