Plot Gps On Great Web Maps

[YellowCedar]

Using a web browser, topo maps of British Columbia (Canada), aerial maps where there is coverage (in BC), satellite maps of the land areas of the world, may have GPS waypoints, tracks and routes plotted. When you ask for a printout, the UTM grid appears. These make great maps in the field.

 

This awesome site is still in beta. I've been corresponding with an Internet programmer in the Netherlands who has developed a site for people to describe trails and add GPS data. He will be moving to BC, and has made this work with the Provincial Basemap.

 

Plug in a waypoint, and it gives you the map with the waypoint plotted. But there is much more.

 

Let me do a fast demo. Some time ago while travelling in the beautiful Chilcotin region of British Columbia, our route on the only highway was blocked by a large forest fire. In an attempt to find a way around the fire, I drove the rough Chilco River Road at night with only local rumours that it might be navigated. In case I had to backtrack (I was low on gas), I ran a GPS tracklog. At home, I converted the track to GPX and uploaded to this site.

 

Look at what the site showed me.

http://trail.brijn.nu/showmap.php?mapWRT=26

 

Okay, it is just a little 500x500 pixel map that is over 70 km on a side. Try this.

 

- Click the top of my track (the red line) and the map will redraw to centre on that.

- Change the parameters (above the map) so that it is 7 km on a side and 1024x1024 pixels.

- ask for a new map and wait... it is much bigger. Good detail.

 

Note how accurately my GPS track follows the dirt road. The positions of the features on the Provincial Basemap are MUCH more accurate than the Canadian Federal Topo series. You are welcome to keep clicking the bottom of my track to follow my journey... and at the same time see the rapids and features along the Chilco River.

 

When you have had enough of that...

 

- Select NASA Image (a radio button above the map) and click the Get Map button.. This is from JPL/NASA and is sometimes a bit slow to load, but is worth the wait.

 

- Select Arial for the track superimposed on an aerial photo map of the area. There is not complete aerial photo coverage of my track, but there is at the top (north) end of the track.

 

To use the features of Trail Repository you will need to join the site. Registration is free.

 

When you click "Download printable version" it takes you to a page that has the map you selected with your track or waypoint plus an overlay of the UTM grid.

 

There is more... but since this is my first post on this forum, and I am new to GeoCaching, I will wait to see if there is any interest and answer questions. I really like maps, and this site provides a feast.

Edited May 30, 2005 by mtn-man

[+mtn-man]

I edited one of your links to make it work correctly. I am also going to move this to the Canadian Forums since these are Canadian maps.

[+Deneye]

I liked what i saw and have it bookmarked for future use...kudos!

[Plank&Calculon]

That's really neat. I just plugged in my home coords, and selected the NASA map and it showed my area and Lake Superior. Thanks for the link.