Which Export Should I Use?
Match the output format to the next person in the handoff.
Use this when
You have a recording open and need to hand off data to another person or tool — a mapping app, a GIS analyst, another Humminbird unit, or a spreadsheet. The six export formats cover different downstream workflows. Pick the one the next person in the chain can actually open.
Before you start
Open a recording in the viewer. The Export button appears in the toolbar. It stays greyed out until the recording has loaded at least one ping.
Pick by the receiver
Passing coordinates to a navigation device or mapping app that accepts GPX
Use GPX for either tracks or waypoints. Handheld units and most chart plotters read GPX natively.
Sharing with someone who uses Google Earth or GIS software
Use KML. It embeds the track, contacts, and annotations in a single file that Google Earth opens directly.
Running your own depth or bottom analysis
Use Bathymetry CSV. Each row is one ping: timestamp, latitude, longitude, depth in metres.
Processing raw sonar returns in a script or spreadsheet
Use Ping Data CSV for per-ping summary columns, or Intensity CSV for the full return array across every ping.
Format quick reference
| Format | Menu label | Output file | Who reads it |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPX | Export GPS Track (GPX) | gps-track.gpx | Chart plotters, handheld GPS, mapping apps (Garmin BaseCamp, Google Maps import) |
| KML | Export GPS Track (KML) | gps-track.kml | Google Earth, QGIS, ArcGIS |
| GPX Waypoints | Export Contacts (GPX Waypoints) | contacts.gpx | Handheld units that accept waypoint files |
| Bathymetry CSV | Export Bathymetry (CSV) | bathymetry.csv | Python/R scripts, bathymetric mapping tools, QGIS point layers |
| Ping Data CSV | Export Ping Data (CSV) | ping-data.csv | Spreadsheets, custom analysis scripts |
| Intensity CSV | Export Intensity Data (CSV) | intensity-data.csv | Signal-processing workflows, sonar classification research |
KML is the only format that bundles contacts and annotations together with the track in one file. If the receiver needs everything in one place, KML is the right choice.