New to GPS, with a trip imminent. Gulp!

Crash and Burn

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Next month, I'm going to the Alps for a month. I've purchased a Garmin Zumo 390LM. How do I go about learning how to put routes onto it? Can I put several on (ie the whole trip)?

Educate me please :duno
 
I put each day on seperately. Using the hotel I stop at as a stop start point.

'Tyre to travel' is about the easiest software to use, but according to some, Garmins Basecamp is the right one to use........ But hard to learn.

Depends on how much time and effort you want to put into it................... Tyre to travel uses Google mapping, so is pretty intuitive.... http://www.tyretotravel.com/
 
Thanks for your reply Gargy. Are you able to put on a specific route, or do you (well, me) have to stay within a number of choices? Can I do it on the GPS, or do I need to do it on an tablet/ laptop?

Also, how can I verify it will work in Europe? It SAID it includes full European mapping, but how can I tell?
 
If it says full European maps that's what it's got. Install BaseCamp on your computer & plug in your Garmin & check out Europe.
 
If you're new to GPS, just do what I do. Plan each day as you go, pick a destination for the evening, look on the map and put a few towns/ villages in as waypoints, set the preferences to curvy roads and enjoy.:thumb

If it's the same as the Nav V, just go into apps on the unit, and there should be a route planner option in there, no need to faff about with basecamp or any other such nonsense.:beerjug:
 
You can waste hours and hours and get seriously pissed off trying plan and store routes - if you must use a sat nav then do it the way Nutty suggests - better still take some detailed paper maps and use your own built in compass and eyes.
 
Is another version.

:D

:beerjug:

True!:D

But when I go away on my own, I never plan the route until the day. That way I can see where the weather will be nice, as I don't like getting my hair wet!:p
 
If you're new to GPS, just do what I do. Plan each day as you go, pick a destination for the evening, look on the map and put a few towns/ villages in as waypoints, set the preferences to curvy roads and enjoy.:thumb

If it's the same as the Nav V, just go into apps on the unit, and there should be a route planner option in there, no need to faff about with basecamp or any other such nonsense.:beerjug:

What he says :thumb

Absolutely

:beerjug:
 
You can do custom routes on the device, choose the route on a map, make notes,
Set the destination on the garmin and let it build a route,ideally a days riding,
Touch the screen and it goes to 2 D ,zoom out and view the route,
Find the roads you prefer and touch the screen at that point to create a via point,
It does involve zooming in and out a bit and you can move the via before setting,
Add it to current route it will re calculate and check by touching the screen again,and zoom out,
You are then able to add others to bend it where you want or return to drive it,
Avoid via points at junctions and zoom in to make sure its on a road,
Using avoid preferences like tolls, motorways, and routing , faster curvy, shortest to
enhance the initial routing, you can change these at any time, but re check the route
When you get confident, adding vias from the poi menu for fuel and interesting places etc makes a comprehensive trip, when you have finished iether turn the garmin off or drive the route,
you can also save the trip as a route when at destination with trip log enabled,
This is my preferred choice for trips as it does a lot for you and often throws in some interesting roads, above all its quick and easy,,and flexible,,
This is one of many option for routing , and ideal for a beginner,
once mastered base camp is good,
Have a great trip,,
Roamer,
 
Thank you all so much for sharing your wisdom. This is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for :beerjug:

I now use Motogoloco.

Just set up a free account and then click on 'My Routes' and then 'Create Your Route'.

Just put the start and end points in and your route will appear.You can then either add via points or simply drag the route shown to where you want it to route via.

Once done,save your route and then click on 'Export'.You can then either plug in your 390 and export it directly using the Garmin link,but I find it either to use the Download feature underneath.Download as GPX file,plug in your 390,open up the Garmin icon on desktop then open up that GPX folder and drag the saved gpx route into it.You should then see new routes available in your 390 and Robert is your uncle.

If you need more help,just ask.We're not all high and mighty like Sir Wapping of Knowitallshire ! :aidan
 
I hate being taken to a destination by GPS using its route calculations unless i need to get there ASAP. I prefer to set the Garmin to take me down the roads and
scenery I choose.

You have a motorbike you want to see beautiful scenery along the way and you are on holiday.
Do you really want to set the Zumo to a destination and let it simply take you there. You will end up riding along the fastest roads by set preferences on the device
along generally dull dual carriageways and town bypasses.

I prefer to build a route in Basecamp. (granted Basecamp is initially frustrating to use)

A couple of years ago we went on a ski trip to the Alps via Aix-les-Bains if I plummed in Aix-Les-Bains on the Garmin and pressed go the Zumo would take me
there via the A43 & A41 from Lyon then straight into the town centre.
However if you take a look at the map Aix-Les-Bains sits on a beautiful lake and as i am on holiday i would really like to experience driving along the lake and maybe
take some photos of the stunning scenery before entering the town.
So I built a route on Basecamp (that directed me along the banks of the lake) only took 10 minutes to complete and transfer to the Zumo.

Browse a map look for twisty roads you can change google maps to terrain and it will highlight hills & valleys which can indicate beautiful countryside.

Have a look on Youtube search Basecamp route planning or something like that have a go its not that difficult.

Read some of the treads in the Basecamp and GPS Zumo350 area of this site
 
Browse a map look for twisty roads you can change google maps to terrain and it will highlight hills & valleys which can indicate beautiful countryside.

About the only words I can agree with ;)

As Nutty says earlier ... simply look on the map, a real map, you can pick out the good motorcycling roads far better than any GPS can (can't you?) ...

Note the towns or villages on the way ... depends on the terrain etc. but for a 200 mile trip you'll probably only need four or five ...

Find them in your GPS, preferably in reverse order ...

After breakfast go to History, the first town ... go to. As you near it press the X and go out of the route, back to history and go to the next town ...

Simples and it's totally amendable at any time ... see a lovely road over a mountain going in the general direction of where you want ... then turn and go down it :D

:beerjug:
 
I'm trying to build a route from home to work. Where there is say, a section of A3 to follow, it goes all around the houses. Even if it's just a few seconds, without any junctions, it comes up with a weird route. I tried putting it in fastest route/ car, but it still keeps doing it :blast

Any suggestions?
 
I'm trying to build a route from home to work. Where there is say, a section of A3 to follow, it goes all around the houses. Even if it's just a few seconds, without any junctions, it comes up with a weird route. I tried putting it in fastest route/ car, but it still keeps doing it :blast

Any suggestions?

are you using mapsource or basecamp?
if mapsource go to edit preferences and check where the slider is that indicates your preference for major roads or minor roads (its hidden in the "route" folder heading)
recalculate and it should re route you along the roads you wish to use, (the slider will need to placed more towards "big roads end!)
there will be equivalent in base camp I expect
 


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