Google Earth Path Markers
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Q: How can I draw distance markers on the ground with my Google Earth profile?
A: With TAP6.0.2436 or later and a Maintenance Subscription date of February 29, 2012, or later, you can include a path along the ground surface to mark the path profile.
Note that all values in this example are for demonstration purposes only. You should determine appropriate settings for your application.
With HDPath you can export the path line of sight and Fresnel zone to a Google Earth KML file.
This article describes how to include a line along the ground with distance markers. This line can be useful in checking significant features along the path at known distances.
For example, suppose you have a path profile displayed in HDPath:
To include the path markers along the ground, click the Configuration menu, then click Google Earth. Be sure the “Show path on ground” item is checked:
Click the Google Earth button to create the KML file:
The Google Earth profile now includes the “Path on Ground” object. The default color of the path marker is white. You can change the color in the Configuration-ProfileColors menu.
Like other Google Earth profile objects, you can turn off the path markers by un-checking the “Path on Ground” box:
When you zoom in to inspect the path markers you can see the tic marks for distance. The units are the same units used to draw the path in HDPath (in the Units section below the profile graphic on the HDPath form). The tic marks are shown every tenth of a unit (such as 0.1km) with longer tic marks at the incremental distances. Note that the path marker follows the terrain, so the distances between tics may appear unequal because the surface distance along a slope is not the same as the horizontal distance used for the tics.
The path markers can be used to correlate features on the path profile in HDPath with the Google Earth profile.
For example, suppose you want to investigate the terrain obstruction at about 53km on the profile in HDPath. The Mouse Location window can give you the distance to the obstacle when you place the mouse over it:
Use the Google Earth controls to find the approximate location of the obstacle along the path. You can also use the Google Earth ruler function to find features at specified distances along the path.
It may be helpful to temporarily turn off the Fresnel zone or Line of Sight objects:
The major and minor tic marks confirm that the peak of the obstacle is at approximately 53.3km from the TX end of the path.
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Copyright 2012 by SoftWright LLC
