New owner Newbie question

[Charlie W]

Hi all.

I hope that you are all well and able to assist me in simple instruction as to resolve the problem I have.

Brand new Zumo XT, had Garmin car sat navs but never bike one.
I made a short route on Kurviger that included a length of road that as obviously not the quickest or most direct route to my destination. Sent it to my Android phone from the Windows PC as a GPX file sent it to the Zumo XT where it arrived in Trip Planner.
Highlighted the route andloaded it as the route I wished to follow and the length of road that I had purposely put in had been bypassed and the route was now the quickest most obvious route.
So my question. How do I get the Zumo XT to show the exact route I had planned? I am off to Scotland next year and need to have the Zumo show the precise route rather than taking over and giving me options I really don't want.

Many thanks in advance.

Charlie.

[jfheath]

Welcoome to the forum @Charlie W . Glad that you found us.

The XT can navigate you in a number of different ways. I think I counted 6. There re a lot of details that I put together here, but I'll give you a quick rundown.

If you want any Zumo to behave itself you need to have the same maps on the device that you have on the program that you are using.
Garmin uses HERE maps, as does MyRouteApp - but really, the best tool for the job is Basecamp. Its old hat, and the interface takes a little getting used to, but it is by far the best route planning software to work with Garmin devices. BAsecamp is free. The maps that you install on your XT can also be installed on your computer.

If you choose to ignore that - then forget about getting any sense out of the XT when navigating routes.

But - you can tell it not to recalculate any route - so if you or you map happens to wander away from the Zumo mapped route - it'll just go quiet on you.

You can also ask it to follow a track. It will do this silently, won't give turn by turn directions, but will draw it on the map and if you deviate it will draw a dotted line back to the closes point on the plotted track.

You can also ask it to convert a track into a trip - this is a route that the satnav will navigate and give turn by turn directions. If you deviate from the plotted route, it can find a way to the closest point on the route and navigate you there.

My favourite is to load a route and a track at the same time. The XT will show both on the map - with the route on top - so you don't get to see the track at first . It navigates the route, and if it does something stupid, or you do something different and go off route, the track remains in place and can now be seen as the new route goes one way and the original track remains firmly in place.

Or you can pin it down with so many shaping points that it has no option than to take you where you want to go. That method is fraught with problems if you are in an unknown area when you come across road closures. With so many points to go through it will forever try to take you to each one in turn.

The XT has particular types of route points that behave in different ways. There aren't many programs that cater for these, and will likely end up producing silly results.

Read the pages that I linked to. Its a whole series of notes, so well worth looking through the other chapters too. Go out and try some of the different methods - it's the only way of finding out what works for you. Plot a simple route, then deliberately go off route to see how it behaves. Do the same with a track, and with a track converted to a trip.

Seriously, if you are using 3rd party programs then you will spend a long time sorting out the issues that different maps and different routes will will create. Basecamp will not have these issues. MyRouteApp with a subscription will work quite well with the XT, if you use the HERE maps, and many people like it. I use both Basecamp and MRA. MRA uses a web based interface, so you need an internet connection to access and edit, so it is subject to internet issues.

Lesson one. NEVER place your start point where you get on your bike. Put it up the road where you are guaranteed to ride through it.


Regarding Basecamp - it depends how you learn. I find step by step instructions written down to be really tedious. I prefer to watch a video of someone doing it in 10-15 minutes so that I can spot the things that are being done. I then know what it looks like and I can find out how to do it for myself.

[Peobody]

@Charlie W, Welcome to the forum!

Regarding Basecamp - it depends how you learn. I find step by step instructions written down to be really tedious. I prefer to watch a video of someone doing it in 10-15 minutes so that I can spot the things that are being done. I then know what it looks like and I can find out how to do it for myself.

OTOH, if you are like me, preferring a step-by-step guide, with videos for clarification when needed, then this resource is the one I found most valuable for learning Basecamp: https://www.newenglandriders.org/learn-basecamp/. Working with the XT and Basecamp was the next hurdle. The resource by @jfheath is excellent for that. He linked to a page of it in his post. This is its content page: viewtopic.php?t=1464

[Charlie W]

Thank you for the quick detailed reply. A bit of reading to do I fear!

[Charlie W]

@Charlie W, Welcome to the forum!

Regarding Basecamp - it depends how you learn. I find step by step instructions written down to be really tedious. I prefer to watch a video of someone doing it in 10-15 minutes so that I can spot the things that are being done. I then know what it looks like and I can find out how to do it for myself.

OTOH, if you are like me, preferring a step-by-step guide, with videos for clarification when needed, then this resource is the one I found most valuable for learning Basecamp: https://www.newenglandriders.org/learn-basecamp/. Working with the XT and Basecamp was the next hurdle. The resource by @jfheath is excellent for that. He linked to a page of it in his post. This is its content page: viewtopic.php?t=1464

Thank you for the resp[onse hopefully I can look at it and get a grip of it!

[rbentnail]

Have you tried the simple? Put in more route defining points and see what happens.

[b1324]

Dear Charlie.
I was strugeling too with what I think is the same scenario as you have described.

I use Routes, not Tracks. And I want to somewhat plan my route. For a day's ride I like to put 7-10 spots where I would like to pass. Navigation between these spots are left for Zumo XT to decide, based on the navigation setting on the device (no highways, no ferries, ets.).

As others have already answered there are multiple ways to navigate using Zumo XT. I have found the folowing to be the most useful for me. And yes, I am still succesfully avoiding Basecamp. I thing the learning curve is too step for an average user and since the software and download process is not really user friendly... I tried to find another way and I did. For me at least

On the device there is Trip Planner app where you can create routes. First you add the start point, I also like to add finish point. With daily rides this is often the same address (or "use current position" if I am doing this at home).

Then you add spots which you would like to pass. The trick, which solved my case, was to first write in the search box a name of the city or street or something. You select the result but don't confirm it yet. You click on the map and check where the marker is. Most times I have to correct the marker to not go directly through city center or similar. On the map I select a point on the road through which I actually want to drive. And then I confirm this. And then on to the next point...

It sounds complicated to do it on the device but actually I find it the easiest. But in real life I often do it near computer and have google maps or something similar open on the larger screen to better check roads, interesting sights, etc.

The only think I found anoying using this way is that the point on the map, which I manually selected, has some un-friendly name or number. So when I am riding and decide to go some other way, Garmin is recalculating and asking me "This will skip the 39611..." where 39611 is the example of the name of the next point. I could probably solve this with naming the point like (Road near Some City) but this is too much effort.

This is my way. I am also researcing Garmin Explore webpage, which seems ok, but I am still struggeling to get my routes right.

BR, B

[jfheath]

The XT often changes the names of places that you add as route points - unless you first create them as Waypoints with the flag tool. It is the only way to guarantee that you get the name that you recognise. You can tell if points that you select from other places are waypoints - they appear in the lower right window pane. If they appear in that window, they are proper Waypoints, and will appear in the Zumo as Favourites.

Also the XT behaves very oddly in some circumstances - especially if the route has been recalculated once by the XT and then you deviate from the route. Depending on circumstances, it seems to remember the place of your 'big' deviations and then forever try to route you back to it.

Some ways to get round this. Choose what works for you.

Create a track of the route and have that displayed as well as the route. The track will never change so you can always see where you intended to go if the route is recalculated.

Explore is not particularly good at creating routes it adds another layer of confusion.

Turn off automatic recalculation. If you do deviate, the navigation prompts go silent.

Put in additional route points to keep the route in place - I really try to avoid doing this as I reckon that the satnav should find a different way when the way that I am going turns out to be faster. Adding too many route points can really cause problems if you lose your route having been forced to make a detour due to incorrect mapping, road closures, accidents, emergencies. etc. But they do pin the route in place.

The XT doesn't seem to mind if you miss out route points of any kind, once you rejoin the plotted magenta route. It will continue to navigate ahead.

[Fxwheels]

Hi all.

I hope that you are all well and able to assist me in simple instruction as to resolve the problem I have.

Brand new Zumo XT, had Garmin car sat navs but never bike one.
I made a short route on Kurviger that included a length of road that as obviously not the quickest or most direct route to my destination. Sent it to my Android phone from the Windows PC as a GPX file sent it to the Zumo XT where it arrived in Trip Planner.
Highlighted the route andloaded it as the route I wished to follow and the length of road that I had purposely put in had been bypassed and the route was now the quickest most obvious route.
So my question. How do I get the Zumo XT to show the exact route I had planned? I am off to Scotland next year and need to have the Zumo show the precise route rather than taking over and giving me options I really don't want.

Many thanks in advance.

Charlie.

Hi Charlie. How are you making out with it?

If you use Kurviger to create route, your better bet is to navigate it on your phone. You can create a route in a phone itself or on a computer. Kurviger's maps are very good in roads details so creating a route on the phone is fairly easy plus navigating right there.
Sure you can send it to the XT but it requires more steps to go thru. Still, if you'll do that, make sure to export the route in "Garmin ShapingPoint GPX" format, not just simple GPX. Also, check that that avoidances and routing options are similar.

I can use the Kurviger if I need to make a fast on the fly route on my phone without messing with Basecamp and a computer. But for a sit-down and plan a route I'd use a Basecamp. I've used different 3rd party planning softwares, but for Garmin, BC works the best. It is much more powerful than any other out there. And the map's area has more details giving the zoom in/out areas. Just don't forget to connect the XT to PC to get detailed map.
For an easy learning curve watch EZ Moto Tim on youtube and repeat as you watching. Easy-peasy. You don't need to learn all videos, but first 4 will do all you need for a day ride.

Cheers.

[jfheath]

Some methods that work:

1. Route from Basecamp transferred to XT with Automatic Recalculation of roue turned OFF.
2. Any Route from any program if you recalculate it on the XT - but check the route on the XT to make sure it is what you want. It WILL be different.
3. As above with plenty of shaping points added.
4. Any track created on any device, converted to a trip on the XT.
5. Routes from any program that recognises the difference between Via Points and Shaping points - eg MyRouteApp, and recalculated on the XT after transfer. (sounds like Kurviger does the same from @Fxwheels's post above. I personally don't know.
6. Generate a track from the route that you want to take. The track cannot be altered by the XT, the route can. Display them both at the same time on the XT screen.

The point is that the XT will calculate a route which tends to have a very strong preference for main roads. It will stick to any route from Basecamp, but as soon as you wander off route - even slightly - it will recalculate. All other routing software will produce similar results if the XT gets chance to recalculate the route, but it will always produce a route to pass through the route points in the correct order.

@rbentnail's solution of putting a whole load of shaping points to lock the route onto the road you want will certainly work, but it can present issues if one of those roads has a closure or diversion. It's a sensible thing to do, but I don't think that I should have to do it, but will if there is no alternative.