Newbie from France

[Gh0sT]

Hello from Bretagne !
Total discovery of the Garmin Zumo XT and Basecamp, having been using my iPhone (Waze / Calimoto / etc...) to date.
It's a good thing that there are groups like this forum, as well as snippets on YouTube to help me figure out this tool.
I'm on a deadline too, as my wife and I will tour Europe this summer (about 4500km), and I would like to have a good grasp on the different uses of this GPS

My reason for switching to Garmin : My 2021 Softail Standard (Harleyh-Davidson)'s USB port doesn't give enough juice to maintain my iPhone 14 Pro whilst using the GPS and Bluetooth (for Cardo headset). So I'll set up the Garmin with the dedicated power line from the battery.

cheers !
Jef on Gh0sT

[Peobody]

Welcome to the forum. This is a great source for help and advice. The use of the XT and the creation of routes in Basecamp varies greatly. Those discussions really help in figuring out what works best for you. If you are new to Basecamp the tutorials here are great:
https://www.newenglandriders.org/learn-basecamp/
Follow that up with the one on this forum specific to the XT and Basecamp:
viewtopic.php?t=1464

Ride safe and enjoy the ride!

[Gh0sT]

Thank you Peobody for those helpful links (Basecamp included) !
I've gotten a headstart by reading up on the topic jfheath posted on his way of using the XT. Good stuff !

[Thrasherg]

The GPS is fantastic (best Garmin so far) but Basecamp is very difficult to use and create routes. I use it all the time as it is convenient but I always end up wanting to shoot the computer as it is just so difficult to create and save routes. NOTHING is logical in Basecamp.

Be sure to watch a few videos on basecamp and keep plenty of alcohol nearby as you use basecamp!! You need to keep your patience. Once you have the route it's very easy to transfer to the GPS and then import, just the basecamp user interface that is terrible!!

Where in France are you located? I used to live in Valbonne (near Nice 06) before moving to the USA, my wife is from Brittany!!

Gary

[sussamb]

Must say I don't have any issues creating routes in BaseCamp. Depends on your work method. Try this. Create a start and end point. Let Basecamp create a route using this points. Now drag and drop the route so it follows the way you want to go. If you're still struggling this tutorial is excellent https://www.newenglandriders.org/learn-basecamp/

[Thrasherg]

Thanks Sussamb, I am usually modifying existing routes, but Basecamp seems to really mess up when I try adding points and move waypoints, it works sometimes but other times it completely changes the route, it seems to be really hit & miss. Have watched several videos but despite using it for 15+ years I still find it very hard to use and do what I want..

[Gh0sT]

Thank you Thrasherg & Sussamb pour your hints and links

@Thrasherg I live north of Rennes (Ille et Vilaine), about 25 km from the Mont-Saint-Michel

110102_MontStMichel_0874.jpg (205.01 KiB) Viewed 1735 times

[colirv]

Thank you Thrasherg & Sussamb pour your hints and links

@Thrasherg I live north of Rennes (Ille et Vilaine), about 25 km from the Mont-Saint-Michel

Nice part of the country. We loved our week in Dinan, hated the crowds on Mont-Saint-Michel, got sunburnt on the Plage de Lourtuais!

[Peobody]

Must say I don't have any issues creating routes in BaseCamp.

Me either. I am relatively new to is, first learning it by following the newenglandriders tutorial. I move shaping points but now waypoints, opting instead to create a new one and delete the unneeded one. I always have Google Maps open both because its detail, visual presentation, and accuracy are better. I select the roads I want to travel using Google Maps and then place waypoints and shaping points in Basecamp to put me on them.