Trace your fields, or use your GPS to instantly calculate field area

ExpertGPS calculates field acreage down to the square foot. Instantly. Without any calculations or complicated math on your part. Just click and draw. Or upload waypoints or track logs from your GPS. All you have to do is download the 30-day trial of ExpertGPS and follow these simple step-by-step instructions below.

SH asks:
I have 174 waypoints coordinates and I would like to calculate the area of the farmland based on those coordinates. How do I do that using GPS Expert?

Calculating Area of a Farm Field Marked with GPS Waypoints

Click Receive from GPS on the GPS menu in ExpertGPS. All of your GPS waypoints will be shown on the map. Use the Route Tool to connect the waypoints marking the corners of your field.

Show the Area of your Field

On the View menu in ExpertGPS, click Show Route List. Then click Select List Columns. Add the Area column. ExpertGPS displays the area of all of your fields.

Converting between Acres, Square Feet, and Hectares

To convert the area calculated by ExpertGPS between acres, square feet, hectares, or another unit, click Preferences on the Edit menu, and click on the Units tab.

Download ExpertGPS, and Calculate the Area of your Fields Now!

Download the free ExpertGPS demo and follow these simple step-by-step instructions to calculate the acreage of your land and fields.

John B. writes:
I'm mapping a 160 acre oil field water flood project, trying to map as best as possible the trench routes between the 45 or so oil wells and the 30 or so water injector wells, and the pumphouse.
In trying to do the best possible job, being able to pick up as many trenches as possible on aerial photography will be a big help. Already, with the trial version of ExpertGPS, I can see some of the main trenches.
My question is, is the photography in the trial version from Google Earth? Or, what would be the best photography to check for recent coverage and the highest resolution?
I am going to purchase ExpertGPS, GIS version. After getting this oilfield map done, there are 20 plus sections of leases to topsoil sample on a tenth of a mile grid. It is fantastic, to have zoomable aerial photo and topo coverage, and gridding ability, with automatically generated gps points, not to mention tracks. This is going to save alot of time over the method I was using; putting a plastic grid over the laptop screen to manually mark waypoints, using Topo software. Thanks for making a great product!

ExpertGPS Pro features USGS 1:24000 topo maps and 1 meter/pixel aerial photography for the entire US. These maps come from Microsoft's TerraServer-USA. In addition to the nationwide TerraServer USA imagery, ExpertGPS also has more recent half-meter color orthophotos (aerial imagery) for select US areas. The image to the right shows ExpertGPS color imagery outside Galveston, TX.

You have several options for viewing higher-resolution imagery in ExpertGPS:

1. You can use the View in Google Earth command (F7) in ExpertGPS to instantly view the corresponding aerial imagery in Google Earth.

2. You can use the View Online command (F5) in ExpertGPS to bring up a Web map of any point you mark on the map. The ExpertGPS.com online viewer has links to several mapping sites, and shows a detailed color image like the one below:

3. Most states have free high-resolution color orthophotos that you can download on their state GIS Web sites. I've written several tutorials on how to make maps using free orthophotos from your state GIS with ExpertGPS Pro.

Ben C. needs help converting offshore and deep-sea fishing spots from an Excel spreadsheet into GPS coordinates he can convert to a .USR data file for his Lowrance GPS. Here's how to import and download Excel data to your GPS using ExpertGPS:

Ben contacted me because ExpertGPS wouldn't accept the latitudes and longitudes in his Excel spreadsheet. They are in a non-standard format, with two decimal points. Looking carefully, you can tell that these are actually degrees and minutes of lat/long, with a decimal point used between the degrees and minutes, rather than a space, or a degrees symbol. ExpertGPS can extract coordinates out of just about any format, but I had to modify ExpertGPS to accept this data. Download version 3.09 (or later) of ExpertGPS mapping software to convert this data.

Before copying and pasting the coordinate data from Excel into ExpertGPs, I followed these instructions for adding a new coordinate format to ExpertGPS, and selected degrees and minutes (hddd mm.mmmmm) and the WGS84 datum.

Importing the Excel fishing waypoints

I copied the three columns of data from Excel, starting on the second line since the first line contained a title that spanned all three columns. ExpertGPS wants to see actual data (or a header row) on the first line of the pasted data. I selected degrees and minutes, WGS84 datum.

On the second page of the ExpertGPS Import Text Wizard, I matched up the columns of data from Excel with the columns in ExpertGPS. Click Next, then Finish, and ExpertGPS displays a map of your GPS fishing spots, as shown below.

Sending Fishing Waypoints to your Lowrance GPS

To transfer your fishing spots to your GPS receiver, click Send to GPS on the GPS menu. If you haven't yet told ExpertGPS which GPS receiver you're using, click Preferences on the Edit menu, and add your Lowrance GPS, as shown here. Because this GPS uses a MMC/SD data card, you'll be prompted to save a .USR file to your GPS memory card containing all of your fishing hotspots and waypoints.

Learn More about Fishing and Boating with ExpertGPS

To learn more about using ExpertGPS to map out fishing spots or to upload and download data from your Lowrance or Garmin chartplotter or GPS, read the Fishing and Boating tutorials on this site, or Ask the GPS Expert if you need help transferring waypoints, tracks, or routes to and from your boat's GPS.

Steve K. asks:
I'm using your trial software to see if it's right for me. I'm an architect and I need the ability to export to AutoCAD. As an experiment, I drew the metes and bounds of a particular parcel over the aerial photo map that loads automatically in the trial version. I did this by establishing waypoints and projecting each one to the next in series. Then I connected them all as a route, and then converted the route to a shape. Finally, I exported the shapes to .dxf, but when I open the file in AutoCAD, the shape is completely distorted. I'm not sure what's causing this or how to remedy it.

The DXF drawings you export from ExpertGPS Pro use the coordinate format and datum you've selected within the program. Most likely, what's happening is that you've got the coordinate format in ExpertGPS set to latitude and longitude, and so you're seeing distortion when your CAD software tries to display lat/lon data as X,Y eastings and northings. There's an easy fix, which you only have to do once: select a new coordinate format in ExpertGPS prior to exporting. You can set ExpertGPS to display coordinates in US State Plane coordinates, UTM, or pretty much any national grid coordinate system.

Ray K. asks:
I have downloaded property shape files from the Montana Cadastral mapping web site and want to place them on top of the Garmin TOPO 2008 MapSource map that in in my GPS to outline the property on the TOPO map, can you help me do this?

ExpertGPS Pro will import your property boundaries from the MT cadastral Web site, and allow you to send selected parcels to your Garmin as a GPS tracklog, which will appear over your TOPO 2008 MapSource basemap. You can then use your GPS receiver to locate the property boundaries.

In ExpertGPS Pro, click Import on the File menu, and then select the parcels.shp shapefile that you downloaded from Montana's Cadastral Web site. Shapefiles from this Web site are in Montana FIPS 2500 state plane coordinates, NAD83 datum. If you haven't yet added this coordinate format to ExpertGPS Pro, follow these directions to add a new GPS coordinate format in ExpertGPS.

Once you've imported the MT cadastral shapefile into ExpertGPS Pro, you can select the property boundaries you'd like to send to your GPS (as I've done above with the parcel highlighted in yellow). On the GPS menu, click Send Selected to GPS, and ExpertGPS will re-project the MT state plane coordinates for your property outline into GPS coordinates that your Garmin (or Magellan, Lowrance, or Eagle) GPS can understand, and send it to your GPS.

Your Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx will display the tracklog representing the cadastral property boundary over the TOPO 2008 basemap. You should now be able to use your handheld GPS receiver to locate your property boundaries and corner stakes.

Mike G. uses ExpertGPS to research abandoned railroads in Northeast Pennsylvania. Here he reviews ExpertGPS as a historical map research tool:

The main reason why I tried out this program, and purchased it, is because one of my hobbies is abandoned railroad research. My area has a large network of abandoned railroads since at one time the coal industry was "king".

Looking at present day Topo maps and even ariels are limited because most of the old ROW's have been erased or are broken up by development. There is a site that has historical USGS maps which is very helpful to trace out these once busy lines, but is limited. The single most reason I purchased this program was the ability to take a historical USGS maps and integrate them and make them more GPS accurate. Already there are a few relics from a former railroad line that could not be identified until I overlayed the map onto my GPS data. I maintain a website with my findings and the example of how this program solved a mystery can be found here.

Brian H. asks:
How do I add Lowrance gps way point numbers( like 34.06.182 / 81.23.465 and convert to get into google earth pro for fishing way points?

Your data is in latitude and longitude, degrees and decimal minutes. That first dot (after 34 in 34.06.182) should actually be a degrees symbol, or a space. So the latitude is 34 degrees, and 6.182 minutes North latitude. The longitude is 81 degrees, 23.465 minutes West longitude. (In the US, we're in Western Hemisphere, and you'll often see the longitude written with a negative sign: -81 23.465')

Read my tutorial on adding a new coordinate format to ExpertGPS for instructions on how to add lat/lon deg min.min coordinates. You'll need to know whether your data is in WGS84 datum, or NAD27.

Viewing your Fishing Waypoints in Google Earth

Once you've entered your waypoints, you can press F7, the View in Google Earth command, to map your GPS fishing waypoints on Google Earth's color aerial photos. And when you press Send to GPS in ExpertGPS, your waypoints will be transferred directly to your Lowrance chartplotter or GPS receiver.

Andy D. writes:
I have a Garmin 205W and stumbled on your webpage for ExpertGPS. It looks like an interesting package, and one that may make good finacial sense to me. I am currently taking my private pilot exams, and rather than pay $1000 or more for an aviators GPS I've bought the 205W. What I would like to do is take aviation maps (these are available to Google Earth) and map certain 2-Dimensional shapes (polygons, circles and points) as a layer to my 205W. These would represent airspace restrictions and navigations aids (beyond the list of VOR and airport POI's that are already available). Could I ask whether your tool would make this easier for me, and if so what is the workflow involved? Your screenshots all suggest aerial maps, but I want to use charts.

ExpertGPS can import KML files and GIS shapefiles containing restricted airspaces and other aviation data, and display it over scanned charts or digital charts in JPEG, PNG, or TIFF format.

There are plenty of pilots who use ExpertGPS as a pre-flight planning tool, and as a post-flight analysis tool. Ultralight and experimental aircraft pilots, in particular, rely on ExpertGPS to view their exact flight path over the ground, analyzing how efficient they are in their turns, and checking their rates of descent.

So there are lots of aviation uses that ExpertGPS can help with. I'd hesitate to recommend you use a Garmin Nuvi 205W as a flight instrument or replacement for an aviation GPS, however. For starters, the Nuvi 205W and other Nuvi 2xx series GPS receivers can only display waypoints - they can't record or display a GPS tracklog.

More importantly, the Nuvi is designed for automotive use, not aviation. It has no way of audibly alerting you when you stray into restricted airspace. It doesn't display hazards and navaids like a dedicated aviation GPS does.

Having a GPS in the cockpit can provide some useful information after you land. But I'd save my money up and purchase a dedicated aviation GPS like the Garmin GPSMAP 496 if you're serious about using it in flight. (And even then, it's merely a backup for your primary navigation aids and chart-reading skills)

You can find more information about displaying aviation charts in ExpertGPS in the ExpertGPS Help file. I'd also recommend asking other ExpertGPS users on the ExpertGPS Users Forum for recommendations for aviation GPS receivers and using ExpertGPS as part of your flight planning toolset.

Bob R. writes:
Hello, I have the trial version of your software. What I want to do is: 1. Create maps with downloaded images from Google Earth-for 1/4 of the state of Iowa (Approx 100 miles square. 2. Use the laptop in an airplane with a GPS connected. 3. Have Expert GPS show me where I am right now with an Icon, etc overlaid on the Google Earth images. I am doing this on a MacBook Pro running Boot Camp and Windows XP Pro. The software and hardware recognizes the GPS (Garmin 396 Aviation version) I am not sure whether your software is targeted at creating maps and images or at actually tracking position and path in real time. Thanks!

ExpertGPS will be able to handle this. The Tracking feature in ExpertGPS turns your MacBook Pro (or any other laptop) into a huge moving-map display, so you can track your progress across Iowa.

The Retrieve Maps tool in ExpertGPS will let you download all of the topo maps and aerial photos for Iowa and preload them on your hard drive, so they are instantly available when you're flying or driving around without an Internet connection. I've written a tutorial about downloading and preloading maps to your hard drive using ExpertGPS, which explains exactly how to do this.

Once you've got your maps preloaded, you can disconnect your Internet connection and use the Tracking feature to plot your position, current heading, speed, and distance to your destination.

Stacie R. asks:
Is there a GPS system that will allow me to import my sales territory which is on excel with columns such as Agency Name, Address, City, State, ZIP (similar to mappoint) onto a GPS? I could have 1000 or more addresses based on a several state territory which is why I can't manually add them. Or, can you export excel to outlook and then to a gps from outlook?

You can easily look up client addresses and turn them into GPS waypoints, using the Go to Address command in ExpertGPS. This is great for adding new clients, or for when you only want to convert a few addresses to GPS latitude and longitude (this process is called geocoding).

To import your entire client base from Excel or Outlook, I'd recommend that you use a batch geocoder, and then use ExpertGPS to send the converted (geocoded) addresses to your Garmin nuvi (or other automotive GPS).

I've written a tutorial which will walk you through all of the steps for converting a list of addresses from Excel or Outlook into GPS waypoints. If you need help with any part of this process, or with any other GPS data conversion, just ask the GPS expert. I'm always happy to help.

Additional Information about Geocoding (Converting Addresses to GPS Coordinates)

Geocoding Tutorials with ExpertGPS