Special thanks to Ray Montagne (W7CIA) who helped get the new .gpx filetype exports configured. In case you are wondering what they are and how you can use them, keep reading.

Here is the e-mail that started it all off

"Could you please, please, please use a platform agnostic encoding for exporting files (such as .zip) rather than using a Windows platform dependent self extracting format? The Windows format, which has a '.exe' file extension, cannot be extracted on a Macintosh. A standard '.csv' file or a '.csv' file that is in a '.zip' archive can be used on a Macintosh (or Linux). Same goes for Garmin files, which are based on XML and have a '.gpx' file extension. Thank you. Ray Montagne, W7CIA"
 

I still haven't figured out why he is seeing a .exe when trying to download a .csv from a Mac platform, but the last line really caught my attention. I have never exported to a Garmin application. PHP can easily be written to export as XML. After asking more about it, Ray was more that helpful in pointing me in the right direction:

"For reference, I converted the Idaho Repeater data into a '.gpx' file that can be imported into Garmin Basecamp (a free application available at <http://www.garmin.com/us/products/onthetrail/basecamp>).Free map data, including topographical maps, is available at <http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/>.Once imported into Garmin Basecamp, the file can be uploaded into any Garmin GPS.The '.gpx' file format is derived from XML and is specified at <http://www.topografix.com/gpx.asp>.

Having the repeater directory in my GPS is why I needed access to the '.csv' data on a Macintosh (I had to use a Windows system and then transfer the data).

 

The web site Ray provided are very easy to understand, and I had to have a copy of BaseCamp. From the web site:

Trip Planning

Use BaseCamp to plan your next hiking, biking, motorcycling, driving or off-roading trip. You can view maps, plan routes, and mark waypoints and tracks from your computer and then transfer them to your device.

  • Track Draw feature lets you trace your planned route and view elevation changes, helping you estimate the difficulty of a hike or bike ride.
  • Plan the perfect scenic route, making sure your navigator takes you through certain waypoints, for your next road trip.
  • Play back your routes and tracks over time and save and share your adventure.

Survey the Terrain

BaseCamp displays your topographic map data in 2-D or 3-D on your computer screen, including contour lines and elevation profiles. Load map data from your handheld device, or import maps you’ve downloaded or purchased on DVD or microSD™ card. Consider our TOPO series maps, which offer detail on a scale of either 1:100,000 or 1:24,000.

 

Geotag Photos

BaseCamp lets you geotag photos, associating them with specific waypoints. You can see the exact scenery at any given location. Transfer the photos to your handheld device, publish photos directly to Picasa™, or email your geotagged photos directly to friends or family so they can navigate right to your favorite spots in the future.

Transfer Satellite Images

With BaseCamp and a BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription, you can transfer an unlimited amount of satellite images to your outdoor or fitness device and seamlessly integrate those images into your maps to get a true representation of your surroundings. It makes it easy to scout campsites, sources of water, potential hazards and more. If you prefer raster topographic maps, you can also download BirdsEye Select maps and pay only for the data you download.

Downloading and installing BaseCamp was absolutely painless. Installing extra map files was also a snap (be sure to read the directions, though).

The best information on how to create the .gpx export actually came from Ray. He spent some time creating some example files, which I copied and uploaded. They have been deployed and are working nicely.

They are in sort of a beta mode and have not been deployed on the entire site. The best way to download one is to search on a specific state and then choose the band (or ALL) you want to view. On the Search Result page, choose Export, then .gpx. After the file downloads, open it from File >> Import inside BaseCamp.

 

Enjoy!

Garrett, KD6KPC
Site Admin