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Garmin eTrex - Creating a trail map using track recordings
Hi, I am completely new to the world of handheld GPS devices. I am looking into the Garmin eTrex line of GPS devices. Let me first explain my goal. I have a private land where my family and I have made several trails, which are not mapped. I would like to use a GPS device to record my tracks in as much detail as possible (the terrain is quite difficult to navigate) as I travel along all of the different trails that we have made. I would then like to export and compile them to create a complete map of our trails, preferably colour-coded and including points of interest (waypoints), which I could then import back onto the GPS. Then a newcomer would be able to follow these trails with the GPS and always know where they are relative to all the trails and waypoints. Is this doable with the eTrex devices? What would be the best way to do this? Thank you!!
Comments
http://forums.gpsreview.net/discussion/30108/what-is-gps-accuracy-testing-the-garmin-glo-in-the-forest
However, there's no reason why you couldn't do this with one of the new eTrex devices. Where it gets more complicated is turning the data into a map. I have been making maps for a long time and have professional software for this, but that won't be a good option for you. The simplest approach is to simply record a track on the eTrex and then import it into Garmin's free Basecamp software. You can edit it there and export it to a .gpx file. The .gpx file should be usable by others with Garmin handhelds as well as most smartphone apps. But the downside is that you will have very little control over the appearance and it won't be like a real "map" that also has other features.
You could convert the .gpx file to a Garmin format map, but this gets rather involved and also has a limitation when it comes to mapping relatively small areas. Garmin's map format is limited to about +/- 2.5 meters accuracy (about +/- 8 feet). This might not be an issue for you, but I found it did not properly capture all the winds and turns of the little trails on my own property. So I used Garmin's "custom map" format (.kmz files) which is what we call "raster imagery". This kind of map is really just a "picture" and is much more accurate than Garmin's standard vector-based maps.
Now this all gets rather technical, so I won't go into further details. But if you have specific questions, I'll try to help.
https://forums.gpsfiledepot.com/index.php?topic=1335.msg8387#msg8387
The pink lines in this image are the high resolution trails. The blue lines are the result of converting them to a Garmin .img file. To be fair, these have been zoomed in extemely close, but that is what I wanted for my map
Also, if making a trail map is the main use for the GPS then I would not get an etrex or any other Garmin handheld. They are just not intended for that usage, they are primarily designed for hiking and design trade-offs have been made to make the batteries last a long time while still providing a screen that is readable in sunlight.
See the thread I linked to in my first post about the Garmin GLO and accuracy. I also reviewed the GLO here in 2013:
gpstracklog.com/2013/04/garmin-glo-review.html
It will be cheaper than an eTrex and should be much more accurate. The big advantage is that it updates your position 10 times per second while Garmin handhelds only update once per second, so you get a lot more data to work with. And it will be compatible with (literally) hundreds of apps for your iPhone or Android phone. There are also apps that allow you to make maps right on the phone.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=googoo.android.btgps&hl=en_US
If you want to use the GLO, before you purchase, I suggest you play around with some of the apps on your phone. There are literally hundreds, and most have free trials. They will work fine on the phone without the GLO, so you can field test them. Only difference will be that your tracks will be less accurate (although, depending on your expectations, they might actually be good enough).
Looking at the thread I linked to about accuracy, the white lines are tracks I recorded by walking my trails many times. The red lines are the actual positions of the trails, as traced from aerial imagery. Like I said, you cannot really use the the tracks directly if you want an accurate map, you have to draw your own smooth line based on the tracks.
There is certainly nothing wrong with the eTrex line if you want a general purpose GPS for hiking. But the OP seems pretty clear that he just wants it for this project. The GLO will be cheaper, provide 10x more track data and give you the choice of hundreds of apps.
But if you think you might also want to use it on long hikes, and if you want to use Garmin maps then an eTrex will be a good choice.
https://i.postimg.cc/X77dQLNQ/Map-1.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/tCSPf6Yy/Map-2.jpg
I certainly agree that the tracks in your example are more than adequate for someone who wants to follow a road on a hike. That is not the same as making an accurate map of a small area that looks good when zoomed way in.
Again, nothing against the eTrex. I just think there are better tools for the project that @xarielle wants to undertake.
If you are trying to map a trail that is only 1 meter wide, that is a huge error. But, such are the limits of consumer devices. None of them (including the GLO) were designed for making precise maps of small areas. Want more accuracy, no problem. SXblue makes some nice bluetooth receivers with sub-meter - or even centimeter - accuracy. Cost is in the $3000 to $7000 range
https://sxbluegps.com
Trimble is considered the "gold standard" for highly accurate GPS receivers. Expect to pay in the same range, although you may find some in the $2000 range.
https://geospatial.trimble.com/GIS
These are professional tools where no trade-offs have been made to keep the price low enough to appeal to a mass audience. There are other bluetooth receivers in the consumer space you might consider however, such as Bad Elf
https://bad-elf.com/collections/bluetooth-gps
and Dual
https://gps.dualav.com/explore-by-product?category=GPS
I considered these two companies when I got my glo a number of years ago, but felt they did not offer any advantages at that time. Things may have changed today, so you might want to do your own research.