I'm a total newbie with the Garmin Zumo XT and Basecamp. I have already figured out how to install the maps on my Zumo in Basecamp though, so I guess I'm rapidly evolving to "Master" status.
In Basecamp you can use "curvy roads" for the map planning. The Zumo doesn't provide this option though; only "faster time", "shorter distance" and "straight line" in "Navigation - Calculation mode".
When I make a detour somewhere in the middle of a trip, the Zumo recalculates the trip. I figure that, if there are not "many" vias in the trip, the Zumo will possibly calculate a route that doesn't comply with the initial "curvy" route. So, the only option is to include a lot of vias in the original plan. But that turns the "curvy" calculation feature kind of obsolete, if I have to set a via every couple of kilometers or even hundreds of meters!?
Any opinion or comment that sheds light on my doubts would be highly appreciated.
The Zumo XT doesn't recognise 'Curvy Roads' as a routing preference, so when it receives the route from Basecamp it will convert it to use 'Faster Time' by default. The Zumo itself has a much more sophisticated Curvy Roads feature, but you have to trust the satnav to calculate something that is reasonable. It is available once the route has been loaded. I'm not brave enough to give it that much freedom.
However, the Curvy Road feature (aka Adventurous Routing) is available on loading the route in the following way.
The Zumo calculates the route. Click the Back Arrow
The screen now shows the same as before, but now there is an orange button. Click the Orange Button.
The route recalculates and displays a slider with 4 positions. Wait until each route has calculated before moving it to the next position.
Garmin say to use the slider to increase or decrease the level of adventure on your route.
Wow. Thanks, Garmin. That is really helpful. The caption underneath the 'Garmin Adventturous Routing' option in 'Route Preferences' says 'Choose bends, hills and motorway usage'. I have been unable to draw a link between the slider and those three features.
This feature works best the fewer routing points that it has - so I suggest fixing only the places that you really want to visit - eg a lunch stop
I am not impressed by the routing it produces. I would have hoped that it would choose some tried and tested ridisng roads, but I have tried to tempt it with some, but it failes to select them. I don't mind - it keeps them traffic free for me to use.
I find the best way of managing the routes that I want to take - particular curvy roads - is to set Basecamp to use 'Motorcycle' and 'Faster Time', and to use shaping points to pin the route to the roads you want to ride. It often doesn't need many to force the satnav along a particular road - sensibly placed, it may take only one or two additional points to keep it from taking the route that is faster. I never have any of the avoidances set in Basecamp
When you use the 'motorcycle' profile, each change that you make to that profile results in every other route in your Basecamp database to be recalculated. And then it does it again when you undo the change. It is a pain.
So a useful tip is to use a Custom Profile in Route Options for your route in BaseCamp. Yes I know I said that I always use a Motorcycle profile - but read on, you will understand.
A custom profile allows you to mess around with the settings without affecting any other route. Set it to use Curvy Roads to see what it produces, including setting any avoidances that you want. If you like the route that it creates, then make a track from that route for reference. (On a PC that is right click on your route, select the option to make a track). You now have a template to work with.
Now edit the Custom profile back to Faster Time, with nothing else ticked. The route will change immediately. You can now set about adding a minimum number of additional points using the Insert Tool to match the track that you created. Start by adding one somewhere 1/2 way along the section where the fastest route deviates from the curvy track. You may find it finds a shortcut to get to that point, so another point, say 1/4 of the way, may be needed.
Don't 'lace it up' with loads of extra points. It causes problems when navigating. And never put the points near to a junction. Put them on the road you want to be on a good way after a junction.
Some of these inserted points will have jumped to known places in the Basecamp database, and they will have become Via Points. Others will have become Shaping Points. You need to make sure that each point has landed where you thought you had put it, and also decide whether you want them to alert or stay silent as you approach.
Open up the route properties dialog box. (double click the route). Click the 'Centre Map' tick box at the bottom and then click on each of your route points in turn. The map will zoom into that point and allow you to reposition it if necessary. Most of them will probably be slightly off route. Some of them may have jumped to the middle of a known location near to where you clicked.
Then change all of the points in the dialog box (except the first and last' and set to 'Do not alert on arrival' with a right click (These are now Shaping Points). You can multi-select all except top and bottom and do this in one operation. You may wish to select a couple of key points to make them Via Points (ie alert on arrival). Or not. Hopefully you haven't gone mad with the additional points, but if you have, make sure there are less than 30. If not, you will definitely need to have a Via Point or two in the route so that there are less than 30 between each Via Point.
Two final things.
1) Change the custom profile back to the motorcycle profile (which should still be set to faster time with no avoidances)
2) Check the map is the same as the one on your satnav, and if necessary, recalculate the route. It would make sense to do this at the start
Transfer the route to the Zumo.
Transfer the track as well if you wish to have the Zumo display the route and the track at the same time.
If all of that is too much - there are 2 other options.
Transfer the track to the XT, load it in and say Go. You wont get spoken instructions at junctions though, but it will show you how far off route you have gone, and which direction the route is. It will never recalculate the track and will be exactly what you saw in Basecamp.
or
Turn off auto recalculate on the Zumo navigation preferences. Transfer the track, load it in, and then ask the Zumo to convert it to a trip. This will give turn by turn directions and will follow the track precisely, but it will not have any fixing points in it, so if it does recalculate, it may affect the entire route. Hence the need to turn recalculations off.
Last edited by jfheath on Sat Jun 19, 2021 4:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
Have owned Zumo 550, 660 == Now have Zumo XT2, XT, 595, 590, Headache
Use Basecamp (mainly), MyRouteApp (sometimes), Competent with Tread for XT2, Can use Explore for XT - but it offers nothing that I want !
