GPS Data logger

[koffiejunkie]

got it - AMOD AGL 3080. $69 from Amazon :)

I got mine this week. Unfortunately, when I ordered it, the *only* shipping option available (direct from Semsons) for people outside the U.S. was DHL 3 business days, which added $40 to the price. Oh well, what can you do.

It works pretty well. I had a bit of fun figuring out how the hell to get the logs in the right format. GPSPhotoLinker (http://oregonstate.edu/~earlyj/gpsphotolinker/) doesn't like the AMOD's native format, and GPSBabel+ (http://www.gpsbabel.org/) doesn't detect the log format correctly. It should be "NMEA 0183 Sentences" and you have to convert it to "GPX XML" From there on it's pretty straight-forward. The latest photo "River garden" (http://www.flickr.com/photos/koffiejunkie/2538993793/) on my flickr page is geotagged :)

[ldmelsa]

what is that?
what does it do again?
i am new to this stuff

[koffiejunkie]

It's a GPS logger. All it does it logs your coordinates to a file at a set interval (the AMOD can do 1s, 5s and 10s). Then you use software to match the time stamps in the log to the times your photoss were taken, and it fills in the latitude/longitude EXIF tags. Flickr has built-in map support, you just need to enable it in your settings.

[ldmelsa]

It's a GPS logger. All it does it logs your coordinates to a file at a set interval (the AMOD can do 1s, 5s and 10s). Then you use software to match the time stamps in the log to the times your photoss were taken, and it fills in the latitude/longitude EXIF tags. Flickr has built-in map support, you just need to enable it in your settings.

so it uses gps, right?

[koffiejunkie]

Yes

[xrapidx]

How long does the battery last?

[koffiejunkie]

How long does the battery last?

No idea, I'll let you know when the first set runs out :) I believe if you let it run 24/7, the batteries won't last as long as the disc space, which is roughly 72 hours. But so far I've only had it on for trips of about an hour each, and most of today - didn't work while flying :(

[arf9999]

If you've already got a GPS receiver, you could try this:

http://www.robogeo.com/home/

[bwana]

I got mine this week. Unfortunately, when I ordered it, the *only* shipping option available (direct from Semsons) for people outside the U.S. was DHL 3 business days, which added $40 to the price. Oh well, what can you do.

It works pretty well. I had a bit of fun figuring out how the hell to get the logs in the right format. GPSPhotoLinker (http://oregonstate.edu/~earlyj/gpsphotolinker/) doesn't like the AMOD's native format, and GPSBabel+ (http://www.gpsbabel.org/) doesn't detect the log format correctly. It should be "NMEA 0183 Sentences" and you have to convert it to "GPX XML" From there on it's pretty straight-forward. The latest photo "River garden" (http://www.flickr.com/photos/koffiejunkie/2538993793/) on my flickr page is geotagged :)
Sounds complicated - maybe thats not the model for me?

[koffiejunkie]

Sounds complicated - maybe thats not the model for me?

Naah, not really. It was just tricky to figure out because the included software is for Windows. But at least the user manual had all the information I needed as far as the AMOD went. Where it got confusing was using the 3rd party software. GPSPhotoLinker expects a .gpx file. The interface doesn't give you any clue to this but I found it in the on-line documentation. GPSBabel+ just mis-detects the file format, adding to the confusion.

But of course, you know all of that now, so no problem, right?

Apparently HoudahGeo (or something like that) is a better solution - I'll try it when I'm home. The AMOD itself is dead simple to use, and the supplied documentation, unusually, is pretty good. Concise but complete.

[bwana]

I've been hunting and found this one which will also act as a gps for my blackberry - http://tinyurl.com/64puap

[koffiejunkie]

OK, the verdict on the battery life is back. In continuous operation, NeverReady and Energizer give me about 15 hours before the battery light comes on. I don't know how long I have after that because I never tried. Today I had Duracells for the first time, had them going from 07:00 and it's after midnight now - still no battery light.

At some point in the near future I'll invest in AAA rechargeables and give that a try.

[Mux]

I eventually got the GiSTEQ PhotoTrackr Pro, purely because of the RAW format support. See link GPS Data Logger for camera. (http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=105180)

[bwana]

I'm ordering the Ecom North DLX48 3-in-1 GPS for Navigation Bluetooth Receiver (link as above) so I can also have GPS on my phone and laptop as well as geotag my photos.

I've been playing with the My Location feature on my phone's google maps and unless I'm at home it seems to be pretty accurate - for some reason as soon as I get to my burb I'm immediately transported to Dubai of all places!

[koffiejunkie]

for some reason as soon as I get to my burb I'm immediately transported to Dubai of all places!

Maybe the universe is trying to tell you something... ;)

[bwana]

Mine arrived today and I haven't a clue how to get it to work with aperture :o

Should be interesting. :)

[koffiejunkie]

It won't. You need to use a program to sync the images with the gps log files. I use GPSPhotoLinker (http://oregonstate.edu/~earlyj/gpsphotolinker/) - simply because it's the first one I tried, it's free, and it works well enough for me. There are others out there.

The one catch was that it doesn't support the file format from my logger, so I use GPSBabel+ (http://www.gpsbabel.org/download.html) to convert the logs to .gpx files.

The other catch - your camera and logger's time has to be in sync :)

[bwana]

The problem I'm having right now is pulling the data log off the device - so far I'm only able to do it via ||s.

[koffiejunkie]

The problem I'm having right now is pulling the data log off the device - so far I'm only able to do it via ||s.

Aah, that's why I went on about the AMOD - operating system independant...

[bwana]

Aah, that's why I went on about the AMOD - operating system independant...I decided against the AMOD in the end because I wanted a bluetooth device that I could also use it with my blackberry (which it does flawlessly).

[alf101]

...didn't work while flying :(

Should work if u put it under the windscreen.

[koffiejunkie]

Should work if u put it under the windscreen.

By "flying" I meant 33,000 ft in a 300 tonne passenger jet. Not doing 160 on the N1 through Midrand. Although, if you've ever done that in a '96 CitiGolf, you'll know it feels just like flying :D

[alf101]

By "flying" I meant 33,000 ft in a 300 tonne passenger jet. Not doing 160 on the N1 through Midrand. Although, if you've ever done that in a '96 CitiGolf, you'll know it feels just like flying :D

Oh, that flying.
It should work in the air though.

I take pics when I go flying and sometimes forget where I took them, was looking into getting one a while back, but rather want one that's built into a camera.

[koffiejunkie]

It should work in the air though.

I take pics when I go flying and sometimes forget where I took them, was looking into getting one a while back, but rather want one that's built into a camera.

I don't think it's so much to do with altitude. It keeps signal until a certain speed. I think it's just not capable of switching between satellites that rapidly, it takes a while to lock onto enough to get a position anyway.

Would have been nice though.

[alf101]

I don't think it's so much to do with altitude. It keeps signal until a certain speed. I think it's just not capable of switching between satellites that rapidly, it takes a while to lock onto enough to get a position anyway.

Would have been nice though.

I usually fly at around 180km/h, depending on windspeed.

[koffiejunkie]

I usually fly at around 180km/h, depending on windspeed.

Well, the Airbus A320, which is the last plane I flew in, takes off at around 170 mph or 270km/h and the AMOD kept the signal for the 4-5 minutes of the flight. Considering that these aircraft cruise at around 800km/h, and I would guess it takes around 10 minutes to reach it, I'm guessing the AMOD can handle it up to around 350-400km/h.

[koffiejunkie]

Coming to think of it, if I still have those logs I can work out the speed. I have the coordinates in intervals of 1 second :)

[alf101]

Coming to think of it, if I still have those logs I can work out the speed. I have the coordinates in intervals of 1 second :)

As long as the pilot knows where he is...

[bwana]

So far it's still VMWare Fusion to get the track off the device (followed by GPSPhotoLinker before importing the files into Aperture).

[koffiejunkie]

I flatly refuse to buy any hardware that require windows to function 100% - it's a matter of principal...