Last updated 21 January 2010.
Wings & Waves have established (with the help of Manolis of Leonardo) the "Wings & Waves NZ Online XC" league as an online competition for NZ pilots.
1. A computer with an internet connection
2. A free account on the Leonardo website
3. A GPS and the proper cable to connect your GPS to your computer.
4. A download program, like GpsDump (free), or any program that can download your GPS track to your computer and save your track as a verified *.igc file.
Go flying and record your flight with your GPS. Using a free application such as GpsDump, download the GPS track to your computer, saving it as an *.igc file on your computer. Open an internet browser, login to Leonardo and upload the *.igc file.
Step 1: Get An Account On Leonardo
You need an account on Paragliding Forum to use Leonardo. Please use your real name to help me gather the scores at the end of each month.
Bookmark this link to go directly to the Wings & Waves NZ Online XC page. (Once there select the latest season to view the results table for the current season). You can log in from the Main Menu there.
Bookmark this link to go directly to the Submit Flight page to upload a flight.
Step 2: Configure your GPS To Record
Each model is a little different, but the setup is pretty easy, especially if you use your manual. You want to turn "Recording" on under "Tracks" which should be in the main menu. The interval at which your location is recorded isn't critical, but it should be sized according to the number of points your unit can record.
Tip: Clear your GPS track log just before every launch and make sure its track log recording is turned on. (This will make the downloading of the track log of your latest flight to your computer easier, and assumes you will be downloading your track after each flight).
Step 3: Fly your Flight with your GPS turned on
Step 4: Download your Track Log to your Computer
You need a program that will download your GPS track and save the track as an *.igc file on your PC. If you don't have one, then the recommended one to use is GpsDump which can be downloaded from here. It is free software, it does the job well, and it's safe. Note: The reason the use of GpsDump is recommended is because it is a proven, secure way of saving data directly from a GPS into a computer file. Part of this is the saving of file verification information in the file so that if the data or filename is altered in any way then the file will fail any non-tampered verification check. If you have a late-model flight instrument, then make sure you have the latest version of GpsDump.
For Macs, try FlightTrack.
Test the recording and download process by turning your GPS on, set it to record your track, and walk down the street with it for a couple minutes, then turn your GPS off. Connect your GPS to your PC and start GpsDump (or use your preferred program). Try to save your track as an *.igc file. See below for specifics on using GpsDump.
How to Use GpsDump to Download Your Track Log to a Valid IGC File (PC Only)
For GpsDump, version 4.27:
Connect your GPS to the computer using the cable that came with your GPS, turn on your GPS, and check that it is set up for data transfer (read your GPS manual if you are not sure how to do that for your particular GPS model).
Run the GpsDump program.
[Serial GPS cable users: If it's your first time and your GPS cable is a Serial(RS232) one, then you may need to set the "COM port" for GpsDump to look at by clicking the "Set COM port" menu item of the "Misc" main menu]
Click the button, or the Logs menu item, for your model of GPS; for example: If you have a Garmin and are using a USB cable, then click the button "Garmin (USB)", or alternatively click the Logs main menu and then the Logs menu item "Read Garmin USB".
If the GpsDump program "sees" your GPS, your track log will now be read into GpsDump and you will soon see a list of points that comprise your track. Select the correct sequence of track points (and only those track points), that relate to the XC flight that you want to submit, by highlighting (clicking on, in the Date column) the first point you want to include in your saved log file, then hold down the shift key and scroll down and select the last track point you want included (you can use the End, Up/Down direction keys or the scroll bar to scroll down).
By correct sequence, I mean be sure to check that your highlighted range of track points just includes points from your last flight's take-off through to your last flight's landing. If you did not clear your track log before taking off, then you could easily have multiple flights in your track, possibly from more than one day, or maybe have track points from when you turned your GPS on at home or in the car. You don't want to download multiple flights and/or non-flying track points to one IGC file because it won't make a valid track log file for submitting to the Leonardo competition. To find the start of the flight, start with a track log point of the correct date and then scroll down to the approximate time when you think you took off. Scroll down until you can see significant changes in speed and/or altitude that show your last takeoff. Go back a little to find a track point just before you took off.
With your relevant track log points highlighted, click the "Save log in IGC format" menu item of the "File" main menu. Fill in your name, glider model and the launch site. If you have already saved a flight for the same date, then you need to increment the Flight #(1-35) field. Enter a 3 digit alpha-numeric in the FR Serial no. field, this could be you initials for example. Then tick the "IGC long file name" and "G Security record" options and click the Save button (and remember where you saved the *.igc file). Remember: Do not change the filename after saving or the IGC file will then fail any non-tampered validity check.
Step 5: Upload the *.igc File to Leonardo
1. Go to the Submit Flight page of Leonardo to upload a flight.
2. Using the Browse button to locate your *.igc file
3. Press the "submit" button. You will have to wait a short time for the flight to be processed.
About Uploading your Track Log
For an entry into the NZ Online XC competition, your track log should be submitted within 30 days of your flight.
Deleting an Invalid Track Log
If you find that your displayed track log is incorrect (perhaps it shows your car journey home, for example), then you can delete it from Leonardo, correct the problem in GpsDump, and re-upload it. To delete your track log from Leonardo: log in and click the small "rubbish bin" icon (top right corner) when you are viewing your flight.
1. Brett Hardin of
Cascade Paragliding Club, USA
2. British Paragliding Competitions