Confused about proximity alerts

You must set an alert if you want an alert to sound. You can run POI Loader in Manual Mode and set whatever alerts you want. Or you can put some alert information in the files themselves.

Check out Phil's great guide for more information about alerts.

Hornbyp's guide to setting alerts with POI Loader
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/6764

Regular POI files do not alert by default. You must SET an alert. You can do so in a variety of ways.

If you run POI Loader in Manual Mode instead of Express Mode, you can set whatever alerts you wish.

Also, be aware that alerts will only sound if you are on the road on which the POI is located, traveling in the direction of the POI, and if the POI is located sufficiently close to the road (typically 50 feet).

When I got my gps one of the first files I downloaded was Cracker Barrel.My wife and I travel a lot by car and stop at Cracker Barrel every chance we get.I have tried the alarm setting and found out very fast that you will very seldom get the alert to go off.Most Cracker Barrels are located off the interstate or main highway more then 50 ft.The alarm finally triggers once you turn off and get on the same road it is located based on your manual settings.By then you can see the location.Easier to just click on the custom poi for Cracker Barrel once it gets time to stop and see the one closest to you at that time.You may want to look at ths node http://www.poi-factory.com/node/13904 and read about TourGuide for csv files.It will give you more of a radius type alert if you really want to be alerted for every Cracker Barrel you pass.Not sure if this would be the answer for the locations being off the main road or interstate but it would increase the alert radius.