# Mapping project recommendations **URL:** \ **Category:** Notehub.io\ **Created:** [June 10, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://discuss.blues.com/t/mapping-project-recommendations/3087 "2025-06-10T14:53:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![richf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/74df32/32.png) [@richf](https://discuss.blues.com/u/richf)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://discuss.blues.com/t/mapping-project-recommendations/3087/1 "2025-06-10T14:53:57Z")
Hi, can you recommend a “simple” (i.e. beginner) mapping application? I plan on providing GPS location from an external device. I hope to keep the GUI side simple … showing GPS ‘bread crumbs’ on a map – nothing much more than that. Thanks a lot, Rich .. ---
**Author:** ![abucknall](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.blues.com/abucknall/32/1335_2.png) [@abucknall](https://discuss.blues.com/u/abucknall)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 3:34pm UTC](https://discuss.blues.com/t/mapping-project-recommendations/3087/2 "2025-06-10T15:34:31Z")
Hi @richf, I’m sure we can help you with a mapping demo! Are you intending to use a NMEA-based GPS, connected to the Notecard using the AUX pins? If so, this tutorial will help you get started with the hardware component - [Continuous Asset Tracking with External GPS and Immediate Location Sync](https://dev.blues.io/example-apps/sample-apps/continuous-asset-tracking-with-external-gps-and-immediate-location-sync/#continuous-asset-tracking-with-external-gps-and-immediate-location-sync) My colleague put together this nodejs demo that may help you with the GUI (web) component of your project, [GitHub - tjvantoll/trackflow: A testing app for viewing \_track.qo Notes from Notehub projects](https://github.com/tjvantoll/trackflow). Let me know if that helps! Thanks, Alex ---
**Author:** ![tjvantoll](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.blues.com/tjvantoll/32/231_2.png) [@tjvantoll](https://discuss.blues.com/u/tjvantoll)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 3:38pm UTC](https://discuss.blues.com/t/mapping-project-recommendations/3087/3 "2025-06-10T15:38:44Z")
Ha, @abucknall and I were typing at the same time 🙂 The only thing I’ll add is a [lot of the services we can route data to](https://dev.blues.io/notehub/notehub-walkthrough/#routing-data-with-notehub) have simple map dashboards you can use. I’ve built simple maps with both [Datacake](https://dev.blues.io/guides-and-tutorials/routing-data-to-cloud/datacake/) and [Ubidots](https://dev.blues.io/guides-and-tutorials/routing-data-to-cloud/ubidots/). TJ ---
**Author:** ![richf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/74df32/32.png) [@richf](https://discuss.blues.com/u/richf)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://discuss.blues.com/t/mapping-project-recommendations/3087/4 "2025-06-10T16:51:40Z")
Hi Alex (and TJ) - thanks for the quick response. I like the “trackflow” solution since it keeps things simple .. without the need of a third party addon .. such as Datacake. I assume that each PC/laptop showing the map will need node.js installed? I was planning on feeding the (external) GPS data into the microcontroller (which talks to the Notecard) via a serial port. Will I be able to merge the (external) GPS data into \_track.qo? Or is it better connecting the lines to the AUX RX/TX? regards, Rich.. ---
**Author:** ![tjvantoll](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.blues.com/tjvantoll/32/231_2.png) [@tjvantoll](https://discuss.blues.com/u/tjvantoll)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 8:11pm UTC](https://discuss.blues.com/t/mapping-project-recommendations/3087/5 "2025-06-10T20:11:13Z")
> I like the “trackflow” solution since it keeps things simple .. without the need of a third party addon .. such as Datacake. I assume that each PC/laptop showing the map will need node.js installed? Yes. Or you could host the web app somewhere, which would be my recommendation. I show off my personal favorite hosting workflow in this video at around the ~26:30 mark [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJIe5iw3Blk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJIe5iw3Blk). You should be able to fork the TrackFlow GitHub repo, and just deploy the fork with environment variables that match your project. In theory 🙂 > I was planning on feeding the (external) GPS data into the microcontroller (which talks to the Notecard) via a serial port. Will I be able to merge the (external) GPS data into \_track.qo? Or is it better connecting the lines to the AUX RX/TX? Connecting via AUX RX/TX is likely going to be easier, because Notecard has a built-in workflow for looking for an external GPS there. You could also tell Notecard about your location using `card.location.mode` and `"mode":"fixed"`. I haven’t tried that approach myself but it should work [card Requests - API Reference - IoT Connectivity at Blues](https://dev.blues.io/api-reference/notecard-api/card-requests/latest/#card-location-mode). If