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Basecamp: Worst. Navigating. Software. EVER.

KTM 890ADVR
over 3 years ago

I have had 3 Garmins over the years, and currently still have 2 of them, a Nuvi 2757 for car use, and my new Zumo XT for motorcycle riding, and offroading on my ADV bike.  I have to say, this Basecamp garbage is absolutely the WORST software I've ever run across.  The maps have almost zero detail (the street I live on has existed for 10 years and my new house has been on it for 3 years now), and it couldn't be more UNfriendly to the user if they tried it.  I can make the route I want in Google maps in about a minute, whereas with Basecamp I could not even create the route at all.  It was so unfriendly I gave up.  The only thing that is a drag about Google Maps is that, for some stupid reason, you still can't export .gpx routes from Google, otherwise I wouldn't ever bother with Basecamp.  As it is, I'm so fed up with it that unless they actually make it work, I'll never bother even opening the stupid thing.  I guess what I'll do is simply find the GPS coordinates of certain waypoints on Google maps, and enter those waypoints manually into my Zumo, then simply string them together in a route.  Unreal that you have to do this.  As a long-time customer(over 15 years), I EXPECT better from Garmin.  As an ADV rider or offroader, since they SELL models of their GPS's specifically FOR this use, I EXPECT to be able to EASILY (as in Google-easy) string together both paved and dirt routes and then download that into my GPS.

I'm hoping that Garmin finally gets with the program and actually makes a software that WORKS for it's customers.  I mean, we BOUGHT our units on the premise that your Basecamp is actually useful instead of useLESS.

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    So, I used Google to get GPS coordinates for waypoints at intersections on dirt roads I wanted to take, punched them in on the Zumo, strung them together as a Trip in the Trip Planner, "Shaped" the trip for the particular (more "Adventurous") route I wanted, and all 4 trips are done.  BOOM!  Now, why can't Basecamp be even that easy (still more difficult than it SHOULD be)?  I SHOULD be able to simply make a route like I do in Google, drag it to the particular roads (paved or dirt) I want, then export it to my Zumo.  It SHOULD be THAT easy.  I should have been able to do all 4 routes in minutes instead of an hour.  But noooooo....  Oh well, I found a way that's a LOT less frustrating and maddening than using Basecamp.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to KTM 890ADVR

    Sounds like you're trying to use the basic map that comes with BaseCamp and not the detailed CN map that is installed on your device. You need to learn how to use BaseCamp correctly, this tutorial may help you https://www.newenglandriders.org/learn-basecamp/

    Note if you're riding on dirt roads you need a map that shows those roads. The mistake you're making is in assuming BaseCamp includes a map that shows every little road you may wish to ride. It doesn't. It was never meant to do that. It reads and displays maps that you've either installed to your PC or are on your device.

    I can create routes using BaseCamp in minutes, using drag and drop, and export it to my Garmin, so it is easy if you use it correctly.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to SUSSAMB

    The map doesn't even show my house, on a paved road.  SRSLY?  I'll look for a CN map, but we'll see if that helps though, thanks!  The graphics look like something out of 1980.  Google is much better, except that for some stupid reason you can't export .gpx files.  THAT, I don't understand.  Garmin has a great opportunity here...aaaannnd completely missed it.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to KTM 890ADVR

    BaseCamp works very well but as I posted above it doesn't contain maps, it's a program that reads maps, either ones installed to your PC or from your device.  You need to understand that or BaseCamp will never work correctly for you.  It's like expecting MS Word to show you a letter you haven't written.  I strongly suggest you read through the tutorial I linked to.

    Note too the CN map is the City Navigator map installed to your Zumo.  BaseCamp will read the map from there or you can use Express to install it to your PC, that way you can route plan without having your Zumo attached.