GPS Coordinates ????

[hotload]

Can anybody enlighten me what the Map Datum Reference is on Google Earth. I am trying to convert coordinates from Google Earth to use on My Garmin 60csx. I am not looking to input existing track from my GPS to Google but from Google to my GPS.

Any help would be appreciated, I am finding this very, very difficult.

ROD

[Ambush]

You can set the datum you prefer. I use UTM on my GPS and have set that as my choice for Google Map.

[Steeleco]

You must have Google Earth plus?? I tried to see what you meant and it won't let me do it. But now I may have to upgrade when my GPS comes back from the shop!

[reach]

Google Earth uses WGS84.

http://earth.google.com/userguide/v4/ug_importdata.html#note

I don't know if you can set options for export in the Plus version - I don't see it in the regular version. I use WGS84 on my GPS anyway so I have no problem sending data back and forth. If you had to, you could use an intermediate step like gpsbabel which I'm sure is able to do datum conversions.

[hotload]

Thanks so much for your responses. Still unsure as to how to change the datum in Google Earth. Can do it on the GPS but can't figure it out for Google Earth. The GPS is set to WGS84 but the coordinates are different than shown on Google Earth. An example is 49.51.40.15 N for Google Earth where the GPS shows 49.51.696 N for the exact same location.

Really appreciate the assistance.

[Jagermeister]

Change the GPS and Google Earth to UTM coordinates. To change Google earth, select "Tools" and then select "Options". Under the "3D View" tab, to change your setting, select the to "Universal Traverse Mercator" button and then make sure you select the "Apply" button to effect the change.
Universal Traverse Mercator (UTM) are more accurate for locating spots on topo maps. Of course, the BC Gov't maps from the internet use a different system which I don't think is available on your GPS.

[honda450]

Thanks so much for your responses. Still unsure as to how to change the datum in Google Earth. Can do it on the GPS but can't figure it out for Google Earth. The GPS is set to WGS84 but the coordinates are different than shown on Google Earth. An example is 49.51.40.15 N for Google Earth where the GPS shows 49.51.696 N for the exact same location.

Really appreciate the assistance.

The 2 above co-ods are the same except one is seconds and decimals of and the other is minutes and decimals of. So if ya take .696 and multiply it by 60 you will get 41 seconds. You should be able to change it under set up in your unit. Hope that helps.

[dino]

Can anyone tell me if I buy the better version of gooogle earth will it show me the longitude and latitude lines like on a topo map? right now I use the curser on google e and have to right down the quardents then photocopy them then crosse refrence to the topo map.

[Machinist]

I have a Garmin NIVI in my truck , i went on Google Earth put my mouse pointer on the lake i wanted to go to and it showed the coordinates on the screen , i just programed thoes into my gps and it led me into the lake via logging roads ,
( I have off road maps loaded into my GPS ) It was off by approx a 1/2 a kilometer when i arrived at the FS Camp on the lake i guess i wasn't accurate enough with the mouse pointer.

[Gun Dog]

The surface of the Earth is curved and maps are flat. The map datum defines the distortion that happens and as long as everyone is using the same data the coordinates are the same. My Garmin uses WGS84 (World Geodetic Survey 1984) by default but there are lots of others. A printed topo map should list the map datum it's using (e.g. My Skagit River 92 H/3 map is North American Datum 1927). The coordinates of a location on the map will be different than my Garmin GPS.

[KevinB]

The surface of the Earth is curved and maps are flat. The map datum defines the distortion that happens and as long as everyone is using the same data the coordinates are the same. My Garmin uses WGS84 (World Geodetic Survey 1984) by default but there are lots of others. A printed topo map should list the map datum it's using (e.g. My Skagit River 92 H/3 map is North American Datum 1927). The coordinates of a location on the map will be different than my Garmin GPS.

Yup, there's no way around it - some map projections have less distortion, some have more distortion, but they are all distorted. The only way to have an undistorted map is to make it a shphere - otherwise known as a globe. Doesn't fit in the pocket very well though!

It is important to get both the map projection and the map datum the same on both your paper map and in your GPS. Just knowing that the map is in the NAD27 datum won't quite get you there, you'll also have to know that the map is in the UTM Zone 10N projection. If your map is in UTM11 NAD 83, and your GPS is also in UTM11, but you've left it in the NAD 27 datum, you can be off by up to a few hundered meters depending on location (called the "NAD shift").