Dudes.....dudes???? seriously Dave? that is soooooooo passé!! Right, moving right along!

Why not join the Olaf and OSM maps for the best of both worlds? or others too!
It sounds like you have a Nuvi and that one is an entry level satnav with a max 500 waypoints available- that includes those you make and the route ones which is very restrictive.
You could convert your existing (non route waypoints) to (*) a separate custom POI file to release some space and allow you to use the full 500 just for routes - but ask yourself- do you really need a route? a better idea maybe would be to use the waypoints for critical turns and do the (*) above.

BTW- Basecamp also exists in 2D only version now-
Mapsource is still downloadable but it is worth noting that routes calculated in Mapsource contain inherent errors. Those in Basecamp get calculated depending on which profile you have chosen/set. You have set the Profiles haven't you?

New sat nav for Xmas maybe? but if this not be desired...then this old school method is still the most energy efficient and waterproof too. Enlarging the image will give you the answer as to an excellent compass which works worldwide as it has an adjustable declination correction. Now where did I put my circular slide rule...

Here is a link to a tutorial posted on the LD Riders website that provides some good information explaining how to use Basecamp for planning rides.

The documents consist of two PowerPoint presentations that were made at a LD Riders conference. Although these documents alone are not sufficient to get someone from "zero to 100" using Basecamp, they do provide some excellent insight into how to use the application for planning motorcycle routes.

It is worth noting that the newer Garmin hardware, such as the Zumo 590, no longer works at all with MapSource, so, we all might as well become proficient with Basecamp whether we like it or not.

Here's the link: Basecamp FAQ - LDRiders

Michael

Sorry Sir, passe is what always comes easiest to me!

The lack of being able to load routes into my 250 nuvi is a bit of a pain, I did not realise this until I tried and have spent some time getting my routes sorted.

I think 500 way points would be fine for me, but don't really want to sacrifice the routes. 2 months ago I was just going to do my trip off maps, but now I have been sold on the GPS things, but the overiding factor is that it has to be cheap.

I don't suppose anyone may know of the cheapest garmin sat nav that will transfer a route off Basecamp. Not bothered about motorcycle specific either.

Mr Pan European, those notes are really good. they have helped me no end to speed up my comically rubbish way of putting in my routes.

Cheers (I was going to say something passe!)

Dave

Hi Dave:

Garmin has greatly increased the number of different automotive GPS devices that they offer. Years ago, there were perhaps 2 or 3 different models at any one time... today, there can easily be 25 or more different "current" models.

The significant differences between the models for us motorcyclists are not the same as the obvious differences (screen size, for example). Many of the inexpensive models do not support route uploading, as you have discovered. Some models that support Bluetooth audio will permit pairing to a phone (for handsfree phone use in a car), but will not support pairing to a Bluetooth headset (essential if you want to hear audio prompts in your helmet). It is now rare to find any audio in/out jacks on a general market GPS.

Some riders have discovered that they can purchase a reasonably inexpensive Garmin device that is aimed at the automotive market and have it serve them well on a moto, albeit wrapped in a zip-lock bag if it is raining out. But, you have to be very careful in your research if you want to use an automotive model on a moto. Here are some suggestions to guide you. This is not a comprehensive list.

1) Get a device that offers 'Lifetime Maps' - in other words, free map updates in the future. These devices normally have the letters 'LM' appended to the model number. Otherwise, you will be spending another US$ 100 or so for a lifetime map subscription.

2) If you plan to do a lot of riding in big cities, consider getting one that supports traffic reports. The quality of the traffic reports varies by country... typically excellent in the German-speaking countries, typically useless in North America. Some countries in Europe require a paid subscription for traffic - do your homework.

3) If traffic cameras (radar cameras) are a problem in your country, be sure to get a device that supports upload of radar camera data. Not all the low-end devices do. This feature is commonly referred to as "Custom POI" (point of interest).

4) As you have already found out, not all the automotive navigators support route uploads. Typically, the least expensive 50% of whatever current product is offered will not support route uploads.

5) Provided that the device supports route uploads, the number of waypoints that it will hold is not significant.

6) If you want to hear audio prompts in your helmet, you will need a device that supports Bluetooth. But, not all the Bluetooth devices will support an external headset... some only support pairing with a phone for phone conversations. Bring along a Bluetooth headset when you go shopping (doesn't have to be a motorcycle one, just find some goof who is walking around with one of those things stuck in their ear and borrow it for a moment) and make sure the device supports providing navigation prompts to a paired headset before you buy it.

7) Some devices support lane guidance (telling you what lane to get into ahead of time), some don't. If you will be riding a long way from home, in unfamiliar turf, that feature can be very useful.

Michael

Michael , a slight correction on your point (5) if I may.There is a limit depending on which unit you have. See below for the Nuvi250
I don't know if Dave noticed that I attached the pdf user manual file in my previous post to help. ( #18)

Dave, Dude!!!! (did you have a slight sense of humour failure amigo?? !!) I hope I did not upset you- apology if I did-
To add value to your Michaels' post and to help you to keep costs down:
- Keep your Nuvi 250
- Make as many routes as you like BUT with no more than 200 waypoints each.
That is your units limitation and I find it best to always go a bit less than maximum.
- buy an external memory card or two- it is always a good idea to have a copy of important data and cards can fail.
- Create a folder called Garmin and a sub folder to that called GPX on these cards.
- From Basecamp, save your routes file or files in .gpx format and put these on your external memory card.
Your limit is the maximum card size your Nuvi is able to read. Do your homework.
Store as much as you can on the external memory card.

Name your routes with something that is easy to understand. for example
'London Victoria-TO-Dover'

For Waypoints:
You have choices- IF you wish to have different icons to display on your screen for different categories (pictures are better than text)- it means more work and the creation of .csv and .bmp format files ( see below how to)

OR, if icons are not important to you, then just save the file in .gpx format as well

Create as many as you like in your planning from home, save that file in .gdb3 format then convert it to a .csv file.
This file will need a corresponding file which is a .bmp file ( with the same name) and you use POI loader to send it to your unit.
The .bmp or bitmap is the icon which will display on your screen.
If you have different types of waypoints then each will need a separate file sith its matching icon if you want different icons to display.
All the files MUST be grouped in one single folder for upload to Nuvi using poi loader. Each upload erases the previous data on the satnav. Fir good practice, I use the 'remove' option in POI Loader before each fresh upload.


Doing the above will not use any of the units 500 maximum waypoints which you can then create and delete / or edit via the Nuvi on your travels logging points you wish to keep. A useful tip is to creaste one called 001 for where you park your bike- deleting as you move off again- it prevents you forgetting where you are staying/or have left your bike... don't ask how I know that

To give you a comparison, my unit can hold 4000 waypoints in its memory, but thanks to POI Loader, I have over a quarter of a million of them in my unit.

The gpx format files and the .csv ones cannot be edited on the unit and require a computer .
Total expenditure = 2 or more memory cards only
Investment in learning 'how to' time , lots!

Free software needed:

• Garmin Basecamp
• Garmin POI Loader
• GPS Babel for file conversions

Windows 'Paint' or the like photo editing software to make icons
Have fun

Bertrand, Dude, no sense of humour failure,

just a different sense of humour that maybe is hard to convey over the written word - no need to apologise, no offense taken!
Thanks for all the info, It may take me some time to understand it as I have that dangerous, just a little bit of knowledge!

Dave

If its any consolation, my Monterra has just glitched and requires a master reset (again grrrrr!)- A few more hours to spend resetting profiles, downloading apps and reinstalling stuff-
Great unit (when it doesn't throw a wobbly!)

now where is that master reset list...