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09-17-2013, 07:08 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Jefferson County, MO
Posts: 5,452
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Another Strike against the Rand Mcnally GPS
Now I have another reason for not liking my Rand McNally 5510 GPS. The GPS would not route me through Yellowstone NP in RV Mode. I couldn’t even force the unit to program a route through the park from West Yellowstone, MT to Lander, WY in RV mode.
The fastest route the GPS planned for me was a 359 mile trip to Lander via Idaho. The route I actually took was through Yellowstone NP and the Tetons and was just 228 miles long. In car mode the GPS would route me via the correct 228 mile route.
The Rand McNally is without question the worst GPS unit I have ever owned. BTW, my maps were up to date.
__________________
Bob and Joyce
2013 CC Silverback 29RL
2010 Ford F250 XL Crew Cab 6.4 liter diesel
ATU Local 788
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09-17-2013, 07:45 PM
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#2
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Trailer Trash
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MN
Posts: 608
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Does Yellowstone park have rules against semi traffic through the park. If so, that may be your answer. The RVND series seems to be just a GPS made for semi drivers and modified towards RV use. I doubt the no-go places for semi trucks got modified for ok to go for large 5th wheel RVs.
I've been using various brands of GPS for over 10 years now. The WORST one was the GPS built into the Qualcomm unit in a semi I drove. The Qualcomm system runs on Windows CE and it crashes every couple of days just like an old Windows PC. Try rebooting a Qualcomm system while you're driving a big rig. Got to pull over and do it to be safe.
All the GPS systems I have used are only about 85% accurate. They all make mistakes, dumb moves, etc. Especially if you are in an area you know very well. Then the GPS is just plain stupid. GPS is just a tool to help you out. Don't rely on them 100% or you will get in trouble eventually.
I have the Rand McNally RVND 7710 and it's actually my favorite one I have used so far. It has it's mistakes it makes yes. But I love all the safe driving features, RV features, big 7" screen, and a speaker you can actually hear in a diesel truck.
I hear the Garmin DEZL series is supposed to be a good new one.
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09-17-2013, 08:16 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Jefferson County, MO
Posts: 5,452
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As far as I know the only restrictions for trucks is for those that are oversized or overweight and those vehicles are restricted to travel between 9 PM and 9 AM.
__________________
Bob and Joyce
2013 CC Silverback 29RL
2010 Ford F250 XL Crew Cab 6.4 liter diesel
ATU Local 788
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09-17-2013, 08:21 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Central Wyoming
Posts: 142
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Yellowstone park,does indeed prohibit trucks traveling through the park.
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09-18-2013, 06:28 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Jefferson County, MO
Posts: 5,452
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Interesting, I guess that means the RV GPS is really just a truckers GPS with campgrounds in the POI. That's another strike against Rand McNally as far as I'm concerned.
__________________
Bob and Joyce
2013 CC Silverback 29RL
2010 Ford F250 XL Crew Cab 6.4 liter diesel
ATU Local 788
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09-18-2013, 07:38 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Lake Charles, La.
Posts: 1,536
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i have the garman 460t (uses truck routes in case i got the model wrong). i don't know if we tried it in Yellowstone, in truck mode, or not. do know that when i take it on the Natchez trace (commercial traffic not allowed but rv's are) i have to switch to automobile mode for it to route me. the only thing it does in truck mode is tell me to exit.
i had thought abt getting the RM rv model but it sounds like it isn't much different from what i have.
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09-18-2013, 08:57 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 178
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oakman
Interesting, I guess that means the RV GPS is really just a truckers GPS with campgrounds in the POI. That's another strike against Rand McNally as far as I'm concerned.
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Is it possible that the routing on your unit is set to route you via the shortest time? I bet that the way it routed you was either faster or restricted. I have only had one real issue with my 7720 so far and it was just a small issue with routing me down a road marked as "No RVs", but I imagine that was something a person put up, not official.
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09-19-2013, 06:50 PM
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#8
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Trailer Trash
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MN
Posts: 608
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RVND series is a semi rig adapted. They took out hours logging, weigh stations, weight restrictions, etc. Put in camgrounds for RV, RV dealers/repair centers, etc. The stuff that stayed in from semi trucks, is program in dimensions and type of rig you are driving. Also there is warnings for speeding, speed change, sharp curve, construction zone, bridge height, truck stops, fuel stops, etc. These things were kept in to aid you in driving your RV safely.
You don't like your unit, sell it on Ebay. People with RV's want one.
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09-24-2013, 05:28 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Jersey Shore, New Jersey...Florida in winter
Posts: 236
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oakman
Now I have another reason for not liking my Rand McNally 5510 GPS. The GPS would not route me through Yellowstone NP in RV Mode. I couldnt even force the unit to program a route through the park from West Yellowstone, MT to Lander, WY in RV mode. The fastest route the GPS planned for me was a 359 mile trip to Lander via Idaho. The route I actually took was through Yellowstone NP and the Tetons and was just 228 miles long. In car mode the GPS would route me via the correct 228 mile route. The Rand McNally is without question the worst GPS unit I have ever owned. BTW, my maps were up to date.
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I generally like my Rand McNally although I was a bit perturbed on a trip from NJ to Copake NY it wanted to put me on the Taconic Parkway. The Taconic does not allow RVs and trucks and never has.
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10-10-2013, 08:57 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 81
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Loved our 7710 the first season. Second season it just freezes up. Not a chance I'd buy another.
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10-20-2013, 09:26 AM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 33
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I been that there is way too much thought put a gps system in this forum. How about buying a Garmin and be done with it. For God's sakes I'm gonna guess that most of you fine folks are retired and really, where do you just have to be at any given time for the most part.
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10-22-2013, 03:56 PM
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#12
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Rand McNally Rep
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 13
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Hi,
I think it's great that there is a discussion going on about the importance of RV specific GPS. I received a Google Alert this morning on this thread so I figured there might be some interest in some detailed information regarding what has been discussed.
Rand McNally is focused on producing GPS devices specifically for large vehicles. Understanding what it takes to route different types of large vehicles has been one of our company’s strengths for many years, long before GPS units were around. It would have been easy to copy our truck GPS device for the RV market, but instead we designed the RVND specifically with RVers in mind. We believe it is this understanding of the unique differences between RVs and trucks, and their drivers, that has helped us maintain leading market share in both categories. There are fundamental differences in the data, routing algorithms, and points of interest, to name a few. If you’re curious about that RV-specific know-how, here are some good examples already included in our RVND.
- RV routing is actually a bit more complex than truck routing, due to all the variations in types. A Class A will need to be routed differently from a Class A tag axle. A 40-ft 5th wheel towed by a large pickup will have a different left vs. right turning preference from a 25-ft 5th wheel. A 53-ft truck will need to be routed with an STAA road preference, but a 53-ft RV will not.
- There are tunnels where you can drive an 80,000-lb. gasoline truck, but you cannot drive a VW towing an RV popup trailer with 2 bottles of propane.
- Rand McNally maintains our own databases of RV and truck road attributes, and we do not license this data to anyone else. Our dedicated GIS team spends months every year researching attribute information at the federal, state, and local levels.
As part of our ongoing research process, we also review tens of thousands of “Tell Rand” messages we receive from our users. The next software release includes updates to some parkways mentioned below, as well as other improvements.
Regarding the route from West Yellowstone to Lander, our Truck GPS will never route through Yellowstone unless that is a delivery point, since it is not an STAA truck-approved route. However, RV’s are different, so they will route through Yellowstone, unless they are large. This was a judgment call on our part, which came after discussions with many RVer’s. So currently Class A tag axle, Super C, as well as large 5th wheel, toy hauler and travel trailers will be given routes that prefer more major roads. However, that is why we have multiple ways to allow RVer’s to tweak the routes. Some options are:
1. Add Yellowstone as a via. Select POI, Other Categories, Recreation Facility or Tourist Attraction. Both categories have multiple entrances and points in Yellowstone.
2. Tap on a road within Yellowstone and select “via” for the road you prefer to travel.
3. Reduce the length entered for your 5th wheel to below 40 feet. (Make sure you leave the height, weight, width and propane untouched)
4. Although it does not impact this route due to so few road choices in northern Wyoming, another area for tweaking is to change your route preferences to Shortest, Avoid Small Roads, or some other selection.
5. Similarly, another tweak that is always available is to access the route slideout on the right side of the map screen, select Route Display Options, Highway View, and select any highways you wish to avoid.
1-3 above would be the most effective in this area of Wyoming due to so few RV-friendly roads.
Thanks, I hope this has contributed to the discussion.
RandMcSam
Rand McNally - Product Specialist
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10-22-2013, 04:18 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Jefferson County, MO
Posts: 5,452
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to the Forum Rand McSam. It is nice to know that someone from Rand McNally is paying attention to the consumer.
__________________
Bob and Joyce
2013 CC Silverback 29RL
2010 Ford F250 XL Crew Cab 6.4 liter diesel
ATU Local 788
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10-22-2013, 04:33 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Jersey Shore, New Jersey...Florida in winter
Posts: 236
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Thank you Rand McSam. One note. On a trip to Copake NY from Newton NJ my 7720 continuously wanted to take us on the Taconic Parkway. That parkway has not allowed rvs for some time. My wife did send that in to you guys but just a heads up. We like the gps, though
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10-22-2013, 07:07 PM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 81
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Rand McSam, our problem wasn't the routing its the reliability of the product. We are in just our second season of use and every time we try to use our 7710 it locks up 20 minutes into the trip. The only way to get it work again is to let the charge deplete, then recharge. Then its good for about. 20 minutes of driving. Reset doesn't work. Tried doing the repair on the dock several times, but the results are the same. Great concept but disappointing quality for a product in this price range.
__________________
2021 Grand Design Solitude 390RK
2016 Chevy Silverado 3500HD DRW High Country
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10-23-2013, 07:38 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Jefferson County, MO
Posts: 5,452
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Actually I didn’t use any of the methods you described RandMcSam to force the RVND GPS to route me through Yellowstone NP, I just changed it from RV mode to car mode. Your solution and mine is fine for someone who already knows which route they want to take.
But what about RVers who are traveling on roads they are unfamiliar with in a state they’ve never been to? They would have taken the much longer GPS route from W. Yellowstone, MT to Lander. Even if those RVers consulted a paper map they would still follow the GPS because it is designed for RVers. They would have taken the longer route thinking there must be a low clearance or a propane restriction, etc. on the route through Yellowstone. The fact is many RVers use their GPS as their sole trip planner. Not a good idea, but it is a fact.
While my Rand McNally RVND 5510 has some features that I really like, the reason I bought it was for RV routing and in my opinion that where this GPS falls short.
__________________
Bob and Joyce
2013 CC Silverback 29RL
2010 Ford F250 XL Crew Cab 6.4 liter diesel
ATU Local 788
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10-23-2013, 02:58 PM
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#17
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Rand McNally Rep
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mdalb20
Thank you Rand McSam. One note. On a trip to Copake NY from Newton NJ my 7720 continuously wanted to take us on the Taconic Parkway. That parkway has not allowed rvs for some time. My wife did send that in to you guys but just a heads up. We like the gps, though
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This has already been fixed in an upcoming incremental update. Thanks for sending it in!
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10-23-2013, 03:02 PM
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#18
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Rand McNally Rep
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DRM796
Rand McSam, our problem wasn't the routing its the reliability of the product. We are in just our second season of use and every time we try to use our 7710 it locks up 20 minutes into the trip. The only way to get it work again is to let the charge deplete, then recharge. Then its good for about. 20 minutes of driving. Reset doesn't work. Tried doing the repair on the dock several times, but the results are the same. Great concept but disappointing quality for a product in this price range.
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I don't want to speculate without knowing all the facts but this sounds like an issue with the power cable. If you call our customer service department they can send out a new cable at no charge. They may even ask a few additional questions to rule out the device and confirm the cable. The Dock will only repair a software issue; not a hardware issues which is likely the cause here. Let me know how it goes as they are just upstairs from me.
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10-23-2013, 09:21 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Western New York
Posts: 1,331
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DRM796
The problem you are having sounds like the same thing I had happening. Ended up being a bad unit. They replaced it and it works much better. Good luck.
__________________
2014 Coachmen Pursuit 31BDP
2016 Ford C-Max Energi
1987 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible
FROG Member
FMCA Member #F438633 - Good Sam Life Member
Coachmens Owners Group Member
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10-24-2013, 09:44 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Jefferson County, MO
Posts: 5,452
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I decided to go back and actually take a detailed look at the route the RM RVND 5510 planned for me from Lander, WY to West Yellowstone, MT. OMG! The route planned is not only longer, it’s a heck of a lot more dangerous too. The route takes you over a few Mountain Grades in Wyoming and Idaho. The worst of which seems to be the Teton Pass in WY which has sustained grades of 10 percent. Other mountain grades on the route are Ashton Hill (4 ˝ miles of 6% grade) and Targhee Pass (2 ˝ miles of 4 – 6% grade) both of which are in Idaho.
This is really unacceptable considering the best route (shorter and safer) was through Grand Teton NP and Yellowstone NP.
Will the Rand McNally get me from point A to point B? Yep! Will it plan the best route for me to take? Who knows! Will it plan the safest route for me to take? Who knows! Of course all this really points out is RVers should never trust a GPS.
__________________
Bob and Joyce
2013 CC Silverback 29RL
2010 Ford F250 XL Crew Cab 6.4 liter diesel
ATU Local 788
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