Tracks and Routes

[NorthernBoy]

Can anyone let me know the difference between tracks and route son Garmin GPS?

I've bought european maps for my Mac, and have made and exported some tracks to my GPS, but there's also the option to create routes instead. Unfortunately I've killed my Etrex 30, so can't test them out yet, and my new Zumo 660 only arrives in the week, a day or two before I head off to Spain, so it'd be noce to know whether I should be creating routes, tracks, or both for my trip.

Thanks.

 

[JASONBC]

Can anyone let me know the difference between tracks and route son Garmin GPS?

I've bought european maps for my Mac, and have made and exported some tracks to my GPS, but there's also the option to create routes instead. Unfortunately I've killed my Etrex 30, so can't test them out yet, and my new Zumo 660 only arrives in the week, a day or two before I head off to Spain, so it'd be noce to know whether I should be creating routes, tracks, or both for my trip.

Thanks.

a TRACKS IS JUST A recording of where you've been it's a single black line on the screen a route gives you waypoints distances and directions to the next waypoint. If i remember correctly my 60csx can hace 500 waypoints per route if you need more you just create another route starting from where the last one finished.

Took mine out to the Nw200 last year left it turned on, on my handle bars ( it would create a track of where i've been)so when i got back to cornwall i could see on memory map where i've been. Unfortunatly i forgot i would need the laptop to download it a couple of day before we came home i checked it and it was showing 99% full then i reset itself and i lost most of it

 

[NorthernBoy]

Thanks. Basecamp lets me make tracks or routes, and it's not clear which I should choose for my trip. Unfortunately the routes option is playing up on the mac (will not allow the track -> route option), so I may be stuck with tracks anyway.

 

[Pablo1]

it's not clear which I should choose for my trip. (will not allow the track -> route option), so I may be stuck with tracks anyway.

if your planning a trip you should be using routes, HTH

 

[JASONBC]

Thanks. Basecamp lets me make tracks or routes, and it's not clear which I should choose for my trip. Unfortunately the routes option is playing up on the mac (will not allow the track -> route option), so I may be stuck with tracks anyway.

use memory map then you can convert routes to tracks and vice versa

if your planning a trip you should be using routes, HTH

Not always, if i'm going on a trip i rearly use GPS, only use it for greenlaning in area's i don't know and even then it's hit and miss if it works out how the map show the lanes and how many lanes have had there rights of way changed since the map was written. Only 2 things they are spot on for is back tracking if you get lost and for orienteering

 

[vaclove]

Tracks vs routes

There are more detailed discussions about tracks vs routes. As I was looking into it myself, I'll try to sum up the points.
When creating a route, you select on you PC/Mac/GPS the places you want to go through and optimal route is calculated based on the settings of specific device.
The biggest drawback what people complain about is, that the routing settings on your PC are not necessarily the same as in the GPS. When you transfer the route, you only transfer points A, B and C. This means, that GPS recalculates the route before navigating, which can mean, it can navigate you different road, than the one you have originally chosen on your PC. Problem is, that you realize, that GPS fucked up your route often when it is too late, as you can't see all the details on the tiny GPS screen. One way how to avoid "misunderstanding" is to select lot of via point on your route, or to convert the route to Track.

Track is principally different from the route as it is a line consisting from many points of specific coordinates. GPS does not calculate route between individual points of the track. Track is just line you follow. It does not matter whether it is on road or off road and it does not matter whether you have map coverage of the area where the track is. The track is more reliable to follow as it EXACTLY the position you choose it to be, however it is clumsier than the Route since a long track mist have 1000 of points to give you good details of road compared with route.