The great wall in google earth

[nickschurch]

Hi all,

I'm a new member to the forums, but I remember noticing a few weeks ago when I first came across the site that there was an ongoing community attempt to put together a comprehensive google earth file for the great wall. Unfortunately, I can't find that thread, or the like, or the file anywhere now!

Does anyone know where its gone?

[Bryan]

Hi nickschurch, thanks for joining the forum. The map is currently being completed by a few of our members. It's a big job and the end product will be impressive. We haven't yet decided how to distribute it. We feel a responsibility to contribute to the preservation and protection of the Great Wall. This map can be both helpful and harmful toward this goal. Therefore, we're currently trying to determine how best to proceed once the map is presentable (it's getting close to being ready for a first release).

We closed the old thread because the files it contained are now obsolete as they are all being combined into one complete and organized map.

Would you mind telling us what your use would be for the map? Do you have any data such as GPS tracks or other material that might help to improve it?

[nickschurch]

Thanks for the swift reply! I've been living and working in Beijing with my girlfriend for past 7 months and will be for a futher 5 before doing a months travelling. So far we've visited 3 sections of the great wall. Badaling, Mutianyu (which I doubt you need much information on) and a more remote site called Desheng Bao near Datong. Although this last location seemed very wild and remote at the time, I think its actually pretty well known. There are some high-res images of it on google earth already and several other 'great wall google earth files' have placemarks for it. So so far I don't think theres much I could add (if there is, let me know - I'd be happy to help).

In a month-or-so's time I hope to go to Jiuquan and I know there are some sections of the wall there too that we intend to visit. How well known or how much information you have on them I don't know. If it'd be helpful, I can get some photos and GPS co-ords for whatever bit we visit there?

My use for the map would be twofold. Firstly, and most importantly for me, It'll go in the 'My year in China' section of my google earth which, along with photos, memories and whatnot will be a great rememberall of my time here. Secondly, I'd like to use it to identify some good bits of wall to go visit near jiuquan and in the vague nearby vicinity of Beijing (within a days travel). Hopefully it will help me find some places away from the traditional tourist trail. Taxi drivers are a great resource for doing this already if you speak a bit of chinese - but a bit of information beforehand wouldn't go amiss!

[Bryan]

We're making good progress on the map and we should have something available within a week or so.

Your trip to Jiuquan sounds very interesting. Of course, the Great Wall in that area is very different from the Great Wall you have seen so far. We would be very interested in your GPS data and your photos. And as I am sure you know, there are very many good areas to visit near Beijing.

Are you using a GPS receiver that has tracking? Do you have any GPS tracks from your previous visits to the Great Wall?

[chinoook]

For the Jiuquan area we have very good data. It will be contained in the upcoming map. I walked the whole wall there. If you have questions feel free to ask. I also could tell you which questions about the wall there are still open. Especially in this questions you could help us all to improve the map by your own Great Wall research.


-chinoook

[bepu]

I have downloaded the GE files and they look great.

It is even possible to add more info by extending the placemarks with a short description and links to relevant sections of this forum and photo's.

I did such a thing for Beijing to share my photo's. I made my KML public so you can also see it on google maps (use satellite mode to view. map is shifted for Beijing). see: http://maps.google.nl/maps?tab=wl&q=...nl/beijing.kml or download the kml at http://www.deputsjes.nl/beijing.kml

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by bepu

I have downloaded the GE files and they look great.

It is even possible to add more info by extending the placemarks with a short description and links to relevant sections of this forum and photo's.

I did such a thing for Beijing to share my photo's. I made my KML public so you can also see it on google maps (use satellite mode to view. map is shifted for Beijing). see: http://maps.google.nl/maps?tab=wl&q=...nl/beijing.kml or download the kml at http://www.deputsjes.nl/beijing.kml

You did an excellent job with your kml file and I really have enjoyed looking at it. Your photos and your descriptions are very good and I learned a lot.

I hope someday we have time to incorporate some of those features into the maps here at the Great Wall Forum. Thank you for the suggestion.

Originally Posted by bepu

map is shifted for Beijing

Would you please explain what this means?

[bepu]

I placed my markers in Google Earth. So for example I zoomed in to Tian Anmen, and put the marker.

If I show the KML in Google Maps with the satellite view activated it all looks as in GE. But when I switch GM to the map view the marker is about 200m west fron Tian Anmen.

[Bryan]

Yes, I see what you mean now. Very unfortunate. I compared my actual GPS measurements from downtown Beijing and I found that the satellite view is accurate but the map is offset. Just like you said.

Making matters worse is the fact that certain areas such as the Huairou Great Wall have misaligned satellite images in both Google Earth and Google Maps.

[Luggi]

http://high-iso.de/other/Great%20Wall.kmz

that is my work.