Measuring Distances and Calculating Bearings

Tools for measuring distance and calculating bearings and angles are built into every aspect of ExpertGPS - there's no need to switch to a separate measuring tool. Here are some of the several ways you can measure the distances, angles, and bearings in ExpertGPS:

To measure the straight-line distance between two points:

Right-click on a waypoint, and click Set Active Point. The Active Point is used as the starting location for distance and bearing measurements. As you move the cursor over the map, the distance and bearing from the Active Point to the cursor position will be continuously updated in the lower right corner of the main window.

For a quick distance measurement without setting the Active Point, you can simply click on a point or on the map, and move the cursor to the see the distance from where you last clicked.

To see the distance and bearing from a waypoint to ALL other points:

Set the Active Point, as above. Click Show Waypoint List on the View menu. In the Waypoint List, enable the Distance and Bearing columns by clicking Select List Columns on the View menu. The distance and bearing from the Active Point to each waypoint will be shown.

To measure the perimeter of a field or other area bounded by waypoints:

Use the Route Tool to connect waypoints together into a route. The distance and bearing for each segment will be drawn on the map, and you can also access this information by right-clicking the route, and clicking Show Route Waypoint List. If you connect multiple waypoints into a route, the total route distance is shown in the Route List.

To measure distances along a track or shape:

You can quickly see the distance for any track or shape by selecting it, and looking in the status pane in the bottom left corner. Or, right-click and Edit Track, and you'll see the distance listed in Stats. If you select Hover: All in the Map Display Options dialog, the distance will appear when you hover the cursor over the track on the map.

To measure the distance along only part of a track or shape, select the track, and drag down the length of the track to create a Track Selection. Now you can hover over the track to see the selected distance.

Measuring distances along a complex path:

Switch to the Track or Shape tool, draw a temporary track to measure the distance, and then delete the track.

Adding distance or bearing measurements to a map:

Switch to the Track tool, and draw a two-point, straight-line track in the direction you want to measure. Edit the track, and create a new Track Type called "Distance Arrow". Set the Line to Distance or Direction Arrows, and check the
Display navigation info: ☑ Distance box.

To measure radial (circular) distance:

Create a new waypoint at the center point. Right-click and Edit Waypoint. Enter a radius in the Proximity field. ExpertGPS will draw an orange circle of that radius around the point.

To create a buffer around a point, line, or polygon:

ExpertGPS Pro users can right-click any object or multiple objects on the map, right-click and Create Buffer. This allows you to create setbacks from property boundaries, or wetland buffer zones around ponds.

Set Active Point command

ExpertGPS works with hundreds of GPS receivers, including all Garmin Drive, nüvi, eTrex, Colorado, Dakota, echoMAP, GPSMAP, Edge, Forerunner, Montana, Oregon, and Rino models, Magellan eXplorist GPS receivers, and Lowrance HDS, Elite, and HOOK GPS chartplotters and fishfinders. Download ExpertGPS

Find your GPS on the ExpertGPS compatibility list.