GPS Comparison Thread

[sheridany]

It’s documented in RVTW here.

Export to GPS


I have not tested the route planned in RVTW and exported to see if it follows the route with precision.

You can also go RVTW to base camp and then into Garmin. Someone posted excellent details on the forum how to do this and I have to search for it.

[redbaron73]

Originally Posted by tnedator

I signed up for RV Trip Wizard last year, but didn't use it much. It wasn't clear to me that it was attempting to avoid height/weight restricted roads. So, I might have to give this another go.

I just tried to common routes I run, which is Coachlight RV (carthage, MO) to Branson and home to Branson.

On the Coachlight run, it picked what I think is the best route and what Garmin picks, which is much better than the small, back roads that the Xite/RM picks.

On home to Branson, it picked a safe route, but wouldn't be a pleasant one, as it takes me from Mt. View to Leslie, AR, which is doable (I did it in my ACE), but it's very windy and steep and would be slow going in a DP pulling a Jeep.

If you setup a trip in Trip Wizard, how easy is it to get to the RV770 (or Google) and then does it follow the route faithfully?

There are several parts to "following the route faithfully"

#1 - How many POI do you export/import
#2 - What is the prevailing issue for following the route faithfully.

Let me explain:

Common GPS routing begins with 2 points, start and finish. it then finds all the ways to accomplish the goal, with priority based on major/minor roads.

Advanced methods add construction and traffic.

This is the point that Google maps is at.

Copilot/Garmin/RVTW add another layer of "avoid poi", and "should" add in weight/length/height restrictions.

The problem I had with XITE (RandMcnally) is the way it handled the POI path (#1 above). In order to get it to maintain an exact route, you had to put in a lot of very precise POI. This was possible via RVTW / GoodSam(not anymore, but at the time) and other tools.

The route would load exactly the way you wanted it to...but then XITE was very picky about the route. If you missed the poi (or it thought you did) it would start trying to route you back to that poi.

A prime example of this problem is if one of your POI was 1 miles ahead of you on the highway, but you diverted due to an accident and took the access road. Once you passed your POI (which was marked on the highway, but you are on the access road), the GPS would then direct you to turn around and try to route you back to the missed POI.

This brings me to #2 of my point above.

What would be nice is if POI's could be listed as "stop/destination" or "via". With a via meaning once you have passed it, ignore and move on.

We see this an a very high level in copilot when it presents primary and alternate route choices. Even with these settings, I have seen copilot trigger a switch back to the primary route due to a recalculation when I have done a small deviation at the beginning of the journey. Leaving my home I have 2 routes to a major highway, and I prefer going to the west. Copilot prefers to the east, and since my driveway is 300+ Ft, there is enough time for copilot to "reroute" and change my selection back to its preferred route.

So back to your original question of following the route faithfully, I think what we need from RVTW is the ability to control how many waypoints are sent to the GPS. Major Highway junctions are often enough for a good GPS engine, and sometimes it is just one or two waypoints required. What I would like to see is that we have the option to generate waypoints based on road changes, and then we can remove those for fine tuning.


I am going to illustrate the use of just a few waypoints with Google maps.


Open up google maps and set your "Starting Point" to

Dallas / Arlington KOA Holiday
2715 S Cooper St
Arlington, TX 76015
https://goo.gl/maps/YqxaqmUBdnKM31Q28

and your ending point to

City of Branson Lakeside RV
300 Boxcar Willie Dr, Branson, MO 65616
https://goo.gl/maps/NAGFWwQGPuetXkKF6

The default recommended route takes you thru some very scenic roads, but not exactly the fastest route for a motorhome towing. The final route in doesn't work well either.

Original Route: 437 miles, 7h 22min



So we need to add a few waypoints to fix Google maps routing. I prefer coming into Branson from the North so I am going to add a waypoint of

I-44, Mt Vernon, MO 65712

This is done as a "destination" in Google maps.
Here is the new route:
https://goo.gl/maps/MTYcsWdhETUwSCgFA


With that single POI change, google automatically selected the preferred and ideal route that I know works for an RV.

Total distance is 478 miles, 7h 38min

The results where the same on copilot too.

Another fix to make sure the route is correct in Google is to take their original suggestion of the backway in , and add a nearby POI
483 Branson Landing Blvd, Branson, MO 65616

This will fix the original route to take the preferred final destination

Here is the alternate route: https://goo.gl/maps/Z9QdBsiXXUk6Q1q78

[sheridany]

That is a great illustration. The takeaway for me is you have to know where you are going and what roads are suitable for large coaches to do things like add the way point illustration. Otherwise, you are left with options to trust the GPS and or look at atlases, google earth etc and even then it may not be right.

Being an technology person, I wish there was a better solution that I could trust. Not to start a whole another topic going off thread, but does this happen to pilots who fly? I can't imagine it does and they have to fly with a high level of precision using avionics and gps capabilities that they have to trust?

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by tnedator

I signed up for RV Trip Wizard last year, but didn't use it much. It wasn't clear to me that it was attempting to avoid height/weight restricted roads. So, I might have to give this another go.

I just tried to common routes I run, which is Coachlight RV (carthage, MO) to Branson and home to Branson.

On the Coachlight run, it picked what I think is the best route and what Garmin picks, which is much better than the small, back roads that the Xite/RM picks.

On home to Branson, it picked a safe route, but wouldn't be a pleasant one, as it takes me from Mt. View to Leslie, AR, which is doable (I did it in my ACE), but it's very windy and steep and would be slow going in a DP pulling a Jeep.

If you setup a trip in Trip Wizard, how easy is it to get to the RV770 (or Google) and then does it follow the route faithfully?

RVTW will let you create a plan showing you a route, however, once you export it to GPS/Google ... only the stops are sent and you are at the mercy of the GPS/Google routing software. If you use RVTW and see issues (like low bridge) you can add way points.
For example sometimes I want to avoid the most direct route (going for Bedford to i-95, which takes you through Berkly Springs) so I add a stop somewhere on i-81 which forces all routing software to ignore the most direct path (Berkly Springs) and stay on the interstates.

So the route provided by RVTW just allows you to do planing and avoid certain situations. The thing I like the most over other planing software is the ability to see at a glance distances, since DW and I like to stop every 3-5 Hrs just for a break so we plan 200-300 mile legs to either fuel or rest stops which gives me a break or two in 600 miles. Bladder just isn't what it used to be