Fun google earth tool-FYI

MITCHMO · Apr 23, 2018

I am sure this is old news to you experts here, but while doing google earth homework, I found out the fun tool called "show viewshed". So I can right click on a pin and it will highlight everything I can see from that point. Pretty sweet! Great tool for checking glassing points and meadows that are hidden from roads.

If there are any google earth experts out there, I am still struggling to measure straight line distances. It shows the distance as map length and ground length, but they almost always match. I'm no math expert but dropping down into a canyon at least feels a lot longer than straight across

one of those numbers have to be off.

salmonslyer · Apr 23, 2018

Sounds like a cool feature thanks for sharing.

Mallardsx2 · Apr 23, 2018

Google Earth has encounter an error and needs to close.

Thats what I have seen every time I tried to use that feature lol

Elite7 · Apr 23, 2018

Thanks for the tip. That is pretty neat and now I know what I will be doing the rest of the day!

JDH · Apr 23, 2018

Mallardsx2 said:
Google Earth has encounter an error and needs to close.

Thats what I have seen every time I tried to use that feature lol

When I use it you can tell it really works my computer.

nuevo_eph · Apr 23, 2018

You're right about the distance difference (or lack of), it appears the ground length may be short. My suggestion is to try to measure a path, one of the other tab options in the measurement window, and then enable the elevation profile. It seems to be longer.

CampRipleyLF · Apr 23, 2018

sweet, actually didn't know that. thanks for the tip

Steelhead · Apr 23, 2018

I don't have that option on GE Pro, weird.

TOGIE · Apr 23, 2018

MITCHMO said:
If there are any google earth experts out there, I am still struggling to measure straight line distances. It shows the distance as map length and ground length, but they almost always match. I'm no math expert but dropping down into a canyon at least feels a lot longer than straight across one of those numbers have to be off.

Make sure "Terrain" is checked in the layers box on the bottom left before doing any measuring. If that doesn't fix it, or you already have that selected, I have no idea what's wrong.

Edit: Playing around a little more, that doesn't change it enough to reflect the distance shown in the elevation profile. So, never mind I guess, just go with the distance on the profile. That's kind of annoying.

starvingoutdoorsman · Apr 23, 2018

Terrain was not checked on mine. This is a pretty neat tool!

fmnjr · Apr 23, 2018

Remember, some may be using google earth and others may be use google earth pro. Go to Tools | Ruler and start playing with the different tabs. Nice find BTW, I'd not seen that before. Also, check this: https://support.google.com/earth/answer/148134?hl=en

Smtn10pt · Apr 24, 2018

So I can assume everything in the green circle is what will be visible?

Elkhunter24 · Apr 24, 2018

Thank you!

Gunner46 · May 2, 2018

I used GE when I was researching my last WY hunt. I was looking at the roads & terrain features. Lo & Behold if I didn't find a pic of a couple of 'Lopes beside the road. Cool.

When I actually got there and drove that road.....Guess What? You got it ! 'Lopes !! Exactly where the shot was taken.

No, I didn't tag one, private property, but was cool anyways to find them there.

JDH · May 3, 2018

Gunner46 said:
I used GE when I was researching my last WY hunt. I was looking at the roads & terrain features. Lo & Behold if I didn't find a pic of a couple of 'Lopes beside the road. Cool.

When I actually got there and drove that road.....Guess What? You got it ! 'Lopes !! Exactly where the shot was taken.

No, I didn't tag one, private property, but was cool anyways to find them there.

Same thing happened to me with Google Street View. They were in an alfalfa field.

TRS_Montana · May 3, 2018

Keep in mind that viewshed tools don't account for vegetation. I've been burned by that one after hiking up to a ridge and not being able to see 20 feet because of all the trees....

joelweb · May 3, 2018

super cool

Dtorbett13 · May 3, 2018

Nice, thanks for the tip!

Huntkook · May 3, 2018

Thanks for the tip. Already have some pins in place I'll check that function out.

sapperJ24 · May 4, 2018

In addition to Google Earth, I like to use caltopo.com for planning. Caltopo has a bit of a learning curve to find the features, but you can toggle your base layers between FS visitor maps, USGS quads and hybrids. In Caltopo you can 'add' a line and that will give you a topographic profile and distance. You can also 'snap' the line to FS trails or drainages. There are additional layers you can add and options to export.

Fun google earth tool-FYI

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