NaviGadget

bridge the gap between Google Earth and your GPS receiver

May 4, 2006 gps navigation, software

Here is another way of making your GPS receiver talk to your laptop. If you are using a Garmin receiver things are a little trickier though. You’ll have to go through another set of instructions to get it to work, but it is possible. Oh, you’ll also need to install the MS .net 2.0 framework.

Earth Bridge is designed to bridge the gap between Google Earth and your GPS receiver. See your location on Google Earth in real-time and easily control your view. Record your track as you move.

Earth Bridge requires an NMEA 0183 compatible GPS device connected via a serial interface. The Garmin protocol is not supported at this time (but is planned). For information on getting your Garmin 18 USB to work with Google Earth using Earth Bridge, read these instructions I wrote.

And don’t forget that it is still in beta.

Planned Features

I of course have a million things I’d like to do with this program, but I can only do so much. However, there are certain features I would definitly like to have at least in the next major version or two. Here they are in no particular order.

* GPS log playback
* Garmin protocol support
* USB support
* Satellite position assumption using ephemeris data
* Placemark icon choosing
* “Remote control” always-on-top window (already being coded)
* More robust GPS device connection code (better error handling, protocol detection, reconnect on timeout, etc.)
* Check web automatically for updates
* Server capabilities to broadcast the data file on the Internet in real-time

thanks AAlchemy