Move Tracks & Waypoints Back & Forth From Garmin GPS Watch To Google Earth: Windows Users
Moving Tracks & Waypoints Between Google Earth And GPS
One of the problems with the software that comes with the Garmin Forerunner is the limited way it handles waypoints and tracks - especially for those of us Garmin Forerunner users who like to plot our paths on Google Earth. Of course you can use it with their specific partner company mapping site, but what if you don't like it? Or what if you prefer a more standard solution?
I use my running gps watch for hashing, which is a "sport" that combines trail running and marking a trail for people to follow. As such, when I'm researching (recceing) or setting (haring) a trail I need a way to follow where I'm going and move from waypoint to waypoint without having to lug around a big GPS. This is what makes the Garmin Forerunner 305 and Garmin Forerunner 205 the perfect mate for the job.
Once I get back to my laptop, I need to analyze the coordinates on Google Earth and look for spots in the trail that could make an interesting connection point. The standard track downloaded by the Garmin Forerunner software isn't very user friendly and doesn't translate well to Google Earth. As well, you can't load waypoints both ways using the software. Once I've found those interesting spots I want to run to, I need to get them back into the GPS so I can see them on the navigational map. This is where a wonderful little free application comes in handy:
Once you've downloaded it at the link above and extracted it, start up the GUI and you'll see a screen that allows you to choose the input device and the output device. To download from your Garmin Forerunner 305, just check the radio button under Input and select Garmin Serial/USB protocol and then select USB in the dropdown menu underneath. Next, in the Output section, select Google Earth (Keyhole) Markup Language and then click the little button with the red arrow on it on the right of the long address bar. This will allow you to browse to a location and name the file that you want to save. Put a filename in the box that pops up and click save. Here you can select to save Waypoints, Routes or Tracks. I usually save just Tracks and Waypoints (if I've entered new waypoints on trail). Click "Let's Go" once you're ready.
Once you've saved your coordinates from your Garmin Forerunner 305 to your computer, open up Google Earth and go to File > Open and select the file you've just saved and "Open" it. The Track and Waypoints will appear at the very bottom of your Google Earth sidebar menu under GPS Device. Voila!
Now, create a waypoints folder or use an existing one and mark in all the waypoints you want to check out. Once you're done, go to "Save Place As" and save the Waypoints as a KML file (not KMZ!). After you've saved the KML file, go back to GPSBabel and reverse the earlier process. Uncheck the radio button under Input and select your KML file under the Input section by browsing to it and clicking Open. Then, check the radio button next to Output and select the Garmin Serial/USB protocol. Select only the Waypoints checkbox underneath and click "Let's Go" again to load the waypoints from your KML into your Garmin Forerunner 305.
Voila, you've just crossloaded your waypoints between your Garmin Forerunner 305 and Google Earth.
Get the Garmin Forerunner 305 or Fore Runner 205 for as little as $149 at Amazon.com
