None of this stuff works for me.....

[Sneldog]

Basecamp is on the way out so I need to find an alternative solution. MRA works well as a route planning tool. However, the problems are then myriad if you have an XT, iPhone, iPad and iMac.

I have finished routes that I need for a 7 day trip in May but getting them out of MRA and into the Zumo XT in a workable format is just far too much like hard work. Problems abound.

• iMac won't recognise XT as it has an Android OS
• iPad won't recognise XT via Garmin Drive
• The MRA Connector cannot find the XT
• Cannot transfer via Garmin Express
• iPhone sometimes recognises XT via Garmin drive but then it is one file at a time and when in the XT, too few waypoints for the route to stay intact
• SD card no good as XT and iMac continue to want to reformat it

The issue I think is not MRA which seems to work well, at least as a route planning replacement for Basecamp. But throw in MacOS and a Garmin product and it is like pulling teeth. Two hours wasted this lunchtime on this and am not really anywhere nearer a solution. And I have worked in IT for over 25 years!

Garmin really are a fucking shithouse of a company. I genuinely hate them. Everything nearly works. What a set of wankers.

All I want to do is bluetooth 7 GPX files from either my iMac, iPad or iPhone - across to the XT and for them to work. Doesn't sound difficult.

The only viable solution seems to be to go back to the start of all this and redo everything in Basecamp which does recognise the XT and load the finished routes in through it. Frustrating. Am glad I only paid per month for MRA.

 

[glenn2926]

Are you sure basecamp is on its way out? Mine still works fine.

 

[Sneldog]

Mine works fine-ish too. A few bugs but all software has that.

I think it is going to be unsupported soon so am looking for something to take its place and the idea of being able to change plans and routes on the hoof with an iPad and MRA is very appealing. I thought this could be an excellent solution but for me at least, it seems not.

 

[glenn2926]

Mine works fine-ish too. A few bugs but all software has that.

I think it is going to be unsupported soon so am looking for something to take its place and the idea of being able to change plans and routes on the hoof with an iPad and MRA is very appealing. I thought this could be an excellent solution but for me at least, it seems not.

I did try using calimoto on a trip around Norway last August. It seemed like a good system, not as easy or straightforward for plotting routes but not much is as easy as basecamp for that. Sharing routes was pretty easy though. It uses your phone so maybe not there yet but when my Zumo 660 eventually dies it might be my choice for replacement.

 

[Wapping]

I do not work in IT but….

A. There is a workaround (even I managed it) to have a Mac recognise an XT. There again, BaseCamp on my Mac became so flakey, I no longer bother to turn it on.

B. The connection between a Garmin Drive on an iPhone and the XT can be a bit flakey, too. I bought a cheap Samsung reconditioned S10 phone, which is much more reliable. There again, I used my iPhone and XT together, sitting in a burger joint in NE France, without a problem.

C. The trick, if there is one, is to accept that MyRoute’s routes, start life outside of the Garmin world. Help it along:

1. Have ‘enough’ shaping points * (what MyRoute calls, waypoints) to pin the route.

2. Use HERE maps in MyRoute.

3. Export the route from MyRoute into Garmin Drive in version 1.2.

4. Make sure ALL the shaping points are ALL placed accurately on the road, not off in a field. This is true of MapSource and BaseCamp, too.

5. Don’t, as one bod on this forum did, create a route of 800 or whatever it was miles…. And then expect it to work, straight off the bat.

Report back…..




* The teardrop thing, not the hand.

 

[Wapping]

If all else fails, import the MyRoute route into MyRoute’s Navigation app and use your phone in place of your XT. I use the Samsung S10, in parallel to my XT, for just that purpose.

Do though power your phone, as the MyRoute Navigation app is still quite power hungry.

 

[DJ123]

Basecamp is on the way out so I need to find an alternative solution. MRA works well as a route planning tool. However, the problems are then myriad if you have an XT, iPhone, iPad and iMac.

I have finished routes that I need for a 7 day trip in May but getting them out of MRA and into the Zumo XT in a workable format is just far too much like hard work. Problems abound.

• iMac won't recognise XT as it has an Android OS - do you have an android transfer program installed? This usually hijacks the XT connection prior to Garmin Express program. You can find these under the Activity monitor.
• iPad won't recognise XT via Garmin Drive - it should connect w/o issue
• The MRA Connector cannot find the XT - Download the route as GPX form MRA and share to Garmin Drive
• Cannot transfer via Garmin Express - Are you importing using Garmin Express?
• iPhone sometimes recognises XT via Garmin drive but then it is one file at a time and when in the XT, too few waypoints for the route to stay intact - Stage 1; turn off auto rout calculation on XT. Stage 2 add more way point/shaping points when creating a route. Stage 3. Sending multiple routes should be fine when sharing from MRA app>Garmin Drive
• SD card no good as XT and iMac continue to want to reformat it - Why do you need an SD card? Route file sizes are low MB.

The issue I think is not MRA which seems to work well, at least as a route planning replacement for Basecamp. But throw in MacOS and a Garmin product and it is like pulling teeth. Two hours wasted this lunchtime on this and am not really anywhere nearer a solution. And I have worked in IT for over 25 years! -It does work, but as above you need to be aware of the connection getting hijacked by Android file transfer programs before GE has a chance to see the satNav

Garmin really are a fucking shithouse of a company. I genuinely hate them. Everything nearly works. What a set of wankers.

All I want to do is bluetooth 7 GPX files from either my iMac, iPad or iPhone - across to the XT and for them to work. Doesn't sound difficult.

The only viable solution seems to be to go back to the start of all this and redo everything in Basecamp which does recognise the XT and load the finished routes in through it. Frustrating. Am glad I only paid per month for MRA.

 

[Sneldog]

The XT is flakey with the iPhone but just goes in circles with the iPad - they find each other then get confused and go down a wormhole. All are new devices. I have deleted the connections from all devices several times, all to no avail.

I am using the HERE maps and have used the expansion tool to fill them with a lot of shaping points and I spent a long time checking them all for placement accuracy. I have not been using the 1.2 format though so will try again with these.

Unfortunately, I can't use a phone for navigation as I need the bigger screen - eyesight prescription being the issue.

The feature I am missing is at the Garmin end. Just a simple capability to import a GPX file via Bluetooth onto the XT without the complication of Garmin Drive, Garmin Link, Garmin Connect or Garmin Explore! The software on the device should have this. Not sure if the XT2 does? Not that I will be rushing to buy any more Garmin products of course..

 

[Deleted account 250722001]

At the risk of receiving a ...


Spend quiet quality time understanding (and putting up with ) some of Garmins' foibles.
Having read a great deal of threads, IMHO, it seems that folks end up mixing/converting/manipulating so many different software packages that the result is an unholy mess causing tons of frustration- none, I may say, that I have ever experienced.
At worst, a unit shut down due to my overloading it (lazy me).

I use Basecamp, OSM and GE to gather/create the info I need- then make waypoints with indicative icons / proximity alarms etc which I use IF I must make a route. That data is then saved as a .gpx which I copy and paste in an SD card and a large portable SSD as a back up.
Most times, knowing my general direction of travel, I only ask the satnav on-the-ground to calculate a route of my choosing for the day keeping it short, knowing full well the settings I have chosen in my satnav.

FWIW, I do not use Garmin Drive, Garmin Link, Garmin Connect or Garmin Explore! Totally unnecessary.

Could it be that the solution is to stop satnav 'cooking' ?? as I call it resulting in
Whatever our choices, these should work for us- if they do not, then 'something' is trying to tell us something.
In my experience trying to lend a hand or training individuals, some neither wish to listen / amend their ways or spend time learning expecting things to just plug-n-play.

Please don't shoot the messenger; just sayin'

 

[Sneldog]

At the risk of receiving a ...


Spend quiet quality time understanding (and putting up with ) some of Garmins' foibles.
Having read a great deal of threads, IMHO, it seems that folks end up mixing/converting/manipulating so many different software packages that the result in an unholy mess causing tons of frustration- none, I may say, that I have ever experienced.
At worst, a unit shut down due to my overloading it (lazy me).

I use Basecamp, OSM and GE to gather/create the info I need- then make waypoints with indicative icons / proximity alarms etc which I use IF I must make a route. That data is then saved as a .gpx which I copy and paste in an SD card and a large portable SSD as a back up.
Most times, knowing the general direction of travel I only ask the satnav on-the-ground to calculate a route of my choosing- knowing full well the settings I have chosen in my satnav.
Could it be that the solution is to stop satnav 'cooking' as I call it resulting in
Whatever our choices, these should work for us- if they do not, then 'something' is trying to tell us something.
Alas some neither wish to listen / amend their ways or learn.
Please don't shoot the messenger.

I have been using Basecamp and Garmin products for a decade and am fine with all aspects of this approach.

The routes are fine in MRA too. Feel free to take a look.

The issue is hardware and software incompatibility combined with buggy Garmin integration solutions.

 

[glenn2926]

At the risk of receiving a ...


Spend quiet quality time understanding (and putting up with ) some of Garmins' foibles.
Having read a great deal of threads, IMHO, it seems that folks end up mixing/converting/manipulating so many different software packages that the result is an unholy mess causing tons of frustration- none, I may say, that I have ever experienced.
At worst, a unit shut down due to my overloading it (lazy me).

I use Basecamp, OSM and GE to gather/create the info I need- then make waypoints with indicative icons / proximity alarms etc which I use IF I must make a route. That data is then saved as a .gpx which I copy and paste in an SD card and a large portable SSD as a back up.
Most times, knowing my general direction of travel, I only ask the satnav on-the-ground to calculate a route of my choosing for the day keeping it short, knowing full well the settings I have chosen in my satnav.

FWIW, I do not use Garmin Drive, Garmin Link, Garmin Connect or Garmin Explore! Totally unnecessary.

Could it be that the solution is to stop satnav 'cooking' ?? as I call it resulting in
Whatever our choices, these should work for us- if they do not, then 'something' is trying to tell us something.
In my experience trying to lend a hand or training individuals, some neither wish to listen / amend their ways or spend time learning expecting things to just plug-n-play.

Please don't shoot the messenger; just sayin'

Your way sounds very complicated to me. I use Basecamp the send it to my Zumo. Job done. No osm? Or ge? Just Basecamp to Zumo. Very easy.

 

[Deleted account 250722001]

I may have mis-expressed myself Glenn.
I use GE, OSM maps and other data sources to build the data I want, collating them in .gpx files. Yes I copy and paste them not relying on Bluetooth either-
My philosophy has always been to keep things as simple as possible. The more the layers of complications, the greater the probability of a cock-up.
Once away from PCs', I just rely on my satnavs- so far, my methodology has never failed.

@snelly- I wasn't criticising you, just calling it as I have experienced over many many years. I have previously looked at MRA (thank you) and have dismissed it as of no use to me. Other people will think otherwise and more power to their elbow. Blessed be the option to have choices!

 

[Mzokk]

Em.. something is amiss I have Garmin Drive on an Ipad and on my Android phone and have had no issue downloading routes and sending them to my XT. Sorry to teach granny to suck eggs but have you checked your app permissions aren't preventing things from working? Can't help you with the Mac stuff but it seems basecamp does not get on with the newer apple M chip pc's. Works grand in windows and even on Linux in a Windows VM. And never have Garmin Express and basecamp open/doing things at the same time they don't get on. Oh and garmin explore is garbage

 

[DJ123]

Do you use the Garmin cable when connecting to your Mac?

 

[glenn2926]

I may have mis-expressed myself Glenn.
I use GE, OSM maps and other data sources to build the data I want, collating them in .gpx files. Yes I copy and paste them not relying on Bluetooth either-
My philosophy has always been to keep things as simple as possible. The more the layers of complications, the greater the probability of a cock-up.
Once away from PCs', I just rely on my satnavs- so far, my methodology has never failed.

@snelly- I wasn't criticising you, just calling it as I have experienced over many many years. I have previously looked at MRA (thank you) and have dismissed it as of no use to me. Other people will think otherwise and more power to their elbow. Blessed be the option to have choices!

I still don’t understand. Why not just build your route on Basecamp then send it to your sat nav. No need for GE, OSM . I don’t know what they are but I literally just plot in Basecamp and send it.

 

[G&T]

Won’t Garmin be replacing Basecamp with something else and it’ll be just like eating a Victoria Sandwich rather than Lemon Drizzle?

After all they’re still in the Nav business.

 

[Sneldog]

Em.. something is amiss I have Garmin Drive on an Ipad and on my Android phone and have had no issue downloading routes and sending them to my XT. Sorry to teach granny to suck eggs but have you checked your app permissions aren't preventing things from working? Can't help you with the Mac stuff but it seems basecamp does not get on with the newer apple M chip pc's. Works grand in windows and even on Linux in a Windows VM. And never have Garmin Express and basecamp open/doing things at the same time they don't get on. Oh and garmin explore is garbage

Yes, I think something is amiss. I got the phone to connect again and now have one of seven routes on my XT which looks like it is viable for use. No joy with the iPad though. Interesting side note - the routes from MRA look okay in the XT but are either a straight line or pretty off-route in Basecamp - most strange. @Wapping - it is the 1.2 files that are just a straight line along with an inaccurate track.

Agree about the later Macs, my Garmin used to show as a drive in Finder until we had the hardware upgraded; motherboard, chipset etc.

Yes - I only use the Garmin cable.

And am definitely going to redo everything in Basecamp so that I can be certain that things will work. In 4 weeks I am leading the ride for six mates that these routes pertain to so I don't want any fuckups!

 

[Deleted account 250722001]

It's all about information Glenn
- As an example, we all have a look at street view to learn how a place looks like, hotels, lakes etc etc
GE is Google Earth, OSM is Open Source Mapping and the web is full of data- a lot of rubbish too-

I do not need to plan my routes ahead of time- IF any planning is needed- I will have a very comprehensive set of Key waypoints.
It may not work for all but it has worked for me for many many a trip.
90% of the time, my satnag will be 'Off' and I will be looking around, enjoying new sights and smells as I ride along and hunt down the local nosh eateries and but I will confess to switching to topography mapping to find those elusive hidden gems.

We all have techniques/habits/ways of doing things- hence 'vive la difference!'
Richard seems to adore MRA so he's the best person to seek advice from using that software.

 

[Mzokk]

Won’t Garmin be replacing Basecamp with something else and it’ll be just like eating a Victoria Sandwich rather than Lemon Drizzle?

After all they’re still in the Nav business.

They are replacing it with the tread app. Which looks OK I tried it on the phone but it won't pass created routes to the XT only the XT2 part of its upgrade path I suppose. Garmin explore is avaliable as an app as well as an online tool. You can put waypoints in but it only calculates the routes via the XT, its a dogs dinner to be honest. Can't understand why garmin don't buy a company like MRA to do their web based stuff?

 

[Deleted account 250722001]

Hopefully a useful tit-bit.
This tiny usb/micro sd slot and usb-c is what I use to transfer files to and from my phone. Plugs right in without a lead ( samsung)
And I use the samsung T7 for file storage.
All of...64grams