Garmin Routing Philosophy

[Grasscatcher]

Here's the problem....

I hike a lot in some rugged terrain and create "pre-hike routes" from aerial photos, several topo maps, etc.

Generally, the first route point is placed at a point on an established trail where I need to leave that trail (based on topography) to start bushwhacking cross country "toward" point #2, then 3, etc.

In most cases, this is NOT the shortest distance between #1 and #2. (ie possibly detour off to a side canyon that intersects at Pt #1 and angles away. Pt #2 may be a mile up/down that canyon but only 1/4 mile from the closest point on the established trail)

 

If I create this route, starting at other than my present location, then send it to my Garmin (Oregon 550, 76CSx, 76CS) and select it to use for navigation, my unit (any,all) start with directions to Route Point #2.........I DON'T NEED to be directed to Pt#2 YET...... I NEED to be directed to Pt#1 first, ......THEN to Pt #2.

In many cases, I/You cannot physically get "directly" to point #2 from current location.

 

I can "force" it to direct me to the starting point #1 only by adding a second, duplicate Route Pt #1 to the route ( now I have Two Number 1s) which seems redundant and stupid , like a philosophy that may have originated in Washington DC.

 

If a "Track" is selected to be used for navigation, the unit(s) correctly direct the user to the "Start Point".

This would mean that any "track" used would have to be a hand drawn guesstimate (since it hasn't yet been traveled and logged), then the user would have to manually switch from the "track" to the "route" once they were "on course"

 

As I said, I have a "work around" that so far works, but seems so unnecessary. How many people have been confused by being mistakenly directed to th incorrect point?

[NordicMan]

That sounds like a pretty unique situation, probably not commonly encountered by many others..

 

Personally I think you're just going to have to forget using the "route" option that automatically should sew your waypoints into a track.. Just "go to" the first waypoint and once there tell the GPSr to "go to" the next one..

 

Yeah I know it sounds like a pain. But I doubt any other brand/model GPSr would behave any differently(?)

[Grasscatcher]

Not meaning to sound argumentative, but I don't see how it would be unique in the least. If the user creates a route from Pt A to B to C shouldn't that be interpreted to mean that the user wants directions to each point, not just some of them? Unless they are always "AT" the start point.

 

With Garmin's philosophy, why even have a first route point? They could easily "fix" the problem by designating the first Route Point in a route as the "Start Point" as they do with Tracks.

Edited April 8, 2010 by Grasscatcher

[+StarBrand]

With all due respect - I don't think hardly anybody would use the route feature to do what you are trying to do. Most would do it the way Nordicman suggests.

 

I think the route function is much more intended to be used for road travel. The intent is not to navigate you to the starting point but rather to navigate you along the route itself.

[ao318]

What you can do, is create your route as you normally do and then create a waypoint for your starting point which would be Point A of your route. Navigate yourself to Point A and then start your route. You will now be at the correct location to start your route.

 

Another option is to create your route and mark your home or another spot as Point A. You then make your true Point A as your second spot or Point B. You would continue this until you are done with your route so this way you are now able to direct yourself to the correct starting point of your route from where you are.

 

Good luck.

 

Edited for clarity.

Edited April 8, 2010 by ao318

[dopoka]

With all due respect - I don't think hardly anybody would use the route feature to do what you are trying to do. Most would do it the way Nordicman suggests.

 

I think the route function is much more intended to be used for road travel. The intent is not to navigate you to the starting point but rather to navigate you along the route itself.

 

I use route created at home to navigate off-road all the time. When you are navigating along a route this allows you to get lots of important data like distance to destination, time to destination (at current moving average), and the elevation profile ahead. If you don't prepare a route to follow the trail ahead of time, the only thing you can get is a straight line route to your destination. This will make all your data totally irrelevant (unless the trail is completely straight to the destination).

 

I usually go to the starting point of my route and then start navigating from there. I would make a second route to navigate to the start of the first route.

[seldom_sn]

When you are navigating along a route this allows you to get lots of important data like distance to destination, time to destination (at current moving average), and the elevation profile ahead.

 

With an OR or a 60CSX you can get the same results with a TracBack.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

Another solution is to go into the active route, select point # 1 and tell it to navigate to it. This should work fine and the navigation should proceed to the next point in the sequence once you arrive at point # 1.

[Grasscatcher]

Another solution is to go into the active route, select point # 1 and tell it to navigate to it. This should work fine and the navigation should proceed to the next point in the sequence once you arrive at point # 1.

 

RMB, Good Call ! I believe that will work!

That eliminates the need to create a duplicate point. Now we'll see if the navigation will automatically progress to the next point as you said.

 

Something odd though, ......as I said, one of the data fields on my map page is "waypoint at next", and doing it your way, that field never identifies that I'm navigating to P#1. I AM, but the data field just stays blank. I'll see what happens when I physically get to P#1, then hopefully P#2 will come up in that window.

 

U dun GOOD! .........Thanks