Routes, Tracks and Alerts

Could anybody advise me on the best way to navigate for walking/hiking, based on my preferences and issues as described below?

I have an Etrex 30 and use Basecamp to create routes or tracks. Generally I will create a route initially because I like to be able to define the start and end points, then edit the automatically proposed route to suit my needs. The problem for me with routes is that if I miss a turn point or go off course, then the Etrex becomes essentially useless for the rest of that walk, unless I return to the point that I missed - perhaps I am missing some setup or functionality that could fix this issue, but if there is I am not aware of it.

I have also tried converting my routes to tracks, which are much more forgiving of the above issue, but don't offer the turn alert functionality which I would really like.

And lastly, just to complicate matters, we sometimes include a bit of geocaching in our walks, which often results in a significant deviation from the plotted route. When this happens I find that I need to use a track instead of a route, as a track will let me rejoin or start at any point along it's length, whereas a route tries to get me to go to the very start of the route.

So in summary, I think what I need is one of the following:

1. The ability to join or rejoin a route at any point after having gone off course, and to be able to ignore missed waypoints along a route so that if I miss one I am not prompted to walk back to it

2. The ability to add alerting waypoints to a track

I am sure that what I have written above will already have exposed me as a total newbie to using the Garmin, so I am very aware there is probably some functionality that I have not noticed or setup correctly, but I would really appreciate some guidance, as at the moment I am not able to get the best out of this fantastic device.

Many thanks for any help!

  • You can set off course alerts for routes, it's a hidden away option in the marine section.

    I really don't understand your other issues, a handheld device isn't like a car satnav so if you go off route just navigate back on to it.

  • Yes, the off course alerts work fine for routes, the problem is that if I miss a point along the route, the compass constantly tries to return me to the point that I missed, instead of realising that I am actually closer to the next point on the route and guiding me to that instead.

  • Just to add to this - I've seen other threads where you have helped people with similar issues, and the Off Road Transitions setting comes up from time to time - I think your recommendation is to set it to Auto, whereas is set to Distance - maybe that's the issue? My route settings are currently:

    Guidance Method: Off Road

    Calculate Routes for: Pedestrian

    Lock on Road: No

    Off Road Transitions: Distance

    Avoidance Setup: Road Features--> Avoid UTurns, Do Not Avoid everything else

  • Yes, understand a bit more now. Yes, set it to auto.  If set to distance you'll need to get within that distance before it allows you to skip the point.

  • Ah, got you - thank you! I will set it to auto and experiment with it.

  • I did a short route today with Off Road Transitions set to Auto, but still had the same problem. We passed by the second route point, missing it by less than 20 metres, and the compass spent the rest of the walk trying to route me back to that "missed" point. I was able to follow the map, but do prefer using the compass from point to point as it is easier to see without my glasses on, but also gives extra information such as distance to the next point etc.

    I couldn't see any way to tell the compass to move on, perhaps I have missed something there?

    And secondly, I also wonder if there may be some relationship to whether the route points are set to alert or not? The point that we missed was set to alert, as were most others on the route. Perhaps setting them to alert has some influence on the behaviour of the compass?

  • If set to alert it may very well be the issue. Twenty metres though is quite a big miss, check what you have set as the acceptable distance.

  • I've set the off course alert to 100 metres. I don't think there's any other setting related to missed points? Anyway, I will update the route so that none of the route points are set to alert and see if that works a little better. I'm getting better at using the map at least so it's all good experience!