Homeport Tracks vs Routes

[Russ]

Guys.
Have Homeport but can't understand difference between a Route and a Track. Called Garmin. The tech says they are Almost the same but a track is quicker to lay down.
I ask because I have a single point a bit off the previously laid route. When you place the pointer on it a bubble appears with a number but I can't figure out how to erase it. Nothing works and eraser function is not lit up as a choice to be used. Ideas? Comments re route/ track thing.
Thanks. Russ

[StuM]

Generally:
A track is a record of where you have been.
A route is a plan for where you intend to go.

A track just records a series of locations (and can display the distance and bearing between the points)

A route can store a lot more information. HP will automatically give you the expected time and fuel consumption for each leg based on your selected boat profile. By displaying the details of a route, you can put in start date/time, different leg speeds, layover periods, refuelling etc so you can use it as a passage planning tool.



Have you tried selecting and right clicking on the "single point", you should get a context sensitive popup menu.

[Russ]

Ya in most cases what you say is true but NOT in Homeport. You CREATE a track and a route on the Homeport program. Hence the rub, Homeport treats a track differently than things like CE, or The CAPN. No offense but you haven't used Homeport I guess. Remember Homeport is ONLY a planning software. Once the Homeport route/track is loaded on the Garmin chart plotter things are different, then what you say applies.

That's the question I am asking how is Homeport different in the way it treats a track and a route. Why chose to plan using a track vs a route

Russ

[Capt. Fisher]

Sometimes a waypoint routing will take you through mountains in my neck of the woods. I like my tracks!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Russ

Ya in most cases what you say is true but NOT in Homeport. You CREATE a track and a route on the Homeport program. Hence the rub, Homeport treats a track differently than things like CE, or The CAPN. No offense but you haven't used Homeport I guess. Remember Homeport is ONLY a planning software. Once the Homeport route/track is loaded on the Garmin chart plotter things are different, then what you say applies.

That's the question I am asking how is Homeport different in the way it treats a track and a route. Why chose to plan using a track vs a route

Russ

On the contrary. I had Homeport open and was checking what I was posting as I did it.

It's not only "planning software". In addition to route (not track) planning, I use it both as a trip archive and as a post-race analysis tool after importing tracks from a GPS.

The simple anwer to "why chose to plan using a track vs a route" is: Don't! Routes are designed for planning. Tracks are not.

The fact that HP lets you create a track manually by clicking on points and also edit tracks doesn't alter anything I said. (That's why I started off with the word "generally"). Such a track has limited use as a planning tool. Unlike a route, you can't put in the other variables required for planning such as speed, fuel, layovers.

FWIW, I regularly import tracks from my handheld Garmin into HP and use HP for route planning - exporting the routes to the handheld once I have them fully planned.

Creating a track for planning purposes in HP is like using a hammer to insert a screw. You can do it, but it's not the right tool for the job and the end result will not be as good.

[karle]

Its a matter of terminology.

Track *usually* refers to a recorded track. You can use any garmin device (or even phones) to record tracks. Typically a track would record your GPS location every few seconds. So if you record a track for even an hour, it would have 1000s of points (literally).

For e.g. this a recorded track I found online.

Marine Track

Route is a collection of waypoints that you follow in order to get from point A to point B. When plotting a route manually you typically follow a channel (if there is one), go around hazards/shoals/shallow areas.

For e.g. this is a route.

Marine Route

Originally Posted by Russ

Guys.
Have Homeport but can't understand difference between a Route and a Track. Called Garmin. The tech says they are Almost the same but a track is quicker to lay down.
I ask because I have a single point a bit off the previously laid route. When you place the pointer on it a bubble appears with a number but I can't figure out how to erase it. Nothing works and eraser function is not lit up as a choice to be used. Ideas? Comments re route/ track thing.
Thanks. Russ

[secrabtree]

Originally Posted by karle

When plotting a route manually you typically follow a channel (if there is one),

I'm glad you said "typically" as there is a channel through San Pablo Bay (San Francisco Bay Area) where the marked channel is restricted. Recreational boats are directed on the chart to stay out of it.