Can I Set Activity Type Defaults?

[Sara-Bay]

I have an Oregon 600 on order (expected to arrive today) and have already loaded BaseCamp and the GPSFileDepot Florida 24k map on my computer.  I'm really enjoying the ability to set up waypoints, routes, etc., ahead of time, so I can be all ready when my Garmin arrives.

I have some questions I'm hoping somebody here can answer:

1. Can I set a default Activity type so it doesn't always default to Hiking?  I created a custom activity for Kayaking and I'd like that to be the default.

2.  When I click the icon to create a new route, the "New Route" dialog box always appears.  This is the one that has the Drag Start and Drag Finish here boxes.  Since I'm using the map for kayaking (on the water, of course), I can't drag start/finish because the route automatically created will use roads instead of water.  Is there a way to NOT have that dialog box appear and instead to have the multi-tab route dialog box that has tabs for "Properties", "Route Directions", etc.?

3.  I've been using Google Earth in conjunction with the BaseCamp/24k maps in order to more accurately place my waypoints (such as kayak launch points).  I've been making it work, but it seems less than efficient.  Does anyone have any hints/suggestions for the best ways to use Google Earth with the BaseCamp/24k maps?

4.  Is there any advantage to saving all my waypoints and routes onto Google Earth or is saving them on BaseCamp all I need?

5.  I don't suppose there's anyway to overlay (like a transparency) the Google Earth map over my BaseCamp/24k maps (which would be like Garmin's BirdsEye, I assume)?

6.  I have created several collection LISTS (e.g., Kayak Routes, Kayak Launch Points, Landmarks, etc.).  These are currently all under the "My Collections" folder.  I see that you can also create Collection FOLDERS.  What is the purpose or advantage to folders over lists?

7.  In looking at my attached screenshot, do any of you experts see anything dumb that I'm doing and, if so can you point it out and let me know the best way?

I'm sure that's plenty of questions for now (or too many??  )  Thank you for any help you can provide!

Sara-Bay

[Boyd]

5.  I don't suppose there's anyway to overlay (like a transparency) the Google Earth map over my BaseCamp/24k maps (which would be like Garmin's BirdsEye, I assume)?

I think "underlay" would be the correct word - the vector based lines on the 24k map will appear ON TOP of a raster image from Google Earth.

There are several ways to do this. For a small, simple map (no more than 1024x1024 pixels), you can use this method:

http://www.garmin.com/us/products/onthetrail/custommaps

You can make larger maps with a couple of programs, such as g-raster and mapc2mapc but this gets more complicated. Your Oregon cannot access any more than 500 total 1024x1024 individual "tiles" with this kind of .kmz based map.

[Sara-Bay]

Thanks for your response but, oh gosh, there's too much I don't know yet!!  I have to admit I didn't really understand much of what you said in this phrase:

the vector based lines on the 24k map will appear ON TOP of a raster image from Google Earth.

It sounds like there are many options for map combinations and map viewing, some of which require me to save specific areas of the Google Earth map to "underlay" under (for instance) the 24k topo map I downloaded from this site.  But the terms you are using and the results of these different options aren't very clear to me.  Not your fault, of course, I'm just completely new to this stuff!

Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself and need to just stick with the simple, 24k topo for a while until I start to understand what else I need and how everything works.

[Boyd]

There are two basic kinds of maps: vector and raster. A vector map is just a database of coordinates with instructions about what to do with them. So a city could be represented with a single point that displays a dot and label on the screen. A road would be a series of coordinates connected by lines. A lake might be a series of coordinates that form a blue polygon. So the GPS itself generates this map from the database of coordinates. Garmin's 24k topos are vector based maps, and their City Navigator maps are also vector based.

A raster based map is just a picture. It could be a scan of an old paper map, or it might be a satellite photo. With this type of map the GPS just needs to figure out what part of the picture to show and how big to make it.

Since you seem to be rather non-technical you might want to get a Birdseye subscription. It costs $30/year for unlimited downloads. You can keep everything you download, so you don't necessarily need to subscribe for more than a year. It will behave as I described before, it would be displayed "under" the topo map, so that the roads and other topo features are added to the satellite photo.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/prod70144.html

[popej]

1. Can I set a default Activity type so it doesn't always default to Hiking?  I created a custom activity for Kayaking and I'd like that to be the default.

I think default activity is the one, that you set on upper toolbar. BaseCamp should remember this setting.

2.  When I click the icon to create a new route, the "New Route" dialog box always appears.  This is the one that has the Drag Start and Drag Finish here boxes.  Since I'm using the map for kayaking (on the water, of course), I can't drag start/finish because the route automatically created will use roads instead of water.  Is there a way to NOT have that dialog box appear and instead to have the multi-tab route dialog box that has tabs for "Properties", "Route Directions", etc.?

You can use icon on upper toolbar to start drawing a route on a map. If you select direct routes as an activity, then BaseCamp won't recalculate routes on roads.

[Sara-Bay]

1. Can I set a default Activity type so it doesn't always default to Hiking?  I created a custom activity for Kayaking and I'd like that to be the default.

I think default activity is the one, that you set on upper toolbar. BaseCamp should remember this setting.

popej - I wasn't sure where the "upper toolbar" is that you were mentioning.  Are you saying I set this default on my PC while in BaseCamp and it will be the default on my Oregon 600?

Thanks,
Sara-Bay

[popej]

I was writing about BaseCamp, don't know about Oregon.