Garmin BaseCamp™ Import Google Maps & Tracks vs Routes

Hi, I'm a french hiker. I've just watched you're not a specialist of hiking but of motorcycling. So motorbikers are so fortunate! Because your videos are so clear and educational. You speak slowly, you show things step by step with a clear voice etc. I 've just bought a handheld hiking GPS advice and I've learned a lot even if I'm not a motorcycler. Thanks a lot

I came across your videos a few days ago. They are absolutely top-class. Your treatment of various subjects is so thorough. I don't know who you are, but I sense a well-qualified ENgineer behind these videos. Thank you, Sir. You are doing the motorcycle community - and the society in general - a big service.

Thanks Tim! Your videos have helped me a bunch ! I have been using mymaps to import into basecamp and have just been using tracks to navigate (mostly unpaved roads ) . I will try some routes again just for fun! Cheers!

This video is important! It really explains why my Garmin occasionally makes insanely odd route choices. I know now to be more methodical when checking my data points. That recalculation for the gas station pit stop really blew my mind! It has happened to me several times and it is maddening, but now I know what is happening. Thanks Tim.

Until I watched this video I had not understood that the word `Route`, in `routable maps` such as Basecamp, is not the same as my definition of the word in English as, literally any way you choose to go. I had always called what Basecamp or any satnav does `auto routing`, that is, finding the shortest way from A to B. Now you have clarified that for me it explains a lot of the difficulties I have had with Basecamp in the past. I always understood what a `track` was, so now I can make proper choices when plotting a "route".

Holy crap Batman! That explains a lot of the problems I’ve been having with KMLs to gpx. Thanks Tim.

Thanks Tim! Your videos have helped many! I believe that BaseCamp does confuse a lot of first time users.

Basecamp is the most archaic software I've ever used.

It is the most usefull video I have seen on this topic. I found answers to all technical questions. Thank you!

Thanks Tim for another appreciated upload. This one started fine, but the going got a little heavy with all the hassle over the waypoints. My own method, admittedly fairly basic, is to import the route by gpx file then create a route from it, and display it in yellow. Then, simply create my 'own route' directly on top in magenta, following the yellow route. Once complete, it's easy to see if there is any variation because the different colours will separate. If OK, save the new magenta route and delete the imported route. This has the advantage that you can identify intermediate waypoints by name, rather than just having the names of the start and end points only, as the imported route displays. Just my idea.. thanks again!

I really struggled with BaseCamp thanks to you Tim i'm getting my head round it and are able to use it to good effect for hiking in the UK.

Thanks Tim...Coffee sent.

I´m from Brazil, thank you very much for this vídeo! Awesome!

Very helpful video! 👍

Nice job!

Thank you so much!👍

Very good video. I’m hoping I can ask a question through this comment section. I’ve used Basecamp for years and had an experience where I had a circular trip with two way points and approximately 25 shaping points. I’ve ventured away from my route to get gas and found the GPS was then taking me on a direct line to a waypoint. I closed that route and went directly to what I thought was my planned route and restarted my planned route. To my surprise I picked an incorrect spot and actually was traveling on a return leg (going home) rather than my original route to the destination. But the shocking thing was the GPS continued to give me directions although my original plan was to go into the opposite direction. So two questions I have are 1) if you go off of a route that has mostly shipping points does the GPS give up and just go directly to the next waypoint, and 2) was I crazy or did the GPS allow me to choose the route and go in the opposite direction I originally had planned. I hope someone can comment.

Tim, love the videos. Does it matter if you use KML files or GPX files to import a map from Google maps etc. or any other file that you have downloaded??

Early on your comment about Tracks vs Routes is not entirely true. A track can display where you’ve been but it can also be used for navigation of where you want to go. This is especially true of off-road/adventure bike navigation where you might be traveling on trails or unnamed roads. The track becomes a bread trail of points that you follow, similar to blazed marks on a trail. Since you cannot have turn by turn navigation like “turn right on Main St” as turn “turn right at the big rock” would be too ambiguous, you just need to follow the line (track) to follow your “route” and get to your destination. You can also follow a track for on-road navigation, but prompted navigation with street names is much easier on road. You can display a track on your GPS (at least newer models) and confirm that the GPS is following your original route and not deviating due to an unmatched setting or routing error as the track will be a true “track” of the route from Basecamp. Your video series is very complete and makes using Basecamp more friendly and easier to learn, at least from an experienced users POV that has heard of the difficulties new users face. At some point you may need to update for newest GPS units like the ZUMO XT as they behave slightly different in some aspects and include some new “connected” and online features.

Hello sir. Thanks a lot for your videos. They made be be proficient in using basecamp. A question: when importing KML files from google maps, is there anyway for the waypoints or points of interest on the KML map to be automatically interest on the route or track in basecamp? I get just a list of points with no name. If I have a waypoint that’s a gas station, I get a normal track point near to it, but with no name. I have to manually add those waypoints to the route.