Importing Routes into PCM

[Gorsh]

I'm going on an organised tour through France in May and will be provided with SatNav files of the routes (presumably GPX files). Has anyone as yet found a way to get these files into the PCM, either by using Connect or directly from a USB drive? My car is a 991.2 GTS. If I can't transfer the files and use them in the PCM Navigation then I suppose I could sit and enter each route in manually - but it might be too big a job as they are scenic routes rather than direct A-B so there would be lots of stopovers/waypoints for each day. I might be better using my little Garmin, I know I can put the GPX files on it easily.
Can anyone offer any advice please? It's my first trip like this - it's with fasttracktours.co.uk if anyone has experience of them.
Thanks
Gordon.

[996TT02]

If it does not work out for you - install Locus Maps on your phone - it's ideal. You will also need to download the vector maps for the app for the country you are travelling to.

AFAIK normal "car" satnavs don't permit the entry of predefined routes (tracks) - something which I do all the time for the very same purpose you mention, and also mountainbiking, so I normally use an Etrex trekking gps on the bike or else Locus on the phone for the car.

[Gorsh]

996TT02 said:

If it does not work out for you - install Locus Maps on your phone - it's ideal. You will also need to download the vector maps for the app for the country you are travelling to.

AFAIK normal "car" satnavs don't permit the entry of predefined routes (tracks) - something which I do all the time for the very same purpose you mention, and also mountainbiking, so I normally use an Etrex trekking gps on the bike or else Locus on the phone for the car.

I don't think Locus do an iPhone version - and most phone navigation maps like Google and Waze need a data connection (which I won't have all the time). Think the Garmin is best option if I can't get the routes into the PCM Nav.

[Trgasy]

Garmin or Tomtom do the job really well!

[SV_WDC]

Gorsh said:

I don't think Locus do an iPhone version - and most phone navigation maps like Google and Waze need a data connection (which I won't have all the time). Think the Garmin is best option if I can't get the routes into the PCM Nav.

Google Maps allow you to cache as much of the map to your phone as long as you have space on your phone. It has proved useful for times when there is no signal but my PCM maps are not up to date.

The tricky thing with Google Maps is there is not a way to import the files. Someone can send you a route, but then it only works on the browser, not the app. The only way around this is to manually type in each waypoint on your phone which can be done before you set off, though there's a limit of 10 waypoints and honestly not worth the bother for a multi-day trip

[996TT02]

Gorsh said:

996TT02 said:

If it does not work out for you - install Locus Maps on your phone - it's ideal. You will also need to download the vector maps for the app for the country you are travelling to.

AFAIK normal "car" satnavs don't permit the entry of predefined routes (tracks) - something which I do all the time for the very same purpose you mention, and also mountainbiking, so I normally use an Etrex trekking gps on the bike or else Locus on the phone for the car.

I don't think Locus do an iPhone version - and most phone navigation maps like Google and Waze need a data connection (which I won't have all the time). Think the Garmin is best option if I can't get the routes into the PCM Nav.

No idea re iphone versions but you download the vector maps so you don't need any data connection - I have it on a cheap Android phone that has never ever had a sim card inside it - in effect I bought and use it as a main or backup GPS unit only. Data was my concern too out biking in the mountainous back of beyond no signal in plenty of places.

[v8ksn]

Gorsh said:

I'm going on an organised tour through France in May and will be provided with SatNav files of the routes (presumably GPX files). Has anyone as yet found a way to get these files into the PCM, either by using Connect or directly from a USB drive? My car is a 991.2 GTS. If I can't transfer the files and use them in the PCM Navigation then I suppose I could sit and enter each route in manually - but it might be too big a job as they are scenic routes rather than direct A-B so there would be lots of stopovers/waypoints for each day. I might be better using my little Garmin, I know I can put the GPX files on it easily.
Can anyone offer any advice please? It's my first trip like this - it's with fasttracktours.co.uk if anyone has experience of them.
Thanks
Gordon.

Why is this tour company not providing you with a pre-loaded Sat Nav for you to use?

Are they giving you printed maps too in case you get lost or the group split up?

If I were you I would use your own Garmin as its a lot easier that faffing with apps and phones.

[Gorsh]

v8ksn said:

Why is this tour company not providing you with a pre-loaded Sat Nav for you to use?

Are they giving you printed maps too in case you get lost or the group split up?

If I were you I would use your own Garmin as its a lot easier that faffing with apps and phones.

They do offer a loan Sat Nav if required, but my own Garmin will do the job nicely, better still would have been to get the routes into the car Sat Nav as it's a new car with up to date maps - it seems daft that I can't seem to get routes onto it. I can save locations on my PC for transfer but can't see any way of doing routes except sitting in the car and manually adding them which in this case would take ages so not worth it.

I understand there are at least two route options each day (fast or scenic route). It's my first time so not sure exactly what they provide, but full information including Sat Nav files, maps places of interest suggested stops etc is provided for tablets and phones - I will go through it and no doubt print some things but leave the rest on my phone and iPad.

[Buzzlt]

Hi Gordon

What have you got yourself into ! Hope it was nothing to do with me ?

I have been on several of these tours with this company and have no problem finding my way. I only know of one person going to the wrong hotel in the wrong country because they were just using their phone to navigate.

If you can get the routes in your sat nav I would be impressed but suggest you use the Garmin as they work best or the gpx in one of the latest Tom toms (yes the now except route planning again). You will be provided with both itn for Tom Tom and Gpx for Garmin routes. There will be hundreds of waypoints and I have tried entering these manually before into iPhone and android and it is a waste of time. You should also get the route beforehand in Google maps so as long as you have a foreign data allowance you can always use that as a backup.
I normally load up the hotel for the end of each day and a lunch stop if there is one in the car then you are sorted if you do get lost.

We will help you sort out the route each morning if you get stuck. The other thing we normally do but it is entirely up to you is take some walkie talkies is we can keep in touch and have some fun. There will be lots of other cars to follow assuming you are not at the front .....

If anyone can find an apple app with route planning though I would be very interested, I can’t find the one above - link ?

Looking forward to it already.

Greg

[Pope]

You can plan a route/tour with up to 10 stop-overs; no download option though.....

http://www.porscheownersmanuals.com/2017-911-carre...

Using connect you can plan your routes at a convenient time and save them to your portal and retrieve them that way?

[Longers]

Hi Gordon

Please do not worry, a lot of our customers ask the same questions as you have before their first tour with us. Other common ones are about which Garmin or TomTom units accept the custom route files, how to load them, what to do if I haven't got a satnav, etc.

I would follow the advice above and take your Garmin. If you manually enter any key waypoints or destinations (lunches, hotels, etc) into your Porsche unit you can always use that to follow a direct route if part way through a day you decide you've had enough playing on amazing twisty scenic roads and fancy something cool and refreshing by the pool

Approx 60-70% of the people on this tour have travelled with us before, they are all really friendly, they know how things work and will always help first timers so I am sure you'll be absolutely fine.

Nobody has ever had a problem using the information we send them or felt the support provided during a tour was insufficient. However we're always happy to listen to suggestions and incorporate as many of them as we can.

v8ksn said:

Why is this tour company not providing you with a pre-loaded Sat Nav for you to use?

We have 46 cars travelling with us on this tour to the Historic Monaco GP. Most are from the UK but we will be joined at various points by people from Belgium, Holland, Germany & France. With so many cars it is not viable to give everyone a pre-loaded device. Most people joining our tours already have a unit (some like Gordon have 2!) and/or phones and tablets. There are always people who haven't got any form of GPS navigation but they have never experienced any problems and we've not lost anyone yet!

Buzzlt said:

I only know of one person going to the wrong hotel in the wrong country because they were just using their phone to navigate.
....
We will help you sort out the route each morning if you get stuck.

Greg, thanks for your comments and for offering to assist Gordon.

That person who went to the wrong hotel (which was also in the wrong country!!) did so because they only put the name of the hotel into their satnav/phone and not the correct address we had given them. It was an amazing coincidence there were 2 hotels with the same name 100 miles apart, 1 being in Belgium and the other in Luxembourg!

Cheers,
L'rs

[Gorsh]

Buzzlt said:

Hi Gordon

What have you got yourself into ! Hope it was nothing to do with me ?

Greg

Haha - if the cap fits!

Thanks for your reply Greg, I had come to the conclusion the Garmin was the way to go, and the car Sat Nav will still be useful for showing a larger area and key locations I may want to go to direct.

Longers said:

Hi Gordon

Please do not worry, a lot of our customers ask the same questions as you have before their first tour with us. Other common ones are about which Garmin or TomTom units accept the custom route files, how to load them, what to do if I haven't got a satnav, etc.

I would follow the advice above and take your Garmin. If you manually enter any key waypoints or destinations (lunches, hotels, etc) into your Porsche unit you can always use that to follow a direct route if part way through a day you decide you've had enough playing on amazing twisty scenic roads and fancy something cool and refreshing by the pool

Cheers,
L'rs

Thanks Ian, I'm really looking forward to the trip - please rest assured I'm not worried, just making sure I have everything I need and thinking ahead - I'm confident I will be OK.

Thanks again
Gordon.

[Davidkn]

What are details of the trip please?

[Gorsh]

Davidkn said:

What are details of the trip please?

fasttracktours.co.uk (can't get it to work as a link)

Edited by Gorsh on Saturday 3rd February 11:30

[Buzzlt]

Here you go

http://fasttracktours.co.uk/product-category/monac...

[Longers]

Gorsh said:

... just making sure I have everything I need and thinking ahead

That's great Gordon

It sounds like you'll be a lot better pepared than some people who start each day with no idea of where they're going!

[Longers]

Davidkn said:

What are details of the trip please?

If you are interested in joining the 7 or 12 night tours to the Historic Monaco GP there are only 2 rooms remaining available