OpenStreetMap
Hey, did some nice cycling tour today and found out that my GPX data I received from the Sirf III chip was really detailed. But then I found that at some points some cycle paths beside the road would "collide" with the road.
So what am I gonna do now? I went really slow compared to a car, had two friends with me. I had the GPS right beside my head in the backpack, so connection should have been great. Didn't find anything in the wiki/FAQ section. I'll probably ride it again in a few days and test the data. If I get the same results I'll change the street (between Bad Wimpfen and Bonfeld).
I uploaded my GPX files to my account.
Discussion
Comment from Gregory Williams on 26 January 2009 at 09:17
Have you tried to download GPS tracks for the area? Perhaps somebody else has already submitted tracks for the road, which'll help you determine whether the road is in the correct place. If not then your plan of surveying again another day sounds good -- the GPS signal can vary a bit each day anyway.
Comment from CiaránMooney on 26 January 2009 at 09:41
Hi,
Not sure how good your GPS is but mine if I walk under a tree the accuracy plummets. Even having it in the top of a bag could make a difference.
I mount mine to the handle bars of my bike with gaffa tape, and that means I can keep an eye on it. So if accuracy starts to drop, I slow down and wait to re-acquire a better signal.
Good Luck.
Comment from petzlux on 26 January 2009 at 13:19
Some comments on signal quality:
Well accuracy depends on multiple factors, including the satellite configuration for a given location and time (this can vary considerably and affect signal quality!).Trimble offers a free software tool that can tell you for your Area of Interest what the best times of the day are for doing surveys!
Have a look here for the download: http://www.trimble.com/planningsoftware.shtml
Also, the receiver needs the best (most complete and unobstructed) view of the sky possible to acquire multiple satellite fixes.
In the case of a GPS mounted on your handlebar, your body would obscure a significant part of the sky. If you can, a external antenna mounted into your cycling helmet would provide the optimum sky coverage. http://www.trimble.com/mgis_patch_antenna.shtml
Comment from HannesHH on 26 January 2009 at 21:24
I searched ages for such software. Thank you so much. There is nothing more annoying then going out on a trip and then having all the satellites ahead doing a polonaise... :-)
Comment from velaia on 26 January 2009 at 23:05
Thank you everybody for your suggestions and comments. I'll try downloading the GPX tracks of other users and I'll also "reride" the tour with the suggestions you've given to me.
Happy mapping!