When will a metal detector manufacturer add a gps to their machines?

[Jason in Enid]

OK, so now we need one of the manufactures to produce a backhoe with an integrated metal detector, donut fryer, coffee/espresso maker and a flask holder!

Wait, isn't there a new detecting reality show based on this idea?!

 

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[99thpercentile]

Just for your information all geophysical metal detectors already do this. By geophysical I mean non-hobbyist devices, such as those manufactured by Geonics, Geophex, or . An RTK (real time kinematic) GPS (e.g. Trimble or Leica) is connected to the metal detector and each data point is associated with a sub-centimeter accurate location. the data is saved in the data logger then processed and gridded later. Many of the systems can do real-time grinding of the data as well.

 

[Geno68]

The Minelab Ctx 3030 has a Gps maping program that can also be viewed or transfered to your computer.

 

[Bum Luck]

I use sub-centimeter GPS every day, but it's pricey. And for MD work, it's not in the cards right now.

It takes a GPS chip with rigorous algorithms to dump false solutions, and also a correction signal. Mine either come from a 35 watt RF transmitter (FCC license) or a cell phone internet link to the DOT net (here called WISCORS). The latter is a possible future solution for this use, but that would add a lot of users, and there's discussion of it being a pay-for-use service. Is it worth it?

Sub-centimeter will enable you to find a dime every time by location only. Someone buries it, you can dig it up by feel alone. It's that good.

Outside of that correction factor, the accuracy of GPS is on the order of several meters, hardly good enough to locate individual finds. It can locate sites well enough, and it will give you coordinates, but they will only be repeatable within as I said, several meters.

So, for now, there would be limited usefulness for GPS on MDs.

I looked at high end fish locators last weekend, and they have a GPS screen that can be toggled on or off, and I see no electronic reason that can't happen in metal detectors. I'd guess that the new generation of detectors will have a similar screen set. That would be cool. Fish finders have the same accuracy (several meters), but that's good enough for that use.

Hope this helps.

 

[zenman]

With cellphones now GPS capable, why would they. Besides, GPS on metal detectors / data loggers etc. would only bring you back to the general area. GPS's will always suffer from drift which is defined as follows:

​

Drift can be defined as GPS/GNSS receiver (guidance system) accuracy over time. Causes of drift are changes in satellite configuration, operating near trees or other obstacles, and satellite data errors.

That's where the "Accurate to X amount of feet" comes in. My brother in law is a surveyor and you can imagine the amount of money he spent on his GPS, and trust me he still has the same problem. A GPS will lead you back to the "area" but never to the exact spot. Many times he has literally sat the GPS directly on top of the property marker and never has he been able to right back to it, always had to look.

 

[AUVnav]

There are two distinct issues here. Tracking the search pattern, and identifying a target location.

A little about GPS.

If you are stationary:

The GPS signal, from each sat, is 3 seconds long. It takes a full 3 seconds to broadcast all of the data string. You need data from at least 3 sats to have a position. If you have only 3, you have no error trapping, and to have an accurate fix on your location, you will need to be stationary for a long period of time. If you have 4 sats, the unit can then have a balance to determine errors, and will attempt to leave one out if it encounters errors. This of course, takes time. If you have 5 sats, the system now has the ability to calibrate quicker, and leave one out. For full error trapping and accuracy, you need 6 sats available.

The time associated with a stationary fix, with a good level of accuracy, is based on receivong signals from at least 6 sats, at 3 seconds each (they are not at the same time) performing error checking with multiple data packs from each sat.
That is the stationary fix!

Moving fix:

Review all of the above!
Now, while you are moving, the GPS is calculating where you WERE, NOT where you ARE. Where you WERE takes some tme to calculate. Now, where you ARE, relates to the Kalman filter in the unit. The Kalman filter, as you are moving, takes all of the above positioning, and averages a rate of change. This rate of change, with speed and direction, is what the GPS reports on where you are.
When you make changes in speed and direction, the averaging starts over. (ie you turn, well...damn)

PRE-Conclusion:

Dont bother with trying to add GPS to the detector itself. Waste of weight, money, and accuracy.

Best available Solution:

Get a tablet with a WAAS puck, and carry it with you!

Add Open CPN to the tablet (so you can work without a wifi connection).
Map your site in Google Earth and download to OpenCPN.
Map a course or search path in openCPN.
Now, as you search, have tracking enabled. This way, the program will keep you on the path you have laid out, and also track where you are (you set the parameters of the track, I use set every 30 seconds on land and water)

Once you have a line set, you can do offsets. On water, the offest would be the scan width of your array, on land, it would be you swath width.

All of this is then recorded. Map an area, see what you have done, and build/go back. At anythime, you can hit fix and set a waypoint with description.

When back at home, you can dump this to Google Earth, and keep a permanent record. I also take images, so the locations can have images associated with the waypoints on GE as well.

on land or by sea...it works great!

(hope this helps!)

 

[S.S.Tupperware]

Cool idea, but you can't find a spot in 30 ft?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

CTX 3030 has it built in..






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[mikeraydj]

GPS has already been done. look here. Treasure Commander Phil Robertson TC3X Metal Detector For Sale - Kellyco Metal Detectors

 

[Bum Luck]

Cool idea, but you can't find a spot in 30 ft?

I put temporary markers down when I detect so I can keep a good pattern. You can use paint, cig butts, flagging - whatever. Even a buried soda can you can always find.

You also could make a crude map kept in a little notebook.

All that works under tree canopy and all of the time. (Sometimes the satellite constellations have a "hole" in them and won't give you an accurate fix)

If a spot is good, that's what I do.

If you want to GPS, you're on your knees anyway digging. Lay your phone down on the hole and make a waypoint. That, and a measured distance to a couple of trees should get you back to it.