What Do I Need?

mike2874

mike2874

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I really didn't know what kind of forum on the net to ask for help but maybe you guys can... I'm looking for any ideas!

I've been reading rural water meters once a month for 12 years which consists of 140 meters over a 220 mile route. It all seems simple to me but now that I'm trying to train someone to take over my job I'm finding out differently.

Yesterday I took a potential hire with me and and he had an map app (iPhone or Android don't know) and was able to set PINs for every stop. Now I'm not sure how much that will help him since he really needs something like how Google Maps giving directions along the route and talking to him.

A few years ago the water district gave me a couple of old Garmins, a Etrex Legend C and a Etrex Legend Cx to gps each meter but I somehow lost the data I had downloaded to my computer and I no longer have the Garmins in my possession.

If I can get a hold of the Garmin I used with the batteries long being dead... what's the chance of it still retaining the data onboard?

Would something as simple as Google Maps or another app let me create a route with 140 stops... and still talk?

Is there something somewhat inexpensive the water district could buy that would let me either PIN or enter GPS coordinates but also would talk someone through the route?
 
You can use a free computer program to enter each 'pin' as a Waypoint and then get it to optimise the Route for the shortest path between them, or create a group of Routes so you can make several trips, the data will probably still be available on your old Etrex if someone hasn't erased it and it will work with the computer program to share the maps on it

You can then download the Route/s to the Etrex and it will show you the Route following roads / paths etc. on the installed maps, Garmin Satnavs and some other Garmin GPSs will give spoken drections along the Route, but I think your Etrex Legend will only give you an on-screen (visual) Route to follow

The Route generated on the computer program can also be downloaded (as a Track), to a smartphone App.like OsmAnd, this will also give you spoken directions along the Route
 
Thanks for the reply! I looked at the Sat Nav’s and kind of on the expensive side so maybe the OsmAnd app might be something to investigate.

Should I be able to create one route containing all 140 stops?

Curious is there a limit on how many locations you can add along a route when “Planning a Trip” on a Garmin Sat Nav?
 
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The shorts answer is Yes 140 locations is not a problem, however depending on what GPS device you will be downloading the Route you will get more or less information on the Route.

You can download a simple Track to almost any GPS device to get an on-screen Track to follow, however if you want to be informed when you get to each location you would need a unit that does a Satnav function called 'Multi-point Routing', this will then announce something like "Arriving at Test Point 27", without Multi-point Routing, there would be no announcement, you would be just driving towards the next 'Flag' on the map
 
Whew getting a little confused since I’m not up on all of this. If I understand correctly you’ve given me two methods of accomplishing what I want... using a (A) Garmin Satnav or (B) the OsmAnd app... both using Basecamp.

If using (A) OsmAnd/Basecamp... will this allow me the ‘Multi-point Routing’ function?

If using (B) Garmin Satnav/Basecamp... is their ‘Trip Planner’ the same as the ‘Multi-point Routing’ function?

You said that Basecamp was free but will it require me making any purchases to use the functions I need?

Would you mind linking me to the cheapest Garmin Satnav with ‘Multi-point Routing’? If used ones are a safe buy then certainly would consider that option.
 
Only a Garmin Satnav with Multi-point Routing will give you the "Arriving at Test Point 27" anouncement, any other GPS device will only have a single Track with Waypoints on it.

Garmin's ‘Trip Planner’ uses ‘Multi-point Routing’

Garmin Basecamp is free to use all functions but it only comes with very basic maps that won't allow you to make your road trip, however any Garmin GPS that is plugged into the computer running Basecamp will allow maps from the GPS to be copied onto the computer and used by Basecamp, so your Etrex Legends or any new Garmin Satnav's maps can be copied to Basecamp.

Here is a list of older Garmin units (look for Multi-point Routing) that you may be able to pick up 'used' :- https://gpstracklog.com/compare/garmin-nuvi-comparison-chart

Also although Basecamp will allow all 140 destinations to be held in a single Route, the chances are that the Satnav will only allow 30 Waypoints in a Multi-point Route :- https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=7S1IiE1e7H4Iw1svGjJlb6
 
Nuvi-Nebie you are just a wealth of information thanks!

I thought you originally said I could have 140 stops but then Satnav's only allow 30 Waypoints... looks like I would have to setup like 5 routes to cover my 140 stops... still better than nothing.

I will go through your list of Garmins that have the ‘Multi-point Routing’. Here's my questions:

1. For what I want to use a GPS for would I need 'Lifetime Maps'?

2. Do I understand correctly that all Satnav's models with 'Trip Planner' allow for 30 Waypoints?

3. Will the most basic Satnav with ‘Multi-point Routing’ and 30 Waypoints be plenty for my use?

4. Going through the list of Satnav's you linked to with ‘Multi-point Routing’ does that mean they all use the newer 'Trip Planner' or could some of them use the older route planner Garmin used to have? Trying to make sure I look at ones with 'Trip Planner' only.

5. You forgot to answer will OsmAnd/Basecamp combination allow me the ‘Multi-point Routing’ function and 30 Waypointsfor each route?
 
I copied 150 waypoints into Basecamp, got it to generate a Route for them and then got it to optimise the order it visits the waypoints for shortest distance and save as a single Route, at this stage it doesn't know which satnav you want to send it to, the problem is most satnavs won't accept the file, if you chop up the Route into 5 smaller Routes, they will download OK

You can still have a single Track (with no announcements) with all 150 waypoints in a single file

1) It depends how often your roads change, probably not

2) Satnavs can have between 1000 and 10,000 general waypoints, but yes there is a limit of 30 waypoints to get voice announcements in a single Route

3) Yes, the satnav generates it's own points in between each waypoint by following the roads, you could have a very complicated 2000 mile Route (say Route 66), with only a start and a destination, the satnav fills in the rest

4) Not sure, I would download the user manual of a satnav you are interested in and search for 'Trip Planner'

5) No, only on screen waypoints
Only a Garmin Satnav with Multi-point Routing will give you the "Arriving at Test Point 27" anouncement
Click to expand...
 
Thanks guess I'm looking for a used model from your list that costs anywhere from $50 to $100 but so many to pick from especially when you're not up on GPS devices.

Are some series better than others maybe that would give me a starting point?
 
The basic Satnav options are all much the same, the different models usually just have add-on features you may (or may not) want, such as Bluetooth, voice commands cameras etc. the Names change from 'Nuvi' to 'Drive' to 'Drivesmart' but basic navigation doesn't change much, so if you don't need the add-ons, I would go for the cheapest
 
Thanks Nuvi-Nebie for all your advice and I've narrowed it down to three models all getting high marks here. Wasn't sure how much credence should be given to the fact that Amazon only gives them three stars. Or would there much difference between a used device rated Good vs Very Good. Really features aren't that big of a deal when my routes will be on rural roads. In the original review by Rich Owings the 3750 had issues with Multi-destination Routing and Trip Log bugs how would you know if they got it fixed with software updates... otherwise he loved it!

Could you give your opinion on each of these?

2360LT ($65 shipped)

1. Used - Very Good

2. Amazon 3 ½ stars

3. Powered Mount

4. 4.3” Screen

5. Voice Commands & Bluetooth

6. No Lifetime Maps



2495LMT ($55 shipped)

1. Used – Good

2. Amazon 3 ½ stars

3. No Powered Mount

4. 4.3” Screen

5. Voice Command & Bluetooth

6. Lifetime Maps



3750 ($55 shipped)

1. Used – Good

2. Amazon 3 ½ stars

3. Powered Mount with Speaker

4. 4.3” Screen

5. No Lifetime Maps

6. Loudest Nuvi yet

7. Slightly weaker GPS receiver performance than recent Nuvi series

6. Issues with Multi-destination Routing and Trip Log bugs
 
Here's some more general questions:

1. Do upgraded maps even come into play if you're either pinning or importing GPS coordinates to your device?

2. What is a Nuvi's behavior when by-passing a Waypoint and going to the next one on the route. Does it keep trying to re-route or will it release and go to next one?

3. Do I understand correctly the Nuvi' models I'm looking at can all upload & download GPS coordinates or routes to Basecamp?

4. Some of the models I'm looking at come with ad supported Traffic... since I won't use it will I see the ads?
 
Nuvi-Nebi just wondering if I broke any forum rules since you quit responding... I apologize if I unknowingly did?
 
No you haven't broken any forum rules, as far as selecting a Satnav goes, I don't really have anything to add to my post #10.

From your post #12 :-

1) Yes, because when downloading a Route the satnav map MUST contain the road you have selected

2) Your satnav will always direct you back to a Waypoint, it won't direct you back to a Shaping Point

3) All will up/download GPS co-ordinates (Waypoints), but only ones with Multi-point routing will accept Routes

4) Not sure, you can probably disable Traffic info.
 
Thank you! I ordered a used Nuvi 2495LMT after talking to Garmin (they didn't recommend the other two on my list) so waiting for it to arrive.

In the meantime I was able to get a hold of those old Etrex Legends C & CX and they did still have my data so that's great! When I uploaded the data to Basecamp I did find out that of the 142 total meter locations I was missing 16... due to new meters added over time. When I get the 2495 I'm going to drive to the 16 and GPS them so then I'll have all the locations.

Now when I upload the 16 from the 2495 to Basecamp I'm wanting them to go to into the same list as the others... will they automatically do this and if not how do I get them there?

When I asked about skipping a Waypoint along the route you said it will always direct you back to it. Are you saying that at no point it wouldn't just grab the next Waypoint and continue on... hoping I'm asking this right? I'm asking this because I need to include all meter locations (Waypoints) along the route but sometimes I'll skip one since the meter is turned off and go on to the next one.
 
Could someone help me with this. All the GPS Waypoints made with the Etrex we’re made at the physical location of the meter basically me standing on top of them. The routes I’ll be creating for the 2495 will be to drive to the location and pulling in the driveway or parking along the road in front of the house.

In pulling in the driveway or parking in front of the house going to satisfy the 2495’s GPS tracking where it accepts that I’ve reached my Waypoint? I’d estimate that most meters are less than 20 feet to the driveway or road.
 
Update:

Well I used the Nuvi 2597 last month to read my 140 meters over a 200 plus mile route and so pleasantly surprised… it worked better than I could have imagined. I created five legs with roughly 30 stops in each and shockingly only had five glitches over the entire route.

These glitches would not allow the 2597 to release and move on to the next stop and I had to manually tell it to move on. It’s really kind of funny/strange that with 99.9% of the stops it announced I had arrived before I got there… whereas other times it was kind of picky. Three times it wanted me to pull into the drive when I normally would just pull out front staying on the road (same distance). I still find it amazing though that I originally took each meter’s GPS coordinates standing on the meter and how well that’s translated to a Drive route.

The other two glitches I had was when I had meters located directly across the road from each other… it seemed to confuse the 2597. It would recognize and release one meter but not the other. I ended up having to take new GPS readings for each… 100 ft. before and 100 ft. after to physically get them separated a bit. I have two sets of meters like this and I’m a little disappointed the Garmin doesn’t handle this better.

Probably the only other thing to complain about is the number of characters you’re allowed to type to name or describe a location. Don’t know what that number is but it differs in Basecamp, 2597 Saved GPS coordinates and in 2597 GPS coordinates in a Route. Guess I’m disappointed I can’t have consistent names/descriptions across all. With Saved GPS coordinates I have to abbreviate a lot and leave out the meter # but if I put that into a Route I have no restrictions I can type in as much as I want… strange.

I wonder if the number of characters allowed has increased with the newer Nuvi’s? Or how they handle GPS coordinates that are close together?
 

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