Interactive Ladakh Altitude Chart with real GPS data

[Jammin]

Hey guys,

I rode through Ladakh in 2013 and here's an altitude chart from Aut - Manali - Leh - Khardung La - Srinagar - Delhi. As we know, the BRO signs are off by a few hundred feet and my chart has the exact data recorded by GPS.

This is just an image, but follow the link to play around with the interactive chart.

http://jamminglobal.com/2015/06/altitude-charts-manali-to-leh-highway-with-khardung-la-and-more.html



It's pretty clear from this how quickly you gain altitude when you go from Manali to Leh compared to Srinagar to Leh. What else do you guys see from this? Zing Zing Bar is higher than Rohtang

 

[anupmathur]

... As we know, the BRO signs are off by a few hundred feet and my chart has the exact data recorded by GPS.
....

What makes you so sure that your GPS data is more accurate than anybody else's?
Could you list what equipment you used?

 

[Jammin]

I used a Garmin GPSMap 60 Cx. I have checked that my GPS is accurate according to other confirmed altitude readings (such as airplane cruising altitude).

 

[anupmathur]

A civilian use GPS has limitations and is not as accurate as professionally conducted studies with corrections applied.
Do read this: http://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/

... and, by the way, in flight airline data shown to passengers is not meant to be precise.

 

[polly]

Hey guys,

I rode through Ladakh in 2013 and here's an altitude chart from Aut - Manali - Leh - Khardung La - Srinagar - Delhi. As we know, the BRO signs are off by a few hundred feet and my chart has the exact data recorded by GPS.

This is just an image, but follow the link to play around with the interactive chart.

http://jamminglobal.com/2015/06/altitude-charts-manali-to-leh-highway-with-khardung-la-and-more.html



It's pretty clear from this how quickly you gain altitude when you go from Manali to Leh compared to Srinagar to Leh. What else do you guys see from this? Zing Zing Bar is higher than Rohtang

Nice effort,mate!
Thnxs for the chart.

 

[Jammin]

Nice effort,mate!
Thnxs for the chart.

Thanks, polly! Glad you appreciate it

 

[Jammin]

A civilian use GPS has limitations and is not as accurate as professionally conducted studies with corrections applied.
Do read this: http://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/

Oh yes, civilian GPS is less accurate than US military signals but civilian is still good to within +/- 10 meters, otherwise it would be no good for in-car navigation through cities. Based on that, I trust my GPS altitude readings more than a sign painted by BRO Are you familiar with how BRO have taken their altitude measurements? If so, please share as I am curious to learn.

 

[anupmathur]

Jammin, there is a difference between horizontal resolution and vertical.
I find that our GPS (Nokia phones) often fail to decipher whether I am on a flyover or on the parallel lower road, or which side of a carriageway I am on!
The ±10 mtrs is the best that civilian GPS instruments can manage, provided there are no other 'corrections' that need to be applied, in terms of calibration, atmospheric conditions etc.
I am no expert on these measurements and I have no idea how BRO takes its readings.
The Survey of India would probably have accurate maps but information is so difficult to come by in India. Far too many things come under 'restricted' or 'classified' data!