Free Geography Tools

Christian Pesch has let me know about RouteConverter, his Java-based program for handling, editing and converting GPS routes. It requires Java 6, so it currently runs on Windows and Linux (no Mac). It lets you:

• Convert between different GPS route formats; currently supports:
  • Garmin MapSource 5.x (*.mps)
  • Garmin MapSource 6.x (*.gdb)
  • Garmin PCX5 (*.wpt)
  • Google Earth 3 (*.kml and *.kmz)
  • Google Earth 4 (*.kml and *.kmz)
  • Google Maps URL
  • GPX XML 1.0 (*.gpx)
  • GPX XML 1.1 with Garmin Extensions (*.gpx)
  • Magellan MapSend (*.wpt)
  • Microsoft AutoRoute 2002-2006 (*.axe)
  • Motorrad Tourenplaner (*.bcr)
  • Navigon Mobile Navigator 4 (*.rte)
  • Navigon Mobile Navigator 6 (*.rte)
  • NMEA 0183 Sentences (*.nmea)
  • Tom Tom Route (*.itn)
  • Tom Tom POI (*.ov2)
  • Tour Exchange Format (*.tef)
• Add/subtract/edit points in a route
• Selects points within a certain distance of another point, and lets you delete them for route simplification
• Append a route to the current route
• Supports multiple routes within Google Earth, GPX and Garmin MapSource files

Screenshot (from the website):

A good supplement to ITNConv, since it handles multiple routes better than that program, is able to simplify routes, and also supports a few formats (NMEA, Tour Exchange) that ITNConv doesn’t. But ITNConv also handles some formats that RouteConverter doesn’t, and its Google-Maps-based editor for points is definitely a plus.