Mapsource Map Update Advice

[HawkGTRider]

Sorry if it was confusing Syd... I actually use the Microsoft Streets and Trips as a GUIDE, strictly as finding out the routing I might want, as there is no way of transferring them directly to the GPS... I then do ALL the route planning on the GPS itself... It's pretty easy once you get comfortable with the unit. Very rarely will I use the Mapsource on my computer for planning. Trey

As I am not using it, I can't speak authoritatively, but MicroSoft Streets and Trips seems to be the preferred planning tool for the Iron Butt/Long Distance riding crowd. A few diehards use DeLorme's Street Atlas, but they are really in the minority. I continue to use MapSource for virtually all of my route planning. I have to do most of the work myself (no automatic recalculations for putting waypoints in different sequences or anything like that), but I kind of like it. It does what I want it to do.

Having said that, as Trey seems to be doing, I sometimes set up a set of waypoints and let the gps unit do my routing. If I have more or less time, I can let the unit recalculate the route plus or minus a waypoint or two and see how that looks. It all depends on what I'm trying to accomplish.

[OldButNotDead]

Geoffrey/Trey,
I do the same thing. MS S&T is much faster for me to pick my general routes. Easier to zoom in and out, and to get a general picture of what are possible alternatives. I do use MapSource for the route itself. One reason for that is I have found that with the latest map updates back roads are more reliable in MapSource than S&T. I have DeLorme Topo USA which has some nice features, especially if you are concerned about elevation. It just isn't as easy to get what you want. Kinda complicated.
Rod

[strey1100]

Geoffrey/Trey,
I do the same thing. MS S&T is much faster for me to pick my general routes. Easier to zoom in and out, and to get a general picture of what are possible alternatives. I do use MapSource for the route itself. One reason for that is I have found that with the latest map updates back roads are more reliable in MapSource than S&T. I have DeLorme Topo USA which has some nice features, especially if you are concerned about elevation. It just isn't as easy to get what you want. Kinda complicated.
Rod

Once again, you just listed another reason I just do the planning on the GPS itself. If Mapsource has a road and the GPS does not, well, now you got problems again. You will get into the dreaded "Recalculating" issue again. If the maps do not match, you are going to have issues...
FYI... I ride Route 66 every fall (Tour guide). I do follow the route in the GPS. I DO NOT let it recalculate under any circumstance. If I get off route, I will look at the screen and navigate back on my own. I am guessing pretty much the same thing applies to a route you have programmed into your unit. If you do not have a fair amount of waypoints, when you get off route, the unit will recalculate via what ever you have programmed into it (fastest or shortest) to the next waypoint. Which might very well NOT be what you wanted. I leave mine set to "Prompted" when it comes to a re-calculate mode...

[OldButNotDead]

Maybe we have an misunderstanding. My GPS and MapSource always have the same roads. I update Mapsource and my GPS at the same time, keep everything at the latest version. I have recalculating OFF all the time because as you say I DO NOT recalc underanycircumstances either. If you look at any route you make, you need to make sure that you do put some extra waypoints in at tricky places so that you are not at the mercy of the routing algorithm. To say that another way, once I "think" I have the route the way I want it, I zoom in and check it all along the way. No recalc's after that, period. Back to the original point, if your Mapsource and GPS maps are not at the same version, the likelihood of unpredictable route behavior is very high.

[strey1100]

Maybe we have an misunderstanding. My GPS and MapSource always have the same roads. I update Mapsource and my GPS at the same time, keep everything at the latest version. I have recalculating OFF all the time because as you say I DO NOT recalc underanycircumstances either. If you look at any route you make, you need to make sure that you do put some extra waypoints in at tricky places so that you are not at the mercy of the routing algorithm. To say that another way, once I "think" I have the route the way I want it, I zoom in and check it all along the way. No recalc's after that, period. Back to the original point, if your Mapsource and GPS maps are not at the same version, the likelihood of unpredictable route behavior is very high.

Cool... You da man...

[NormKern]

Once again, you just listed another reason I just do the planning on the GPS itself. If Mapsource has a road and the GPS does not, well, now you got problems again. You will get into the dreaded "Recalculating" issue again. If the maps do not match, you are going to have issues...
FYI... I ride Route 66 every fall (Tour guide). I do follow the route in the GPS. I DO NOT let it recalculate under any circumstance. If I get off route, I will look at the screen and navigate back on my own. I am guessing pretty much the same thing applies to a route you have programmed into your unit. If you do not have a fair amount of waypoints, when you get off route, the unit will recalculate via what ever you have programmed into it (fastest or shortest) to the next waypoint. Which might very well NOT be what you wanted. I leave mine set to "Prompted" when it comes to a re-calculate mode...

I always create tracks from my routes and load them into my 660 to display on-screen in a contrasting color. If the route on the GPS deviates from the track, I follow the track until it rejoins the route. I get the benefit of route instructions most of the time with no compromises on routing. Highly recommended.

Norm Kern

[OldButNotDead]

I always create tracks from my routes and load them into my 660 to display on-screen in a contrasting color. If the route on the GPS deviates from the track, I follow the track until it rejoins the route. I get the benefit of route instructions most of the time with no compromises on routing. Highly recommended.

Norm Kern

Norm,
Maybe it's semantics but what you described is very confusing. I contacted Garmin support to make sure that I'm not missing something. Are you following a route in your GPS? Are you running a map and a track in the GPS? As I understand it Zumo's don't use tracks. They have a trip log which is real time. By that I mean when you load a track into a Zumo it is converted into a route. You can compare the trip log (which can be converted/loaded into Mapsource as a track) to your route. Just not sure how you display the track made in made in Mapsource (or anything else) and a route at the same time.
Rod

Just looked at the Owner's Manual for a 660. That is a super cool unit. I think where my confusion comes from is that the 660 handles trip logs (tracks) better than my 550 or any other previous Zumo. From my point of view you are right about it being well worth the money.

[NormKern]

The zumo 660 and 665 are unique in the zumo series in that they can display track logs as colored lines on the map. Since tracks are just a list of geographic points, they are independent of mapsets and routing software. They display the same whether they coincide with a road or not.

I convert my desired mapsource routes into matching tracks using a free program called wingdb3. The resulting track file is an exact match to the corresponding mapsource route.

When both are imported into the 660, the route appears on top of the track and conceals it, except in cases where the route was altered by the import process and takes a different path. In these areas, the track (which I make bright green) can be seen because the route deviates.

If you look at the tools menu of a 660, you won't see an "off-road tracks" icon UNLESS one or more tracks have been imported. Only then does the off-road tracks icon appear.

Using tracks on a zumo 660 is an advanced technique, but it's very powerful once you learn how to do it.

BTW, I hope no one was offended by my semantics remarks. People are confused enough about GPS stuff as it is and these similar terms just make it worse. I'm just trying to reduce confusion, not belittle anyone.

Norm Kern