If you've been thinking of taking up GPS sailing (speed sailing), but been put off by the complexity of the equipment and dealing with it, I've been working on a website to help you out.

I've been posting about my site in the GPS and Speed Talk forum for some time as guys there have been helping me test out the functionality of it, but I thought it might be time to throw open the gates to a wider audience.

The site will allow you to upload a GPS track data file (SBN, SBP or GPX format only at this stage) straight from a memory card onto the internet, and get immediate speed analysis done that can be entered into competition websites, or just kept for your own interest. No client software is required apart from a browser, so you can use it in internet cafes, at work, at your in-laws house, etc.

It will also allow you to view your sailing track on a Google Earth browser plugin (which does require a small local installation), which you can zoom, pan, and rotate as you like. Links to the overlay can be shared with others, allowing you to email someone a link to your sailing track.

Anyway, enough blather. As I said, the site is now almost fully functional, and I would encourage anyone who is interested to hop on over and take a look. It has been the labour of the last eight weeks or so of my spare time, and I expect to spend many more months on improving it, but for now I'd just like to say, "The doors are now open. Come on in!"

Cheers,

Dylan Tusler.
www.ka72.com/

You might have hit the nail on the head when you mentioned "complexity". I look at some of the posts on the Speedies Forum, and the problems people have with software just to download their readings into an acceptable format sound complex enough to turn off potential customers (to the team challenge that is).
One question - I have a Garmin E-Trex, which I own for work purposes, but occasionally shove down the neck of my wetsuit when I go sailing so I can look at the pretty blue lines on Google Earth and also check out what my fastest speed was- can your program get all the varying data needed for the GPS Speed sites from an E-Trex? I notice the Geko is an approved unit, but not the E-Trex.
To be honest I'm quite happy just doing what I do, but if your program allowed me to contribute to my local team, easily, in any way, then I'd give it a go.

thanks once again Dylan for putting your intellectual property out to the masses.
If only my f'n gps would spit out a log for me!!!!!
If only workin the gps unit was as easy as your site. then we would have a winning combo, and i wouldn't be ready to throw it at the wall!!!

Hey Bertie,

Bring it to Pelican Point tomorrow and I'll have a look at it if you like.

that would be awesome Ben. cheers.

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easty said...

One question - I have a Garmin E-Trex, which I own for work purposes, but occasionally shove down the neck of my wetsuit when I go sailing so I can look at the pretty blue lines on Google Earth and also check out what my fastest speed was- can your program get all the varying data needed for the GPS Speed sites from an E-Trex?

I can't answer that. I don't run a comp myself. I originally created the site mainly to support Navilink GT-31s and GT-11s. GPX support (which is the only format output by Garmins that the site accepts) is still a work in progress (it works well, when it works. I have lots of test files that don't produce any output at all, and hope to get onto that real soon!)

I recall that the major sticking point with Garmin devices per se is to do with the timing between trackpoints. Happy to be corrected, though.

In any case, you can still use the site to process a gpx file, and get a .kml file for use in Google Earth plus all the speed stats. I just don't know whether the output would be accepted by any competitions.

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Dylan72 said...

easty said...

One question - I have a Garmin E-Trex, which I own for work purposes, but occasionally shove down the neck of my wetsuit when I go sailing so I can look at the pretty blue lines on Google Earth and also check out what my fastest speed was- can your program get all the varying data needed for the GPS Speed sites from an E-Trex?

I can't answer that. I don't run a comp myself. I originally created the site mainly to support Navilink GT-31s and GT-11s. GPX support (which is the only format output by Garmins that the site accepts) is still a work in progress (it works well, when it works. I have lots of test files that don't produce any output at all, and hope to get onto that real soon!)

I recall that the major sticking point with Garmin devices per se is to do with the timing between trackpoints. Happy to be corrected, though.

In any case, you can still use the site to process a gpx file, and get a .kml file for use in Google Earth plus all the speed stats. I just don't know whether the output would be accepted by any competitions.

Hi Dylan, yeah don't know all that much about them apart from what I use them for work wise, but I can adjust my E-Trex to read every 2 seconds, so I'm happy with knowing my general fastest speed (when it bothers me to worry how fast I'm going ), and I have been using EasyGPS to download tracks, but so if (confused here) I download a gpx, (which I do with Easygps), can I get a .kml + speed stats with your program? From the E-Trex that is.

Yes, the site takes GPX files, and gives you stats plus .kml file. What I don't know is whether that device is considered accurate enough for the competitions. And in any case, GPX file stats are not 100% correct at the moment via the site, so you could come back with the same file in a week's time, and get slightly different results.

For personal use, the site is fine. For competition use, well that would depend on the competition officials.

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easty said...

You might have hit the nail on the head when you mentioned "complexity". I look at some of the posts on the Speedies Forum, and the problems people have with software just to download their readings into an acceptable format sound complex enough to turn off potential customers (to the team challenge that is).
One question - I have a Garmin E-Trex, which I own for work purposes, but occasionally shove down the neck of my wetsuit when I go sailing so I can look at the pretty blue lines on Google Earth and also check out what my fastest speed was- can your program get all the varying data needed for the GPS Speed sites from an E-Trex? I notice the Geko is an approved unit, but not the E-Trex.
To be honest I'm quite happy just doing what I do, but if your program allowed me to contribute to my local team, easily, in any way, then I'd give it a go.

Sorry to say that the Garmin E-Trex is unsuitable for GPS Speed Sailing posting. It has 'auto' trackpoints which means they are only made at irregular intervals. To use it for speed sailing we require one or two second data intervals. The lack of this facility makes it very difficult to spot errors in the speeds and makes most speeds far from reality anyhow.

Also, it is very poor practice to put any GPS inside your wetsuit. It will have its reception severely compromised this way and the resulting data will be full of errors. Get some sort of arm-band bag to put it in or at least put it in a zip lock bag and duct tape it to your arm.

I've just added an update which should fix errors some users were getting with Garmin GPX files. If you tried to load up a GPX file and got an error message for your trouble, please give it another go.

Cheers,

Dylan.

dude sick site works a treat

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Upthere said...

dude sick site works a treat

(Dylan posting as Kellie)

Thanks, Luke.

It keeps getting better.

I had some GPX test files that were registering top speeds of "Infinity" for some divisions but that should be fixed now.

Luckily no-one tried to post that to GPSTC!

Dylan.

Thanks Dylan, I tried my GPS for my fiirst time last night with 10knts wind, just to try.
I couldn't get anything seen properly in the GT31 softwares, but much clearer now with yours. And even the google earth picture (can we save it?).
Can you tell us again what is the calclulations of the alpha 500. Is it a time? I have 5.45 which sounds weird.
I have a very easy 9.58 kts to beat now (not even planning once).
Thanks.

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LeStef said...

Thanks Dylan, I tried my GPS for my fiirst time last night with 10knts wind, just to try.

Cool! Welcome aboard...

I will try to answer your questions.

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And even the google earth picture (can we save it?).

a) You can save the "overlay" link, bookmark it, send it to your friends, post it on your blog, or facebook, or whatever. That is fine. The link will always open the overlay page and launch the Google Earth plugin.
b) You can download the .kml file from the overlay page (which you get to from the overlay link) and open it in Google Earth. That way, you will have your own copy of the file that the overlay uses. You can change the colour of the path and add more labels and stuff.
c) If you just want a screen shot, you can use any screen-grabbing software (like the snipping tool in Windows Vista) or even just your Print Scrn button on the keyboard (Google it...)

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Can you tell us again what is the calclulations of the alpha 500. Is it a time?

OK, an Alpha is:
1) A track segment with a maximum length of 500 metres where
2) The start and end points of the track are within 50 metres of each other and
3) You have at least one gybe in the segment.

Sometimes, this track segment looks like a Greek Alpha, which is how it gets its name. Here is a screen grab of a Alpha segement of someone's track. (The circle indicates the 50m radius I mentioned.)


Mal Wright has a good explanantion on his site of Alphas at:
http://www.intellimass.com/RealSpeed/Alpha%20Racing.htm

Good Luck!
Dylan.