MINISTRY OF MARINE AFFAIRS AND FISHERIES

Directorate General of Coastal and Small Islands

Jl. M.T. Haryono Kav, 52-53, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia. Fax.+62 (21) 79180456

MARINE & COASTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PROJECT

Package B
SPATIAL DATA AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT PROJECT
ADB Loan No. 1770-INO (SF)

OziExplorer for Real Time Tracking

Technical Report MCRMP-B-OziExplorer

Figure A. Ozi Explorer maps for Java.

October 2004

BLACK & VEATCH (International) Ltd

In association with:
Nusantara Systems International
PT EXSA Internasional
MCRMP - Marine and Coastal Resources Management Project
Component B: Spatial Data and Information Management

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS...................................................................................................................................... 2
EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST ............................................................................................................................... 2
REAL-TIME TRACKING WITH GPS.............................................................................................................. 3
1. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................... 3
GARMIN GPS....................................................................................................................................................... 3
2. GARMIN SETTINGS................................................................................................................................... 3
OZIEXPLORER ................................................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 CONFIGURATION ............................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 LOAD AND CALIBRATE MAPS ........................................................................................................ 6
2.3 REAL TIME TRACKING..................................................................................................................... 6
3. FIELD CHECKING AND GROUND FEATURE LABELING ............................................................... 6
4. UPLOAD WAYPOINTS OR TRACKS FROM OZIEXPLORER TO GPS........................................... 7
5. DOWNLOAD WAYPOINTS AND TRACKS FROM GPS...................................................................... 8
APPENDIX 1 – LOAD AND CALIBRATE MAPS ......................................................................................... 10
6. ARCVIEW MAP COMPOSITION........................................................................................................... 10
7. OZIEXPLORER LOAD AND CALIBRATE MAP ................................................................................ 11

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST
• GPS (Garmin, Magellan, MLR etc.);
• Notebook computer and spare battery (backup);
• Spare batteries for GPS (AA);
• Serial cable connecting GPS to Computer;
• Adapter from car lighter to notebook computer;
• External Antennae for GPS;
• OziExplorer (download from www.oziexplorer.com);
• Hand recorder (for recording data in the field);
• Pencils, paper;
• Digital camera;
• Hardcopy Maps;

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REAL-TIME TRACKING WITH GPS

1. INTRODUCTION
MCRMP contractors will be updating digital maps for 15 study areas using recently acquired satellite
imagery as part of their baseline and thematic mapping contracts. Moreover, MCRMP staff will be
required to validate this work before acceptance of data products.
To do updating and validation will both require field work; because of the amount of mapping being
contracted out this field work must be efficient and accurate.
This technical report describes a method for real-time tracking with GPS integrated with free tracking
software, OziExplorer. OziExplorer provides support for a wide range of GPS makes and models and
together with GPS allows for efficient and accurate field checking as well as uploading and
downloading waypoints and tracks. Moreover, OziExplorer can export waypoints and tracks directly
to ESRI shape files.
The methods described in this technical report are strongly recommended for both contractors and
MCRMP quality control. This tutorial uses the popular Garmin Plus III to demonstrate the techniques;
however, the same principles apply to other GPS makes and models with very little modification.
GARMIN GPS
Turn on the Garmin GPS by pressing the start button.

2. GARMIN SETTINGS
Only those settings that require specific attention or commonly cause problems are described. Use
defaults for remaining unless confident with GARMIN configuration and operation.
• User Set-up
◊ Language – English;
• System Set-up
◊ Map Datum – WGS84;
◊ Coordinate system – Decimal Degrees NOT degrees decimal minutes or degrees minutes
seconds;
• Units:
◊ Distance and speed – KM and KM/HR
• Data Interface*:
◊ Data Input when tracking – NMEA with 4,800 baud rate;
◊ Data Output when up- or down-loading to computer – GARMIN;
*Note: This is one of the main problems when trying to establish communications between GARMIN
and computer. For real-time tracking the communication protocol must be NMEA; for up- and
downloading the communication protocol must be GARMIN (or other make such as MLR or
Magellan).

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OZIEXPLORER
This software is ideal for real-time tracking and waypoint navigation. However, there are certain
options and parameters that need to be configured before it will work correctly. The demonstration
shareware is adequate for all of MCRMP’S’s uses so there in no need to purchase the complete
software.
Download from www.oziexplorer.com.

2.1 CONFIGURATION
Select File Æ Configuration (see below)
System Tab

Enter Map File Path Enter Data File Path

For the System tab select a Map File Path to store your maps and Data File Path to store your
waypoints and tracks (see above figure).

Kilometers

Km / Hour

Indonesia

Degrees

For the Maps tab select Distance Units Kilometers, Speed units KPH, Country or Region Indonesia,
and Lat/Long Display Degrees.

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Enter Path to Image Files

For the Image File Paths enter the same directory as the Map File path (see previous figure above on
System tab)

Enter GPS Make

Enter GPS Model

For the GPS tab select Garmin as GPS Make and Garmin III+ as GPS Model.
Customize the Track Moving Map and Navigation colors and line types if desired by clicking on the
respective tab and modifying the color scheme etc.

Make sure the correct COM port is selected.

Check COM
Port

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Tip: This is another problem area. If you do not have the correct COM the GPS will not be able to
communicate with the notebook computer. If you cannot get it to work then navigate to the desktop,
select My Computer [Right Button] → Properties → Hardware → Device Manager and scroll to find
Ports. In this example the serial port is COM1.

COM1 is the serial port

for this Notebook

2.2 LOAD AND CALIBRATE MAPS

To create a set of maps for backdrop and for field checking use ArcView and export as a BMP at 144
DPI (highest resolution). Record the positions (latitude and longitude) for two points in the bitmap.
Create an index map load and calibrate. The technique for calibration is described in detail in
Appendix 1.

2.3 REAL TIME TRACKING

Load a map of the area from the File Æ Load from File Æ Load map file. Select Moving Map and
Start NMEA Communication with GPS. IMPORTANT!! The Data Output from the GARMIN
MUST BE NMEA. To check if the Garmin is communicating correctly with the laptop Show NMEA
Input and Output (see figure below). You should see a stream of text that changes as the new satellite
information is received by the GARMIN GPS.

Start NMEA communication

with GPS

Another way to check is to check the bottom bar of the OZIEXPLORER window. You should see the
latitude and longitude as well as nmea and flashing dots. The latitude and longitude of the current
position is also displayed here.
Tip: Configuring OziExplorer whilst stationary or with no satellite fix can cause strange behavior of
the mouse (jumps from place to place etc.). If this happens disconnect the serial cable from the
computer and restart computer. Start driving before reconnecting the serial cable. It is best to
configure and run OziExplorer with the GPS running and the vehicle is moving.

3. FIELD CHECKING AND GROUND FEATURE LABELING

Once the GPS and OziExplorer are operational, field checking and labeling can begin. As you drive
along, a navigation rose centered on the vehicle is displayed. Normally you display the track (See
figure below).

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Show Tracks

To enter a Waypoint select waypoint and click at the appropriate location on the moving map (see
below).
1. Click Wpt (waypoint)

2. Enter location on map

To enter information about the waypoint position the cursor over the waypoint and double click. A
window with information about the waypoint is opened (see below).

Enter description

Enter Waypoint Symbol

Note: We highly recommend the use of a pocket tape recorder to log detailed description of ground
features. It is important that the name recorded for the waypoint corresponds with the name recorded
with the pocket tape recorder. Digital photographs should also be taken at each site sampled and cross-
referenced with the pocket tape recorder.

4. UPLOAD WAYPOINTS OR TRACKS FROM OZIEXPLORER TO GPS

Waypoints are normally created with ArcView as part of the survey design. To upload waypoints and
tracks into the GPS is very simple and is done in two steps:
Step 1 – Use OziExplorer Load → Import ESRI Shape File → Points or Polylines and Polygons (see
figure below).

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Import Points or
Polylines and Polygons

Step 2 – Select Garmin → Send Waypoints to GPS or Send Track to GPS (see figure below).

Send Waypoints

IMPORTANT!!! As previously mentioned, to send and receive waypoints and tracks from GPS you
must configure the GPS to Garmin communication interface protocol before sending or receiving
waypoints or tracks.

5. DOWNLOAD WAYPOINTS AND TRACKS FROM GPS

To download the waypoints from GPS to ESRI Shape file is the reverse as uploading, i.e. there are two
steps:
Step 1 – Download waypoints and/or tracks from GPS to OZIEXPLORER (see figure below).

Get Waypoints from GPS

Get Track from GPS

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Step 2 – Save → Export to ESRI Shape File → Waypoints to Points or Tracks to Polylines (see figure
below).

Waypoints to Points

Tracks to Polylines

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APPENDIX 1 – LOAD AND CALIBRATE MAPS

To efficiently load and calibrate maps both OziExplorer and ArcView should be running. The
procedure toggles between applications when needed. Two steps are required:
1). ArcView Map composition; and
2). OziExplorer Load and Calibrate Maps

6. ARCVIEW MAP COMPOSITION

To load and calibrate maps first compose the map in ArcView and export as BMP with highest
resolution (144 DPI). Remember to add points in top and bottom corners and to calculate their latitude
and longitude as calibration points (see figures below). In this demonstrattion, a portion of road atlas
of Bali near the airport is used by way of example.

Add point to top corner of image

Add point to bottom corner of image

Create field lat D(16, 5) and lon D(16, 5)

Use field calculator and calculate lat as [Shape].gety;

lon as [Shape].getx

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Export the image as BMP.

7. OZIEXPLORER LOAD AND CALIBRATE MAP

To load and calibrate map toggle to OziExplorer and select File → Load and Calibrate Map Image
(see figure below).

File
Load and Calibrate Map Image

Map Datum WGS84

Map Projection
Latitude / Longitude

To calibrate the map select Point 1, zoom to ID 1 and position cross-hairs at the (see below)

2. Click

3. Copy latitude
1. Center

4. Paste and edit

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IMPORTANT!!!! The pasted latitude and longitude MUST include the decimal point (see below).

NOTE!! .72231 HAS THE DECIMAL

POINT

Complete the calibration by copying and pasting the longitude.

Zoom to the second calibration point and repeat the above steps. Save the calibrated map.

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