FREE Routing Program from Garmin

[DonPd]

Garmin has a FREE program that can create routes and send them to your Gramin device. It is called BaseCamp. If your device can store routes you can use BaseCamp with that device. Also, after your routes are created before sending them to your device the routes can be viewed in Google Map. All you do is select Google Map from a drop down in BaseCamp.

Download BaseCamp Here; BaseCamp

[rhingst]

I downloaded Tyre and if it is easier to use than Basecamp I sure as heck won't use Basecamp. Tyre is the most non-userfriendly program I've ever seen. I will just continue to use Streets and Trips as I always have.

[1775]

Tyre - also free is much simpler to use than BaseCamp and will transfer routes to Garmin. The only way to make sure the GPS unit will follow the exact route that you want is to add in waypoints making the GPS follow the route - in other words if the route you want goes left and at that point the GPS wants to go right, go back to the routing software and put a waypoint on the road to the left.

My GPS will stand on its head to put me and my RV on routes it is not allowed to travel on unless I am very exact in the route with waypoints along the correct roads. The only way to know this is to load the route into the GPS and review it and then go back and make changes in the map software to force the route in the GPS.

[vermilye]

Most of the new Garmin units will do a recalculation when a route is moved from Basecamp to the device, and recalculation can't be turned off, at least on the standard units.

The only solution I've found is to use lots of waypoints. The problem with that is unless you are careful ( and magnify enough to be exact), the added waypoints may not be exactly on the same road as the route, addind lots of "jogs" to the route. As others have stated, be sure you have the same "avoides" set up on each.

All in all, I find Basecamp fustrating enough that I rarely use it. I try to lay out a route on secondary roads & it constantly tries to get me on parallel roads that are "faster".

[DonPd]

Sue.T wrote:
BaseCamp is also a good source to geotag photos. Import a saved track to BaseCamp, use the geotag feature, point it to the location of your images, and it will filter through and geotag images with compatible dates/times. It will also create waypoints for each image in the track so you can see where each photo was taken.

If you upload photos to Panoramio.com for display in Google Earth, this is a VERY handy feature.

BaseCamp is a very useful program but learning all the features is a big challenge.

[sue_t]

BaseCamp is also a good source to geotag photos. Import a saved track to BaseCamp, use the geotag feature, point it to the location of your images, and it will filter through and geotag images with compatible dates/times. It will also create waypoints for each image in the track so you can see where each photo was taken.

If you upload photos to Panoramio.com for display in Google Earth, this is a VERY handy feature.

[DonPd]

This is a tip I saw and I like the idea. For each day of a trip make a route for that day. That way there are less change to be made in a short route.

I use BaseCamp and it has a big learning curve. What I did was under view drop down I selected Toolbars and select to display all of the toolbars. I would than select each tool and see what I could do with it.

You create a route from waypoints. You first create a starting waypoint then a ending waypoint. You can also have waypoints in between the starting and ending if you want. With waypoints listed on the left side of the map hold the Ctrl Key down, Left Click on the waypoints in the order of the trip highlighting them. Starting to ending and any in between. Once all are highlighted Right Click on one of the highlighted waypoints and select create a route. My starting waypoint is most time my home and the ending is the campground I plan on staying. The in between is most time are a place to eat, fuel up or a rest break.

When modifying a route you can add waypoints or use the tool Insert. to change the route. It allows you to add points to the route faster than making a waypoint. All you do is select a route than go to the place you want to insert a point. The route will recalculate by itself. You can add as many points as you like. This is one tool that you have to play with to get it to do what you want.

[Lorne_Lorraine]

strollin wrote:

tvman44 wrote:
But will the stupid Garmin GPS follow that route, they will not follow the route created on Mapsource. I even called Garmin about that and was told that is normal and when I asked why should we create a route on Mapsource & put it on the GPS if it will go the way it wants and they could not answer that question. 🙂

I've not had that issue when using Mapsource with my SP7200. I believe this can be an issue if the maps installed on your PC are a different level than the maps on your GPS.

A Garmin GPS will follow a route exactly as created in MapSource only if the GPS doesn't automatically recalculate the route to the GPS's own parameters when the route is transferred to the GPS. Some Garmin models automatically recalculate on transfer/import (I suspect the majority) and others don't. My older 750 doesn't and will follow the MapSource route exactly unless I deviate from the planned route in which case a recalculation occurs and the GPS changes the route to be in conformance with the GPS's own parameters (however the original MapSource route is still saved on the Garmin so I can simply reload it to get back on track). On some Garmin GPS models it is possible to turn off recalculate in which case it will follow the MapSource route exactly all the time. Adding more waypoints to the route when it is created in MapSource will often help the GPS follow the MapSource route more closely even if the GPS recalculates.

[RonWSl]

I just looked at the BaseCamp and will download it to try with my Windows based computer and Garmin Nuvi. However, I have a Samsung Tablet, with android base, that I would like to use for trips - am I correct that the app for the BaseCamp is only Apple compatable? If so, is there a comparable app for android tablets and Garmin Nuvi's?

[Jim-Linda]

You can also create routes in Streets & Trips and import to "some" Garmins. Our 1450 works fine.

Jim

[fj12ryder]

It won't follow the route from BaseCamp/Mapsource if the options on your GPS are different from the options in the program. That was one of the things I don't like about the Nuvi 465T: it won't route you over some roads if you're using the "Truck" profile.

F'rinstance if you have "Toll Roads allowed" in Basecamp/Mapsource and "Toll Roads not allowed" in your GPS and the route uses a toll road then it will be different. Or "Truck Routes" or "Avoid Freeways", etc.

[strollin]

tvman44 wrote:
But will the stupid Garmin GPS follow that route, they will not follow the route created on Mapsource. I even called Garmin about that and was told that is normal and when I asked why should we create a route on Mapsource & put it on the GPS if it will go the way it wants and they could not answer that question. 🙂

I've not had that issue when using Mapsource with my SP7200. I believe this can be an issue if the maps installed on your PC are a different level than the maps on your GPS.

[tvman44]

But will the stupid Garmin GPS follow that route, they will not follow the route created on Mapsource. I even called Garmin about that and was told that is normal and when I asked why should we create a route on Mapsource & put it on the GPS if it will go the way it wants and they could not answer that question. 🙂

[fj12ryder]

That's cool. BaseCamp is the latest iteration of Mapsource which used to be only available when you had a Garmin device. I like the ability to map out a route in BaseCamp and then click on a button and have that route show up in GoogleEarth.