Google which

[jerson]

At the moment i have google local, is there any advantage to downloading google earth or maybe another site, is it all the same image, is there a site that will give marks for a gps, what do we think. If so what is the best way to get access.

Jerson.

[Gagga08]

Google Earth will give you a gps position, im not sure how accurate they are though.

[Outsider1]

Google Earth will give you a gps position, im not sure how accurate they are though.

Close enough in my experience. I have done the exercise a couple of times on beacons I know that have not moved in recent years. They come up pretty close to the GPS map marks (navionics) on my Lowrance.

Go with Google Earth IMO. You will have to download it as a separate software program on your PC, but you can save marks, take GPS positions etc and customise what you see etc. and everything is saved on your PC. I also use it as another back up of my GPS marks and to check out any new marks I come across.

Cheers

Dave

[tunaticer]

Google Earth is a worthy tool for inspecting newer areas prior to fishing, seeing where the drop offs lay and reef patches etc.
I have a real time fixture on my letterbox i check regularly with my handheld gps and usually its landing within a 5 metre radius. Cross referencing that location with Google Earth is currently 42m out roughly in an easterly direction. Each time they fiddle with new images there is an alteration in the dgree of accuracy. 12 months ago the letterbox and the google earth image coords were within about 5 metres and quite acceptable. 6 months ago it was about 20 metres hmmmm newest images i noticed nearby (about 3km east of my house) and the coords have shifted to 42m. As the images are overlaid I think the perifery of the images loses its accuracy.

Still it is a good tool for cyber exploration and certainly good enough to give you general locations of structure to fish in the future. It is also handy to place your gps marks onto for trip planning as well.

Jack.

[jerson]

how often are these images updated, i've noticed the same 2 boats heading around the southern end of St. Helena that have been on google local for quiet awhile.

jerson

[the gecko]

Most photos are around 2-3 years old.

Some areas get updated each year or 2, and others dont. Theres no rhyme or reason to it. Google collect the data from govt satelittes, and it takes them a while to get these updates from various govts.

I have access to the Lands Dept satelitte photos, and it seems theres a 9-12 month delay in getting google to update after the govt does it. The govt photos themselves are often 2-3 years old. They cant always get clear shots with cloud cover and rain.

Andrew