Look Ma! Its me on Google Earth!

I previously posted on how simple GPS loggers could be a great tool for travelers, backpackers or just people who are on the move a lot and would like to keep a record/log of their travels, geotag photos or just gawk at cool looking paths in Google Earth. But wouldn’t it be even cooler if you could put together your own (relatively) low-cost navigation/mapping solution with tools that are either free or you probably already have?

Satellite imagery-based navigation used to be the realm of prohibitively expensive proprietary/custom systems. The purposes of most amateur GPS navigation enthusiast didn’t justify splurging on such costly professional gadgetry. Then Google Earth (originally Keyhole, inc) came along and the world rejoiced. There is a whole bunch of manufacturers already releasing units with built-in satellite imagery functionality, such as Blusens G02. There are even some automobile manufacturers working on integrating Google Earth-based navigation in their cars¹. In other words, Google Earth is all the (navigational) rage these days.

This is not something I came up with myself, it is rather a guide that I put together for people who are interested in trying this out and experiencing the world of low cost satellite-imagery navigation bliss. In the interest of keeping the instructions simple, I have included “peripheral” but sometimes important information in the footnotes of this post, which I encourage you to read for good bits of information.

So, what do I need?

• A laptop (you can actually demo the system on a desktop/stationary machine, but to make any use of it you will need to be, you know, mobile. I think you already figured this one out). Any machine with Bluetooth/USB connectivity that can run Google Earth² will do. Ideally, however, you should use a rugged and light tablet PC with good outdoor screen viewability, such as the Lenovo X61T³


• A GPS reciever: There are wired and wireless iterations. I’d strongly suggest you’d go for a Bluetooth GPS reciever such as the Qstarz BT-Q1000 or something similar.


• Google Earth


• A piece of software to interface between the GPS reciever and Google Earth. You have some options here that more or less offer the same kind of functionality:
  

  • GooPs: This is what I am using and what I will use in this how-to
  
  
  • Earth Tracker
  
  
  • Earth Bridge
  
  
  • gps2gex: If you’re a Mac user
  
  



• UPDATE 9/10/2009: Optional but not critical would be some form of mobile data connection.
  

I got the tool kit. Now what do i do?

1. Fill up your cache: Unless you have some sort of always-on wireless connection whenever you go (if you do, can we be friends?), you’re going to need to “cache” the general area you plan on navigating in in Google Earth. But first, you will need to maximize the amount of data that could be saved in GE’s cache by increasing the size of the cache itself. Do so by clicking Tools>>Options>>Cache. Set the cache size to 2000MB, which is the maximum. Once that is done, now you will start caching satellite imagery by touring, or “flying”, over the area of interest in GE. This will load up GE’s cache with enough satellite imagery for offline use once you’re sans internet. (UPDATE 9/10/2009 if you have a mobile data connection then skip this step)


2. Pair up your laptop and GPS receiver: I am using a Bluetooth receiver, so its a fairly straightforward matter of pairing up the receiver to my laptop. See your receiver’s manual for relevant instructions. You can also use a USB receiver.


3. Bridge the gap between GE and the GPS reciever with GooPs (or your choice of third-party software): To make GE and the GPS receiver start talking to each other, you just add GooPs to the mix. Follow these steps:
   

   • Start GooPs
   
   
   • Check “Autotrack”⁴
   
   
   • Click on “Options”
   
   
   • Set your GPS COM port (usually its Bluetooth Serial COM Port 8 )
   
   
   • Check “Auto connect”
   
   
   • Uncheck “Demo Mode”
   
   
   • Other options are basically self explanatory, and you can just use the defaults for now⁵
   
   
   • Click “Connect” followed by “OK”
   
   

Now GooPs should connect with your GPS receiver (it will display “Acquiring Signal” then ‘Signal Acquired” in the status bar at the bottom), automatically launch Google Earth and start displaying your navigational track in real time⁶. If you see some huge 3D-ish arrow like shape, that’s you (and don’t worry, as you zoom in on your location, that 3D arrow will be proportionally resized). Now hit F11 (fullscreen in Google Earth) and enjoy your own satellite imagery GPS navigation system!

The BT-Q1000 and X61T and some in-car navigation action!

With a little more work, you can even use this setup to track other GooPs users by means of peer2peer network visibility. Tracks for multiple users can be shown in different colors/vehicle shapes in Google Earth!

Now all you need is a MaxiMog and you’re all set for world exploration (or domination, if that’s your thing)!

Final words:

You can just go out and buy a system that does all that with the touch of a button…but where is the fun in that?!. The purpose of this system is to have a low-cost but effective navigation system with free tools and inexpensive hardware that you might already have. One of the things I have in mind is building a car PC and using this setup for navigation.

Oh, and by the way..keep your eyes on the road!!

1. Volkswagen and Honda already have/are working on such systems [↩]
2. Google Earth’s system requirements can be found here [↩]
3. After market ruggedizing and weather-proofing solutions are available for some tablet models, such as Otterbox’s line of tablet cases . There is also the tank-like Panasonic Toughbook [↩]
4. This will have GooPs automatically update your track and recenter the screen on it. The “Autoview” option for hands free tilt, zoom and rotation is only available in GooPs Plus/Pro, costing $9.95/$14.95 respectively at the time of this writing [↩]
5. Information on setting other options can be found on the GooPs page [↩]
6. If GooPs seems to hang for a while after it invokes GE, don’t despair. Google Earth is initially looking for internet connectivity that it cannot find, and GooPs is waiting for it to figure out there is none. In a few seconds you’ll be able to click “Ok” and all will be in order [↩]