Creating Routes in GBC and Using in BMW NAV V

Because BC does not and maybe cannot duplicate the exact set of prefs and algorithms in every Garmin GPS, I long ago gave up trying to match perfectly while planning routes. Instead, I prefer to make my routes recalc-proof (or nearly so) by using just enough shaping points to keep the route intact.

Be sure to test by forcing a recalc in your GPS before hitting the road.

Another useful strategy is to keep your routes on the SD card in GPX format, exported from BC. That way if a route does get trashed when you take a detour, you can easily re-import the original. It also lets you bring many more routes with you than your GPS can keep in active storage.

Finally, it also helps to set the recalc pref on your GPS to prompt you before doing a recalc. Often you can say no and look at the purple stripe to get back on route without doing a recalc.

Though this tutorial is getting kinda old, you may find some useful info in it: http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=119351

Hope this helps,

-dan

Hi Dan:

These all make sense and are very helpful suggestions. I plan to follow your recommendations...without a recalc! ;)

Your prompt reply to my question is greatly appreciated.

Best and please ride safely!

Peter

Dan T,

Just curious: is it just the Nav 5 that doesn't recalc when you import a route? Is that because it uses [shudder] Trip Planner? Or are we back to the old debate about whether the message "Calculating" when I import a route to my 660 means that it is actually being recalculated during import, regardless of map version? My guess has always been that it is being recalced, but I could easily be wrong.

I'd also be interested in more detail about your use of Tracks, if we aren't hijacking this thread too blatantly. Would this work on my zumo 660? I thought the pref for showing tracks was all about bread crumbs, not pre-planned tracks, but I'd be delighted to learn a new trick.

Thanks,

-dan h

I too am using Mac, BaseCamp and BMW Nav 5. I tried BC a year or more ago and became frustrated with two things that still plague me. Much like auto spell correct on the phone. They are:

1. making a route where I picked specific roads (lots of curves!) and yet BC picks non-road waypoints like churches, stores, etc. I always end up in some parking lot wondering WTF. A motorcycle route should be able to use only intersections as waypoints. All I want to do is turn! Not pull into a lot.
2. Joining up within a route without the gps wanting me to backtrack to either the beginning or some waypoint. It's a path, man. Just keep going.
3. Precisely what this thread speaks of. Both BC and the gps rethinks my route. Hey, I just spent two hours hand painting the damn thing, so sure, Garmin, go ahead and change it all...

Can you tell me specifically where I "turn off" recalc (by the way, my Mac changed that to recall three times) in BC and the BMW Nav V?

Once I get this totally worked out to a best practice procedure, I plan to document it and post that everywhere we motorcyclists read stuff on the net. If someone already did that, please tell me. I would pay $20 for that book or video.

Oh, and I bought "Mad Maps" motorcycle routes from Garmin a year and a half ago. The files were lost in a Mac upgrade (my bad). Now Garmin tells me they no longer sell nor support that product. Anyone use the Mad Map routes?

Thanks,
Dave

Dan T,

Just curious: is it just the Nav 5 that doesn't recalc when you import a route? Is that because it uses [shudder] Trip Planner? Or are we back to the old debate about whether the message "Calculating" when I import a route to my 660 means that it is actually being recalculated during import, regardless of map version? My guess has always been that it is being recalced, but I could easily be wrong.

I'd also be interested in more detail about your use of Tracks, if we aren't hijacking this thread too blatantly. Would this work on my zumo 660? I thought the pref for showing tracks was all about bread crumbs, not pre-planned tracks, but I'd be delighted to learn a new trick.

Thanks,

-dan h

dan h,

Not a function of the Trip Planner per say. And, at least on the NAV5, no need to shudder as the Trip Planner on the NAV5 is quite good and supports BaseCamp's "Shaping Points". These are not the original Garmin shaping points but the new unannounced via points. My NAV5 Review discusses this in some detail.

There are a few Garmin units that do not RE-calculate the route; meaning, they do not interpret a path based upon the units settings they only use the data provided in the original route GPX definition. To my knowledge the zumo 66x/3xx, NAV5 and Montana operate this way.

This can be proven by creating a Mixed-Travel Route in BaseCamp and transferring it to the device. Upon Import the device has to calculate the route using the GPX Route data in order to display the route but no leg or segment of the route is altered--even if part of the route was designed to travel overland like a Track.

Speaking of Tracks, yes, the zumo66x and zumo3xx will import saved Tracks to the Tracks App (Off Road Tracks was the old zumo66x App name and I'm not sure if they changed it) and you can display up to 15 Tracks on the Map in colors of your choosing even when you have an active Route. I don't know what the current Track Point limit is for each Track on the zumo's but on the NAV5 each Track can be 15,000pts. These Tracks can also be converted to a Route (Trip) in the Trip Planner without change.

...There are a few Garmin units that do not RE-calculate the route; meaning, they do not interpret a path based upon the units settings they only use the data provided in the original route GPX definition. To my knowledge the zumo 66x/3xx, NAV5 and Montana operate this way.

This can be proven by creating a Mixed-Travel Route in BaseCamp and transferring it to the device. Upon Import the device has to calculate the route using the GPX Route data in order to display the route but no leg or segment of the route is altered--even if part of the route was designed to travel overland like a Track...

Do you know what happens in this case if you go off route and allow a recalc? I assume it does change in that case.

Thanks for the very useful info. If Garmin's next zumo model is the Nav 5 in a Garmin case with no buttons (and a less stratospheric price) I'd be interested, but the rumor mill says that's unlikely. But if new bike lust occurs and I trade my F800 ST for an R1200 RTW, maybe a Nav 5 would make sense.

-dan

Do you know what happens in this case if you go off route and allow a recalc? I assume it does change in that case.
. . .
-dan

dan h,

If you allow a Mixed-Travel Route to be recalculated on your device you will get a recalculated route based upon your device settings and current location. Since the device can't calculate a route overland (no roads) the device will attempt to calculate a route as close as it can to any via points that are used in the overland segment(s): i.e, a mess.

I too am using Mac, BaseCamp and BMW Nav 5. I tried BC a year or more ago and became frustrated with two things that still plague me. Much like auto spell correct on the phone. They are:

1. making a route where I picked specific roads (lots of curves!) and yet BC picks non-road waypoints like churches, stores, etc. I always end up in some parking lot wondering WTF. A motorcycle route should be able to use only intersections as waypoints. All I want to do is turn! Not pull into a lot.
2. Joining up within a route without the gps wanting me to backtrack to either the beginning or some waypoint. It's a path, man. Just keep going.
3. Precisely what this thread speaks of. Both BC and the gps rethinks my route. Hey, I just spent two hours hand painting the damn thing, so sure, Garmin, go ahead and change it all...

Can you tell me specifically where I "turn off" recalc (by the way, my Mac changed that to recall three times) in BC and the BMW Nav V?

Once I get this totally worked out to a best practice procedure, I plan to document it and post that everywhere we motorcyclists read stuff on the net. If someone already did that, please tell me. I would pay $20 for that book or video.

Oh, and I bought "Mad Maps" motorcycle routes from Garmin a year and a half ago. The files were lost in a Mac upgrade (my bad). Now Garmin tells me they no longer sell nor support that product. Anyone use the Mad Map routes?

Thanks,
Dave

I'm afraid I can't help with any of your rants or lost product issues. As for creating routes in Mac-BaseCamp there are many YouTube videos out there, including Garmin's, that will show you the different ways to create/edit a route: make sure you are watching a Mac-BC video and not a Win-BC video. In regards to your comment #1, BaseCamp does not route through POIs automatically so you must be clicking on POIs inadvertently as you place Via Points. If you do click on a POI as one of your Via Points then you might certainly end up in a parking lot because that's where the POIs location was set.

As for the $20, I guess you'll have to send that to Garmin. Almost all of what you need can be found in the HELP documents and video tutorials.

Regarding your NAV5 and the recalculation of saved Routes(Trips), you must be confused since the NAV5 will not change your saved route unless YOU have allowed it to recalculate while the route is active. You can avoid this by making sure that your Navigation->Off Route Recalculation is set to either OFF or PROMPTED.

When you are navigating an active Route that has Via Points, and you join the route after the start point, the NAV5 (and newer zumo) will give you the option of joining the route at one of YOUR Via Points or just route to the Final Destination. Yes, a route is just a path. A path that is made up of your choosing and that has your intent coded into that path (line) you see on the map. The GPS can not read your mind when your intent changes. If you want to have the GPS play dumb and not offer any intelligent choices regarding your changed intent then set your Navigation->Off Route Recalculation=OFF. When the GPS prompts you for where you want to join the route just select the final destination.

Thanks. I have watched these: http://www8.garmin.com/learningcenter/training/basecamp/#Mac and while they are well-made, they are overviews not fully detailed. I understand now that if I very carefully select the intersection when making a route, using the route tool, it does start without any other way points. However, can you tell me where to shut off recalc in Base Camp? It keeps undoing the exact route I have created. As far as turning off recalc in the Nav V, is that a general setting or can it be specific to each route independently?