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BaseCamp track time
Posted: Oct 02 2013 1:37 pm
by kingsnake
Is there a way in BaseCamp to determine the amount of time it took to perform a hike (i.e. a track)? It used to be in MapSource you could view time for each leg (and I believe total time). I no longer see this in BaseCamp and Google does no good.
Also, while we arte at it, how to view the same in MapDex.
The reason being I have

'd my notes for four days last week ...
Re: Another Base Camp Question
Posted: Jan 13 2014 10:17 am
by FOTG
Ok so last week, I said something about base camp sucking because there seems to be so much lag time and it always seems to be "waiting for response" times out quits etc..
However, I was thinking maybe it is just my computer, so I literally just downloaded it to my computer at work and it still seems to be plagued, by super slow response time and all the above, does Base Camp just really suck? or is it me? I love the 24K SW topo map for GPS that came with, but the software for viewing topo maps and routes is horrible..
Initially, I thought base camp had promise, you can have pictures show up when you click on sites, and it seemed user friendly, but its just so slow and annoying to run, what can I replace this software with? I am looking for something, like, a huge master map to plot and view all my ruins on, but something that I can save and add to over the years, without storing everything on my Garmin GPS 62, which only has limited internal memor...
Is this stuff, stuff that can all be done on the mapdex provided by HAZ? should I give up on trying to utilize Base Camp? or finally is it me? am I missing something on this whole Base camp software?
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 11:09 am
by paulhubbard
I use Basecamp, and while it is painfully slow (even on a fast, strong PC), it does an "OK" job of storing all our recorded routes. I'm watching this thread to see if anyone has alternatives.
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 11:11 am
by FOTG
@paulhubbard
Thats what I am saying, it has all this potential and it is great for storing all my data..but why sooooo sloww..I am using my super fast desk-top at school, with same results? I am also interested to see if anyone has alternative software to download or purchase with similar capabilities...
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 12:09 pm
by kingsnake
I don't store anything in Base Camp, and keep it closed unless I am up/downloading a route (because it seems to slow down the rest of my system as long as it is open, even if not the active window). I store everything here on Haz, in MapDex.

Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 12:34 pm
by Grasshopper
paulhubbard wrote:I use Basecamp, and while it is painfully slow (even on a fast, strong PC), it does an "OK" job of storing all our recorded routes.
Interesting. Of all the ongoing frustrations I have with managing (storing, editing, moving around, exporting/importing, & etc..) my GPS Routes on
Garmin BaseCamp (a "Big Pig" I find it to be and
for me initially not that user friendly, I don't have any problems with BaseCamp running slow on my now older 2008 HP-Pavilion Desktop

. Also, I only generally file my recent and to be soon attempted GPS Routes in BaseCamp's "My Collection" filing option as I store in my computer C-Drive files all my various edited-completed Garmin GPS Routes and generally don't see a need to have them taking up storage space in both my C-Drive
and BaseCamp.
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 12:41 pm
by FOTG
@Grasshopper
that gives me a few things to think about...
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 12:44 pm
by Tough_Boots
I never switched over to Base Camp. I have it but I've never had a reason to use it. I've stuck with Mapsource. Its quick, user friendly, and the only thing I can't do with it that I'd like to is overlay satellite imagery-- luckily we have Route Manager for that

It will send your track to Google Earth, though. You might try Mapsource and see if it works for you. I think Garmin stopped including it with their units and stopped updating it but you can still download it free from their website.
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 12:58 pm
by kingsnake
If you are a Mac user, you have no choice but to switch ...
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 1:13 pm
by Grasshopper
@Tough_Boots Being the learner'd (book seller) person you are ;) and me having previously discussed that you should give BaseCamp a try, I'm disappointed you still have not done so..
BaseCamp has a number of map editing, viewing, statistic calculations, and storing enhancements available over the older Garmin MapSource. Also, for the newer Garmin technology units after the eTrex Vista, GPSMap60CSx.. Here I'm referring to the the new Oregons, GPSMap 62,62s,etc. and eTrex 20,30, I'm pretty sure that one cannot upload to MapSource the GPS Routes and WPs from these newer technology Garmin GPS units. You can download the GPS Routes and WPs to these newer technology units from MapSource, but you can't upload. This was the problem I incurred continuing to try to use MapSource with my new 62s replacement for my 60CSx. This forced me to learn BaseCamp as a second option to now using our valuable and very useful HAZ-Route Manager tools.
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 1:41 pm
by FOTG
@Grasshopper
GPS Routes and generally don't see a need to have them taking up storage space in both my C-Drive and BaseCamp
Is that my problem? should I not be keeping all my routes and way points on Base Camp?
Here is my vision I wanted to accomplish with Base Camp, but it seems to slow to realize and I am about to totally scrap it..Using the Supes for example, I am up to about 97 known Indian Ruin sites plotted throughout wilderness, I would like to always be able to access, like, my own master map with all my ruins plotted, and then when you click on map it will give details, as well as photo..I know nobody will ever care to see map expect me, but that is what I envisioned, something that I could constantly be adding to over the years, routes, new sites, contemporary finds ect..
All my way points show up on map, but just clicking to zoom in, requires at least 30-40 seconds of response time on behalf of Base Camp...but you say you have no speed issues, hmmm...
I agree with what you stated about the great capabilities of Base Camp, but if I cant get it to run at even a manageable speed its almost useless to me, but maybe I have cluttered it up with too much data...that cant be right can it?
Chumley always talks about a Route MGR Class, maybe you need to hold a Base Camp class..lol
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 1:58 pm
by Grasshopper
friendofThundergod wrote:Is that my problem? should I not be keeping all my routes and way points on Base Camp?
Maybe.. I don't know..just a guess on my part. Why don't you send a question on this issue via the Garmin website to the Garmin technical support team (probably overseas their support people are) and then tomorrow when they reply back we will all know the possible reason this happens and a recommended solution?
friendofThundergod wrote:maybe you need to hold a Base Camp class..lol
lol is correct..

I learn by pushing buttons with a
few emails to the Garmin support team for an answer
and not by reading manuals or by Googling (and I'm not bragging.. it's just the way I learn it).
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 13 2014 3:32 pm
by chumley
As a mac user, one tool that I use all the time that works on any platform, with any GPS unit, in virtually any format is software called GPS Babel. It will convert any GPS data to any other GPS data you choose, so that you can get it from any device to any viewer and visa versa. And it's free! (donation-ware).
Have an old MapSource file you want to view as a Google Earth kml? Simple. An old .tpo track that you want to import onto your new Magellan? Easy. A Mapsource gdb to gpx? Sure. Even talks the language of automobile GPS like tomtom. Or it can extract the GPS information embedded into the exif of your JPG photographs.
This software is not for maps that go onto your GPS or your computer mapping software. It works only with the data a GPS device collects such as tracks, waypoints, time, date etc.
But it can be a very useful tool.
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 14 2014 6:33 pm
by PLC92084
GPS Babel is an awesome tool!! I used it, and other tools, to convert maps and data into useable chunks my old eTrex could digest (try finding map files under 8MB without it...). unfortunately, I've migrated to BaseCamp (either laziness or complacence drove me there) and I've just resolved myself to using it. I curse it regularly because of its user-belligerent interface and slow response. It does, however, let me edit maps and upload them to my GPS so I reluctantly continue to suffer it.
That being said... Route Manager is GREAT!! It's like Motrin for an ache that won't go away...Thanks, Joe!!
Re: BaseCamp track time
Posted: Jan 14 2014 7:48 pm
by Grasshopper
PLC92084 wrote:Route Manager is GREAT!! It's like Motrin for an ache that won't go away...Thanks, Joe!!
Agreed !!
One enhancement of BaseCamp over MapSource for use with the new technology Garmins (Oregons 450.450T,etc, GPSMaps 62,62s,etc, & eTrex 20,30) that I
really like is the ability to do "live edits" in these GPS Units while hooked-up to BaseCamp. After completing my first time exploratory planned hiking route in HAZ-Route Manager (which I'm starting to now use almost exclusively for), and after downloading to my GPS unit this HAZ-Route Mgr planned route, then after completing the actual hike, I'm now finding myself saving editing time by doing all necessary edits (of needed WPs and route clean-ups) directly on my BaseCamp computer screen while my GPS 62s is hooked-up "live". All the necessary edits I do on my BaseCamp computer screen are also edited/changed at the same time in my 62s. I like this and after live edit completion, I can now just move my edited/corrected GPS route to my 62s unit "archived status" to be activated at a later time and/or just copy and paste on BaseCamp this now edited route from my 62s to the BaseCamp files "My Collection".