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Trip planning maps/software?


canyonier

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Years ago I used MS Streets and Trips to plan our RV trips. Used it for establishing our routes as well as finding campgrounds/RV parks. The campgrounds/RV Parks part of it was pretty weak but it was better than nothing. These days MS Streets and Trips is a thing of the past.

Two years ago I used RV Trip Wizard for trip planning. It worked pretty good for me, but, before I resubscribe I wonder if you folks have found something even better?

Glenn

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How about using My Maps in Google Maps? You can create routes just like google maps, add waypoints, inport gpx tracks, and export to kml if you use a standalone gps. I use it like this for setting up motorcycle trips and exporting for kml use in a gps navigator program on my phone (since alot of places i ride dont have cell signal)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I use last issued Streets & Trips, 2013. I use it because I can find RV Parks with it and then use other resources to check out the RV parks and find new ones not listed on my streets and trips maps. Getting to old to lean Base Camp.

 

2021 Winnebago 26t 27'1" LONG, TWO SLIDES, WALK A ROUNF BED  August delivery Picked up on the 8th

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I use Google MyMaps and may export it to klm for import into the Garmin.

Also use S&T's 2013 for quick and dirty planning.

Basecamp has a very steep learning curve. The more I use it and learn about it the more function it seems to have. But it's definitely not intuitive.

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~Rich

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I have used Delorme Street Atlas for years and even though no new updates will be coming as of this writing it is still very usable. You can buy on Amazon with a free download or they will ship a CD.

 

I also use Delorme Topo maps also.

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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I took a quick look at BaseCamp. It sounds like you download a map of an area you want to visit and then plan a route. Is that correct?

 

What do you do if you want to plan a route from Texas to Portland, OR and on to Alaska? Will you have to download bunches of maps?

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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You download whatever maps you select, not of an area. The US, Canada, Mexico. It is the same one you have on your Garmin so that helps a little. The problem with Base Camp is that it is not intuitive, nor simple to use. I only try to plan 1 day at a time and find it challenging. The help and videos aren't much use, I never do what they demonstrate. I work trying to learn it in spurt. I am trying to figure out how to route using Waypoints since that is what I think I want to do. There is an option to route by Waypoints, I select all my Waypoints and it gets grayed out. That was my last try, one day I will try again.

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For those who have issues with Basecamp, try Mapsource from Garmin. it can be found here: http://www.garmin.com/support/mappingsw.jsp . It is the predecessor to Basecamp and is no longer being updated. You must have Basecamp installed to install Mapsource. Ity is my goto program for planning a route.

--

Ray & Wendy

Full time wanna be - finally!

2014 Entegra Anthem 42RBQ 2018 Jeep Wrangler JLU

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It seems the older (deceased) travel planning packages are the goto tools for many people. Most of the newer solutions require an internet connection to be current.

 

I used all of the above mentioned tools over the years but finally found that the no-longer-updated Undertow Software RV Plan n' Go software still gives me everything that I want and only RVTripWizard comes close.

 

I use RVPng 2013 for planning along with RV TRipwizard to work out distances and drill directly down to reviews and websites as needed. I plan in segments rather than the whole trip. This way I can thread segments together to do what-if routes. I was doing these in RVplan n go but it was getting too complicated and not so easy to keep track of so I wrote a spreadsheet that sews exported segments from RVPnG together to make full trips and gives me arrival dates and costs for each stop. It also gives me estimated fuel and lodging(sites) costs for each segment and each of the whole trips I put together. it compares each route for costs on a stacked bar graph so I can tell in advance, which way I am willing to go. Of course, for a short trip, RVTrip wizard is still my goto tool but its export capability does not have enough detail for me to be able to do the overall planning all the way and I still have to put its route into something else for navigation support. Presently, I use ALK Copilot for navigation on my all but obsolete Nexus 7" tablet which works great for that. I back it up with Google maps live on my note 4 so both run simultaneously. When they disagree, I or my spouse, depending on who is driving, figures out why they don't agree on the route and makes an executive decision which way we go. I never trust just one GPS when going somewhere new.

 

 

So far, I have never found a planning tool that is a good on the road navigation tool and very few know my rig specs or travel preferences outside of these few.

RVBuddys Journal Our progress into full-timing.
Budd & Merrily ===-> SKP# 088936 Other Websites:---> Hub of all my blogs
Clifford - 2000 VNL64T770 :: DakotR - 1999 C40KS King of the Road :: $PRITE - 2013 Smart Passion w/cruise

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For those who have issues with Basecamp, try Mapsource from Garmin. it can be found here: http://www.garmin.com/support/mappingsw.jsp . It is the predecessor to Basecamp and is no longer being updated. You must have Basecamp installed to install Mapsource. Ity is my goto program for planning a route.

 

I loved Mapsource! I lost it the last time my pc died. I now just use google maps on my iPhone, but I run a Garmin Dezl next to it to alert me to any clearance issues.

2006 Renegade/Freightliner Coronado 43', Detroit, twin screw, 12spd

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We've used Delorme Street Atlas for 25+ years and we continue to use it successfully even though it won't be updated anymore. It's an awesome, powerful program that doesn't require internet. The majority of streets don't change over the years. It's mainly new streets created such as in a new subdivision and we don't go there so it's no issue. I suspect the reason Street Atlas is gone is that folks just want to use their phones. With all the nooks and crannies we like to drive in an area it just wouldn't work for us. SA is so easy to put in a via and the route changes to include that via. We drive secondary and forest service roads. You don't do that with a phone or a Garmin.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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I've been using MapSource for years for planning my motorcycle rides. Keep in mind MapSource is just the "GUI" that let's you interface with the maps. You can still use MapSource with 2016+ maps if you have them installed on your computer. I have been slowly learning Basecamp which is more DB designed to hold all your various tracks, routes, etc. Basecamp has the advantage with newer GPS's to use the maps on the GPS to display on your screen while you work with it. If the maps aren't physically loaded on your PC though, you have to have the GPS hooked up to see them. I still prefer to actually create my routes in Mapsource because I know how to work it so well, and then save them and open in Basecamp to transfer to my GPS that requires it. I still have quite a few old marine units (276C, 376C, 478) that still work great with MapSource.

Dan (Class of 2017) - 2012 Ram 3500 & 2005 Alpenlite Valhalla 29RK
Contact me at rvsolarconsulting.com or Two Wheel Ramblin

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I have MS streets and still will refer but am using less and less. I use google maps when planning and then have been using CoPilot for RVson my Samsun Tablet. Nice because I use my tablet as my GPS and also take inside with me when I do planning. I usually compare the alternatives given to me by Co Pilot and Google maps and will then double check on my reliable paper Truck Atlas.

 

No perfect solution. I thought MS streets was pretty close though. I also use Rv Park Reviews all the time supplemented by Days End and Passport / Escapees.

Dave and Lana Hasper

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I also use a combination. My biggest concern is I want something that is not internet dependent. That leaves obsolete Streets and Atlas, Copilot and Base Camp. I can also program my GPS directly which isn't too bad but I prefer seeing the route on a bigger screen first.

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Furkot, unfortunately, does not seem to know about RVs and RV parks and it has an annoying habit of throwing in motels where it thinks you have to stop based on travel criteria while you are trying to build a trip plan. I probably don't see obvious ways to tailor it to my kind of use but I spent more time trying to correct its assumptions than actually putting in my trip.

 

RVTrip wizard works something like this but knows about RVs and RV parks and does show a target area for general driving time/distance criteria which is helpful to fleshing out the stuff in between places that are too far apart for my tastes.

 

Interesting solution, though.

RVBuddys Journal Our progress into full-timing.
Budd & Merrily ===-> SKP# 088936 Other Websites:---> Hub of all my blogs
Clifford - 2000 VNL64T770 :: DakotR - 1999 C40KS King of the Road :: $PRITE - 2013 Smart Passion w/cruise

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Budd, you're right in that there doesn't seem to be a way to limit solutions based on heights and lengths. As for RV parks, it both RV parks and campgrounds can be toggled on or off the route by select the camper icon or the teepee icon respectively. The interface does take some getting used to though.

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Has anyone had experiance with Rand McNally RV Tablet 80. I have several friends who drive semi and swear by the Rand McNally products. Anyone currently using this or similar and your experience is appreciated. Thank you.

 

I've looked at it, and it seems promising, I hope you get a couple answers from users! :)

Keith & Jodi
Fleetwood Expedition 34H

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  • 2 months later...

I have been using the Good Sam travel planner for some time. It is balky and of course it tends to show the rv parks that pay to be in Good Sam. Many of those must also pay for the ratings they clearly do not deserve! My wish is to be able to tell a planner how many miles I wish to drive in a particular day and then show me camps and fuel that I can select from. Is there a program that can do that?

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