basecamp

Welcome to the Factory, Jim. I personally don't do no stinkin' routes, so I'll let someone else answer your question. Lots of talent here.

Phil

Basecamp is a somewhat useful tool that I have used to pass routes to my 885T. For basic planning, I use Streets and Trips to lay ou the route. Once the route is laid out, I'll then open Basecamp and recreate the route.

Fine tuning a route in Basecamp isn't real easy as you have to zoom in close enough to place the marker correctly, then zoom out so you can move the map to the next point where a marker is needed. It takes practice to do it fairly quickly, but it i a pain at times. The best thing about it is the Nuvi will follow the Basecamp generated route and not try to recalculate one based on the end points.

First, welcome aboard to the forum, new here myself.

Since Garmin will no longer support (since Oct. 2010) MapSource, therefore BaseCamp will be the software going forward with Garmin units. Sure, there other options too.

You will get some good advice here, and the best thing it's free. Here is mine:

I think it depends on how your use your GPS... if an occasion route and few waypoints or POI, then perhaps Street and Trips save data to a file. I too have used and like Streets and Trips, the ease of creating a route is nice feature. The new version of S&T has issues with Garmin Maps and transfer of files due to data line or Time zones. You can search that discussion here as well.

I really like BaseCamp for my application. I Tour via Motorcycle and use a Garmin Zumo. BaseCamp's learning curve was hard for me at first...but once you get the "hang of it" it is a very powerful database with mapping.
All your data is before you, Folder are created and Lists within the Folder. For Example: If one Folder was named: Resources and within that Folder you create a list of all the Travel Plazas (found here in POI files) The list could be named Travel Plaza. You can have many list under one Folder...likewise you can have many Folders...and you can move an entire list to a new folder by drag and drop. I have re-organized mine a dozen times. To give you an idea of the storage of BaseCamp, I have 28,000 plus waypoints and near 300 routes saved, but yet I can start with a clean map and open those folders that contain only the data I need to share or create information.
I am a waypoint or POI person, seldom do I stick to a route anyway...except thru Metro areas.
Your routes are also saved with Folder and list.
POI can be shared and updated between List by drag and drop... or Send TO
If you care to store or save your POI and routes, they are saved before you and held there until you open the list.
With your GPS connect to computer, you can drag and drop POI or Routes, from your BaseCamp database. With MapSource loading was basically one set of waypoints at a time or one route at a time... with BaseCamp you can load several at one time to SD card or internal memory.
With BaseCamp like MapSource I like the ability to load POI from Google Maps...
BaseCamp and Google Earth works great together as well.
BaseCamp has easy backup and restore data feature.

Hope this helps.

why don't you export it as a gpx and import it into mapsource???

Mapsource only transfers the start and end points. any shaping points are lost.

I use Delorme Topo to set up a route with rest stops, gas stops, export this as a gpx file and import it to basecamp/map source, do a recalculate and shows everything

Hi Norwood

I too use my zumo for the motorcycle and thats when I have the most problems I want to plan out routes that are not the fastest or shortest and base camp keeps changing my route how do I stop this from happening?

To begin with, check your settings in Basecamp. You can set different profiles but before starting to lay out a route for the scoot, make certain the types of roads you prefer are more favored than the others - that helps.

Just out of curiosity, if I try to lay out a 3,000 mile (4,600km) route on my 3790 I get a error message that there are too many waypoints. I only personally insert less than 20 route waypoints.

If I were to try that in Basecamp would the GPS accept that?

In about 1 month I am leaving where I am in Mexico and cross over into the USA at Laredo and then make my way to New Orleans for a few days. From there head north partially via the "Blue ridge parkway??" maybe a different name? to Detroit. I estimate this route to be almost 4,000 miles.

It is such a PIA to have to do a route in 3 segments, which means I have to do a new segment every 1 1/2 days or so. Delete the first segment and then create another.

Mapsource works very well for me. I have learned to live with its shortcomings. I'm happy that Garmin will not change it in the future.

What about creating three routes at one time and storing them under different names in the 3790? I think you can have 100 in total.

Not as elegant as one route, I admit, but it should work.

I agree that there are shortcomings. I plan A & D and what happens in between doesn't matter much. When travelling with a group we have used routes so that if someone gets seperated they have a bit more information on where we should be going. As well all the hotels are included, so you can at least meet up there.
As far as Mapsource is concerned, I didn't know they weren't supporting.
Also didn't know about Basecamp.
This was a very helpful read, but now I have to go learn something else/more.
thanks (for the help)

You can control this couple different ways... on your menu task bar..UTILITIES dropdown...Options ...there you set YOUR profile for Motorcycle, ATV, CAR and etc.
What to avoid, speed and other options.

When you create a route...you can click on the route to open the properties box...there you can click on Route Options and change the profile just for that route... If you get a box to ask to to change all your routes...say NO.

Hope this helps.

You can control this couple different ways... on your menu task bar..UTILITIES dropdown...Options ...there you set YOUR profile for Motorcycle, ATV, CAR and etc.
What to avoid, speed and other options.

When you create a route...you can click on the route to open the properties box...there you can click on Route Options and change the profile just for that route... If you get a box to ask to to change all your routes...say NO.

Hope this helps.

Melaqueman

While I can't say whether your GPS will handle the long route..BaseCamp certainly can...

I may suggest you create three or four segments for the routes...BaseCamp can then connect your route segments..just drag one route onto another... and this will open a box for options.

In regard to your trip.. I have posted the Blue Ridge Parkway in the POI file... quite detailed.

Have a great trip...

Hope this helps!

Thanks Norwood and all that replied after adusting the sliders and unchecking a few boxes a I can now get my routes to go the way I want them to. After spending some time and getting some help here basecamp isnt to bad for a free program. Thanks for all the help. Hope I can do the same for someone else.