Routing Question On Garmin 76cs

[+dhbaird]

I ran into something a bit bizarre yesterday while using the 76 on a route I had created in Mapsource and uploaded to the unit.

 

I created the route, printed it out, uploaded it to the GPS and then went on my merry way. Only thing was when I selected the route on the GPS and started following it, it took me a completely different way than what the Mapsource route looked like on the computer and not at all like the printed directions.

 

What did I do wrong? Or is it bug with the Mapsource and 76CS?

[rickertk]

You may or may not have done anything wrong. I'm assuming that you're using a routing mapset such as City Select/City Navigator. Under normal operations, when you plan a route in Mapsource, the only thing that is sent to the unit is the individual waypoints that make up that route, not all turns and roads between route points. The unit will recalculate the route from those same waypoints, which can give you a different result. However, there are also some user errors that can result in similar symptoms. Things to check: 1) You are using a mapset such as CS/CN that supports routing on the unit. 2) You've sent the appropriate maps, including routing data, to the unit. 3) Routing preferences, such as vehicle type or shortest vs. fastest route, are set similarly between Mapsource and the unit. 4) You can try setting the unit preference to best routes, rather than quickest calculated. If all of those are correct, and you still get differences, you could try to plant more waypoints along the route while planning it, to force a particular preference; you could just drive the route as Mapsource calculated it - eventually the unit will recalculate to use the roads you're on, or just go with the unit suggested route.

 

Keith

[+dhbaird]

You may or may not have done anything wrong. I'm assuming that you're using a routing mapset such as City Select/City Navigator. Under normal operations, when you plan a route in Mapsource, the only thing that is sent to the unit is the individual waypoints that make up that route, not all turns and roads between route points. The unit will recalculate the route from those same waypoints, which can give you a different result. However, there are also some user errors that can result in similar symptoms. Things to check: 1) You are using a mapset such as CS/CN that supports routing on the unit. 2) You've sent the appropriate maps, including routing data, to the unit. 3) Routing preferences, such as vehicle type or shortest vs. fastest route, are set similarly between Mapsource and the unit. 4) You can try setting the unit preference to best routes, rather than quickest calculated. If all of those are correct, and you still get differences, you could try to plant more waypoints along the route while planning it, to force a particular preference; you could just drive the route as Mapsource calculated it - eventually the unit will recalculate to use the roads you're on, or just go with the unit suggested route.

 

Keith

 

Thanks...

 

The Mapsource software has a slider bar in it when you create routes that asks how much you want it to calculate the route for major roads verses side roads. That seems to be the major difference. In this case I had it set for middle of the road, Mapsource then routed me around a major city on the interstate, while the 76CS routed me on the direct route through the city. No matter what I tried to do while driving it kept telling me to go back to that stupid little back road that went through the heart of Providence.

 

I have since found that Mapsource's Routing tool puts in "hidden way points" when you create a route. That then tells the 76CS what roads to take.... It takes a little bit more time to create a route that way, but if you want to avoid a particular road it is worth it.

 

I wish that the auto-routing function on the 76cs itself had a bit more options on it like the software.

[GeoidPS]

I noticed the same problem with the 60cs. It just doesn't have the power to do the same routing as Mapsource on the computer.