Suggestions for Mapping Software...

[CRUSADER]

Although Dad & I have already plotted over 2500 (I think) GPS plots this year, I suggested this site to see how many use the GPS more effectively than we do. Dad does it the hard way. He walks the edge of every field we do taking plots every 30 yards or so, plotting any gaps in hedges or big trees etc. He then plots this in a large excel spreadsheet which gives a good representation of the field. We later plot every significant find, mostly items from the 17th Century or early. Colour coding each type of find, like yellow for Roman Bronze Coin etc..

Now I'm aware there is OS mapping software which is used to plot waypoints directly on maps which could be used with a waypoint manager tool to make a better product than what we end up with. I have also heard recently of mapping software designed with Metal Detecting in mind.

My question is, does anyone have any experience in any of the above? I would love to discuss & understand but Dad & I are a little technophobic!

 

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[CWnut]

I use Terrain Navigator which will exchange waypoint, track and route information with my gps unit. You can then edit to whichever color you need. Also i find the scanned topo maps to be a bit more accurate than the digitial versions. Not sure if they are available for the Uk though.

 

[CRUSADER]

I use Terrain Navigator which will exchange waypoint, track and route information with my gps unit. You can then edit to whichever color you need. Also i find the scanned topo maps to be a bit more accurate than the digitial versions. Not sure if they are available for the Uk though.

Thanks the reply, I did a bit of research on Terr. Nav:
http://maptech.mytopo.com/land/index.cfm?CFID=2423107&CFTOKEN=77405090
Is it this one?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-TOPO-Great-Britain-Maps/dp/B000ECUTFK
Topo UK maps above?

So is what your saying?
You can use the terr. Nav software to plot your finds & then transfer on to the computer at home with the TOPO software so that it overlays on Maps?

 

[stefen]

Sometime back, Biblical Archeology (BAR) published an article showing the use of ground resonance over a site which clearly indicated, by computer printout, the roads and buildings of a completely buried ancient city...

For the archaeologist, this was a means of looking below the surface without indiscriminately digging or potholing.

A similar principal is used for laser-guiding mass grading equipment to created extremely large level or plane grades. The operator simply operated the machinery while the computer instructs the laser which in-turn, raises and lowers the caterpillar blade.

The equipment is simple and available, and can be connected to a computer...in most cases, a laptop.

The instrument is about the size of a 18 inch cube mounted on a push-pull cart frame with bicycle wheels.

As it passes over a subterranean object, it projects a signal to a computer which records the object's location within a specific grid.

In the case of a large field, the operator will be able to see clusters or patterns appear, in addition to specific singular items.

If for instance, a cache of ancient coins, were scattered due to plowing, it would show up as a cluster.

Here's a chance to make that historic find.

 

[grumpyolman]

Terrain Navigator Pro is great software- A track is where you have been...A route is where you want to go. The GPS tracks your movements unless you turn it off or disable that feature. The 'track' feature can be adjusted to mark a waypoint every so often (the time between marks is adjustable) or after an adjustable amount of distance traveled.
If you have a GPS that does that and has a USB or serial connection that can be hooked to a computer, TNP can download that from your GPS and plot the track on the Quad...7.5' map in which it occurred.
We do that all the time in Search and Rescue. Send the teams out into the field and they start recording tracks when the begin the search in the assigned area. They turn it off when the have finished the search area. After returning to base camp, the GPS is given to the Command Post and where they were is downloaded and saved. After a few hours of doing this with all the units, the Operations Leader can see exactly what has and what has not been searched. We mapped the trails in a State Park as a volunteer activity for the park and in so doing did some good training for the unit.
No need to manually enter a waypoint every so often around the border of the field. The GPS is probably already doing that. You do need to enter the waypoint when you mark a find and edit it by giving it a name or at least recording on paper what find corresponds with waypoint 005, for example.
Forget using Lat and Long. Read up on UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) on the net and set both your GPS and TNP to that coordinate system. National Search and Rescue, FEMA, Oil companies, etc., use UTM...not lat and long. If you are navigating in an aircraft or ship, Lat and long is the coordinate system of choice. On land it sucks.
The datum set up on your GPS must be set to the datum ON THE MAP YOU ARE USING. The default in almost all GPSs is WGS 84. All US topos are NAD 27. If you get these reversed and don't make sure of the above rule, somebody returning to a marked waypoint may be as much as 200 meters off, in the CONUS (Don't know what it is in your area) and all other things are correct. Not an issue if you are in a heli at 2000' but trying to find the edge of a foundation on a cellar hole you hunted last year and not having the datum correct, will put you up to 200 meters away from that foundation.
GPSs have improved so much in the last five years it's almost unreal. GPSs we used 5 years ago would probably only be accurate to about 10-20 yards. New Garmin HCxs operating in the same area consistently calculate an EPE (estimated positional error) of 7-10 feet. They lock on to satellites faster and lock on to more satellites than the older units did. GPSs are a bit like detectors. The old ones work but the advancement in electronics and its application to small electrial devices has improved dramatically. There are advantages to having a modern metal detector as well as a modern GPS.
There are a few things one needs to learn to use a GPS effectively and accurately. Much less than it took to operate you detector effectively. Failing at either endeavor will put you behind those who can do it. Jim

 

[CRUSADER]

Terrain Navigator Pro is great software- A track is where you have been...A route is where you want to go. The GPS tracks your movements unless you turn it off or disable that feature. The 'track' feature can be adjusted to mark a waypoint every so often (the time between marks is adjustable) or after an adjustable amount of distance traveled.
If you have a GPS that does that and has a USB or serial connection that can be hooked to a computer, TNP can download that from your GPS and plot the track on the Quad...7.5' map in which it occurred.
We do that all the time in Search and Rescue. Send the teams out into the field and they start recording tracks when the begin the search in the assigned area. They turn it off when the have finished the search area. After returning to base camp, the GPS is given to the Command Post and where they were is downloaded and saved. After a few hours of doing this with all the units, the Operations Leader can see exactly what has and what has not been searched. We mapped the trails in a State Park as a volunteer activity for the park and in so doing did some good training for the unit.
No need to manually enter a waypoint every so often around the border of the field. The GPS is probably already doing that. You do need to enter the waypoint when you mark a find and edit it by giving it a name or at least recording on paper what find corresponds with waypoint 005, for example.
Forget using Lat and Long. Read up on UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) on the net and set both your GPS and TNP to that coordinate system. National Search and Rescue, FEMA, Oil companies, etc., use UTM...not lat and long. If you are navigating in an aircraft or ship, Lat and long is the coordinate system of choice. On land it sucks.
The datum set up on your GPS must be set to the datum ON THE MAP YOU ARE USING. The default in almost all GPSs is WGS 84. All US topos are NAD 27. If you get these reversed and don't make sure of the above rule, somebody returning to a marked waypoint may be as much as 200 meters off, in the CONUS (Don't know what it is in your area) and all other things are correct. Not an issue if you are in a heli at 2000' but trying to find the edge of a foundation on a cellar hole you hunted last year and not having the datum correct, will put you up to 200 meters away from that foundation.
GPSs have improved so much in the last five years it's almost unreal. GPSs we used 5 years ago would probably only be accurate to about 10-20 yards. New Garmin HCxs operating in the same area consistently calculate an EPE (estimated positional error) of 7-10 feet. They lock on to satellites faster and lock on to more satellites than the older units did. GPSs are a bit like detectors. The old ones work but the advancement in electronics and its application to small electrial devices has improved dramatically. There are advantages to having a modern metal detector as well as a modern GPS.
There are a few things one needs to learn to use a GPS effectively and accurately. Much less than it took to operate you detector effectively. Failing at either endeavor will put you behind those who can do it. Jim

THANKS
All very good info, yes I had changed it from Lat and Long

 

[goldeagle]

hey thanks for that info,it would be awesome to have the ground penetrating loaded on my gps,i cant wait for that day.subterain on my garmin? is there a site for old maps to load into the garmin?

 

[upstatejay]

I use GPS Util. from the UK. I like the feature that you can use scanned in maps or pictures and "stretch" them. This way I can take old maps, find two or three current positions, and the orient and stretch the map. Than I can pick off other areas that may be interesting to investigate. Place to check for old cellar holes and the like.

I like this program so much that I installed VMWare on my Mac so I can run GPSUtil in windoooze..

My 2 cents.

J~

 

[firebird21]

Anyone using the "EXPERT GPS" system for topo mapping? Help needed

This is a great sysrem but I am having trouble placing an exact location on a topo map.
If you can help email me at: [email protected] Thanks, Jim

 

[CRUSADER]

I use GPS Util. from the UK. I like the feature that you can use scanned in maps or pictures and "stretch" them. This way I can take old maps, find two or three current positions, and the orient and stretch the map. Than I can pick off other areas that may be interesting to investigate. Place to check for old cellar holes and the like.

I like this program so much that I installed VMWare on my Mac so I can run GPSUtil in windoooze..

My 2 cents.

J~

sounds great