[behrler]

I have just loaded the routes for an upcoming 10 day ride into the Navigator IV. Routes created with MapSource. I opened the routes with the Navigator IV, then uploaded those routes back into Mapsource to compare them with what I intended. What last year was frustrating and difficult has become routine and certain. I am, at long last, one with the Navigator IV.

The routes are generally 300 to 400 miles long. 25 or fewer viapoints, and 4 or fewer waypoints. The maps on MapSource and the Navigator IV are identical, 2012.40. Both have the latest software updates.

This is the 5th time I have been successful at creating dependable routes, so I think I have a system that works. A system that allows for complicated routing on backcountry little roads which are always avoided by any sort of auto-routing software.

In the past I have had numerous emails and a number of conversations with Garmin, and even a GPS exchange, in order to come up with this system. It seems that there are folks at Garmin technical help with different levels of expertise and I finally got with a couple of them that were extremely helpful.

The key for my success is following a specific program:

1) Always make sure that the computer and GPS have the identical maps.

2) Turn the Auto-rerouting off on the GPS.

3) Use as few waypoints as possible. (I believe there is a limit of 8 routing waypoints on the Navigator IV.)

4) Use as many viapoints as necessary to force the routing software to use the roads you desire. I've had over 78 viapoints in past routes. The only downside is the little announcement that you are arriving at each of them during the ride.

5) Zoom in far enough during the viapoint placement to make sure it is located in an intersection of two roads. This is ususlly accomplished by right-clicking and selecting the intersection listed. On divided roads, make sure the intersection is on the lane you will be traveling in.

6) Make sure the start and end are exactly where you intended. I do this by selecting the waypoint with a right-click, then begin route option.

7) Save early and often. If I ask this stupid Dull computer to do more than one task at a time during the routing it will crash. I've lost a lot of work that way.

Yes, you can easily create very long routes using main highways without this level of effort. That's great for those of you who stick to main highways. My preferred routes are the little roads that few travel. Roads that the mapping software considers unpaved, though I know that it was recently paved. Roads that offer me the greatest level of enjoyment riding. :k16:

Follow these simple rules, and you too will have routes which you know the Navigator will follow, and not screw-up.

I received this email from Garmin regarding the bold red print above.

"If you want the device to speak to you, but not to announce street names then press tools-->Settings-->Language-->Voice-->Select American English that does not say TTS/speak street names."

RL
Have you tried this to see if it gets rid of the annoying via point announcements?

 

[behrler]

I'll have to try it. The question is whether it is worth getting rid of all announcements to lose them for those small roads where I had to use numerous via points.

Good to know that there is an option to get some quiet time.

I don't have a bike to try this with since mine has been in the shop waiting for a throttle body for some time. However, I'm going to try it in the car. I don't think you get rid of "all announcements" with this change. You can get rid of "all announcements" by muting. I think this will get rid of any announcement that involves saying the road name. We shall see.

 

[behrler]

I received this email from Garmin regarding the bold red print above.

"If you want the device to speak to you, but not to announce street names then press tools-->Settings-->Language-->Voice-->Select American English that does not say TTS/speak street names."

RL
Have you tried this to see if it gets rid of the annoying via point announcements?

Changing to American English from American English Jack or Jill did not solve the problem. All it did was change the announcement from the street number and name for the via point to just announcing "approaching via point and arriving at via point." What an annoying pain in the ear.

 

[behrler]

RL
When you transfer a route onto the Nav IV from MapSource do you, after the transfer, import the date on the Nav IV. After a transfer, if I do not import, the routes show up in my custom routes but there are no voice directions. Then after importing I will have two routes with the same name. One is the route and then the other has the number 1 after the route name. The directions in the manual were less than barely adequate regarding a transfer from MapSource.

 

[behrler]

I use the little icon on the top of the MapSource screen to download to GPS.

Once sent, I can find the routes immediately in the Custom Route folder.

No recalculate, no import.

I've been using the pull down menu for Transfer. Then selecting transfer to device. I've never used the Icon before. How can the icon be any different than the pull down menu? Hmmmm. I'll give that a try.
Thanks

 

[behrler]

Doubt that it is different. What I have seen is where I can get multiples of routes when I have previous editions buried in the GPS memory somewhere.

Carefully delete all previous routes and waypoints. That should clear-up the issue.

The Nav IV does a good job of preserving files. You have to defeat that by careful deletion.

I have noticed that happening. How do you "carefully delete?" I have just gone to the delete screen and selected the "select all" then deleted. They appear to be gone then. ???

 

[behrler]

Where those pesky route files are hiding inside your Navigator IV:

1) Blue Triangle: BMW Navigator

2) Garmin folder

3) GPX folder

4) Current & Temp. GPX files - Delete these after you have uploaded to MapSource.

5) Archive folder - good place to collect where you have been. Good to delete these to make room for future trips. Open these in MapSource to create your own archive of past rides.

I am not locating the blue triangle on the Nav IV. Where is it located.
Thanks.

 

[behrler]

When I look on "My Computer" on this Dull machine, I see a blue triangle icon which represents the Nav IV.

This is only after I connect the Nav IV to one of the USB ports.

Got it now. Thanks

 

[behrler]

I have use MapSource for years. Recently, (NavIV) all points used in determining a route come with an annoying multiple announcements. BaseCamp has a feature where these points can be changed to a shaping point that does not have an announcement. I like that feature. So....have to learn how to use BaseCamp now. It's a pain to do routing with compared to MapSource.