TRIP MAPPING SOFTWARE

[Spuddy]

A cohort and I are planning a 2 week pilgrimage from Montana to Barber and back.  Of course the route should be the less traveled (non Interstate) scenic and historic.  But it seems there are few trip planning software packages now-a-days.  Are there any good programs that can be put on a laptop, if not for reference should we relent to use of a GPS system.

Spuddy

[canuguzzi]

I use Mappoint from Microsoft (pro version of Streets and Trips) and it can be bought very inexpensively. It is GPS aware if you use on with a laptop. Routes can be saved, printed and emailed.

On the road I use an Android Tablet, an ASUS 8" that has GPS and GLONAS and OSMAND software. It will cost you nothing if you have a tablet. The great thing about it is that it works off-line so you don't need a data connection, wifi or anything like that.

Has turn by turn directions, reroutes, links video, pictures and audio to locations. Has tons of features.

You can set all the places you'd like to go, save them as favorites by category and then call them up for routing. One trick I use is to save favorites as numbers. The first place to go is 1, then place 2 and so on. Then it is super easy to call up location 1 and go there. Then 2 and so on.

The tablet would cost you around $80 and the software is free. It has decent cameras on it and also has WiFi if you need it, Bluetooth too so it can double as a Internet browser, music player, whatever.

I have some pics around here showing my install on the Norge. It works so well I wouldn't use anything else on the road.

[drums4money]

Google Maps is actually pretty good if you're laptop based.  You can grab the route and move it away from highways.
Have a fun trip- go East from Montana until you hit the Mississippi River.  Then go Southeast until you get into Alabama.  Easy-peasy!

I wish there were an ap for your phone where you could drop popcorn to see where you've been.  I enjoy trying to get lost & would like to see the route I was on.
Start the ap, it could ping every minute or two, then display/save the route once you stop the route.

[Wayne Orwig]

Google Maps is actually pretty good if you're laptop based.  You can grab the route and move it away from highways.
Have a fun trip- go East from Montana until you hit the Mississippi River.  Then go Southeast until you get into Alabama.  Easy-peasy!

I wish there were an ap for your phone where you could drop popcorn to see where you've been.  I enjoy trying to get lost & would like to see the route I was on.
Start the ap, it could ping every minute or two, then display/save the route once you stop the route.

Already done.
I rode across the country last year. About 5500 miles. Got home and looked up location history on Google and I could see the restaurants were I stopped, and every highway or cow path that I was on. Free. Not for the Tin Foil hat crowd of course.  ~;
The ONLY glitch (I'm on Verizon) was in Yellowstone park and Glacier Park. To far from any cell towers there, so no tracks.

[Wayne Orwig]

A cohort and I are planning a 2 week pilgrimage from Montana to Barber and back.  Of course the route should be the less traveled (non Interstate) scenic and historic.  But it seems there are few trip planning software packages now-a-days.  Are there any good programs that can be put on a laptop, if not for reference should we relent to use of a GPS system.

I use Microsoft Streets and trips on my tablet. Very easy and you can get output in a variety of forms.

If you are OK with an ONLINE trip program, try Furkot.

[canuguzzi]

Google Maps is actually pretty good if you're laptop based.  You can grab the route and move it away from highways.
Have a fun trip- go East from Montana until you hit the Mississippi River.  Then go Southeast until you get into Alabama.  Easy-peasy!

I wish there were an ap for your phone where you could drop popcorn to see where you've been.  I enjoy trying to get lost & would like to see the route I was on.
Start the ap, it could ping every minute or two, then display/save the route once you stop the route.

OSMAND lets you do what you want. Works without any data connection, totally off-line if your phone has true GPS.

[drums4money]

OSMAND lets you do what you want. Works without any data connection, totally off-line if your phone has true GPS.

thanks for the tip!

[Wayne Orwig]

OSMAND lets you do what you want. Works without any data connection, totally off-line if your phone has true GPS.

I spent a few hours this week adding and correcting roads on the OSM maps in north Georgia this week. I've used OSMand for years and really like it. The program keeps getting better, and the maps are being improved all of the time.
Interestingly, it is surprising how you can be adding a dirt trail in the middle of nowhere to the maps, and suddenly you come across a mansion on the satellite view. Hard to hide.

[Zinfan]

Furkot seems nice, have not used it yet.

http://help.furkot.com/

[Osprey70]

Hi All,
Just chiming in to also state that I am really enjoying Furkot. It takes some getting used to, but it's definately worth the effort. The mapping software is really flexible. And it's FREE !
For the readers' info, I use Furkot on both Mac & IPad, and can transfer to my GPS unit which is the BMW IV (Garmin). I know others are using Windows with no problem either.
There is a super informative thread on AdvRider forum:

FURKOT the Online Trip Planning Tool
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1028148&referrerid=280104


Best rgds, Simon

[pauldaytona]

for total on and Offline use on phone/tablet, nokia here maps, You can download a complete country at once, and need no data for it.
Where google maps can download a part but then only exact that part and zoomlevel.

For offline on laptop, open streetmaps is free.

[nikwax]

I wish there were an ap for your phone where you could drop popcorn to see where you've been.  I enjoy trying to get lost & would like to see the route I was on.
Start the ap, it could ping every minute or two, then display/save the route once you stop the route.

MotionX GPS should do that

[nikwax]

The tablet would cost you around $80 and the software is free. It has decent cameras on it and also has WiFi if you need it, Bluetooth too so it can double as a Internet browser, music player, whatever.

where/which Asus tablet for $80? They look to be more like $200.

[Lannis]

I have a great trip-planning application .... It's only available via WildGuzzi, and is called "mojohand".

1. Get on WildGuzzi and just say where you want to go and what kind of roads you like.

2. Later that day (or maybe overnight), a response to your post with a link to a mapping program will show up, with a guaranteed, pre-run, lovely motorcycling route laid out.

3. Print the route and directions.  Cut and paste into a chart roller.

4. Bob's yer uncle.   Guaranteed to be a great ride.

I highly recommend it!    ;)    :D

Lannis

[Spuddy]

I have a great trip-planning application .... It's only available via WildGuzzi, and is called "mojohand".

LANNIS:

After we plot all the battlefields and monuments we'll stop at, then it's "mojo" for the diversions and points of interest along the way...

Spuddy

[canuguzzi]

Amazon.  For $79 you can get the 7"  Search for ("ASUS MeMO Pad 7 ME170CX-A1-BK 7-Inch 16GB Tablet"

For the 8" which is what I use $169 but watch for sales, it goes below $100 often. Search for ASUS MeMO Pad 8 ME181C-A1-WH 8-Inch Tablet (White))

They both have front and rear facing camera and have both GPS and GLONAS positioning receivers. They lock up super fast. The 8" has a 5 MP front camera which takes really nice pics and video, the 7" has a lower resolution but still takes good pics. Either are small enough to fit inside a jacket pocket when you get off the bike.

I generally don't plug them in for power since they run about 6-8 hours easily. I do have USB power underneath the mount though just in case. Everything comes off without tools so the bike can be put back to stock if I need that.

Here is what it looks like on the bike. There is no obstruction of any instruments or field of view forward.

The tablet is quick detachable and comes of as fast as you can think about it, goes on just as fast.

When I use OSMAND I can take video or pictures and annotate voice overs for descriptions at places I stop. What I end up with is a visual map and picture/video record of my trips.

Sometimes I just ride and get lost in the trip not paying much attention to where I go, I just go. Now I have a complete record of the trip.

Since it has WiFi, Bluetooth if I stay overnight someplace I have a way to send email, browse the web to find resources or make WiFi calls.

The tablets can broadcast wirelessly to a large screen TV so I can show others my travels. I bought a couple of those INNOVA dash cams and the memory card goes right into the tablet so when I show others my trips they can see the entire trip from the rider point of view.

If the weather is questionable, I put up Radar Now in a window and I can see where the bad weather is, where it is headed and adjust travel accordingly.

I posted exactly how to make the GPS mount somewhere here.

[canuguzzi]

There are quite a few tips to use OSMAND if any one is interested I'll post what I've learned.

The alternative on the Windows side is to get the ASUS Vivitab and run Mappoint or Trips and Streets. The bonus with that model is that you can hook it into GuzziDiag and get realtime engine performance logging, something that get convoluted with Android.

[drums4money]

There are quite a few tips to use OSMAND if any one is interested I'll post what

Yes, please. I've just loaded it onto my android phone.  Tips would help. 

[Wayne Orwig]

Yes, please. I've just loaded it onto my android phone.  Tips would help.  

Here are a couple:
A) One of my favorite things to do with OSMand is to mark a destination on the map, but NOT create a route. You then get a map display, with a red arrow pointing towards the destination. Go ride, take whatever roads YOU want to take, and just use the arrow as a general compass pointing to where you want to end up. You get to enjoy the roads you want, and still get to where you want to go.
B) I use a program called called FolderSync, there are others. I sync the OSMand/tracks folder to the cloud, and to my PC. I can edit/create tracks on my PC and save them. They get synced to the cloud, then synced to my phone. All of my routes (and tracks) are available on all devices.
C) Go to the 'development' settings. Then turn on the 'Motorcycle' profile.

And don't forget to sign up as a map editor. Make a few helpful map tweaks as you explore the maps.

 

[canuguzzi]

OSMAND Tips:

If you plan your routes ahead of time, while at home or at a cafe or any place WiFi is available, connect your device to the WiFi and run your searches then, the results are more comprehensive.

If you don't see the moving map, open the menu and see if the "Continue Navigation" selection is available, choose that and good to go.

When enlarging or making the maps smaller, if the map disappears or shows incorrectly, zoom in or out to fix it. It just means you either zoomed too closely for the display.

If you are connected to WiFi, before the trip, close OSMAND and restart it with wifi off. Then the tablet will use the standlaone GPS/Glonas sensors exclusively.


GLONAS: That is the Russian solution for GPS and it is much faster than GPS (What we have up there) So if you get a tablet, make sure it has GLONAS.

There is a difference between GPA-A and true GPS/GLONAS. Lot of phones have GPS-A and require a data connection to use mapping/location services. Get the real stuff.

Move your OSMAND data and maps to the SD memory card. It saves the memory on your device for other stuff. Check their site, they have instructions on how to do it. Don't worry about screwing it up.


I have a pretty big list but am headed out right now. I'll post the laundry list later.

[nikwax]

That Asus 7" tablet has an awful lot of one star reviews and angry customers on Amazon. I'll keep looking for an inexpensive tablet.

[Lannis]

Here are a couple:
A) One of my favorite things to do with OSMand is to mark a destination on the map, but NOT create a route. You then get a map display, with a red arrow pointing towards the destination. Go ride, take whatever roads YOU want to take, and just use the arrow as a general compass pointing to where you want to end up. You get to enjoy the roads you want, and still get to where you want to go.

If I could find a dedicated device that just did THIS and nothing else (punch in a coordinate and it points to it), I'd buy it in a flat second ..... That's what I've been looking for.   

Lannis

[nikwax]

If I could find a dedicated device that just did THIS and nothing else (punch in a coordinate and it points to it), I'd buy it in a flat second ..... That's what I've been looking for.   

Lannis

that's what the old Garmin StreetPilots did (e.g. StreetPilot I with monochrome display)...no routing, just a map and an arrow pointing towards your destination.

[Lannis]

that's what the old Garmin StreetPilots did (e.g. StreetPilot I with monochrome display)...no routing, just a map and an arrow pointing towards your destination.

Don't even need a updated map, just an arrow.   I wonder if there's an "antique store" where one of these things might be for sale.   

I don't want to pay a "subscription" for updates, just a compass sort of thing.   I suppose one has to pay for the satellite signal though.

Lannis

[Wayne Orwig]

 I suppose one has to pay for the satellite signal though.

You already did with your taxes.


They are free for all to use now.

[canuguzzi]

Don't even need a updated map, just an arrow.   I wonder if there's an "antique store" where one of these things might be for sale.   

I don't want to pay a "subscription" for updates, just a compass sort of thing.   I suppose one has to pay for the satellite signal though.

Lannis

If you have a smartphone you can get a free compass app that does exactly what you're talking about. No fees, no updates just a compass. Since you might have the phone around anyway...

[Lannis]

If you have a smartphone you can get a free compass app that does exactly what you're talking about. No fees, no updates just a compass. Since you might have the phone around anyway...

Old retired guy on a fixed income ... no "smartphones" here!   Not even a dumbphone .... 

Been checking eBay but not even sure what I'm looking for ....

Lannis

[canuguzzi]

Old retired guy on a fixed income ... no "smartphones" here!   Not even a dumbphone .... 

Been checking eBay but not even sure what I'm looking for ....

Lannis

A Silva Starter compass and a paper map. Don't laugh, a few decades ago I used just that. Cut out the map and taped it to cardboard. Taped the compass onto that. Set the destination on the map as North and eventually got to where I wanted to be. Grease penciled some landmarks and it actually worked.

[Wayne Orwig]

Been checking eBay but not even sure what I'm looking for ....

Find someone that upgraded their phone and they might just give an old one to play with.

[190 Octane]

Honda has a nice trip planning website:http://tripplanner.honda.com/#/

It uses google maps with some plug ins to create routes.  It will give you a gpx file with the export to gps option, and you can import gps routs into it.

Once you have a gpx file you can use http://www.routeconverter.de/home/en to convert to whatever format your gps/navigation requires.

I create my routes on Honda's site then use routeconverter to change them to a trp file that works with copilot on my phone.