An update to this document has been published on Lulu.
View sample maps (pdf) created by the techniques described. Zoom in to them to see their quality.

Displaying GPS data on Google Earth using TrackMaker

This is a simple method of plotting GPS data onto Google Earth

Just follow the 6 stages.

See also Plotting GPS data onto free OS Street View 1:10,000 Maps

Stage 1. TrackMaker is a free download from this website.
              Google Earth is also free from here.
              Download the GPS data of Surrender Smelt Mill as a .gpx file here.
              You can use this GPS data to follow the example shown below.

Stage 2. Your GPS data should be processed in TrackMaker by joining appropriate waypoints using the continuous line tool to visualise the structures you have measured. This is described here.

Stage 3. Open the Surrender Smelt Mill .gpx file in TrackMaker.
Which is likely to look like this depending on what is selected in the TrackMaker View menu.

Hide the waypoints to see the tracklog by going to TrackMaker's View Menu and deselecting Waypoints and checking that Tracklogs are selected.

It should then look like this:

Note: This is what you want to see on top of Google Earth aerial images.

Save this file as a Google Earth .kml file type:

File > Save File As ... making sure that you use File Type .kml as below:

Stage 4. Now open Google Earth and do a File > Open and load the kml file you have just ceated.
When you should see this:

Stage 5. You need to make some changes in the white left-hand panel of Google Earth:

a) Expand the tree by clicking the + beside GPS TrackMaker and deselect Waypoints so that it now looks like this:

b) Under Waypoints:
right click Tracklogs then click Properties to see this panel:

c) Click Style, Color tab then on the pop-up box that appears click Share Style button when you will then see this:

d) Experiment changing Color and Width parameters as I have done below:

When Google Earth map looks like this:

e) You can use the Google Earth zoom to get:

f) Note: In the UK surveys generally use the OS36 datum, whereas Google Earth used WGS84 datum, so there will not be perfect alignment of your survey data with the Google Earth image, the degree of miss-match also varies across the UK.

g) Also try out your data against historical map images using this icon

at the top of the screen.

In this example the 2002 image is below compared with the 2009 image above. Historical images are often better than the most recent image, although not at this location.

Stage 6. To use your new map in a document or in the SWAAG database you need to create a .jpg image of it.

If you have Windows 7 or Vista, then first display your map on your screen, then do:
Start > All Programs > Accessories > Snipping Tool
When Snipping Tool opens you will find your screen goes opaque.
Now with your mouse and holding down a left click you can draw a box around the image you want to create. See below:

After you have released the left click you can now either do File > Save As or just paste it into a document.
This is how the images were pasted into this webpage.

If you saved your image you can then use your favourite image editor to further manipulate it.
IrfanView is a good free and easy to use image editor.

IMPORTANT: Google Earth copyright states that you must include the Google Earth logo on images you publish.
So drag the area of interest to just above their logo before creating the final image to publish. See below:

All done!!

If you want to view our database record for this location which uses this mapping then click here and scroll down the record.