Working With Base-Camp for Garmin

Track to Route conversion

It looks good! You don't need to make a "route" out of the track as a track is easy to follow on the GPS.

If you want to convert it to a "route" from a "track" go to the track name in the lower left window. Right click on the track.

In the window that pops up scroll down near the bottom and click "create route from selected track". Easy!



The inverse works as well with a Route to a track.

 
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Settings for Basecamp

Depending on where you live or just your own personal tastes, you can change how Basecamp looks and works via the "Options" in the File Tab, dropdown menu:



Me Being in Canada, I Use the Metric system and the program can display Metric or Standard for countries like the US. Here is how:



Visually you can change preferences as well. This takes a bit of experimentation to get to what you like, but don't be afraid to play around with it, since to quote a line from Rush; "no changes are permanent". You can always go back to the way it was.



What I really like is the ability to change fonts on displayed maps and "symbol" size, to make way-points stand out if you want.

Profile is important, especially when making "Routes" Get these setting where you want FIRST. Then your routes won't mysteriously change when you transfer from Base-camp to your GPS, AS LONG AS YOUR GPS AND BASECAMP have the same settings.

 
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Dennis add the ability to share your GPX files as an attachment to your posts. This message is a test of that......

UPDATE: You may now share your routes with others on this forum....
 
Google Maps to Basecamp tracks

It is all about what you are familiar with. I was painstakingly building tracks one point at a time. Then I learned how to convert a kmz or kml file from a Google Map into a gpx file that I could import into Basecamp. I personally never use "Routes", but have sometimes downloaded them and converted the "routes" to "tracks". like here;

RoutetoTrack.jpg


That Basecamp does very well, as it also does the opposite. My tracks tend to have LOTS of points, especially if they are "active" tracks taken from the GPS unit. I use a Montana.

If you are comfortable making a "route" with Google Maps, then just export to a kmz file. When it asks if you want to "export the entire map" or "The directions from____________ to___________". choose the latter.

ExportKML.jpg


Upload that file to gps visualizer, being sure to check the "gpx file" as the export format. and hit the "convert" button.

Link: GPS Visualizer: Convert GPS files to plain text or GPX

gpsvisualizer.jpg


Download the converted file by clicking on the link above the text box.

gpsvis2.jpg


Once you have saved that file to your computer, just import it into Basecamp. It will appear as a track. Right click on the track in the side bar and choose the "convert track to route". Or just modify the track to the color of choice and rename it.

I create tracks with Google Maps now all the time, and it is so much faster! It only sounds complicated but is fast once you get the hang of it.

As far as tracks to routes, the latest update to Basecamp does not allow proper calculation even when there are tons of track points. It just draws a straight line from the first to last point and shows a "calculation error". Maybe this will get fixed in the next update. It used to work, but since I never normally convert in that direction, just the other (route to track) I had not noticed until now.
 
Thank you for making these tutorials! Some of your tips helped me get more comfortable with Basecamp. Mind you, I think it's much easier to create routes for paved roads. The only bummer for me is that the Zumo 220 is not powerful enough to handle an entire trip route in one go; I have to split it up in one or two day portions instead
 
Thank you for making these tutorials! Some of your tips helped me get more comfortable with Basecamp. Mind you, I think it's much easier to create routes for paved roads. The only bummer for me is that the Zumo 220 is not powerful enough to handle an entire trip route in one go; I have to split it up in one or two day portions instead

I'm happy if even one person is helped by this thread. These Tools (GPS units, Basecamp program, etc.) can be intimidating and confusing at first and I wish that I had had this kind of help. A GPS combined with the basic knowledge of how to plot routes can be a powerful tool in navigating. It can turn a tourist into a knowledgeable traveler seeing what otherwise only locals do.

I still make a point of carrying paper maps all the time and sometimes purposely leave the house without my GPS, just so I don't lose the skill of navigating by Map & Brain.

One of the advantages that Google Maps has is the ability to instantly plot & modify(drag from one road to another) a track/ route between two points. But the file format (KLM or KMZ) is not directly compatible with Basecamp, thus the last tutorial. If Basecamp ever adds that feature, then I may never use Google Maps again. Until then converting the files is quick and easy.
 
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OldSchool,

If this needs to be deleted for bastardizing your post, I will understand, but I finally gave up on basecamp/Garmin and went with an alternate.

I tried and tried to get Basecamp to work, but it always gives the same issue. The route looks fine on the PC, but once it is on the GPS it tries to make minor reroutes, especially here in Virginia where there are lots of alternate routes.

We tried to use this for our Norton National rally this year but it was only a 95% accurate solution. We were trying to make the routes as curvy as possible and the Garmin kept overriding the route, even with lots of waypoints (on the correct side of the road).

I tried all the fixes listed and couldn't get it to stop "helping me".

I ended up using a free web app (Furkot | Free Road Trip Planner | Map Your Route) to plan the routes, and then exported them to an iPhone app called "Scenic" (free demo and the $49 for a forever license). It has worked far, far, far more accurately.
 
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