New member Basecamp Track and alarm points

When walking I always create routes using direct activity, that creates a route on your device that remains as you created it, because it's simply point to point. You can then deviate as much as you wish without affecting the route.

Thanks Ill give that a try. 

Thanks sussamb I now find it easy to create and follow a route using the direct profile.

I am still having huge problems getting routes to work as I want. I accept that these things are usually down to operator error but I am at a loss now to understand what.

Can someone confirm for me If I am understanding this correctly.  If I create a route in Basecamp that cromprises Via points and shaping points. To be clear  map points that alarm or dont alarm.  Not waypoints that show up on a device in the Waypoint directory. This route should be usable on my Garmin device in my case a Montana 700.

Can anyone tell my what the radius of a via point is and is this something that can be changed. My thinking is that as a via point I would have to walk into the radius to trigger the alarm. I'm assuming there is no approaching alarm for these and thats fair enough.

Just to give some background on a 11 mile walk the other day Following a direct profile route containing 176 points with 23 set to alarm. I had over 100 alarms ( I gave up counting.) Allways the same alarm I think its the final turn tone. There appears to be no rhyme or reason as to when it sounded sometimes when it should but not all. and sometimes when it shouldn't. 

Frustrating to the point of me being on the edge of sending the machine back. I am in contact with Garmin and hope they can put their finger on what is happening. Ive done a factory reset but no difference.

Unfortunately by the sound of it (excuse the pun) everything is working as intended.  BaseCamp is designed to work with numerous Garmin devices, including On the Road and On the trail ones.  Points that are set to alarm/don't alarm don't transfer from BaseCamp to a Montana, but do to various On the road devices. On the Montana, and other handhelds, you simply get points on the route, for these you can set them to alarm or not.  I have mine set to alarm as it lets me know the device is still working and the batteries haven't gone flat!  Note if these alarms annoy you, there are numerous tone options, allowing you to change them to a different one or turned off completely.

You're right though that you have to walk into a radius around the viapoint to trigger the alarm, what that radius is on the Montana I don't know I'm afraid, there may be a setting within the menu somewhere.  On the Etrex that I use the Off road transitions can be set to Auto, Manual or Distance, I've never experimented with them, and keep mine set to Auto.

One possibility might be that in a recent firmware update for a number of outdoor handhelds such as the Montana and the GPSMAP 66, Gamin have added on course and off course alerts to track navigation, but not the ability to adjust their sensitivity nor to disable them. This is being discussed on the GPSrChive forum - see  http://www.gpsrchive.com/GPSMAP/GPSMAP%2066/index.htm I'm not sure whether this would affect the routes you are using. I generally use tracks!

Thanks for the quick reply. I accept what you say but it doesn't make much sense to me that in their wisdom Garmin do not want me to receive an alarm when I arrive at a predetermined position (lets ignore waypoints for now). The choice is at every point along the line where you have put a slight deviation to a straight line you get an alarm making it no use at all for someone like me who doesn't want to be glued to a screen. Or no alarm at all .My vision was to leave the device in my pocket and get a tone when I need to change path.

That still doesn't explain  why I was getting only some alarms either wanted or unwanted even though I walked directly over the point with the map overzoomed. My neighbours must think I've gone mad I keep walking up and down the road zig zagging all over the place trying to get this thing to work.

FYI You can set set the radius on the Montana if route transitions are set to Distance rather than Auto I wasn't sure that that setting related to map points but I guess it must. 

From what you say the only way to achieve what I want is to set waypoints at every change of path. I didn't really want to do that.

I am really torn about sending this thing back us unfit for purpose. I guess I will wait for Garmin to answer my queries before I decide.

Sorry Eyelet99 I've only just seen your response. Thanks I have been unsure whether this was a Basecamp or Montana or indeed nut behind the wheel problem but it looks like its the Montana not me or Basecamp. I see we have tracks courses or routes on the montana and the ability to change from one to the other but not sure what good that will do me. 

If you use tracks do you then set waypoints to alarm at critical places. or do you have another method. 

apologies I guess this should now be on the Montana thread.

I'll have a look at gpsarchive.

Yes if I really needed an alarm I would set a waypoint. Mostly though I prefer a silent GPSr when l’m outdoors hiking.

I had a Montana in the past, along with an Etrex20. I used the Montana when working with my SAR team, but my go to when hiking is my Etrex, as it sits better in my hand when I need to look at it.  All handhelds that I've used, I had earlier Etrex models too, work the way I've described and I don't find the tones unacceptable and as posted you can turn them off.  If I definitely need to be alerted at a specific point I add a waypoint with a proximity alarm and a different tone.  I also have the off course alarm set, which alerts me if I'm off route. Turning that on and the viapoint alarms off should achieve what you want, a silent device but a warning when you're off course.

BaseCamp allows you to easily add waypoints with proximity circles set at whatever distance you wish, so that too may help you.

Thanks Eyeley99 and Sussamb. My overnight thoughts on a solution were the same as yours Sussamb. I did play with Tracks a bit back but there seems to be no way to add a waypoint to a track This may be my lack of experience. In any case I have difficulty with the concept, to me tracks are something Ive left behind me. A route is something I plan to follow. I see from internet searching that that subject has been done to death so I'll leave it alone. Whats in a name! 

This is a a rather steep learning curve and I can see why people get frustrated. Whilst I am new to hiking handhelds and Basecamp I am experienced in the marine side of GPS positioning and the use of chart plotters, life is much easier on the water and I have had many years trouble free use with Garmin products out there.

I will have a play around again and report back.