Newbie questions

Former Member over 15 years ago

Hi everyone,

I'm completely new not only to Garmin and BaseCamp, but also to handheld navigation devices, so please bear with me.

I'm 30 and far from technophobe, so you've got something to work with ...

My mother-in-law (60+) is planning to hike from Munich/Germany to the Austrian mountains, a route of about 250 kilometers. Her husband, ever protective, has bought her a Garmin Oregon 550t to aid her in her quest ... Unfortunately, the task of trying to figure out how this device works and of planning her route in BaseCamp has fallen to me ...

So, what's the easiest way of going about planning a 250km hike in BaseCamp? I've fooled around with the program a little, but I've already run into a few difficulties.

I first tried setting a few waypoints and creating a route from them via "automatic routing". Here's the result:

I have no idea why BaseCamp creates a route that's about 10 times as long as the route should be in reality. It seems like it has randomly connected the waypoints in the most idiotic way possible. What I would really like is just to set one waypoint after another and then join them to a route that automatically begins with the first waypoint I set, moves on to the second one, the third, the fourth and so on. But BaseCamp doesn't seem to join the waypoints chronologically in the sequence I set them, but by some random pattern.

I tried changing from "automatic routing" to direct routes, which got me this:

Much better, but I'm still not happy, because when using direct routes, I apparently have to create thousands upon thousands of waypoints, as I need a waypoint whenever the road makes a slight curve or bend, as I get something like this otherwise:

If I have to create a waypoint for every bend in the road, I don't even want to guess how many waypoints I have to set for the route from Munich to Austria.

I'm guessing that there is a simple way to solve my problem and I just haven't ticked the right option yet, so ... can anyone help?

I've also tried creating a "new route" instead of creating a route by joining several waypoints, but the results are the same.

Thanks a lot in advance,

Jan

0 Former Member over 15 years ago

Automatic routing generated strange results because, apparently on this map, it "considers" roads, not footpaths or lanes. Hence your first map shows the algorithm trying to return to the road at every opportunity. That's why direct routing, as you can see, works better.

But in a route, as opposed to a track, too many waypoints are not only time-consuming to create, but confusing in the field. In your second map, you really only need two waypoints to mark those almost-straight sections. That would give your mother-in-law a sense of the direction and an indication of when a major turn in the route is coming. The map on the GPS and her own sense of the lay of the land should do the rest. In other words, the GPS should provide general guidance, not meter-by-meter instructions. Were I doing this segment, I'd mark it with just five waypoints.

Obviously, some practice runs are a good idea.....for both of you.

0 Former Member over 15 years ago

Thanks for the reply. I'll touch on your various points, if I may.

it "considers" roads, not footpaths or lanes. Hence your first map shows the algorithm trying to return to the road at every opportunity. That's why direct routing, as you can see, works better.

Is there a way to change that? I specified "Pedestrian" as the means of transport, and my mother-in-law will try to avoid larger roads, using footpaths and trails instead.

Or should I forget all about "routes" and use a "track" instead (I didn't know it existed until now)? What's the difference between a route and a track in Garmin terminology?

But in a route, as opposed to a track, too many waypoints are not only time-consuming to create, but confusing in the field. In your second map, you really only need two waypoints to mark those almost-straight sections. That would give your mother-in-law a sense of the direction and an indication of when a major turn in the route is coming. The map on the GPS and her own sense of the lay of the land should do the rest. In other words, the GPS should provide general guidance, not meter-by-meter instructions.

Thanks, that's been my conclusion as well so far.

Obviously, some practice runs are a good idea.....for both of you.

Indeed, but she wants to set out this weekend ... (I know, I know. And to make matters worse I'm busier than ever at work and really don't have the time for all this ...)

0 Former Member over 15 years ago

Your last point is probably the overriding one. ;)

But to answer your points:

I'm pretty sure the problem you are encountering is related to the maps. Especially as you've already specified "pedestrian."

The convention wisdom on tracks is that they mark where you've been (because you've recorded them) while routes mark where you want to go. There are exceptions--I use tracks for cross-country backpacking, for example, and when I want to have a good idea of the distance and altitude profile on a hike. But in this case, as she's on known streets, I'd stick with a route.

GPS use is a skill that takes practice. If you both lack the time, the first thing to do is to lower family expectations. (Tell them you heard it directly from the Garmin forum, an unimpeachable source.)

0 Former Member over 15 years ago

Thanks again for the reply.

I'm pretty sure the problem you are encountering is related to the maps. Especially as you've already specified "pedestrian."

The map I'm using is the pre-installed "Recreational Map of Europe".

GPS use is a skill that takes practice. If you both lack the time, the first thing to do is to lower family expectations. (Tell them you heard it directly from the Garmin forum, an unimpeachable source.)

Lowering expectations has been my strategy from the get-go. I started out with "this is never going to work, but I'll give it my best shot" - if I can now change this to "it's sort of going to work a bit", I've exceeded expectations and everybody will be happy. Sort of.

Thanks for your help!

:D

Oh, one more question: I've noticed that the "undo" feature in BaseCamp never seems to work. Ctrl-Z doesn't do anything and the option is always greyed out in the menu. Are there any restrictions on when "undo" works?

0 Former Member over 15 years ago

My pleasure. I'm not familiar with the European maps, but for U.S. maps, auto-routing does not work for footpaths. On your map, those don't quite look like footpaths, but they do look like paths auto-routing is ignoring. Which means direct routing is the way to go.

> if I can now change this to "it's sort of going to work a bit"

That's good! I think the danger is in your mother-in-law being over-dependent on a device she's unfamiliar with, rather than relying on her own navigational skills. Maybe the best approach is for her to primarily use a paper map (she should have one in any case). And go with your map#3--navigating to a single waypoint--her final destination. (You actually don't need a route to do this) Set the GPS so it shows the "as-the-crow-flies" direction and distance. Figure she'll also be able to see the map on the GPS as she goes. It's not optimal, but it's simple--and if this is her first time using a GPS, if she hasn't even read the manual, then it can't be simple enough.

Re: Undo....not sure. It works for me. If you don't get a response, you might post that question in a separate thread.

0 Former Member over 15 years ago

Jan, I'll offer a few suggestions and while it may sound complicated--it really is pretty easy once you use it for a few minutes.

A Track is "usually" where you have been--HOWEVER it is not restricted to that--It can be used to map where you want to go using BaseCamp and your 550--I have a 2 week old 450--it does a GREAT job.

I will use small letters (ie route) to refer to things in general, caps (Route) to refer to things in BaseCamp and your GPS. I download bike path/trail/routes from a number places where i want to ride.

I Import the file into BaseCamp, and it shows up under My Collection. From there i either edit it, add Waypoints to it, and when i'm done, I right click it and Send it to my 450. In the 450, i click on Track Manager, and then the file name (most of the time it is just named Track), and it appears in the display. When i click Go, the Track is highlighted with a Violet line and the direction arrow appears. This would be perfect to follow for a hike, bike ride, whatever. Your 550 will also "Record" your track as Current Track, if you have Settings/Track/Record set in your 550, and this will include Elevation info, your mom can Playback her hike, while watching the Elevation Profile---pretty cool. Save the Track when done with a days hike, and before starting the next days hike, clear the Current Track.

1. Try and obtain a .gpx file for the route your Mom wants to use. A .gpx file contains info for a Track and Waypoints. Bikely.com is international, so maybe something there for you. If you find one, perhaps there will be an Elevation Profile, if the person who generated it included that info.

2. IF you can't find a Track someone has already done, you can make your own--a lot more time consuming--but i've done it and it works. Click on the New button on the Toolbar and choose Track. You will notice a little "Pencil" drawing tool shows up and that is what you draw with. Once you draw your Track, you can use the Move Point to move individual "track points" to make your track more accurate. If you already have displayed on your map a Path or Trail, just draw over it to create your Track. For biking, I am not real precise, but you can be if you want to take the time. When you are done editing, Click File/Export/ Selection and save it. You can Import it again to Edit if you want.

BC Help contains some info on Tracks and editing them.

And my 3.0.3 BC Undo and ContZ works while editing track points.

Ron