3

Is it possible to load a KML Feed into QGIS like a WFS and WMS feed? There's a website that shows the location and P2P links of communication towers in Australia. The website allows you do download a KML Feed file to view the information in Google Earth. See image below KML Feed can be downloaded here

When loaded into Google Earth, the feed behaves as expected and loads in all the P2P links and communication towers for the area being viewed. See below.

Feed loaded into Google Earth

Communication towers and P2P links in Google Earth

If I drop the KML Feed file into QGIS it simply loads nothing. It is possible to extract the URL from within Google Earth (see end of post) though I'm not sure where to go from there.

KML Feed URL: https://web.acma.gov.au/rrl/site_search.findSites?pBBOX_SRID=8307&pSITE_SUBTYPE=any%20detail&pSITE_EXACT_IND=matches&pSITE_LICENSING_AREA=0&pCLIENT_SUBTYPE=any%20detail&pCLIENT_EXACT_IND=matches&pLICENCE_SUBTYPE=Licence%20No.&pLICENCE_EXACT_IND=matches&pBSL_SUBTYPE=BSL%20Number&pBSL_EXACT_IND=matches&pASSIGNMENT_SUBTYPE=Registration%20No.&pASSIGNMENT_EXACT_IND=matches&pASSIGNMENT_LOW_FREQ_MULT=Hz&pASSIGNMENT_HIGH_FREQ_MULT=Hz&pREGION_DISTANCE=0&pREGION_SRID=8311&pPLACEMARK_SRID=8311&pABSOLUTE_PREFIX=https://web.acma.gov.au&pCLUSTER_THRESHOLD=2000&pSHOW_LINKS=TRUE

Improve this question
2
  • Loading the linked file to QGIS shows me the points in the correct places. To get the same effect as in Google Earth (click on a feature opens an info-box), you have to define an action, based on the attribute field description where all this info is stored, see: docs.qgis.org/3.16/en/docs/user_manual/working_with_vector/… and docs.qgis.org/3.16/en/docs/training_manual/create_vector_data/…
    – Babel
    Commented Jun 8, 2021 at 7:36
  • @Babel KML Feed URL at the end of the post is just a snapshot of some of the points available in the feed based on the view extents in Google Earth. If you open the link behind the 'communication towers of Australia' text and then click the button circled in red in the image below youll get the KML Feed file. This is the file I'm trying to have in QGIS.
    – Tim
    Commented Jun 9, 2021 at 8:30

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
0

I got this to work by downloading the data rather than using the live view.

At the top left of your screenshot, it says "Found 333 sites" and then there are two buttons. The first downloads the data as CSV, and the second downloads a KML.

I used this KML download link and I was able to open the resulting file in QGIS without any problems. It opened as two layers - one for the tower locations, and one for the links between them.

The down side of this is that it's not a live view, so you need to repeat the process each time you want updated data. But the upside is that it's considerably faster to render (as the ACMA web service is very slow), it works if you're remote with no Internet connection, and you can still view it when the ACMA server goes offline, which seems to happen regularly over weekends.

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.