GPS

Let's add a trail to OpenStreetMap.

Multi-use trails add character to a neighbourhood and to a map. Here is a way to add your local trail to OpenStreetMap. This is a suitable first mapping project when you get a GPS receiver, and this is the sort of mapping that you can do with family and friends.  read more »

There is a small group of shops in your neighbourhood and you wish to add them to OpenStreetMap. This is a tutorial that will lead you through the steps required to add a small group of shops to OSM. You'll be able to complete this contribution to OSM in about one hour.

Let's go mapping.  read more »

Adding information about your neighbourhood to OpenStreetMap can be relatively simple when there is local data to use as landmarks. Sometimes you want to explore terra incognita and add data for which there is no local reference for dead reckoning. This tutorial takes a first look at using a GPS receiver to collect a track file for use as a reference when adding information to OpenStreetMap.

Using a GPS receiver to collect data for OpenStreetMap is very helpful for a scenic bicycle trail or relaxing canoe trip.  read more »

Select a GPS

I've only recently joined the conversation over at the OSM Newbies mailing list. Common threads of discussion from new OSM users include, I'm enthusiastic; there is so much to read on the wiki; is there a short-cut document for newbies?.

Some reference material for new contributors include the beginners' section on the wiki.

Dan O'Hara has helpfully compiled some pointers he calls:  read more »

OSM Mapping for Dummies

Several Garmin GPSes work well with Ubuntu as a mass USB storage device. Navigating the menu to enable the mass USB device can be a bit of a headache. Here is an alternative that takes less fumbling with the joyclick on the Garmin and that does a better job of grabbing the data.

gpsbabel does many wonderful and magical things for us as far as format conversion, but also can handle communication with the device for us. For example this tip from txwikinger:

gpsbabel -t -w -i garmin -f usb: -o gpx -F yourfilename.gpx
 read more »