Help needed understanding Mapsource

[HMR]

Its impossible to just navigate on the hoof, there is not enough detail at the correct zoom level.

Have you set "Map Detail = Most" in the SP3?

 

[PanEuropean]

...The above map detail shows perfectly well why GPS will not replace a map for me.

Well, I don't think any GPSR - no matter how fancy or how expensive it is - is really meant to replace a map. Maps and GPSRs serve two totally different purposes - don't be confused by the fact that GPSRs happen to have cartography in them.

A GPSR serves the following purposes:

1) It shows you where you are at the moment.
2) It shows you where your route ahead of you lies, in relation to your present position.
3) It can provide you with visual and aural instructions to guide you as you navigate a route to a destination.
4) It can be used to look up (find) specific points of interest.

A map serves the following purposes:

1) It allows you to comprehend the scale of what is represented, and to relate different types of features to each other.
2) It shows physical geographic features (topography) as well as man made features such as towns and roadways.
3) It gives you a 'big picture' overview of the area it covers.
4) It can be used to identify different possible ways to get from A to B, or, to locate different types of features within a given area.

A GPSR doesn't really allow you to do any of the things that you can do with a map, and a map doesn't do any of the things that a GPSR does well. If you want to navigate, you need both items, although you can accomplish simple navigation with the GPSR only if you are a) familiar with an area, and; b) willing to put blind trust into the GPSR.

A GPSR compliments maps, it does not totally replace them. What it does replace - perhaps - are street directories for cities. But not maps.

I can't really think of a good analogy to use - the best I can come up with would be a comparison of what a nice, expensive home stereo system does, and what a cheap and dirty clock radio does. The expensive stereo, no matter how sophisticated, won't wake you up in the morning, or let you see what time it is when you wake up - on the other hand, the clock radio won't play CD's or fill the room with symphonic sound.

Michael

 

[Taff]

.. I won't even bother getting into the ... "turn left in 300 ft" when the road just bends round a little.

This happens all the time when using the GPS in rural areas - but I'll bet that if you look at the GPS screen closely, what you will probably find is that there is a smaller road joining the road at the bend, so technically its a junction, even though you just stay on the road you are on. Its just something you get used to.

 

[bingbong]

Thanks Pan & Taff for the replys. I have a new problem. When I save a route to my data card (SP3) after planning on my PC, I can't see it when the card is in the GPS and the route function key pressed. Tried 2 data cards. maps transfer ok no routes or waypoints. Any idea's

 

[ebbo]

Thanks Pan & Taff for the replys. I have a new problem. When I save a route to my data card (SP3) after planning on my PC, I can't see it when the card is in the GPS and the route function key pressed. Tried 2 data cards. maps transfer ok no routes or waypoints. Any idea's

If memory serves me rightly, waypoints and routes are saved to the GPS via serial cable, there not accessible to the GPS on the card

 

[bingbong]

Thanks Ebbo you're probably right.

 

[worthy]

Hi Had the same problem....Spoke to Garmin and found that you need to transfer you route using the serial card........The usb downloads the map..........the serial port puts your route onto the gps.

It takes about 1 hour to download the r oute you have planned... Hope that answers you query....

 

[ebbo]

Hi Had the same problem....Spoke to Garmin and found that you need to transfer you route using the serial card........The usb downloads the map..........the serial port puts your route onto the gps.

It takes about 1 hour to download the r oute you have planned... Hope that answers you query....

To clarify,
Maps will take some time to transfer to the SPIII via the serial port, it’s a lot of data, an external card reader will load them very much more quickly.

Routes and waypoints will load to the GPS very quickly as they don’t represent a great deal of data.

 

[HMR]

StreetPilot 3:

Maps you download to the memory card in the USB-programmer.

Waypoints, routes and tracks you dowload to the SP3 over the serial cable.

 

[worthy]

ebbo
How do you only select routes or waypoints with the serial port? I could not select either, So I thought you had to download the lot again?

 

[Tomcat]

More questions for the Garmin experts..

I've found this thread very useful in understanding how best to use Mapsource. I hope someone with practical expertise can answer a few more questions please:

1. When a route is created in Mapsource using the 'rubber banding tool' ('select') there are 'invisible' via points created. If the GPSR (Quest in my case) is set to 'auto recalculate if off route' when riding one of these rubber banded routes, will the recalculated route use these invisible via points, or does the unit start afresh and route straight through to the end point?

2. If the Quest DOES calculate a fresh route, is the original that was uploaded from Mapsource still available for recall?

3. Do the tweaks made to travelling speeds on various road types that Pan describes making in Mapsource carry through when the maps and/or routes are loaded into the Quest? In other words, will they influence the Quest's own routing algorithm and affect the route?

4. Has anyone found that the turn by turn instructions for a 'rubber-banded route' are inconsistent? I rode a longish route into N Devon last weekend (that had been constructed in Mapsource) and I found that I was sometimes given turn instructions for the bl***y obvious (ie don't leave the major road) and yet it totally failed me when riding through Taunton, leaving me with no turn instructions at any of the major junctions there BTW, I was in 'dont recalculate' mode on this ride.

Thanks
TC

 

[araspitfire]

Good questions. I'd think the answer to 1 and 2 are "keeps the vias" and "no"...
But hopefully someone else with more direct knowledge chimes in.

#3 I should think is no... and I really want to be sure on that one too...

but I can answer #4 ... This tiny computer is doing quite a lot, and it's not perfect by any means... I get the situation you describe happening to me about once on ever 4 (ish) new routes... (feels like usless direction, then I miss a turn because it didn't warn me adequately) It seems to be getting better with more expensive versions of maps (now on CN 8), and experience...

Al...

 

[HMR]

1. When a route is created in Mapsource using the 'rubber banding tool' ('select') there are 'invisible' via points created. If the GPSR (Quest in my case) is set to 'auto recalculate if off route' when riding one of these rubber banded routes, will the recalculated route use these invisible via points, or does the unit start afresh and route straight through to the end point?

In general it's not predictable what the unit will do. If you want to ride on selected roads you can't use the route calculation (nor recalculation) feature in the unit. There are several reasons for this. One is that the route optimization algorithm works different in the unit due to compute power limitations, road speed settings, avoidance settings, etc.

The built in route calculation feature is great for taking you to a given address but that's a different issue.

It's required to use "auto recalculate = off" if you want to be successful in riding on routes created in MapSource.

 

[Andy Davies]

With the Mapsource suppied with my 2610, I cannot find my address. Not unusually where I live, I have a house name but no street name and so Mapsource fails. So let's have a shoot out with the more up to date models. Can anyone with a 2720, a 2820 (Pan Euro) or a Nav III have a go? Try with the postcode PA37 1PH for example, see what you get.

I look forward to the result!

Andy

 

[Tomcat]

Thanks guys, I'll take your advice. Autocalculate off, autozoom off... any other tips?
TC

 

[Ibex]

Just when you thought it was safe to.....

I recently made the bold declaration that I thought I had got this Mapsource thing sorted. Big mistake.
Last Monday I set off on a plane to Spain to do some business, I carefully loaded two particular routes into my 2610 for use in the hire car. When I got there and switched on however all I got was, "the route selected does not match the available maps." Although routes and waypoints were there, the maps had vanished!
I re-read the manual that first evening and found reference to the fact that subsequent map loading will indeed delete previous maps - surely not? How is one expected to plan a journey over several days of different routes?
I had slipped in a route to a hotel in Windermere for a wedding the day before going to Spain and this appears to have been the problem, but how can I avoid this happening again? For information I downloaded the maps and waypoints along with the routes using the USB cable from my PC. Should I have reloaded the maps seperatley as a "Map set?"

 

[John Armstrong]

Load all the maps into one set for all routes you want to go on

Get a 2gb disk and load all of Europe onto it. Then as long as you don't want to add any "overlays" you won't have to change the mapset on the CF card until CN EU v9 comes out.

 

[Schwarz Baron]

I recently made the bold declaration that I thought I had got this Mapsource thing sorted. Big mistake.
Last Monday I set off on a plane to Spain to do some business, I carefully loaded two particular routes into my 2610 for use in the hire car. When I got there and switched on however all I got was, "the route selected does not match the available maps." Although routes and waypoints were there, the maps had vanished!
I re-read the manual that first evening and found reference to the fact that subsequent map loading will indeed delete previous maps - surely not? How is one expected to plan a journey over several days of different routes?
I had slipped in a route to a hotel in Windermere for a wedding the day before going to Spain and this appears to have been the problem, but how can I avoid this happening again? For information I downloaded the maps and waypoints along with the routes using the USB cable from my PC. Should I have reloaded the maps seperatley as a "Map set?"

The safest way is to pre-plan your route on the puter. When you've finished the planned route, select the option, 'Show maps around route'. The mapsource will then do exactly that. Then send your route to the GPS, thus saving you from discovering what you have. Everytime you send maps to your GPS., it overlays them on the basemap, therefore losing your previously loaded streetlevel mapping. If this is not the answer you were looking for, Whatton is the man to ask, although I believe like me he uses the Quest..Or alternatively, I think you may need a bigger memory card

 

[John Armstrong]

Whatton is the man to ask, although I believe like me he uses the Quest..Or alternatively, I think you may need a bigger memory card

The man with a problem has a 2610 in which case your thoughts are spot on.

Even if I did suggest it earlier

But, great minds think alike.

 

[Ibex]

Wow - another tin of worms just opened...

Thanks for replies guys. Baron, the method you outlined is exactly the one I used! As to memory, I am assured my machine has the 512Meg memory in it, which I thought was the biggest available. Where do I stick a 2Gb disc! (careful....)

It has never cried "full" when I have loaded maps so still dont see why it dumped those copied over with my carefully plotted routes in Spain. Are you supposed to save them seperately? If I save the maps seperately as a set, does that protect them from automatic deletion? I recall struggling to delete some maps that came with the unit from previous (ebay) owner.

If its relevant I have v7 software, so it isnt the latest.