DANGEROUS BUG: Sending tracks/routes from Basecamp to Forerunner 255 reduces precision

When sending tracks or routes to my new Forerunner 255 using Basecamp, the tracks or routes arrive on the device with much fewer points.

The according point reduction options in "Settings > Device transmission" are not enabled, so that is not the cause.

When exporting a track from Basecamp as GPX, then sending that to my phone, then importing that GPX file into Garmin Connect, and finally sending that track to the Forerunner via Bluetooth, the track arrives with all points correctly. So the Forerunner definitely can handle routes with that many points.

This bug is dangerous because a change of just 25m can mean the difference between life and death when navigating in the mountains. The current situation has the potential of luring people into very dangerous terrain. It was pure luck that I noticed something was odd about the shape of the track before any serious consequences could ensue.

Please fix this bug urgently. Thank you very much!

  • BaseCamp is what it is, it's an old program and the development team was disbanded years ago now.  If you're not happy with the way BaseCamp sends data then use the other method you describe. Incidentally using any GPS if you're in an area where 25m would mean the difference between life and death then you shouldn't be relying on it anyway.

  • Not sure what you are talking about:

    The last Basecamp bugfix release was just a year ago.

    Basecamp is still heavily used in the outdoor community. No wonder, it is probably the best piece of software that Garmin ever released (software not really being their strong suit...).

    And of course using satnav is an important safety measure in mountaineering (not the only one, of course).

  • There are the odd updates, mainly to comply with new laws, but there is no development, I've used it for over 12 years and was in pretty much constant contact with the development team. The team was disbanded around 4 years ago.