Route planning software

Hi John,
Thanks for that. I have Oziexplorer and have tried to set up routes previously. I actually got it to navigate with and to track our progress. I will have a closer look at the Route planning capabilities,
Cheers
Don

Don,

Good way to go. It's not hard - simply click on the waypoint icon in the top bar, then click on a series of points you want on your route. (Unclick the waypoint icon to turn off waypoints when not using them to avoid laying down spurious ones.) Waypoints can be in any order. Next, open the route editor (top bar, hand-with-pencil icon) and double click one of the routes (R1, R2....) and open the "properties" box - in there you add the waypoints (using the add button) in exactly the order that you wish to travel through them. Then using the "show" button you should be able to see your route displayed on the map.

You can do a lot with those tools once you have got the hang of it.

Cheers,

John

Right on John

We have even added a recording to some telling (reminding us mainly) whats coming up. What to look out for ,where to get fuel, there is a good bakery in town, etc. Beats having wads of paper around. Takes a bit of time but its worth it. We dont use them to tell us to turn left or right as we may take a different route. Excellent feature.

Another vote for Oziexplorer. VMS running OziCE actually.

Phil

Hi John, Phil,
Good suggestions. I will sit down with the help file & research all the functions that I can use. Although I have only played with it so far there is obviously lots more that the program can do.

Thanks
Don

I use Google maps too and then transfer the info to an excel spreadsheet so that I have a record I can use without having to go on line.

Hi John, Rod,
I have been trying to use Google Maps to get distances betwen towns. It makes it a long process in having to choose two locations then get directions. I then use the towns, POI's and distances in an Access application I developed as a Travel Itinerary.

Google Maps works OK for calculating distances, but as I said in my original post, when you use google and some of the other internet based Route Planners, they map a route and give you directions from waypoint to waypoint. They dont highlight the towns you pass through, nor calculate distances between towns.

As some others have said, manually setting waypoints on Oziexplorer is probably the best way to go in the absence of a dedicated program.

I will explore the google maps transfer to EXCEL. That sounds like it may have possibilities.

Thanks again
Don

I agree with Mr B, get a big map of Australia and a sharp pencil to roughly plan your route then narrow it down from that, also print out a list of information centers along the way and plan to drop in and say hi. and remember, all the interesting stuff is on the unplanned detours! And if you find out afterwards you missed something, well that's a blimmin good excuse to return again!

Anyway to be more helpful, for long tarred stretches I just use a cheap tom-tom not so much for finding my way but its handy when you arrive in a strange town late at night and also has one undervalued virtue - if your in a "fuel range challenged" vehicle you need to plan your fuel stops pretty accurately - and its indispensable (but not perfect) for that and finding gas stations. I then use a 7" gps with ozi and topo maps for dealing with detours, getting to a grid referenced camp-sites or planning to visit/explore a specific area. But to be honest my hema paper australia, state & hema maps get the most use - the australia & state maps for general long range planning and hema local for more detailed area info. Also for longer trips there are some well thought out tourist (in the loose sense) routes eg The Savannah Way (Broome East) and the great central road which I though was part of the adventure way extension west - but could definitle be corrected on that. This defined routes have comprehensive info including downloadable and printable brochures on the web.