GPS Map Explorer


You can see more screen shots further down

GPS Map Explorer is a simple, but powerful program to use with your Garmin GPS receiver. The main focus is on viewing and analysing track logs in various ways. It puts "life" into your tracks.

Download version 2.44 by Nov 3rd 2006 (2.5 MB)
What's new?
If you have any problems, or suggestions to make the program better, please notify me .
(To get the mail address on the line above, you may need to allow blocked content. You also find it on the About dialog in the program.)
If you send a mail, please start subject with "GPS" or "GPS Map Explorer". Thank you.

The current version works for Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
You may also run it under Windows ME, Windows 95 and -98, but then with less performance.

Hardware Requirements:
Minimum 1024x768 screen resolution
At least 16 bit colors (thousands of colors)
At least 128 MB RAM
20 MB available hard disk space, + space for your own maps
1 available Com Port (GPS and Auto Pilot share the same port)


Features:

	View your track, waypoints and routes in a zoomable map-view
	Use your own scanned maps as background of the map view. (gif/jpg)
	Download/Upload Tracks, Waypoints and Routes directly from/to most of the Garmin GPS receivers
	Import/Export GPS-information from/to Map Source, Ozi, Gardown and G7ToWin. Also import filter for NMEA-files, and the new compressed MapSource format gdb.
	Import Routes from C-Map. (Enables you to upload your C-Map routes to your Garmin GPS receiver)
	Search files (plt,mps,gdb,txt,gmx,gd) for tracks near a certain position, with ability to limit the search to a certain direction- and speed interval. (A part of the Waypoint tool.)
	Get your speed and position at selected time, simply by pointing in a graph
	Display multiple graphs if information is downloaded from several GPS-receivers that are used at the same time. Different colors for each GPS-receiver
	Run a replay of your track in real time, or a factor of real time, with or without a visible track line. Your movements will be animated as you made them
	Make your custom map position indicator, or choose from preset ones
	See your odometer, trip-counter, elapsed time and stopwatch. You choose where along your track to set the zero-time/zero-distance
	Draw your own routes, and export them to the GPS
	View your on-line position (Reading NMEA, Garmins "Text out" and "Garmin/Garmin" format)
	Make your own Auto Pilot, and let this program control it. (Using DTR and RTS-signal to control rudder engine)
	You can use your tracks to calibrate your maps. You may then export the calibrations to Ozi
	Automatically select map, based on center position and zoom
	If using the Auto Pilot, you may use a joystick or game pad to control your boat. (For example a wireless one :-)
	Define buttons on the joystick or game pad to set the voltage to 0 or 5 volts on desired pins on your parallell port. (To control your lights, direction of searchlight, start engine, fog horn, anchor winch, bilge pump, fans, and whatever you want to control from your joystick)

Screen shots:

The application shows the tracks in alternating colors. The tracks are indicated on the map, and as graphs representing speed, altitude and EPE if track is recorded on-line. By pointing in the time graph, or on the map, you will see an indication of the time and position at the actual pointed location. The number fields below the graphs will show the following information:

• Exact time, day of week and date for the indicated location
• Odometer for the indicated location
• Speed at the indicated location
• Stopwatch for the indicated location, with zero reference at the left edge of the graph
• Trip counter for the indicated location, with zero reference at the left edge of the graph
• Altitude stored in track at the indicated location. (Not all GPS-receivers store the altitude)

Below the graph is pointed at indicated location, showing the described information as numbers, and graphically.








You may choose your desired type of cursor indicator (Menu: Edit.Preferences), or make a custom one.
If altitude information is stored, you may choose that displayed in the graph window.








By dragging the mouse over a more interesting part of the graph...

...the graph is zoomed to the selected part of the graph,

and the map will indicate the selected part of the track(s).







As you zoom in,

the graph will re-scale automatically.


Because the selected part of the graph is colored on the map, you easily see what part of the track the Stopwatch and Trip counter is valid for. It is the colored part left of the indicated position.


To see more advanced screen shots, click here.



Links:

More screen shots.
How to use the program
How to make your own Auto Pilot
How the Auto Pilot works
You should try Geocaching!! (If you copy the position from the details page of a Geocache, you can paste it directly into the position of a waypoint in GPS Map Explorer.)

(Norwegian only) This is me. (Steinar)