I am interested in running the Oklahoma and Arkansas leg of the Trans-America Trail. I downloaded Basecamp software, paid for the Oklahoma and Arkansas files from the TAT site, have them downloaded into base camp. There are a tremendous number of waypoints, since this is back roads across Oklahoma and Arkansas. After calling Garman and talking to tech they didn't think that they had a unit that would store more than 30 waypoints in a route. Is there a unit for motorcycles or a handheld unit or something else out there that I can put a route into with a lot of waypoints? There are Abt 1300 waypoints total, I can break that down into several routes but that still dealing with a lot of waypoints. How can I utilize GPS guidance for this adventure? Kirk T
There is a way around the problem that will let you use any Garmin unit that will display a track. You can create a route, check to see it's exactly what you want and then convert it to a track.
Of course this means you will not get voice guidance and will have to do visual navigation to see when/where to turn. But it will work. Just make sure you get a unit that has a large and bright enough screen to allow you to see the track display on the map.
I have an older eTrex Legend HCx that I have handlebar mounted with a RAM mount on my BMW F650GS and it works. I used it for a couple of backroads runs out west in the Canadian Rockies this summer and it allowed me to find my way. My only problem with it is the tiny screen on my eTrex has become a little too small for my tired old eyes so I'm considering moving to a handheld outdoors unit with a larger screen. Perhaps something like a Montana. Or maybe wait for the Montera to come out.
We got our first taste of winter here a couple of days ago. Woke up to half an inch of snow on everything. Arrrgghhh!!! :( So I'm in no rush to buy a new unit. Maybe buy myself something for xmas.
When I did the TAT back in 2009 I was able to build a route that followed the official track for the first few states using less than 50 waypoints. I had to do 2 routes because the portion along the levee was not routable. I hand entered all the waypoints from the maps and old style routesheets. Then I added additional track points by reading the directions from the route sheets so that I had a track which followed the TAT. Then I just took two of the waypoints, one at either end, and created a route and used the route tools to drag it until it followed the TAT. Other than one section in the middle I think I was able to use Routes until I got to New Mexico and then it was all hand drawn tracks because so few of the roads or trails were routable. Ended up using CNNA, Topo 2008 and Google Earth to see all the roads and trails. Took me about two weeks to do all this.
My suggestion would be to get a Montana 600 and the Garmin rugged mount. Garmin also has a new device, the Montera soon to come out but I don't think I would use that since it will be so new. We had 3 units, a 276C, a 60 and a 72 with us. 2 of the 3 failed during the trip: from crash damage.
500 GPX files 1,000 waypoints 2,000 geocaches 50 routes, 250 points per route 100 saved tracks 10,000 points per track unlimited points per fit file (limited only by storage space available on device)** GPSMAP 62 / 78
2,000 GPX files 2,000 waypoints 5,000 geocaches 200 routes, 250 points per route 200 saved tracks 2,000 archive tracks* 10,000 points per track 100 custom map tiles Montana Series
2,000 GPX files 4,000 waypoints 4 Million geocaches*** 200 routes, 250 points per route 200 saved tracks 2,000 archive tracks* 10,000 points per track Rino 600 (series)
2,000 GPX files 2,000 waypoints 5,000 geocaches 200 routes, 250 points per route 200 saved tracks 2,000 archive tracks* 10,000 points per track 100 custom map tiles 50 contacts with 2,000 track points each Each GPX file can contain a mixture of waypoints, geocaches, routes and tracks. If the GPX file containing a waypoint or geocache is deleted, the waypoint will no longer be available on device.
Note: When utilizing routes, only 50 points can be used for on road navigation.
The Edge 800 supports the ability of adding courses via Garmin Connect or Garmin BaseCamp. There is a limit of 200 course points that can be added per individual course.
The color handheld devices can store up to 50 routes with each route able to store 250 points each. However, if the routing option is set to Follow Road, then the route can only contain 50 points.
In this scenario, if more than 50 points are within the route, an error message will appear when starting route navigation. The route will need to be recreated with fewer points before the device will allow navigation.
And I quoted this one awhile ago on another site, but can't find a link to the original Garmin FAQ
Multiple Point Routing?
11/23/2010
Up to 200 waypoints can be used when creating a custom route on your nuvi. However, this will depend on the length of the route. If you were to use 200 waypoints and the total distance was a few hundred miles, it is likely that this would be calculated properly. Due to memory constraints within the device, you may receive a route calculation error if you attempt to insert 200 waypoints into a route that is more then a few hundred miles. To avoid this possible issue, please break your single custom route into multiple routes.
not more that 30 Waypoints in a route maybe true for a handheld, but you're also asking for motorcycle units: https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId={59b01900-eeb0-11dc-d6fc-000000000000}
The following devices can store up to 500 locations in the Favorites
nuvi 200 series nuvi 300 series nuvi 500 series nuvi 600 series nuvi 700 series nuvi 800 series nuvi 805 series zumo 220 zumo 400 series zumo 500 series
The following devices can store up to 1000 locations in the Favorites
Camper 760 dezl series LIVE 1695 LIVE 2300 series nuvi 30 nuvi 40 series nuvi 50 series nuvi 205 series nuvi 295W nuvi 400 series nuvi 705 series nuvi 1100 series nuvi 1200 series nuvi 1300 series nuvi 1400 series nuvi 1600 series nuvi 2200 series nuvi 2300 series nuvi 2400 series nuvi 2405 series nuvi 2407 series nuvi 2408 series nuvi 2505 series nuvi 2507 series nuvi 2508 series nuvi 2707 series nuvi 2708 series nuvi 3400 series nuvi 3500 series nuvi 3507 series nuvi 3508 series nuvi 3700 series RV 760 zumo 350 zumo 660 zumo 665
Further more, I used MapSource to made a route with 42 Waypoints (not route points) and send it to my Zumo 550. (BaseCamp took way too long to start as it wanted to download all sorts of things from my Zumo) The Zumo did't have a problem loading the route. At the moment it's simulates riding the route and no problem so far (will take 2h 45min). The Zumo 550 is an old unit, it's replaced with the Zumo 660. Rumours are there will be a new replacement for the 660 as BMW already introduced their new unit.
The limitation wouldn't be the number of waypoints/favourites the GPS can handle, but the number of waypoints in a route. See Boyd's reply directly above yours.
I have an Etrex 20 that in direct mode will handle 250 waypoints, so coping with 1300 or so would only need the whole route being split into 5 or so separate routes.
