53 Create a 'Track-Trip' on the XT

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… and navigate with spoken and visual directions.

 

The Zumo XT can use a track to create a ‘Trip’.

 

Often Garmin refers to a trip as a description of a route which contains a start, an end and a collection of intermediate Shaping and Via points. Basecamp and Zumo calculate a route from the information provided in the Trip.

 

However, this technique does not create such a trip. Instead it creates a Route which follows the original track precisely.

 

For these notes, I will not refer to it as a Trip, but call it a ‘Track-Trip’ - because:

  • It has no shaping points, via points or waypoints.
  • Trip Data display can show only the distance / time to the end
  • Skip cannot be used.
  • A Track-Trip will not recalculate the original.
  • If you deviate, the Track Trip will calculate a route to rejoin the original at its closes point.
  • If you edit the Track-Trip or its properties on the XT, the entire Track Trip will be recalculated, end to end, and will probably not follow the line of the original track.

    • To Create a Track-Trip on the XT

     

    Load the Track onto the XT. If the original track was stored on the Memory Card, you may have to import it before you can start.

     

    Then:

    Main Screen -> Track -> Track Icon -> Select Track -> Spanner -> Convert to Trip -> Choose direction -> Name it.

    The new converted ‘Track-Trip’ is saved in the Trip Planner App.

    Main Screen -> Apps -> Trip Planner -> Select your Trip -> (Message - OK) -> Go ! -> Start

     

    The Track-Trip produced is identical to the original track - except if you create a reverse Trip, the route deviates from the original in order to take the roundabouts in the correct direction, and to travel on the correct side of the road on dual carriageways.

     

    When riding, navigational instructions are issued, messages are displayed on the top of the screen and turns ahead are marked with the white arrows on the magenta route.

     

    If you are not already at the start (’The Begin’), it navigates you to that point and then continues seamlessly - or you can choose to start at the point that is closest to your current position.

     

    Deviating from a 'Track-Trip'

    If you deviate from a Track-Trip, the XT calculates a way back to the closest point on the Trip. The remainder of the Track-Trip remains intact from the place where you rejoin it.

     

    Pic 1 shows this. I was following the black track south down the A1 - top left of the picture. At the time, the magenta route was on top of the black track.

    I then turned east and followed a route indicated by the red arrow to where the bike is positioned, top right. You can see the black track continuing south, and a new Magenta route has been created from the bike's position to join the black track at Skellow. From Skellow, the black track can be seen outlining the original magenta route.

     

    All of the time, the XT was recalculating a new route. I was determined not to follow the instructions. I was riding south - indicated by the orange line. I was trying to work out where the XT would try to take me -> there are no route points to head for, and it certainly wasn’t taking me the quickest way to the chequered flag. It kept was telling me to turn west.

     

    At the place where I stopped, I was still heading south. It has found the closest point on the original trip to my current position - indicated by the blue arrow - and has calculated a route to Skellow. The remainder of the original trip-track is intact.

     

    This is actually quite clever. As I move, the closest point on the original trip is also changing. It constantly calculates a new route to the updated closest point, but keeps the original track-trip unaltered after that point.

     

    Clever, but in this particular case, not very useful. It is taking me round three sides of a ‘square’ to get me to the destination. But that is OK - it is focusing on getting me back to my original trip ASAP - and the deviation that I took was designed specifically to make the XT’s behaviour obvious. If I intended to change my route that much, I wouldn’t have chosen this navigation method.

     

     

    Ways to load a track to the XT

     

    Use Basecamp

    Transfer the tracks from Basecamp using the File -> Export facility, or simply drag and drop.

    Copy Direct to the XT by USB or to the memory card

    If copying direct to the XT or SD card, place GPX files in either of the following locations:
    • Internal Storage -> GPX - Tracks appear in the Track menu immediately on transfer
    • Memory Card -> Garmin / GPX- Tracks need to be imported before they appear in the Track Menu

     

    Share Tracks Via BlueTooth

    Shared tracks are imported automatically.

    They are saved in the Internal Storage / GPX folder, with a name that starts: bt_shared_tracks_

    Sharing Tracks Using the Garmin Drive App

    The shared GPX file is sent to the Drive App on your smartphone. This allows you to use your smartphone to send it to a friend eg by email or text.

    Using Garmin Explore

    If the track has been created on Explore, and your link to the Explore Website has been established, it will appear automatically in the XT’s Track menus.


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    The information on these pages has been acquired from personal experience of using and testing the behaviour of Basecamp and my Zumo XT. I have no links with Garmin, and these pages should not be regarded as instructions. They are presented for interest only. The contents of these pages must not be shared, copied, transmitted, redistributed or re-published in any form without my permission. (C) JHeath 2021.