Waypoint file in text format: KingRts3.txt

This Waypoint file can be read into the Waypoint Plus program directly. To learn about Waypoint Plus, Jump to this page

You can also key the information directly into your GPS or other waypoint program. If that is what you want to do, I need to tell you how to read the data in the file.

Here is what a line describing a waypoint (King Take Off in this example) looks like:

RP,DM,1AKING, 43.460962417,-113.1742649794,01/29/2001,14:51:58,KING T/O(7925)

Each data field is separated by a comma. I'll explain the ones you'll be interested in.

• 1AKING: This is the waypoint name. The convention used in this file is Route (1), waypoint sequence in route (A), name (KING). This naming scheme keeps the waypoints grouped in the GPS for easy "goto" retrieval during flight.
• 43.460962417: Latitude. The coordinates are in Deg, Minutes, stored here as a single decimal number. You read it as: 43 degrees, 46.0962417 minutes North.
• -113.1742649794: Longitude, read as 113 degrees, 17.42649794 minutes West (the "-" means West)
• KING T/O(7925): comment field. This gives a longer version of the name and the altitude (7925 ft.) in parenthesis. Some varios require that the altitude be part of the waypoint name in order to do final-glide calculations. You can edit this text file to put the altitude into the name field before you upload it to your GPS.
  If you see "AP" as part of the name, the waypoint is at an AirPort (it may be no more than a dirt strip).

If you're interested in what the other data fields mean:

• RP: This is a Route Point data line. If you use Waypoint Plus to upload these to your GPS, you'll end up with three routes defined.
• DM: The waypoint is in Degrees, Minutes.
• 01/29/2001: the date the point was entered into Waypoint Plus
• 14:51:58: and the time it was entered.

When you look at the text file, you'll see some other lines. Here's what they mean:

The first line in the file is:
Datum,WGS84,WGS84,0,0,0,0,0

You'll want to set your GPS to the same WGS84 map datum before you upload this file to it. You must also be sure that your GPS is set to show coordinates in Degrees, Minutes. You can always change the coordinate display after the upload.

The second line is:
RN,1 ,SALMON

This is a Route Name data line, The Route number is 1, and the name of the route is "SALMON". Route two, you'll find, is "DILLON" and Route 3 is "HENRYS".

Most of these waypoints were taken from Delorme's mapping program Topo USA 3.0. They should be close enough, within a couple hundred feet, of the actual location. Since I've never visited some if these waypoints, and had to guess as to where they are, those that are not a clear intersection of roads, or an airfield, may be suspect.

If you should get more-accurate readings for any of these waypoints, please email them to Ernie Camacho, or any Sonoma Wings Pilot and they'll find their way here.

Ernie Camacho