Table of Contents

I. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 3
III. Materials and datasets to be used ....................................................................... 3
IV. Data Retrieval from Handheld GPS ....................................................................... 4
A. Connecting to a Computer ................................................................................. 4
B. View data from GPS in Google Earth.................................................................. 5
V. Importing GPS data into ArcMap ............................................................................. 7
I. Introduction
GPS, the Global Positioning System, is a satellite-based system that allows anyone
with a GPS receiver to find their exact position anywhere in the world. GPS are
widely used in navigation like airplanes, boats, cars, etc., The GPS receiver uses
the signals from the satellites to calculate its latitude, longitude and even elevation.
Waypoints, routes and tracks are the three basic feature types in GPS data. ArcGIS
displays waypoints in point layers while routes and tracks are displayed in line
string layers.

II. Objectives and Expected Outcomes

The objectives of this exercise are to download the waypoints collected from the
handheld GPS in the field and import it into QGIS for Map Lay-outing. At the end
of the exercise, the trainee is expected to know how:

• To download GPS data into computer.

• To visualized/overlay the GPS data into GoogleEarth.
• To input and overlay the collected GPS data into ArcMap
• To convert GPS exchange format (.gpx) to shapefile (.shp).
• To map the data gathered using GPS.

III. Materials and datasets to be used

Materials and Datasets Needed
1. GPS Data gathered from previous exercise
2. ArcMap 10.3.1
3. GoogleEarth or Google Earth Pro
4. High Resolution Image of Hotel Oazis

Working Directories
The datasets needed for this exercise are located to these directories:
• C:\ Training\ExerciseNo \Datasets
• C:\ Training\ExerciseNo \Outputs.

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IV. Data Retrieval from Handheld GPS

A. Connecting to a Computer
The Garmin Oregon ® 550t and 660 allows the transfer of waypoint and track data
between the GPS and the computer. This function can be used to transfer
predetermined waypoint and track from your computer onto the GPS and transfer
waypoint and track that you observed out in the field to your computer for further
editing.

Garmin Oregon ® 550t and 660 can be connected to the computer using the USB
cable (as displayed below).

1. Lift the weather cap on the bottom of the GPS.

2. With the GPS turned off, simply plug the small end of the USB cable into the
mini-USB port.

3. Plug the USB end of the cable into the computer USB port.
4. Once the GPS is connected it will turn on automatically and after waiting a few
moments for the computer to detect the GPS you are able to view the files on
the GPS as a removable storage drive similar to the way you would with a USB
memory stick or smart phone.
5. Choose the Open Folder to view the files option to browse the information on
the GPS.

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6. The file format for the waypoint and track data created by Garmin GPS unit is
*.GPX (stands for GPS eXchange file) and can be found in a folder called GPX.

7. Copy the waypoint collected in the field (waypoint_date.gpx) and paste the
data to your output folder. C:\ Training\ExerciseNo \Output.

B. View data from GPS in Google Earth

Once the data has been transferred to your computer from the GPS device, you can
use Google Earth to view the waypoints, routes and tracks.

1. Open Google Earth by double clicking the icon

2. Go to Tools menu and select GPS. The Google Earth-GPS Import window will
pop up.
3. From the Google Earth – GPS Import window, click Import from file.

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4. Check the boxes if you want to import waypoints, tracks, and/or routes.
5. Output to KML tracks.
6. Click import.

7. Navigate to the appropriate location on your computer and select the GPS file
which is located in the output folder. C:\CCGeo_
Training\QGIS\Ex8\Output\waypoints_date.gpx.
8. Click Open to begin the import process.
9. Click OK. The file is imported and can be viewed in Google Earth as shown
below.

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V. Importing GPS data into ArcMap
There are dozens of different file formats for storing GPS data. The format that
ArcGIS uses is called GPX (GPS eXchange format), which is a standard interchange
format that can contain any number of waypoints, routes and tracks in the same
file.

1. Open ArcMap.
2. Add the HotelOazis_HighResolutionSatelliteImage.jpg using the Add data

button. Browse the image from your working directory file. C:\
Training\ExerciseNo \Datasets. The georeferenced image will be used to
visualized the gathered GPS data.

Now we will overlay in the image our GPS data gathered from the field.

3. Go to menu bar → ArcToolbox → Conversion Tools → From GPS → GPX

To Features

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A new GPX To Features Tool window will open up. This tool will automatically
convert gpx data format to shapefile.

4. Now we will load the same. gpx file directly in ArcMap. Go to Input GPX file
tab of GPS To Features tools window.
5. Browse the saved GPS data file located in C:\ Training\ExerciseNo \Datasets
\Hotel-Oazis.gpx. and Click OK.
6. Output feature class to C:\ Training\ExerciseNo \Outputs and name it
HotelOazis_waypoints_ (Your Surname).shp.

7. The points are loaded in ArcMap as shown below.

8. Inspect the attributes of the new shapefile. Right click on the layer and click
Open Attribute Table. The attribute table will pop-up and observe fields.

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9. To edit the attribute, Right Click shapefile → Edit Features → Start Editing.

Rename the description based on its real attribute. Double click the field and

input the name of the point and save edits in editor toolbar if done.

To be sure with your description, you can highlight the row field and click the zoom

map to selected rows icon to zoom the map on your selected point.

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10. To Delete unwanted fields in the attribute. Click save edits and stop editing.
Highlight the unwanted field, right click then delete field.

11. To display Labels of the Layer, right click the shapefile → Properties. The
Layer properties will appear.
12. In the Labels, set your Label fields to Descript or your desired label to be
shown on layer.

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13. To make your label more visible you can add a colored text halo under the
symbol → edit symbol → mask and thick the halo field. Then click Apply. The
desired label will appear on layer window.

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