BWCA Routes vs Tracks Boundary Waters Group Forum: GPS
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adibee
senior member (76)senior membersenior member
  
01/21/2017 04:42PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
So answering one of the GPS questions last night in another message post made me miss playing around the basecamp software and my Garmin 600t. So naturally, I took out my Oregon from it's long slumber and connect it to my PC. Suddenly looking at basecamp and my previous routes in the numbered lakes brought back memories from the trip.

It seems like last time I experimented with routes and added that into my maps in basecamp. I then sent it to my GPS, it worked really great out in the field and when I brought it back and plugged into my PC I realized that the GPS also automatically recorded tracks and that showed my travel back from Lake 2 to the Lake One entry point which was really fun to watch.
Now routes have its drawbacks, it seems like I can only route in the map straight lines. Has anyone used tracks instead of routes? Tracks seem like a more "free hand solution".

Another question would be when I include camp waypoints in a "List" under which I make the routes/tracks and I send the list to my Garmin do the camp waypoints get sent too? Asking because I already have those waypoints in my Garmin and don't want waypoint limit to get full

Here are my routes from last year's adventures




Here are the tracks

 
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01/21/2017 06:02PM  
I recently opened a thread, Waypoints and Tracks on the topic.

Tracks are a list of regular waypoints taken as a group.
Routes are tracks reduced in the number of waypoints and make user friendly routes. Routes vs waypionts, tracks and waypoints .

While I record tracks when traveling, I almost never use routes, preferring to navigate off maps and being able to change destinations on the fly. Only time I use routes is in trip planning for time and distance estimates.

butthead
 
adibee
senior member (76)senior membersenior member
  
01/21/2017 07:21PM  
Awesome thanks for the info Butthead you are always so helpful!!! Also for future reference, I found something online which differentiates Track and Route hopefully it will be useful to others:

"The big difference is providing you have routable maps you will tend to use Basecamp to quickly create ROUTES, you click on the start of a trail (or path or road, whatever) and click at the end of it and Basecamp creates that line with all the curves and turns of the trail. And you can upload that ROUTE to your GPS but it will be map-dependent. If you switch to a map without that trail in the ROUTE will go from wiggling all over the place to a single straight line.

If you convert that ROUTE to a TRACK it will add in a turn point everywhere it needs, so even if you switch to a map without the trail on you can still follow it.

If your plan goes over non-routable terrain you can use create a TRACK in Basecamp and do each little dot-to-dot manually."

I am currently trying a mixture of track and route to plan out my next trip possibly from Hog Creek to Perent. I'll post pics here when done but so far this is what i have:

 
schweady
distinguished member(8070)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
01/22/2017 08:59PM  
I have always thought of it as the difference between something I've done: tracks that I have made are behind me... and something I have yet to do: routes that I plan to follow are in front of me...

I know it's not always that cut and dried, but, based on this point of view, I have never found a need for toiling to create electronic routes but love looking back at my growing log of automatically created electronic tracks.
 
01/23/2017 10:54AM  
I use routes as a trip planning tool and also while verifying position on the GPS that we're where we want to be. When making routes in basecamp you need to click every time you want to add a navigational point on the map. If you think about it, all a route or a track is just a series of connected dots. Tracks are fun for seeing where you actually went & how long, how fast, how far, etc.

Make your routes in different colors to differentiate between days, segments, etc.
 
Marten
distinguished member(514)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/15/2017 08:25PM  
On the Garmin units I have, newest 62s, I can set all the tracks so they all show on the map. As I near a "track" it can be seen on the map. If I want to see a route I can only have one active and showing at a time. For this reason I have preferred tracks over routes. During the days travel I mark waypoints for portages and points of interest and then back home use the track draw tool if I want to connect all of them for a trip record. I will often times make a route of the next days travel and then occassionally turn on the gps if I need help following the yellow brick road through island studded lakes.
 
Voyageur67
senior member (70)senior membersenior member
  
03/30/2017 03:40PM  
Hello,

I read with interest your knowledge of routes and tracks using your gps. I have used my GPSmap 62s on several trips but find it rather challenging putting the tracks, routes and waypoints on my device. I know there is an easier way than the way I have struggled.

Since you seem to be much more knowledgeable regarding downloading on to the Garmin, I was wondering if you might be able to assist me in this process. I would like to know if a phone call would work for you. I can be available at your discretion. In person is even better and I normally drive to canoecopia but was unable to do so this year due to inclement weather (driving from WY). I am however planning on attending the Outdoor Adventure Expo next month in the Twin Cities-perhaps that may work for you if you are attending.

If however, you are unable to assist me--I understand.

Thank you in advance-Tom
 
schweady
distinguished member(8070)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
03/31/2017 11:33AM  
Tom - Although you're probably addressing butthead, I'll chime in: I am hoping to get to the Expo to hear Amy Freeman - 10:30 Saturday. Always nice to meet up with members here. Caveat: the Spring Expo is usually a last minute no-go for me since it always falls on our twin daughters' birthday weekend... parties take top priority. We shall see what happens this year...

Are you using Garmin BaseCamp on a computer? This software can be a huge help in quickly creating tracks, routes, and waypoints and transferring them to your 62s. (Not to mention a spot to forever save all of your tracks and waypoints created on your 62s so that you can selectively delete them from your device as it fills up.)
 
Voyageur67
senior member (70)senior membersenior member
  
03/31/2017 06:33PM  
quote schweady: "Tom - Although you're probably addressing butthead, I'll chime in: I am hoping to get to the Expo to hear Amy Freeman - 10:30 Saturday. Always nice to meet up with members here. Caveat: the Spring Expo is usually a last minute no-go for me since it always falls on our twin daughters' birthday weekend... parties take top priority. We shall see what happens this year...


Are you using Garmin BaseCamp on a computer? This software can be a huge help in quickly creating tracks, routes, and waypoints and transferring them to your 62s. (Not to mention a spot to forever save all of your tracks and waypoints created on your 62s so that you can selectively delete them from your device as it fills up.)"


Hello Schweady, Thank you for your recent response. If you do make it to the Expo I would certainly like to visit with you sometime to discuss creating tracks, routes and waypoints. I am also interested in hearing Amy Freeman. My wife and I will even buy you lunch or dinner if you have the time.

I do use the Garmin BaseCamp on my computer but realize that there is likely an easier way to create these points.

Please keep me posted if you will be attending the Expo.

Regards, Tom
 
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