USE YOUR GARMIN E-TREX LEGEND GPS WITH GOOGLE EARTH.

Intro: USE YOUR GARMIN E-TREX LEGEND GPS WITH GOOGLE EARTH.

A NEW AND IMPROVED WAY TO USE YOUR GARMIN E-TREX WITH GOOGLE EARTH, WITH A LAPTOP, G.P.S. AND SOFTWARE YOUR ABLE TO HAVE A REALLY FANCY SETUP. OF COURSE THIS WILL BE FOR THE PRICE CONSCIENCE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK AND DON'T FORGET TO RATE THIS INSTRUCTABLE

I ALSO HAVE INSTRUCTABLE ON USING YOUR DELORME LT20 WITH GOOGLE EARTH.

!!!!! I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACTIONS AND OR DAMAGES YOU MAKE WITH THIS INSTRUCTABLE !!!!!

I'M PUTTING EVERYTHING I KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO ASK.

STEP 1: Gather All Your Hardware Together.

1. Laptop Windows XP Professional
2.8 ghz Intel Celeron
512 mb
40 gig drive
It does not need to be the same, but you do need the free
.NET FRAMEWORK from Microsoft.NET FRAMEWORK from Microsoft.

2. Your Garmin E-TREX Legend
https://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FQ7/IG9E/FA0CV804/FQ7IG9EFA0CV804.MEDIUM.jpg

3. A Serial to USB cableSerial to USB cable to be able to connect your Garmin unit to
the laptop if you don't have a serial port, Radio Shack has these in stock
https://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FTX/HDT7/FA0CV80F/FTXHDT7FA0CV80F.MEDIUM.jpg

STEP 2: Gather All Your Software Together.

1. Install your .NET FRAMEWORKNET FRAMEWORK from Microsoft.

2. Install the drivers for the the SERIAL TO USB cable into the computer.

3. Install Google Earth.

4. Install Earth Bridge.

STEP 3: Bring It All Together.

Well if you have all these your almost done good job on keeping up.

The rewards of this is really exiting and informative. The people to the car next to us freak out when they see an Areal view of the area around us.

Be careful when driving only use this if your a passenger

1. Connect your Serial to USB cable the pc, after installing the drivers.

2. Set your GPS unit to "NEMA IN / NEMA OUT". in your settings area.

3. When you open Earth Bridge go to preferences, and "check" start generating KML out put.
this is the file thats created to allow system to speak "Google Earth Language". https://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/F5F/HDO6/FA0CVCI2/F5FHDO6FA0CVCI2.MEDIUM.jpg

4. Notice the "COM PORT SETTING = 7" make sure your SERIAL to USB cable is on the same port, under Device Manager. https://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/F5F/HDO6/FA0CVCI2/F5FHDO6FA0CVCI2.MEDIUM.jpg

5. Connect your Garmin unit and turn it on. Now open up your Google Earth "if you didn't check Start Google Earth". The reason I didn't , so many things can go wrong one item at a time.

6. You'll notice the 1st page of Earth Bridge has options you can play with feel free to and give a little something to the creator of the prog if you want.
https://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FUW/JLU0/FA0CVCI4/FUWJLU0FA0CVCI4.MEDIUM.jpg

7. If it all went well you'll see your gps communicating with Google Earth. https://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FA0/MUYW/FA0CVCI3/FA0MUYWFA0CVCI3.MEDIUM.jpg
and you'll see this as well.
https://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FDF/PJSP/FA0CVCI1/FDFPJSPFA0CVCI1.MEDIUM.jpg

STEP 4: CONGRADUALATIONS

Congratulations please be careful and don't drive and do this at the same time its great if your a passenger, Again still be careful with HEAD / LAPTOP / AIRBAGS. THEY DON'T MIX.

HAVE FUN PLEASE RATE AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.

Comments

[msharm]

Hi, thank you so much for your instruction it worked but the only problem i have that google earth sees me in other country not where i am. i am using win7 . please help find out what i did wrong, i followed all your steps . Thank you.

[92buckshots]

 Wow we have two etrexes int the house, (Legend H, and Summit Hc) so we will definitely have to try this!
TFTI (thanks for the instructable!)

[steed1172]

e-trex legend... not working for mine

[GorillazMiko]

this looks hard (just for me, im 13) but its still a great instructable!

[evanwehrer]

I was 13 2 years ago almost and I could have done this, you probably could too

[mrktn4lifergv]

No you don't need Internet connection but you do when you do need it for the preliminary routing on Google Earth. GE will cache(store) recent information of areas that you view in medium to low detail and so when not connected to the internet such as in your car doing this you can still view some nice images again only some of it is cached have fun can't log into my account for some reason to update

[ReCreate]

Do i need to have an active internet connection for this to work?

[Maniacy]

I also think you should not YELL... It makes your text less readable and seems just 'not good'.... Write it again please... pleeeease....

[ReCreate]

so you install this into your gps disconnect and enjoy? Of connect gps to pc for it to work and suffer?

[ReCreate]

YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL AT ME You should fix that every time i see an instructable that yells at me i think it is some sort of spam or fake

[Mohan N]

I want to use the GPS data ported to my laptop working in SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop edn 10.1

[Fastbeatz]

cool i have a apple notebook...how do i do it to connect my gps? thanks

[joejoerowley]

Cool!!! I have the same GPS! Love it! I am going to do this. Great intractable!!

[mrktn4lifergv]

great if you have any questions please ask

[anubishead]

Hi,.. Help! ..I downloaded .Net & Earth bridge, already had drivers saved for cable & it still my system did not recognise the GPS device through Port 7 as defined in Earth Bridge. Usualy the device is recognised by my sytem withought any problems. One question about the cable ..you mention a 'serial to USB cable' but the Garmin E-trex comes with a serial to garmin specific fitting. I already purchased a USB cable recently to connect my laptop to my garmin Etrex. I'm so dissapointed it hasnt worked ...If I am missing something please do let me know as i think this is qan outstanding instructable & practivcal app. Thanks :@)

[mrktn4lifergv]

go to----- control panel-----system------hardware(tab)------device manager-----and look for your radio shack cable -----double click it, look for port settings -------advanced --------and on "comport" select port 7 if already taken or does not appear look for what device is on 7and change it to something else, and set your radio shack cable to com 7.

I would make screen shots but as im looking for my cables i seem to have lost both of them if ne1 has ne extras let me know.
I know the Legend already comes with a serial port connector but i dont have a serial port on my laptop thats why i bought the adapter.

Let me know if it helped or ne futher questions.

[anubishead]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I continued to experiment with the settings on Earth Bridge as I was sure that the problem did not lye with the port settings (even though it did not detect the device or output) I noticed i was receiving raw data but unreadable via earth Bridge...the solution..i checked the baud rate for GPS & Earth Bridge settings...& set them both to 4800 & it works!! Thankyou for this instructable, it makes it a great deal easier as a navigator to see a larger more detailed screen :@)

[boardboyd]

you can do the same thing in linux with Google earth for Linux, and using GPSBabel for route tracking, I'm sure changing the data transmission to NEMA will allow it wo work in linux.

[gamer]

i dont even know how to make the gps cable, and i dont have one either, if i would i would try this, but... nice instructable. -gamer

[boardboyd]

I've made the gps cable for my Garmin eTrex Legend:
DIY Garmin Data Cable