 |
| Click
image to see a screenshot of Google Earth displaying Tracking_Santa.kmz
(2006) departing from the Jersey Shore. |
Tracking Santa
Thank you for a Merry Christmas. Over 50,000 visited this web page on Christmas Eve 2007 and over 500 hundred participated in the Naughty and Nice list. Please come back to participate next year!.
"What
a delight it has been for my husband and I and our three children to follow
his movements Christmas Eve! Thanks again for an evening of excitment and
fun! - The Reynolds Family."
File Details
File: Tracking_Santa.kmz (54 KB), santa2007.gpx (287 KB)
Revised 24 December 2007 (8 a.m.GMT -6)
Waypoints: user contributed
Route/ Track:
569 world cities
from Suva, Fiji
to Nome, Alaska
Instructions
for
Google Earth Users
Click on the "Naught and Nice placemarks" link above and Google Earth should launch and load the KMZ file in your Temporary Places folder as shown. If you don't have Google Earth installed on your computer, you can download it free from here.
Once you have Google Earth running, make sure there is a check mark next to Waypoitns folder, making the placemarks visible.
Hints for More Enjoyment
Turn on your Overview Map from the View menu.
If you have a chance before Christmas Eve, get familuar with
the Google Earth and the Tracking Satna data. Try Highlight the Points folder
as shown above and click on the 
"Play Tour" button.
You may change the Fly-to/Tour settings in Tools > Options > Navigation menu.
NOTE: Google Earth is a trademark of Google the company. NORAD is a bi-national United States and Canadian organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America.
Using the data in moving map programs with track simulation...
Download links and detailed instructions for Fugawi users and Ozi Explorer users are provided below.
FUGAWI Users
Santa's Route
To download the route file (santa_fugawi.RTE) in Fugawi format, right-click here and "Save target as..."
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Fugawi\MapLibrary\Routes
GPS
Position Icon
Use this small image (sleigh.bmp) to depict Santa's current position. Right-click here and "Save target as..."
c:\Program Files\Common Files\Fugawi\Icons
Then to change the default icon in Fugawi: Go to Settings | GPS and click Display.
User Tips
Launch Fugawi. From the Tools menu, click on Simulator, then "Select..." Santa's Route. For starter's, crank up the speed to about 300,000 km/hr. From the tools on the left, select GPS Center and Track Record. You should now be able to see Santa following the prescribed route. While the simulator is running you may see the sleigh icon may flick on/off. Try zooming in.
Route Speed - You may choose to speed up the simulation or slow it down depending on your need for instant gratification or your scheduled time for Santa's arrival.
Route Clutter - You can hide the route by right clicking on the route in the Route Library window and selecting "Hide." Or, you can remove the route lines and/or route points by double-clicking on the route and selecting Display Options in the Route Window.
Ozi Explorer Users
santa4.plt is the route file in OziExplorer format.
Special Instruction for OziExplorer Users:
You will need the "Track File 2 Moving Map Utility" (OziTrack2MM.exe) found here at the OziExplorer web site. Launch OziExplorer, then run OziTrack2MM.exe, selecting santa4.plt as the track file for the simulation.
Delay - The delay parameter adjusts Santa's speed. You may choose to speed up the simulation or slow it down depending on your need for instant gratification or your scheduled time for Santa's arrival.
Gook Luck and Enjoy!
- Doug
