GPS tracking question

[alfadog]

Do any of y'all have experience with tracking your flights on GPS? This is for non-emergency, i.e. fun, use. I carry a 406 PLB for emergency use. This was prompted by a email from Pilot Mall for a post SnF sale on SPOT units. They are cheaper at Best Buy but it got me thinking.

I doubt I would bother with the SPOT because I do not need the real-time monitoring and the subscription fee.

What is a good way to track your flights and then put together a neat map in Google Earth?

I assume that you need some sort of GPS datalogging capability, what are you using for that?

I have an iPhone 3 in the house but do not use it as, again, I am not looking to pay a monthly fee. I sold the iPhone 4 on eBay, prolly do the same with the 3.

Then can you directly input the data to Google Earth or do you use an interface such as software or a website?

Any good web services for this?

Thanks!

 

[pericynthion]

APRS is a good option.

 

[Turtle]

iPod, iPhone or iPad + a free app called Cloudahoy. It puts your track on Google Earth and gives takeoff and landing and much more. Really nicely done.

 

[tonycondon]

get a FlywithCE gps logger which logs files in the igc format. There are utilities out there to convert igc to a file that will display in google maps or earth.

i like my SPOT for real time tracking

 

[Mike I]

+1 for Cloudahoy, or MotionX GPS for a simple solution to track then export GPX/KML files for Google Earth.

 

[alfadog]

iPod, iPhone or iPad + a free app called Cloudahoy. It puts your track on Google Earth and gives takeoff and landing and much more. Really nicely done.

I saw the Cloudahoy on another post here and it is certainly neat. I am, however, trying to do this iLess and app-less. Yes, I am a dinosaur :wink2:

edit: Not computerless, just iThingie- and smartphone-less.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Some hand-held GPS does a good job, I also use OruxMaps on an Android phone. The tracking works at any speed.

Some of the Garmin Nüvi GPS will display a track, but won't let you download it if you are going faster than a particular speed during that portion of the track (I don't know what this speed is, it is slower than a commercial jet flies- personal experience).

Save the file as GPX format.

 

[denverpilot]

Are you looking for real-time tracking that someone else can view, or track logging for later review?

Tons of options.

I'm using MotionX GPS and also tried out CloudAhoy right now. Both have to upload to their respective websites for normal ops so if you're in the real boondocks...

I also have a $60 cheap Chinese Bluetooth GPS hockey puck with built in data logging to flash memory. I cant remember the last time I used it. Have to plug it in and transfer the file. Better privacy if that's one of your goals. No uploading the track to someone else's server.

Someone mentioned APRS. That's a ham radio implementation of real-time tracking if you're in range via radio hops to an Internet gateway or your home station. Fun toy. Fairly good nationwide coverage if you're high enough. Doesn't take much gear but you have to get your Amateur Radio license. (Which if you're a pilot and can fog a mirror, you certainly have the brainpower for the Technician Class.) Other caveats are that it can't be used for any commercial purposes.

SPOT is popular. You'll pay for service through the satellite of course.

Lots of others. What exactly are you trying to do?

 

[alfadog]

Are you looking for real-time tracking that someone else can view, or track logging for later review?
<snip>
Lots of others. What exactly are you trying to do?

Second one. Log data, go home, make a pretty picture.

I prefer WAAS for the altitude accuracy. No particular reason.

 

[BillTIZ]

Garmin 76 and 96 units will record your gps tracks for download. My 76 is very slow serial, 4pin. The 96 has a USB connector. Many of the small Garmin GPS units designed for hiking will also record the gps track. You may have to research the method to convert the file to an acceptable igc or kml format for google earth overlay.

Not all portable auto GPS navigators have record capabilities.

For my soaring, we record GPS data on certified data recorders for FAI Badges. I recently purchased the LX Nano, half the size of a cigarette pack, self contained battery, antenna processor and micro SD data card. $600. Records data at 1sec intervals.

The certified units have WAAS accuracy for position and altitude recording. The calibration is checked and certified every two years.

 

[Captain]

flightaware.com will track your flights real time and it's free. I know it works for all IFR flights but am pretty sure it works with flight following too. Im thing any time you have an assigned squak code you are in the 'system' and you'll show up on flightaware.

 

[Sac Arrow]

I don't want no one to know where I been, where I be at and where I going. That's all.

 

[jpower]

flightaware.com will track your flights real time and it's free. I know it works for all IFR flights but am pretty sure it works with flight following too. Im thing any time you have an assigned squak code you are in the 'system' and you'll show up on flightaware.

Nope, FlightAware won't work with all airplanes in the system with a squawk code. It does work well for IFR flights, but for very, very few VFR flights on flight following. Unfortunately .

 

[Mike I]

Flightaware only seems to pick up VFR flight following when you're on an External code (not 0100-0400), and departing with FF rather than picking it up in the air. Otherwise, it's VERY spotty.

Most handheld GPS units can record tracklogs. Tracking sticks are also available pretty cheaply. Here's one for $43, with WAAS: http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=212922619&sellerid=24377851 .

 

[alfadog]

Thanks for all the replies. I have not yet had the time to process all the info here but did not want y'all to think that I did not appreciate it

Mike, that dongle looks to be what I am thinking about. Any other ideas for something like that? I will also look into what others have said re software and websites.

Thanks

 

[Artiom]

OP said he don't like iDevice solutions but this may be interesting to others browsing this thread.
WingX has built-in tracking and can show logged flights or planned route on Google Earth right on iPad. No need to upload anything to the server.

 

[alfadog]

Flightaware only seems to pick up VFR flight following when you're on an External code (not 0100-0400), and departing with FF rather than picking it up in the air. Otherwise, it's VERY spotty.

Most handheld GPS units can record tracklogs. Tracking sticks are also available pretty cheaply. Here's one for $43, with WAAS: http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=212922619&sellerid=24377851 .

Here are a couple more. The BT and 66-channel ones are my preferred and Holux is a known brandname.

http://www.amazon.com/Holux-M-1000C-Bluetooth-Recorder-Waypoints/dp/B001QRCZ7C/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1


http://www.amazon.com/Q-1000XT-BT-Q1000XT-Bluetooth-Waypoints-Vibration/dp/B00144PH1S/ref=pd_cp_e_0

http://www.amazon.com/BT-Q1300ST-Ke...5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1333724774&sr=1-5

Cheapo:

http://salestores.com/deluo360.html

 

[rainsux]

> APRS ... That's a ham radio implementation of real-time tracking if you're in
> range via radio hops to an Internet gateway

Here is my favorite tracking site:

http://mail2600.com/cgi-bin/everyone.cgi

The ham radio license no longer requires learning Morse code. A few nights of
study, one written test ... and you are good to go.

 

[denverpilot]

> APRS ... That's a ham radio implementation of real-time tracking if you're in
> range via radio hops to an Internet gateway

Here is my favorite tracking site:

http://mail2600.com/cgi-bin/everyone.cgi

The ham radio license no longer requires learning Morse code. A few nights of
study, one written test ... and you are good to go.

I like www.aprs.fi - but there a billion of 'em.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

flightaware.com will track your flights real time and it's free. I know it works for all IFR flights but am pretty sure it works with flight following too. Im thing any time you have an assigned squak code you are in the 'system' and you'll show up on flightaware.

I have seen them make a lot of mistakes, FYI. For example, last time they said my destination was somewhere in Oregon or something. Another time my track started way late (about half way through my flight) and ended way before my destination airport.

 

[N801BH]

I have seen them make a lot of mistakes, FYI. For example, last time they said my destination was somewhere in Oregon or something. Another time my track started way late (about half way through my flight) and ended way before my destination airport.

Kimberly,,, it is not really a mistake but the way their software stores stuff.. They really don't care much about VFR flight following tracks...

 

[Mike I]

Kimberly,,, it is not really a mistake but the way their software stores stuff.. They really don't care much about VFR flight following tracks...

It's not that Flightaware doesn't care. The FAA has changed the data supplied to ASDI vendors (like Flightaware) for VFR flights.

http://discussions.flightaware.com/post124601.html

VFR flight tracking was always outside the scope of our data feed from the FAA, but it used to work intermittently (generally longer flights handled by center). On August 22, 2010 the FAA performed a major upgrade on their systems we haven't seen many VFR flights since.

Thanks to some petitioning of the FAA, it appears that tracking VFR Flight Following is largely back. We're interested in reports of flights with VFRFF that were not tracked.

That's from late December, 2010. It's been flaky since that posting.