Currently using a smartphone/tablet internet connected running Google Maps, Waze, Gas Buddy, Yelp, etc. Offer superior road navigation including traffic updates and rerouting, fuel prices, good places to eat and stop. Google Maps has an offline mode that does a good job of just routing but no real time updates, rerouting, fuel, dining, stops, etc.
Dedicated RV units offered by Garmin, etc. have features such as routing based on specific vehicle specs: height, weight, etc. Road conditions come via radio so not dependent on mobile internet. The data is offline and updated now and then (?)
What do you use and would recommend as the best solution?
I plan ahead with a good paper map. A couple of minutes a every stop along the way to reconfirm the route ahead. Regular car GPS or Google Maps or Waze on the phone to support the plan through the cities. That has worked for me driving my bus and commercial semi trucks and buses for many years. I don't see spending $300 to $800 on a truckers GPS... I am better off looking up at signage than looking down at a GPS...
JC
Garmin, google maps when necessary, and paper maps as needed.
I sometimes head down the road with the intention of traveling about 4-6 hours in any direction and ending up where I end up. If you don't get your bus into a situation where you have to unhook the toad and back up a few miles to get out of a sticky place with a low overpass or low hanging branches or a 5 ton bridge then you aren't living and have no sense of adventure. ;D
Then I turn on my Garmin 760 Truckers GPS after the adventure is over to get to a place to sleep for the night.
Trucking companies and bus companies do not supply their drivers with any navigation devises. At least not the ones I have ever worked for. It is up to the drivers to figure out the way. Most drivers use some kind of GPS. Some fancier than others. But the good drivers have their day firmly planned ahead of time. You can't just wing it by blindly following a GPS with a semi, or bus. The semi can be hard to turn around in tight spots, and it gets embarrassing to get lost with a tour group, or get them to an appointment late...
JC
Following GPS can also lead one up a far-too-steep road ending in a stop sign. :-[
LOL several years ago I paid big bucks for a all in one Pioneer system it's useless now,no matter what you buy in a year with a GPS they useless.
In the winter time in Needles CA the snow birds are always smacking the 8ft clearance rail road bridge because the GPS routed them the shortest route to BullHead or Laughlin Nv from I 40
Quote from: luvrbus on July 27, 2018, 08:44:36 AM
LOL several years ago I paid big bucks for a all in one Pioneer system it's useless now,no matter what you buy in a year with a GPS they useless.
In the winter time in Needles CA the snow birds are always smacking the 8ft clearance rail road bridge because the GPS routed them the shortest route to BullHead or Laughlin Nv from I 40
Two things our Garmin does have: It knows our height and won't knowingly route us on a road with a height restriction. I still verify by watching signs along the roue, but it's pretty good at this. It also has lifetime map updates so they are usually relatively current.
Most built-in gps units don's update nearly as often as the Garmin maps, which I why I have a Garmin in my car even though it came with built-in navigation.
I have a newer 770 Garmin that will route you through the low over pass,I need to set down and figure the thing out I guess I only had it for a few weeks the boys got it for me as a gift.
lol they get their mother a nice set of noise canceling wireless Bose head phone and me a GPS wonder what they are trying to tell me
Quote from: luvrbus on July 27, 2018, 09:32:33 AM
I have a newer 770 Garmin that will route you through the low over pass,I need to set down and figure the thing out I guess I only had it for a few weeks the boys got it for me as a gift.
lol they get their mother a nice set of noise canceling wireless Bose head phone and me a GPS wonder what they are trying to tell me
To use the height feature you've got to first set up the profile with all the specs on your rig. Then when you first turn on the unit it will confirm that you want to use that profile (or another if you have multiple profiles).
Interestingly, if you are not having the Garmin route you it will scream height and weight warning for problems miles in front of you, even if you plan to turn off before then. Guess it can't mind read yet. For this reason, I'll usually let it route me even to places I know about so that I don't have to listen to it screaming the warnings.
The good thing about the RV and Trucker GPS's is that they avoid routes that are not adequate for a rig the size you program in. The problem is, they sometimes take you way out of your way on some roads that you know you can fit thru fine.
So if you are a good driver and are brave and have a 102" wide 40' long bus, you can lie to it and tell it you have a 96" wide 35' long bus. The only thing you don't want to lie about is the height. That is where you may want to add a couple of inches to compensate for extra layers of tar on the road in the underpasses. However, use this advice at your own risk. :o
What would be helpful now that front and rear bumper radar units are common is to have one mounted on highest point on coach to warn of unexpected clearance issues if it would have enough range.
Quote from: chessie4905 on July 27, 2018, 10:57:55 AM
What would be helpful now that front and rear bumper radar units are common is to have one mounted on highest point on coach to warn of unexpected clearance issues if it would have enough range.
I had something like that on one of my RV's. I put a 102" CB antenna on my front bumper and cut it off 2" above my roof height. Then when I was in doubt about clearing an object, I would approach slowly and if the antenna moved, I would back up. Worked great!
I installed a roof camera to go with my side and backup cameras I would cry if I ripped off 5 roof top Penguin AC units
I just replaced a old garmin gps that I use in the pick up with a new one . all because the old unit worked fine if you wanted to wait for it to start up ( some times 10-15 minutes ) as I am sure that it was in the last down loads from garmin as to make me buy a new one .
the one I have in the rv is a rand mcnally 7710 that I got from camping world years ago and it tracks my fuel millage and saves it plus it is bang on when I do the old way with a calculator and a pen .
I do use a garmin trucking one as well in the rv as all of you know you need 2 because you can't trust one . sooner or later it will send you in the wrong direction
Dave
Quote from: luvrbus on July 27, 2018, 09:32:33 AM
I have a newer 770 Garmin that will route you through the low over pass,I need to set down and figure the thing out I guess I only had it for a few weeks the boys got it for me as a gift.
lol they get their mother a nice set of noise canceling wireless Bose head phone and me a GPS wonder what they are trying to tell me
Be grateful it wasn't wrapped in a road map :)
I on occasion have had the opportunity to run 2 770 Garmin Dezel's side by side, listening to them argue and question ;D ;D each other is entertaining.
Great discussion.
Surely every bus/semi driver over the course of their career has encountered a close call or two, maybe even losing some trailer parts. The comment about PLANNING the daily ahead seems so common sense, it should be as standard as checking tire pressure and fluid levels before heading out.
The RV units have the height/weight warning feature. That information comes from somewhere. With hardly any searching I found one state that publishes a database of vertical bridge/tunnel clearances. Very nice interface and easy to determine if any clearance issues lie ahead. Cost - zero, my favorite price. Washington State (https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/data/tools/bridgeclearance/?feet=13&inches=6&route=&include-non-mainline=true) Calif (http://www.dot.ca.gov/trafficops/trucks/height.html) Calif also has a special section (http://www.dot.ca.gov/trafficops/bus/) for long buses and motorhomes. This page (http://www.dot.ca.gov/trafficops/bus/bus-map.html) offers maps of roads where long buses are not allowed.
For my needs and comfort, no sale on the RV GPS; instead, make time to prepare a trip plan using available public domain information and a smartphone/tablet with downloaded maps for offline use, and scanning for all on-the-road signage. A hunch but this option might even provide more accurate and current road conditions and hazards since the data is extracted with a day or two of being used, most likely fresher than even the fanciest RV GPS units.
RV GPS - check, TPMS next.
Nothing wrong with proper trip planning. I try to do it before starting the day. However, it is impossible to check every underpass height and weight restriction - one detoured route or construction shut down and all bets are off. I'm sure that no matter how carefully each of us plan the day's route, there will be times we're told to make an extra stop because something along the way catches our co-pilot's eye. The cost of the Garmin was less than a tank of fuel, and the amount of times it's alerted me to something makes the expense worthwhile. Even more so for the unexpected stops and side-trips.
Richard,
Nothing wrong with having secondary navigation devices. Every busnut has their own unique combination of influences to manage and balance. Getting some remote cameras, TPMS, engine tach, better thermal monitoring, bay slides, etc. are on the checklist. As a result of this discussion, placement of RV GPS on the list is improved.
As you rightly state, there is nothing more important than keeping an eagle eye real time on the road, changing road conditions are unavoidable.
LOL plan your trip with a paper map the GPS can really screw you up when it comes to toll roads that are numbered with the state highway number cost me $15.00 and I told the thing to route me around toll roads not one time but twice.
183 between Cedar Park and Austin Texas will really screw with one.My TomTom had no idea I 35 was a toll road in Kansas leaving Oklahoma
I just got back from a trip from Chicago down Cherokee North Carolina and back. Google Maps got me twice with their routing. First was a beautiful Park in Tennessee. Bandy Creek in South Fork just outside of Oneida. Twisty road with 13% grades quite a ride pulling a toad. Left there to go to Cherokee Nc. got me off at Maggie Valley and took 19 over the mountain. When I pulled in the campground at the bottom of the mountain the guy at the Campground just laughed and asked did Google Maps route to that way? If you Just would have gone up a couple exits and there's a four-lane highway that goes around that mountain. LOL. Just glad to have Jake's. I know you guys on the west coast that say they're only Hill in the Smokies but a two-lane Winding Road dropping about 2000 ft at some 8% grades I was ready for a cocktail
lol...get in your car and take the GPS to the top floor of a parking garage.
trust issues :)
My Garmin got me in Colorado big time,we going to a rally at the Garden Of the Gods,I typed in Garden of the Gods RV Park where Wayne was holding it all was good for 800 miles.I followed the directions pull up and it was the visitors center and she said you have reached your destination.
I thought oh no so I entered the information again and she said turn right a big mistake it routed me through the park with tunnels. tiny roads and I was 60 ft long. I stopped and called people at the rally George came and got me out of that mess.Everyone was laughing saying how could that happen your GPS didn't cause that.
About a hour later I get this call from Sonnie Gray asking where in the hell am I at, I followed the GPS and there is nothing here but a narrow road with rock tunnels that I don't think the bus will go through off George and I went to get him he was lost too Since that ordeal I have not trusted a GPS.That took awhile to live down because of my friends taking photos of the Eagle going through the tunnels where I had no business being there to begin with
Check the map, GPS will route you right thru the middle of the city, when there's an obvious and desirable ring road or bypass.
These things are just like the co-pilot...
Sometimes it is good to listenn sometimes it isn't.
The trouble is figuring out which is which, and that takes expensive experiencial learning, no matter GPS or co-pilot!
Data burning solutions only work if there's a cell signal, and your data hasn't been burned up or throttled.
A GPS won't likely work if North Korea puts a real bird in the air, those satelites will suddenly be instructed to go cross-eyed.
Keep a map handy...
You'll really like to get home under those conditions...
Happy coaching!
Buswarrior
Been wanting to go with a large Garmin for coach. Haven't decided which would be better. The Rv770 or the Desl 770. Too bad they don't make one unit that can do both. I read a lot of reviews on both at the RV store and on Amazon, but haven't decided yet. I love my old Nuvi. It plays my books from audible either through radio or through unit. The books are on a micro SD or sd chip depending on which one I use. Trouble is, Everytime Garmin comes out with new features, it removes some old ones. I also wish they would come out with a 10 inch version or offer Garmin operating system you could buy and install on a tablet.
Never checked to see if Waze app can warn of low clearances. It is a must have app otherwise.
I hate it when the gps or google maps gets me into this in coach.
Hey! Got picture add to work.☺
I still like pouring over the good old Rand McNally truckers Atlas that has low bridge clearances and truck routes. California only have to be concerned with truck routes if you're over 40ft. Good Luck, TomC
You have to watch a GPS real close when leaving Jerome AZ to Prescott they will route you down 89A if you haven't been that route it is a real treat in a bus with a tow vehicle, hair pin curves with steep grades with 20 mph speed limits with 40 ft restrictions BTDT
Yes and the idiots coming the other way on your side of the road. Got clipped by a cattle truck coming from Prescott Valley, he did not see the sign. Closed the road for several hours. Didn't do any damage to our truck, glad we were not on the trike. By the time ADOT, Jerome, Yavapai county and DPS got done writing him tickets he was in bad shape. NO one was hurt.
Never trust just one GPS. Multiple GPSs are much better. ;D
I used maps in the past, because I like to plan my route ahead, but I also have the truck GPS.
Maps are hard to read while driving, and if your co-pilot is incompetent at map reading, or you don't have one, then the GPS is way to go. I use the Garmin Truck&RV GPS because I hate to turn around and waste fuel. You can easily lose an hour trying to turn around.
I work at a military base with ONE GATE OPEN for CARS, and a separate very nice WIDE TRUCK GATE. At least once a month, I am delayed getting to work because some TRUCK driver follows his cheap GPS, and/ or can't read ENGLISH and ignores the NO TRUCK sign at the end of the road.
I used to have a separate car GPS for travelling, but now most rental cars have a built in GPS, and if not I can use one of the Apps on my phone to guide me adequately in a car.
I use the Garmin, because it seems to be the most user friendly, and they are the original GPS company(after the US Military). Good map books are nearly impossible to find. The free ones offered by states at their rest stops are good, but unwieldy, so the GPS and Google Maps are my route planners now.
Steve T
Quote from: luvrbus on July 28, 2018, 07:17:22 AM
You have to watch a GPS real close when leaving Jerome AZ to Prescott they will route you down 89A if you haven't been that route it is a real treat in a bus with a tow vehicle, hair pin curves with steep grades with 20 mph speed limits with 40 ft restrictions BTDT
Did that (slowly) from Prescott to Flag. NBD :)
Well, yes, the mpg dropped off.
try Wilhoit to Prescott.
I do like the interchange pictures that pop up on newer Garmins that indicate which lane to be in. I hate when they designate a road by it's name instead of route number.
For those using the paper maps only, how do you handle the fact that they are out of date before you even buy them? At least the Garmin can be updated for free as often as necessary, and it seems that they do a pretty good job of keeping things current.
I think that once upon a time there were paper maps which were kept current, but I'm not sure that's the case anymore. A good friend's family used to run a map store in Milwaukee - they shut down since no one was buying the paper maps anymore. When I lived in Dallas there was a company called Mapsco which published a spiral-bound set of maps for the Metroplex. It had updates published all the time. I just looked and don't see anything listed newer than 2017.
The paper map is really good to get an overall visual of the route and to confirm that the GPS didn't miss a large freeway just beyond the next hill, but I wouldn't want to rely solely on paper maps anymore.
I have to admit that after using a GPS for the past 15 years, I did go out and buy a paper truckers atlas last fall. I found that it is easier to see the BIG picture on a complete map rather than only seeing a 4" diagonal map of the U.S.A. The BIG map was easier to plan routes on.
my wife Karen uses the rand mcnally map like this to make sure the gps is working right and at stops it is nice to get a better idea where we are
https://store.randmcnally.com/2019-large-scale-road-atlas.html
most years the map is the same just the year has changed so we try to buy a new one every 3 years or so and by that time a new one is needed
dave
If the highways around Milwaukee are anything like the rest of the country, a 3 year update cycle would leave you high and dry. The highways around here were built decades ago with left-hand on & off ramps. Over the past 10 years or so they've been rebuilding nearly every larger interchange and many of the smaller ones to bring things to the modern ages. The roads & ramps are changing so often around here that even with updates every three months the GPS can't keep up. I don't drive through many of the intersections on a regular basis anymore, so the feature on the GPS telling me which lane to be in for exits is a huge help, and I have yet to see a paper map with that. On top of that, there's been a push to update and rebuild bridges all over, and having up to date height & weight information is something that the RV GPS will be able to do.
For setting an overall route paper maps win hands down. For navigating through that route I'll take GPS any day unless it's a route that I'm already familiar with.
Quote from: richard5933 on July 28, 2018, 03:03:51 PM
...so the feature on the GPS telling me which lane to be in for exits is a huge help, and I have yet to see a paper map with that.
Great point, especially when driving thru Los Angeles too on I-5 when it goes from 10 lanes to 2 lanes over several miles with lanes that keeps disappearing. It is nice when it barks "Be in either of the two left lanes". Also, I am not married so having a GPS tell me where to go is just like having a wife. 8)
I plan a lot of routes by looking at Google maps on the computer. Nice that they give 3 choices of routes with different travel times. I only get the free maps at the state welcome centers. About every three years, I'll buy a spiral bound McNally at Walmart or Flying J near by.
when you live in the great white north ( Canada ) most of the gps I have used over the years there is only 4 roads ( 400 series hwy's ) like interstates . so when you go off them you get a lot of
" CURVE AHEAD "
and it comes up a lot !
but yes I would not be without one ( or 2 ) because you have to
dave
"Also, I am not married so having a GPS tell me where to go is just like having a wife."
Thats fine but its only part of the equation as being retired you no longer have an employer telling you WHEN to go" . :)
And having a choice of voice prompts, like British or Australian or several others. Wife has had disagreements with Judy over directions. Interesting conversation sometimes.lol
First i look at a road atlas, then i look at map quest, then if there is any question about the route that i want to go on i will use google earth to take a close look and get see how busy the road is and if it is paved or not, and how many lanes it has. Then what i do is write down where and what i have to do....such as exit numbers, hiway number changes etc. Put that paper where i can either take a quick look at it or have my wife read it to me.
We have the big Rand McNally map book and our smart phones. If I am driving DW tells me where to turn and what exit to take or asks which way are we going and then she figures it all out with both, Oh and she was a dispatcher for a large moving company for 10 years and that helps too. :)
Once on the road after pre trip route check, I have wife take over routing. That way if there is a major screw up in directions, it's her fault and not mine....😊
Quote from: chessie4905 on July 30, 2018, 04:48:08 AM
Once on the road after pre trip route check, I have wife take over routing. That way if there is a major screw up in directions, it's her fault and not mine....😊
Another reason that makes a wife a valuable asset. :)
Quote from: eagle19952 on July 30, 2018, 10:12:10 AM
Another reason that makes a wife a valuable asset. :)
Well, maybe it is time to get married then. :)
Here I thought you were married to the chimpanzee in your picture. 😮
Quote from: chessie4905 on July 30, 2018, 07:22:30 PM
Here I thought you were married to the chimpanzee in your picture. 😮
That is her sister. She is available if you are interested. ;D
She looks hot!
Don -
When we're going on a trip somewhere other than what we're familiar with, I start with Google Maps on the computer, either the desktop if we're home, or the laptop when on the road. (99% of the time we have excellent WiFi onboard while traveling, so I can use the laptop. But that's another topic for another time.) I don't like Google Maps on the iPad or smartphone, because on those devices, it will not allow you to add/subtract multiple intermediate stops.
Once I've got the basics, I then go to www.flattestroute.com to see what kind of grades I'll be dealing with on the route I've chosen. (Because Tortoise is so underpowered, this is part of my planning process.) There has been many a time we've re-routed a different way due to the terrain, as long as it's not more than a 50-75 mile deviance. I also check Google Earth, to make sure I'm not being sent down routes better suited to ATVs or 4x4 Jeeps. When I'm done, I'll print out the directions for Patricia to follow along as we go, just to keep the GPS units honest.
We have a Garmin RV760LMT in the coach (the RV770LMT is the newer version), and a Garmin Nuvi 2555 in the VW. Both are programmed with the LxWxH of the respective vehicles, and I've found as long as I update the units regularly, they've been pretty darned accurate in terms of low bridges, steep grade announcements, speed limit changes, etc. They will argue with the route I've chosen vs my prior homework, but once I make a homework turn, they come around to the route I'm taking. (At least Garmin's eliminated the annoying "recalculating" voice!)
As backup, we still carry one of the large Rand McNally Trucker's Atlas, plus several AAA maps. (Back when I was driving charters, my AAA membership paid for itself with all the maps I used to carry in my driver's briefcase to plan my charter trips.)
Oh, another internet tool that I use for planning is www.drivingrouteplanner.com. Plug in your start/finish address, the addresses of all your intermediate stops, what time you want to start, how long you want to stop at each intermediate point, hit "go" and it will give you all kinds of options from the fastest time to shortest distance and a bunch of options in between, including what time you'll finish. Handy tool, for sure.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
I'm close to getting the rv770 lmt or the desl 770. Still not sure which would be better and also usable in the car.
We've got the RV 760, which is the older model to the 770. I think that it could easily be used in a car if you had room for it. It's possible to set different profiles, so you could have one for the car and another for the coach, each with its own parameters.
I've read about that ability on that model, but don't know if that is an option on the Desl. Someone needs to buy both and report back.☺
Btw, I mount all my gps units in all my vehicles using Ram mounts. No more failing suction cups or pillow mounts. And precise mounting positions. They also have the cradles for most gps and phone and other items.
https://mounts.factoryoutletstore.com/?cid=278351&chid=1&campaignid=906748052&adgroupid=47859816600&creative=236421799593&targetid=kwd-298761482118&matchtype=e&device=t&network=g&gclid=CjwKCAjw14rbBRB3EiwAKeoG_5_COicWSEFmVtALd4SlQBJrujqMGCDuyBiKypsZxMMq91ZOy1JoHhoCPgIQAvD_BwE
Quote from: chessie4905 on August 02, 2018, 03:31:14 AM... Btw, I mount all my gps units in all my vehicles using Ram mounts. ...
https://mounts.factoryoutletstore.com/ ...
I need something like that for my Magellan (BTW - POS) 7" GPS but the $60 - $70 - $80 price tags stopped me in my tracks. :o
For those using the Garmin RV760LM or RV770LMT, does it have a feature to list obstacles during the trip planning step? Seems obvious that it should alert you that a route you entered has issues and suggests the alternate routes.
Sort of leaning back toward having one. Will dive into the user manual for details.
Quote from: windtrader on August 03, 2018, 01:47:38 PM
For those using the Garmin RV760LM or RV770LMT, does it have a feature to list obstacles during the trip planning step? Seems obvious that it should alert you that a route you entered has issues and suggests the alternate routes.
Sort of leaning back toward having one. Will dive into the user manual for details.
Here's a link to the manual for the RV760. http://static.garmin.com/pumac/RV_760_OM_EN.pdf
There is a list of things that you can choose to receive warnings about. You can also have the route created with certain avoidances. Often times multiple routes will be offered. If a route is done which includes a piece of road you want to avoid it's possible to detour around it. I believe that it's possible to add a detour around a particular road or whole section of town before the route is set as well. Once you get the manual on your computer, use CTRL + F to search for the word 'detour' to see more about this.
FYI - Placed order for the Garmin RV770 plus the backup camera. Funny thing is the integrated camera is what finally pushed me over the buy line as well as reading the features details. Offers quite a bit in a single unit. While in cell data range, the link offers more real time updates and richer data. Price on factory refurb with warranty was good too.
We use the camera on ours as well. I got the cable extension so that I could mount the transmitting unit inside towards the front of the coach to make sure the signal was clear. Quite happy with the quality of the camera image. We wired ours to 12v circuit separate from the reverse lights, and we added a switch on the driver's panel so I can turn on the backup camera while driving to see the car hiding behind me.
GARMIN RV 770 LMT-S arrived over the weekend. Had a chance to learn, configure, and take a car trip with it.
Initial impressions.
Generally - nice bright screen, touch screen works nice, menu system is organized fairly well, some buttons could be better placed. Comes with accessories for charging and mounting. Starts up fast. Gets various live data via bluetooth smartphone connection that has mobile data service.
Navigation - The primary reason for this is safe navigation with the bus. Feature allows for entering bus specs for better routing. While underway the information displayed on the screen is laid out nicely and easily read. The voice alerts are clear and easily understood.
Have not had a chance to install and check the backup camera option.
Now the bad part. Repeating the core functionality of this thing is navigation. Attached are two images. One shows the two routes Garmin chose, the other one manually set based on knowing the shortest and fastest route. As you can see, Garmin did not figure out this one, and it is an easy route to choose. Why the hell bypass a freeway onramp and go for miles to another, makes no sense?
This test was performed using both the motorhome and car profiles. At first, it seemed an alternate route was chosen due to the different vehicle profiles but the routing was the same with both profiles. Route selection seems simply substandard to free Google maps routing.
When driving the route, with the SmartphoneLink active, the live traffic feed did work as a jam up on the freeway as shown quite accurately.
Somewhat disappointed for a $300 buy (yeah, i know - not even a tank of petrol) but will trial it some more including the backup camera. Being pretty tech savvy, there are numerous alternative DY solutions that can be built with better functionality and accuracy but mulling over if the extra benefits are worth the extra time and effort to assemble and maintain. No brainer that dedicated GPS is much easier to use and maintain.
One other observation. While looking around the system files, this thing is a modified Linux OS. The elevation feature is pretty cool but is only as accurate as USGS DEM data. That is the dataset used for calculating the grades. update - After looking a bit more it seems USGS now has lidar based elevation data which is far more accurate than the older traditional DEM datasets.
https://nationalmap.gov/elevation.html. It seems Google maps terrain feature uses lidar based data where available.
Don,
I've used both the RV760 and the navigation built into our Subaru. Hands down, the Garmin RV760 wins easily, both with being able to route around traffic and ability to choose the fastest route.
Against Google Maps, I'll take the Garmin any day. At least in the SE Wisconsin and Chicago areas. I've done tests going the 1-1/2 hours from our house in SE Wisc to Chicago O'Hare Airport, and the Google Maps route was uniformly longer and not as convenient.
There have been a few times that the Garmin has chosen a route that seemed stupid and times I felt I could have done better. But, by and large the routes chosen by the Garmin are better and end up getting me there faster. I've tried to drive my known route to see if I could do better, and the usual result is that the Garmin knows best. It's not fool proof, and in some areas the traffic pattern data doesn't seem to be adequate for the Garmin to predict travel times, but overall I'm pleased with it.
One thing that I'd love to know is how the algorithms are set up and what the Garmin gives priority to (traffic vs. speed limits vs. difficulty of route (tight turns, etc).
Just my experience, and I know that each of the different manufacturers has areas of the country where their database is not as deep so results may vary widely.
Richard,
After two hours with this thing, my experience is it's more a POS than I had imagined. Certainly, some of this is the learning curve but some specific tasks and lack of features just seem onerous to the point of hair-pulling, at least what's left. lol
First, trip planning is very clunky. You can't change the start or destination points. You can edit a route that is defined between these points but it is difficult to even do that. The interface is slow and non-precise. Zooming in/out takes far too long. etc, etc.
The search feature is poorly implemented as well. It searches by default within the current location. To search on a broader area, you need to change the location first, then go back and search. PIA. It will not get result if entering full address, city and state.
There is no import routes feature. It would be far easier to plan routes with a 3rd party tool, save it in GPX or similar standard format, and import it into the Garmin. No such feature I could fine. No export of collected data either.
After finding the system reset function and cleaning it all out, it's going back in the box and back.
Now, this is just my own experience, based on my own point of reference, and familiarity and comfort with other options, techniques, and tools. I find directions with Waze or Google maps is spot on. Additionally, the real time rerouting is very good when traffic conditions change.
What is going to work better for my needs is a touchscreen Android or Windows OS based device, with or without GPS and cell data. either can be easily added. Plenty of options for having mapping and features data downloaded so available for offline use when there is no cell service.
Much of the Garmin current information features require an internet connected smartphone, so no benefit over a mobile hotspot connected to a laptop or a data enabled tablet. In fact, a device with integrated cell data service is simpler to configure and use.
Have you tried using BaseCamp? I haven't had time yet, but it's apparently a way to program routes on a computer and then send them over to the Garmin. The software can be downloaded from the Garmin website.
Richard,
I checked out Garmin Basecamp which does transfer GPX files into the Garmin RV GPS. I got an RMA and its in a box heading back.
Based on how and what I reference for trip planning, a tablet or touchscreen pc is the better choice. All sources and tools are integrated into a single device, avoiding the need for bluetooth or usb cable for transferring to other devices. There are numerous tools and apps for navigating, so one can select the one that fits best for their needs. Both standalone and tablets need internet to access real time traffic, weather, and other relevant changing information.
One device supports more than just the navigation use. For example, the tablet can run navigation app and with a touch of the screen flip to gasbuddy, waze, wunderground, topo apps, etc. External cameras can also be viewed and recorded on the tablet with a wide variety of apps.
Finally, I'm going to use an existing Verizon tablet, saving $300 for something else. next up TPMS, lol
Quote from: windtrader on August 14, 2018, 08:07:21 PM
I checked out Garmin Basecamp which does transfer GPX files into the Garmin RV GPS. I got an RMA and its in a box heading back.
You gotta do what works best for you. Using the options you mentioned instead of the Garmin, how do you route around height/weight/length issues? That's the one thing that the Garmin does for me that I'd struggle to get done on apps like Waze or Google Maps. I'm sure there is a way, but not one I'm familiar with.
How about returning this and get the desl 770 and do a thorough report back to us before you give up on the idea. Maybe it works better.
Richard,
Surely, there are databases containing known road constrictions such as height and weight. Here are a few, but I haven't researched any as yet.
http://lowclearances.com/compatibility.html
One can manually reference to route against this guide; it claims to identify all low clearance/weight restrictions
https://www.amazon.com/2018-McNally-Motor-Carriers-Atlas/dp/052801756X
Here's a State of Washington and California website with info.
https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/data/tools/bridgeclearance/
http://www.dot.ca.gov/trafficops/trucks/height.html
These are for state highways, smaller local roads hopefully report too. Have not searched on that yet.
Quote from: windtrader on August 15, 2018, 11:50:40 PM
Richard,
Surely, there are databases containing known road constrictions such as height and weight. Here are a few, but I haven't researched any as yet.
The books are great, but not so handy when you need to change your route at the last minute. If my co-pilot had to use a manual resource to make last-minute changes or route alterations while we're on the road we'd never get anywhere but under a too-short bridge. The demo video for the Garmin add-on app seemed to only notify as you approached the low bridge, not route around it.
Maybe it's because I've used Garmin GPS units for many years that their system worked for me. I especially like that I can use the voice command feature to add way points while I'm driving down the road, and the unit will automatically route me around the low bridges or weight restricted roads.
If someone knows a way to add the automatic routing features with regard to height/weight issues to Waze or Google Maps I'd love to hear it so that I would have alternatives to the routing on the Garmin.
Don -
Be sure when you box your Garmin back up to send to the vendor that you include a letter explaining why you think it's a POS.
Better yet, send your letter telling this gentleman why you think the RV770LMT-S is a POS to:
Dr Min Kao, Executive Chairman
Garmin International Inc
1200 E 151st St
Olathe KS 66062-3426
Be sure to include in your letter all of the things you feel it's lacking like you've posted here. And since you're an IT guy, and so is Dr. Kao, you can certainly write your comments in IT language you'll both understand.
Oh, and send the letter "Personal - Confidential" certified mail, return receipt requested with signature required, so you know it gets to the right person.
Report his response back here.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
You do know that these various lists of obstructions have been assembled over many years, by many people, paid very poorly, horrible updating frequency, and not as their first responsibility?
What's wrong with looking out the window, and take what comes?
Didn't we get a bus conversion to see the country?
Put that (profanity string deleted) screen away and look out the windshield?
Maybe a little spontaneity will do a busnut good?
If you can't handle stumbling on a 10 foot railway bridge in the boonies, maybe you shouldn't be driving it out on the Interstate either?
The more you rely on this poop, the less able you will be to deal with stuff on your own, and that's a growing issue the older one gets...
The electronic navigator is an ACCESSORY to the wetware, with UNRELIABLE DATA installed...
Keep it in perspective, and work on your reversing skills?
Happy coaching!
Buswarrior
Quote from: buswarrior on August 16, 2018, 11:54:45 AM
What's wrong with looking out the window, and take what comes?
Buswarrior
Generally speaking, I don't disagree. Spontaneity is wonderful. I agree that driving with eyes wide open is key.
However, in today's world with the way people drive it could literally get someone killed to just stumble upon a 10-foot bridge. I have absolutely no desire to have to back up a mile or more alongside a busy state or county highway with cars trying to get around me at 60 or 70 mph just because I didn't know there was a low bridge ahead.
When I had to back down the hill in Sioux Falls recently, even with the police helping to block the road behind me, there were a few close calls with idiots trying to get around me. That mistake was clearly my fault - lesson learned. I'd hate to have to repeat that again just because I didn't know that there was a low or weight restricted bridge ahead.
Garmin (and/or the maps and charts) are not full proof, but they are a great tool to use to help plan a safe route. I don't feel hamstrung by them, but do make use when possible to avoid problems.
RJ - Garmin has no interest in hearing anything from me, I'm certainly not their target audience. Based on my hands on testing, it is fine for someone who does not want any muss or fuss. It does the basic job of routing and navigating roads using GPS tech. It has numerous limitations but assume that the design and function objectives put ease of use above the ability to alter start/end points in the trip planner or easily import GPX routes and waypoints. Like I said it is big, bright, and plenty loud but quite short in ability to integrate any information outside its own propriety data ecosystem.
Richard - The best tool for any navigator is the one most familiar and comfortable with and used regularly. They all do basic navigation just fine. With respect to being surprised about road restrictions, temporary road closure,s detours, etc. that is always a possibility.
For me, pre-trip planning is second nature. Over the decades of backcountry hiking, 4 wheel driving secondary and dirt roads, forest and old logging routes, off road ATV trips, etc. My tools include USGS Topo and USFS maps, various aerial imagery, and software tools for trip planning. For road navigation I find Google Maps, Waze, Google Earth, Caltopo quite adequate. Any custom map can be created, stored, and printed as desired.
The only new twist for me is road restrictions which I posted earlier about finding sources. I have to believe all public roadways have some mandate for posting these locations to some public accessible database. As long as georeferenced, it is simple to filter the dataset to include ones along your route.
Lastly, like BW notes, the fun is enjoying the journey and the better you plan and know your routes, the more you can enjoy the trip rather than worrying about hitting a bridge. In reality, you really just need to check the secondary roads for them as virtually all major routes have sufficient clearance for typical bus conversions. Chances are greater to encounter road closures or rerouting than than a low bridge.