I just completed a two week tour in my camper van. Before leaving, I prepared a series of GPX files and stored them on an RVcam795 Garmin GPS unit. The GPX routes were chosen because I wanted to follow those specific roads. I did not necessarily chose the fastest or shortest routes. In nearly every case, the Garmin 795 did not follow the GPX route, but made decisions on its own to follow routes I did not specify. I now don't feel any loyalty to Garmin, and will try any hardware/software combination that will follow a specific route. Can someone recommend a way to have a GPS system that will follow roads that I specify? Thanks, Tom.
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Why bother with GPX?
- Thread starter tmr
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Not sure how you created the GPX files, but if it was based on anything other than the map in the GPS, then probably exact points won't match and it won't be able to follow it. If you create routes using the Garmin BaseCamp software (free from Garmin), with the identical maps on your computer and the GPS, then load those into your GPS, it will follow those religiously. I do it all the time.
Thank you Driver Steve. Much of the RV world uses RV Life Trip Wizard, because it factors in vehicle-specific variables (e.g., height and weight) to avoid routes that would pose a problem to the RV. I created the routes in that software, and exported the GPX files to the Garmin 795. I appreciate your mention of the BaseCamp software, and will definitely give that a try. I actually do want to use the Garmin 795, and not pitch it out.
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Well, BaseCamp doesn't recognize large vehicle restrictions so your route planning is probably still better done in the RV tool. But once you have the GPX files, you can import those into BC. I don't have experience doing this, but I just tried it by creating a route in Open Map Maker and saving it as a GPX and importing it into BC. It imports as a "track" (just a series of closely-spaced points defining the path) and in BC, there is a command "Create Route from Track". I selected that and it quickly created a "Route" following the same path. This is what a Garmin GPS device can follow. Having created any routes from your GPX's, you can also modify them, rename them, set departure times, etc. You can group all the routes for a certain trip into a "list". Then you can connect your GPS to the computer, it will show in BC and you can "send" the routes or all the routes in a list to your device. I will say that BC is rather old, development on it was stopped years ago but they leave it around for us diehards. It's a little clunky and frustrating with a steep learning curve, but there are a lot of tutorial videos out there to help. Also keep in mind that if you're going to do this, you'll need to use Garmin Express to load the same maps on both your device and your computer so the routes created on BC will work properly. If you've downloaded current maps to your device using GE in the past, you may already have BC on your computer, otherwise it can be downloaded for free from the Garmin website. Good luck!
Good to know there are still some GPS die-hards out there - enjoy