Do you control your GPS or does it control you?

[ElevenFifty]

Here's the deal -

- I create a route using the route tool in Mapquest.

- I load the route into my GPS

- My GPS asks if I want the shortest or fastest trip

- My GPS recalculates the route and CHANGES IT!!

 

It turns out that my Garmin GPS 76 (an older hand held, waterproof machine) considers via points as suggestions . It considers Waypoints as instructions . If I build a lazy, winding, twisty motorcycle route with via points, my 76 MIGHT just take me on roads I didn't want. If I build the same route with enough Waypoints, and select 'Shortest Distance' then it always takes me where I want to go. The problem is that the routing tool in Mapquest will NOT make Waypoints, only Vias.

 

If this is a problem for anyone else, I have a solution. I wrote a little program that converts via points from a Mapquest route saved as a .gpx file, into sequentially numbered Waypoints saved in a new file ... open the new file and:

Edit -

Create New Route -

Add Waypoints - (select the entire list, they are in order)

 

Save the new file and download it to the GPS ...

 

This may only be an issue for the GPS Map76C family of devices. If anyone needs this little program, PM me and I'll post a copy of it for download.

[T__]

Here's the deal -

- I create a route using the route tool in Mapquest.

- I load the route into my GPS

- My GPS asks if I want the shortest or fastest trip

- My GPS recalculates the route and CHANGES IT!!

 

It turns out that my Garmin GPS 76 (an older hand held, waterproof machine) considers via points as suggestions . It considers Waypoints as instructions . If I build a lazy, winding, twisty motorcycle route with via points, my 76 MIGHT just take me on roads I didn't want. If I build the same route with enough Waypoints, and select 'Shortest Distance' then it always takes me where I want to go. The problem is that the routing tool in Mapquest will NOT make Waypoints, only Vias.

 

If this is a problem for anyone else, I have a solution. I wrote a little program that converts via points from a Mapquest route saved as a .gpx file, into sequentially numbered Waypoints saved in a new file ... open the new file and:

Edit -

Create New Route -

Add Waypoints - (select the entire list, they are in order)

 

Save the new file and download it to the GPS ...

 

This may only be an issue for the GPS Map76C family of devices. If anyone needs this little program, PM me and I'll post a copy of it for download.

 

David, can you turn off auto recalculate?.. If not then you MUST I repeat MUST have the very same version of mapping in MapSource (you really using Map Quest?)..

 

If the maps don’t match then the GPS will more than likely do an auto recalculate for you to so it fits It’s internal mapping..

 

On my GPS (the Zumo) I am very careful to use lots of shaping points & turn off auto recalculate & have no problems following the route originally mapped out.. I do miss my fair share of turns as I usually ride faster then the GPS updates in areas with lots or close proximity roads & intersections.. If I use auto recalculate with few shaping points it is probably going to recalculate a route I don’t want.. With auto recalculate turned off I just take the next turn & work my way back to the unaltered route..

 

Auto recalculate is great for just quickly getting somewhere be a real pain if you want to stay on a specific route..

 

Twisty

[Davis]

I think his unit has similar properties as what I use, Garmin Que on a PocketPC. You can turn off auto-recalculate and do exactly as described, just work your way back to the highlighted route on your own. The problem is that the unit has to calculate the route the first time. While it's a pain at first, after a while you just get used to adding a waypoint on the curvy roads you wish to take so it will calculate the route you envisioned. If I used mine more, I'd justify the cost of a newer GPS, but I mostly use it as a map showing my location and a log of where I went while exploring. The times I care about loading a specific scenic route are pretty few.