GPSBabel is a cross-platform, free software

Free software

Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...

 to transfer routes, tracks, and waypoint data to and from consumer GPS

Global Positioning System

The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...

 units, and to convert between over a hundred types of GPS data formats. It has a command-line

Command-line interface

A command-line interface is a mechanism for interacting with a computer operating system or software by typing commands to perform specific tasks...

 interface and a graphical interface

Graphical user interface

In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...

 for Windows, OS X, and Linux users.

GPSBabel is part of many Linux distributions including Debian

Debian

Debian is a computer operating system composed of software packages released as free and open source software primarily under the GNU General Public License along with other free software licenses. Debian GNU/Linux, which includes the GNU OS tools and Linux kernel, is a popular and influential...

 GNU/Linux and Fedora, and also part of the 'fink

Fink

The Fink project is an effort to port and package open-source Unix programs to Mac OS X. Fink uses dpkg and APT , as well as its own frontend program, fink ....

' system for getting Unix software on Mac OS X

Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...

.

Applications

• Many contributors to OpenStreetMap
  OpenStreetMap
  OpenStreetMap is a collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world. Two major driving forces behind the establishment and growth of OSM have been restrictions on use or availability of map information across much of the world and the advent of inexpensive portable GPS devices.The...
  
   use GPSBabel to convert GPS track data from proprietary formats to the GPX format OpenStreetMap requires.
• GPSBabel is popular in the Geocaching
  Geocaching
  Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world....
  
   community because it enables people with incompatible GPS units to share data.
• GPSBabel enables owners of many different brands of GPS units to view their GPS data in several popular consumer map programs, such as Google Earth
  Google Earth
  Google Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographical information program that was originally called EarthViewer 3D, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a Central Intelligence Agency funded company acquired by Google in 2004 . It maps the Earth by the superimposition of images obtained from satellite...
  
   and Microsoft Streets & Trips.

External links

• GPSBabel site
• Gebabbel Qt4.3 Frontend for GPSBabel
• Prune can also act as a frontend for GPSBabel
• Chapter 15, "Speak in Geotongues: GPSBabel to the Rescue", Mapping Hacks:Tips & Tools for Electronic Cartography, ISBN 0-596-00703-5, O'Reilly.
• GPS For Dummies, ISBN 0-7645-6933-3 (and author's blog)