Colorado GPS questions (Garmin 60csx)

[RideFreak]

Originally Posted by NMTrailboss

Chris,

I usually draw it out as a route. I have never used any auto-routing functions or routable maps (only using Mapsource 100K Topo) so when I draw a route, I just follow the bright purple line across the map on the GPS! Maybe this is too simple, but it seems to work OK for me. I'm referring to mostly off road here...not cross country on highways and interstates where I could see the auto-routing being a good feature. It seems that when I've tried to navigate by tracks that they are much harder to see on the screen than the bright, purple route. I am not using the turn-by-turn directions at all...just following the route/track line on the GPS map screen. I was just curious if there was something about using tracks that I haven't learned yet and could use in the future.

Sounds like you're using the route like a track. The GPS has that other screen designed for following a route, I've never used it though.

[wbbnm]

Originally Posted by NMTrailboss

Are you using City Navigator or 24K or some map that auto-routes? Using 100K Topo, I've never had issues with routes doing strange things or recomputing on the unit. They seem to transfer to the GPS exactly the way I drew them on Mapsource. The maps on Mapsource aren't always accurate so sometimes the routes are off because of that, but that is no fault of the GPS or routes themselves.

I must have my GPS set up with simple functions. My screen never rotates at an upcoming turn, it only rotates when I turn the bike in a different direction.

I do mainly use CN on my computer and create auto-routes. Sometimes I have to use 24k Topos when the roads I want aren't in CN. I convert those routes to tracks for navigation.


Yes it is the autorouting that causes most of the problems. If you use 100k Topos, there is not much difference between tracks and the direct routing these maps use. My eyes are still not too bad and I can see the tracks if I pick a good color. But I have several friends who really need that thick magenta line. I understand some units like the 276 can treat the track like a route and put the thick line in. Autorouting will only allow 50 way or via points in a route. I learned this the hard way once. There is a much higher limit for direct routes.

There are some who advocate creating finely sampled direct routes using 100k Topos and using these to navigate. These will then of course show up with the magenta line when activated.

I tried this once because it seems like a good way to augment the 20 track limit in the 60. It worked well. Another advantage or disadvantage depending on how you look at it is the the "track" does not show up unless you activate it for navigation.


**Edit: I also know for a fact like NMTrailBoss that the 50 way/via point limit does not apply to Direct Routes. I have heard the limit is 256 but do not know that for a fact. The one time I tried it I had maybe 200.

[FatChance]

The 100k maps do not support routes.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9330 using Tapatalk

[Raul Duke]

So the "points" you guys are talking about with your route are actually considered waypoints, aren't they? If thats the case, isnt there a 1000 waypoint total limit for the unit?

[NMTrailboss]

Originally Posted by Raul Duke

So the "points" you guys are talking about with your route are actually considered waypoints, aren't they? If thats the case, isnt there a 1000 waypoint total limit for the unit?

When creating routes in Mapsource and drawing point to point, each click of the mouse creates a 'via point'. Via points are technically waypoints but you cannot rename or alter them like you can with regular waypoints and I don't believe they count towards the total waypoints limit for the unit.

[Raul Duke]

Interesting! When you do not have a map showing in mapsource, it creates route points as waypoints, not via points. Show the map and they are via points. Go figure???

Thanks for the route processes you guys use, Im learning some new stuff here!

[snooker]

Originally Posted by Raul Duke

Understanding Routes
MapSource can generate a route from one location to one or more waypoints, addresses, intersections, or Points of Interest. MapSource shows routes as colored lines on the Graphic Map. Routes you select in the Routes tab or on the Graphic Map are highlighted in yellow and include arrows to show the direction of the route.
After you have created a route, you can use the Route Properties window to edit the route by adding, removing, or changing the order of the points along the route.

Route Tips:

• You can create routes in MapSource or transfer them from a Garmin GPS device.
• The points within a route are called called Vias. See Editing Route Properties for more information.
• In addition to auto-routes (routes that follow streets and highways), MapSource allows you to create direct routes (straight line, "as the crow flies" routes). See Setting Route Preferences for more information.
• MapSource generates a list of directions for each route. You can view and/or print this list by clicking the Directions tab in the Route Properties window. See Editing Route Properties for more information.
• Routes appear in the Routes tab on the left side of the screen. You can save routes in a file on your computer. See Saving Your Data for more information.

For more information on routes, see the following topics:
Using the Routes Tab
Creating a Route Using the Route Tool
Creating a Route Using the Route Properties Window
Creating a Route to Selected Waypoints
Editing a Route
Viewing a Vertical Profile
Setting Route Preferences
Working with Avoidances

Raul, this was informative... however it seems that all the links go to your hard drive files and are not URL's ??? Is there a pointer to the online doc you were referring to? thanks.

[Raul Duke]

Originally Posted by snooker

Raul, this was informative... however it seems that all the links go to your hard drive files and are not URL's ??? Is there a pointer to the online doc you were referring to? thanks.

This is directly from the installed Garmin Mapsource "help" file.

[eakins]

sent you a PM.

i have a 60csx and toggle among city nav (routable), 100k topo (non-routable), roads & rec (non-routable & great road coverage) and the free ones too.

i use routes at times and tracks at others. all depends on what i'm planning to ride and what roads are showing up the various maps.
booth are usefull! at times i also hand draw tracks in Google Earth and transfer to gps as it's visual only.

[eakins]

Originally Posted by Raul Duke

This is directly from the installed Garmin Mapsource "help" file.

if we all had access on ADV to local files on you computer you'd be in a world of computer security breach shit storm

[Raul Duke]

Originally Posted by eakins

if we all had access on ADV to local files on you computer you'd be in a world of computer security breach shit storm