Article Zumo XT - (Almost) Everything that you need to know

[jfheath]

The Zumo XT is a formidable beast with many improvements over some of the earlier Zumos.
The Garmin on-line documentation makes a good stab at covering the basic operations, and hints at features which are left to the user to discover for themselves.

This 103 page article records my own voyage of discovery. I add detail, give illustrated explanations, describe some quirky behaviour and some techniques to get around various issues.

Issuu have recently placed limits on the files size and publication size. I have managed to organise the document into two sections - nattily titled Part 1 and Part 2.

Part 1 includes sections 1 to 5 and 10 and 11.
Part 2 includes the rest - sections 6 to 9

Unfortunately Issuu's security had been compromised with a website that bypasses the download pdf restriction. So I have removed it until this can be fixed.
So there is no online version of the pdf document - but the pages and information are on the ZumoUSerForums site - and I have provided a link below.

If I manage to find another free hosting page-turner for pdf files, I'll

The brief contents are listed below.

Part 1
1 - Introduction - The Essentials - Routes, Trips, Routing Points, Ways to navigate
2 - Using Basecamp - Interface, Trip Design, Via & Shaping, Avoiding Issues.
3 - Transfer & Import Trips - Using the USB connection, Transfer, Ghost Points, XT File Structure, SD Card, Removing Data
4 - Navigate a Trip - Select Next Destination, Closest Entry, Follow a Route, Skip, Ignore directions
5 - BC Profiles and the XT - How a Trip affects XT behaviour, Vehicle Modes, Calculation Modes, Zumo Cradles

10 - Hidden Menus - System Diagnostics, System Boot
11 - Zumo XT Menu Map - 5 Diagrams showing the full menu structure

Part 2
6 - Navigation Methods - 6 ways to Navigate explained, Trips, Routes & Tracks
7 - Garmin Explore - Set-Up, Disconnect, Collections, Routes & Tracks, Basecamp and Explore, Icons
8 - Off-Road Routes - Routes & Tracks without navigable maps.
9 - Loose Change - Categories, MyRouteApp, Email routes to XT, BC Databases, Put routes in date order




There is also a page by page hyperlinked version posted here. You need to create a (free) account in order to access the links on this site.

Zumo XT and Basecamp - Everything That You Need to Know

A series of detailed, illustrated notes that I have put together from my use of the XT. Links to the various sections are given below, and you can navigate b…

www.zumouserforums.co.uk

 

[Sadlsor]

I haven't seen mention of your occupation, John.
Outside of ST-owners, do you write technical documentation?
Not for sheer flattery, but your write-ups are consistently top shelf, and I read a lot of geeky articles, and you write exceptionally well. I apologize for not having told you sooner.

 

[The Dan]

Can you make it downloadable?

Also the links from www.zumouserforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1464 won't work.

 

[jfheath]

Can you make it downloadable?

Yes, I can, but don't intend to at the moment. I am hoping that at some point in the not too distant future, some of the issues that I have reported to Garmin will be sorted out.
When that happens, I don't want there to be any downloaded documents that refer to things that are current 'issues', that Garmin have since fixed.
Keeping it on line means that I can update the documentation when new firmware is issued.

Also the links from www.zumouserforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1464 won't work.

Ooops. Yes it does work. I forgot to mention that you have to sign up to access the pages on ZumoUserForums.co.uk.
I'll correct that. I did check - but forgot that I was still signed in.
Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[jfheath]

I haven't seen mention of your occupation, John.
Outside of ST-owners, do you write technical documentation?
Not for sheer flattery, but your write-ups are consistently top shelf, and I read a lot of geeky articles, and you write exceptionally well. I apologize for not having told you sooner.

Thankyou @Sadlsor , that's a nice thing to say.
No, I didn't / don't write technical documentation.
Life outside ST-Owners ? What is this thing of which you speak ?

 

[jfheath]

I have a query for any fellow XT users. A request for anyone that has observed a similar issue. I have also posted the query on ZumoUserForums.

I had a route from Basecamp. A strat and end and just two Via Points. No shaping points. The route transferred correctly and behaved itself. No avoidances set. No traffic settings. Navigation on the XT and in the route were set to Fastest Time.

Half way round the route, the Via Point at Hawes was misplaced. Knowing that it would nag me to visit the Via Points, I pressed Skip.
So - not having to visit, Hawes it recalculated the route and found a different way to get to the next Via Point. A much longer way than the route that I wanted to take but it reckoned that it was faster. Only by a minute, but faster nontheless. Its routes took two sides of a triangle, south-west then south-east. My route took the much more interesting direct route south.

I ignored it's instructions and turned left (south) at Ribblehead. I expected it to nag me to go back, but I expected it to realise that the way ahead was now faster. It didn't. It nagged me for the next 12 miles to turn back. Only when it got to within a mile of where I would join its alternative route did it give in and navigate me forward. Its last attempt to get me to go back would have involved a 30 mile trip to get to the next Via Point 3 miles ahead.

Here's a screenshot with my route arrowed in red. The XT's route in blue. Note the position of the bike (current position indicated by the green flag) - and the route it intends to take me to the north to pick up the place where I had deviated - the yellow circle. The orange flag is the next Via Point.


For those that know the area in the Yorkshire Dales - The red line is going from Hawes to Ribblehead Viaduct to Settle. The blue line heads to Ingleton before turning to Settle on the A65.

I know how to solve this problem. A simple Shaping point would sort it. I'm trying to work out what logic the XT is applying here and whteher this was a one-off, or whether once it has recalculated a route, I am expected to follow it precisely.

I need to re-do this route, see if it does the same thing. Also try a similar thing in a different location.

Oh - As soon as I could stop after the Via point, I stopped the route and asked the XT to plot a route from just south of the yellow circle to the Via Point. It followed the red route. So it didn't think that there was a blockage on the road.

 

[Mellow]

Previous zumos have acted weird when I choose the motorcycle profiles so I typically just use 'Driving'.. I've had the XT try to take me down unpaved roads even though those are avoided roads. Still getting used to it but I don't always care for how it (or any zumo) recalculates the route I spent time mapping out before the trip.

 

[RaYzerman]

If I'm understanding it correctly... the yellow circle was Hawes, but the via point was not on your intended path (by 10 meters, on the side of the road, etc.) it will think you rode by it and want to take you back. Secondly, it will pick the fastest route, your preference, even if it's a second faster. A additional shaping point will take you on your intended path, but it will still want you to go back or skip the yellow via point. And to complicate things, it will take into consideration traffic into the arrival time calculation.
Best you can do is have enough shaping points to take you on your intended path.
Give me the old simpler days of the Zumo 550's method of calculating routes......

 

[jfheath]

Hawes is the start of the red route at the top of the map. I skipped Hawes. The yellow circle was where I turned off the new route and headed south. There was no route point plotted there. It is just a marker to indicate where it was taking me back to. But yes - it was behaving as if the yellow marker was an unvisited route point. I did check the route list to see if it had put one in, but it hadn't.

A good thought about traffic, but I had that turned off. I am not convinced it doesn't use the trafficTrends data coded into the map though. It was freshly reset, so it didn't have any riding profile or history stored.

I agree entirely with the simpler, predictable navigation. The 550 had quirks and was bad at calculating ETA. If they brought out the 660 again with a faster processor, bright screen and more memory, Id go back to that like a shot.

 

[Shuey]

Thanks for sharing your trials and adventures in understanding the XT. It took me a bit to join up and get everything bookmarked on my computer and . . . worth every minute. I'll echo Sadlsor's comments. Articulate and clear writing. I'm shoping for an XT next and look forward to continuing my learning curve.

Shuey

 

[jfheath]

Thanks @Shuey. What name have you used on the forum? I'll keep an eye open for any queries !

 

[Shuey]

Thanks @Shuey. What name have you used on the forum? I'll keep an eye open for any queries !

Not in the Witness Protection Program, so . . . "Shuey".

Fortunately, it wasn't taken yet!

Shuey

 

[mlheck]

This question is not about routes, but rather the mounting point. I'm currently check out a XL that a BMW forum member let me borrow. One of my biggest concerns is the mounting point. It doesn't look very robust. Have you had any issues?

 

[jfheath]

Tiphaine from Garmin support has been in touch at last. She seems to be extremely busy. We may get somewhere with this issue.

In the meantime I have done some more testing. I don't want to put in additional shaping points. I don't mind if the XT calculates a different route - as long as at some point when I deviate from its route it realises that the way ahead is now faster. This is what it says the XT should do on the garmin help pages.

But in these circumstances it doesn't do that.

My recent testing seems to suggest that the issue only happens with routes that the XT has recalculated after 'Skip' has been pressed to skip an earlier route point.

This is not conclusive, but it is a working theory backed up with 3 pairs of test routes each conducted when skip has been pressed and again when it hasn't.

 

[Daboo]

This question is not about routes, but rather the mounting point. I'm currently check out a XL that a BMW forum member let me borrow. One of my biggest concerns is the mounting point. It doesn't look very robust. Have you had any issues?

I did, and so did a lot of others. It wasn't that the mounting point was weak, as the power connections failed.

Garmin honored the warranty and replaced the mount and power cord.

As for the mount itself, it is strong enough to handle some pretty rough roads. I ended up with the new GPS model after losing my 595LM. Even though it had always clicked on solidly for 3-4 years, one night I must've not secured it well enough. It came off and was lost. So now I have a lanyard to make sure I don't lose the new one.

Chris

 

[JohnConner]

Awesome

 

[paulcb]

Thanks very much for this John, very nice work. Garmin has the XT on sale for $400 now, so I just pulled the trigger on one today. It will be a companion to the Garmin 396 LMT-S I bought last year. I'm pretty familiar with Garmin Express and Basecamp, but I'm sure your info will be very helpful.

 

[WillH]

Anyone know why the XT would "hang" at the Calculation screeen (no percentage done countdown shown)?

Friend of mine had this happen right after he skipped a waypoint. We never could get it back - even restarting the route didn't work. Nor would a reboot. Never showed the magenta route line when we restarted the route and never got turn by turn voice. He was using it in his car at the time on usb cable power. The previous use was on his bike (in the XT cradle) and it worked perfectly.

Brand new XT, used only 3 or 4 times I think he said.

 

[jfheath]

Do you mean that when you start any route now you never get a magenta line and you never get spoken instructions?

If that is the case, I'd contact Garmin they will probably replace it free. These devices have a 2 year guarantee. Unless it is one of the very first batch ever produced, that won't have expired yet.

If it is just this route - then it could be a map or a route issue.

 

[wbgva_roadkill]

I think it could be a power drain issue via using a non garmin USB cable in the car. I'd fully charge it via the garmin cable at home, reboot and see if that clears it.