Garmin BaseCamp Tutorial Videos

[globalrider]

I finally tracked down the very excellent "Learn Garmin BaseCamp Tutorial Videos" by username Norwood. Unfortunately, when clicking on the URLs, it asks me to Sign-In" or it comes up with "This video is private".

So I found another set of very good Garmin BaseCamp Tutorial Videos by ezmototim.com. I am sure there are others out there and on YouTube, but that one will do for me.

I've used a GPS since the early 2000s, a Garmin eMap and now two Garmin GPSMAP 60 CX and my BMW Navigator V, and I have yet to ever plan a route where a map is actually better for that purpose and you can then enter the route into the GPS. I know, late to start and the videos will give me something to do over the winter. But I do have almost 800 waypoints for BMW dealers, motorcycle friendly accomodations and personal waypoints.

 

[globalrider]

Next question to all the BaseCamp experts, I take it BaseCamp can not be installed or easily installed on an Android Samsung Tablet, a device that is more compact and easily transportable on the motorcycle.

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

IIRC, Basecamp only works with Windoze or on a Mac. and not on anything else, but I could be wrong.
I have a MacBook Air and it works flawlessly in as far as Basecamp does.. and the Air packs up nicely in a side case. The same would be true with a compact Windoze pc..YMMV

 

[52184]

Basecamp is “old school” and no longer being developed by Garmin; they have moved on to other products like Explore. Some of their new apps will run on phones and tablets, and some of them—like the Tread app- are geared toward specific hardware devices.

If you’re looking into tablet-based software for route planning and such, check out some of the newer offerings like Furkot, Rever, etc.

Best,
DeVern

 

[globalrider]

I have a MacBook Air...

I had a MacBook Pro and won't be going back to Apple.

 

[globalrider]

Basecamp is “old school” and no longer being developed by Garmin; they have moved on to other products like Explore.

Best,
DeVern

I just updated BaseCamp today.

As for Explore, after signing in "Access to the Explore website requires one of the following devices:". I don't have any of those listed, so Explore is out for me.

 

[52184]

I just updated BaseCamp today.

As for Explore, after signing in "Access to the Explore website requires one of the following devices:". I don't have any of those listed, so Explore is out for me.

4.7.5 is the latest PC version, but dates back to March of this year and contains only some bug fixes. Garmin is doing no further development of features, compatibility, etc. on BaseCamp and many of Garmin’s newer GPS units are not supported in BC. So if you’re staying with older devices BC is fine, as far as it goes, but if you move to newer devices like the Tread or ZumoXT 2 then BC won’t find/connect to those devices. The native Garmin apps will be the primary means of creating routes and tracks and exporting them to device, or one can switch to any one of several non-Garmin options as mentioned previously. Given the way Garmin has shuffled software apps in recent years, the non-Garmin options are gaining popularity.
FWIW.

Best,
DeVern

 

[bernieecht]

BaseCamp Rules!

There is no need for development of BaseCamp. It works just fine for what it is intended. In Windows or Apple.
The best instructions on how to use BaseCamp for either Windows or Apple are on the Ed Conde's website: NewEnglandRiders.org.
https://www.newenglandriders.org/category/gps/
He and his friends have written PDF's with lots of screen shots that can be downloaded for free. This PDF's cover everything you need to know on how to use BaseCamp and on how to transfer the routes you create to your Garmin GPS unit. Or how to transfer GPX routes to your Garmin GPS unit.
Another very valuable source for Garmin GPS and Garmin BaseCamp instructions and a place to get help with technical questions is Garmin is "zumouserforums.co.uk
https://www.zumouserforums.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=11&sid=8bb1d9ba3f0fc4964ddaa89533be013b


PS: Routes and Tracks created in BaseCamp work just fine for the new TFT units and the BMW Connected App on the newer BMW Motorcycles. No Garmin GPS required.

 

[patm]

There is no need for development of BaseCamp. It works just fine for what it is intended. In Windows or Apple.
The best instructions on how to use BaseCamp for either Windows or Apple are on the Ed Conde's website: NewEnglandRiders.org.
https://www.newenglandriders.org/category/gps/
He and his friends have written PDF's with lots of screen shots that can be downloaded for free. This PDF's cover everything you need to know on how to use BaseCamp and on how to transfer the routes you create to your Garmin GPS unit. Or how to transfer GPX routes to your Garmin GPS unit.
Another very valuable source for Garmin GPS and Garmin BaseCamp instructions and a place to get help with technical questions is Garmin is "zumouserforums.co.uk
https://www.zumouserforums.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=11&sid=8bb1d9ba3f0fc4964ddaa89533be013b


PS: Routes and Tracks created in BaseCamp work just fine for the new TFT units and the BMW Connected App on the newer BMW Motorcycles. No Garmin GPS required.

Yes, Basecamp is fine if you take the time to learn it. And Ed Conde's tutorials are some of the best I've found. Basecamp doesn't support directly the newer zumo XT2 but the gpx files it produces work just fine with it. There are some quirks that you need to be aware of. I have it running on a small 2 in 1 laptop that fits in my panniers.

I can't say the same of the other apps Garmin produces.
Explore app is fine as a route/tracks manager but terrible as a route development tool. Explore web is even worse. Explore works with the zumo XT through the Drive app. Why not directly? Explore and Drive run on Android or iOS.
The latest zumo XT2 uses the Tread app. Why not Explore or Basecamp? Who knows!

Third party apps supposedly work fine with our Garmin gps. I've tried some of them but haven't found one that is 100% satisfactory. By app I mean either an actual Android app or a web based app. And contrary to Basecamp, to get full use of their functionalities you must buy or subscribe a yearly fee.
The problem is almost always the same. The apps try to emulate what Garmin does. Garmin has its own algorithms and maps. They (3rd parties) use something different and try to make it work. Basecamp works because it uses the maps on your Garmin gps. Sometimes they (3rd parties) get it right, but often times they don't.
If that works for you, fine. It doesn't work for me. I, will stick to Basecamp.

 

[Visian]

Suffice it to say that, with the advent of the Zumo XT, Garmin has managed to make a once very simple process into a HUGE cluster fork...

(this may have changed by now, I made this flowchart a couple of years ago when I was trying to find out exactly wtf my new Zumo XT was doing. I still haven't quite figured that out...)

One other data point, if using a Basecamp on a Mac, be sure to hide the Android File Transfer app in the Trash before plugging in your Zumo XT. Otherwise Basecamp will not connect to the Zumo XT.

 

[globalrider]

I've never generated a route in Garmin. Too complicated and besides, I know where I am going and planning is done using maps and memory. But I am getting into BaseCamp as winter is here and it beats spending time on forums with someone trying to educate me on batteries.

Something that you use should be self intuative like Google Maps. I choose a Start Point and Destination and it produces a route. I then drag a section of it to another road I want to take and do that to other parts of the route as well. Bingo...done! That took a whopping 30 seconds.

Time to learn = zero time involved.