So who keeps a journal?

[Rockfshr]

Just wondering if anybody else keeps a journal of where they detect at and how do you do it, digital or on paper.
I started mine this year and I just created a word document so every time I go out I add to it and I also include a picture of the area using Google earth. Figure as time goes by it might be helpful to look back at what came from different sites, also figure the kids might get a kick out of it one day.

 

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[lumbercamp]

I don't keep a journal, but I do mark on a topo map where I dig a lumber camp and the date I was there. I also put a tag on any iron that I bring home as to the location I found it.

 

[The Beep Goes On]

I just started an electronic web-based journal. I used to do it on paper, but electronic is a bit more fun with pics, etc. If you go to my website and click on the Journal tab you'll see the entries so far. I don't document every hunt, just the more interesting ones, or the ones with decent finds.

HH!
TBGO

 

[Keith (Indiana)]

I use an Excel spreaadsheet with column headers for year, month/day, location, state, total, then all of the different types of coins, types of rings (18K, 14K, 10K, silver, junk), tokens, keys, dog tags, watch fobs, foreign coins, foriegn silver coins total for clad and comments. I've been keeping records of what I have found since I started in 1975!

 

[halfdime]

I keep a journal with date, location and chronological listing of coins found. Clad gets only a mention, with no special recognition. I like to look back and recall some of the better days. I need to get a life.

 

[Stormtrooper154]

I use the Whites I-detect Program

 

[Pulltab Parson]

I wrote a program in Microsoft Access that allows me to save all my finds or just the important ones. I have numerous drop down menus that I can use to select what I have found, I can also add pictures that I can print with a form or de-select if I desire. I also carry a paper journal with me so that I can document the finds when I find them (If their anything more than common clad), I will aso list the Lat and Long from my GPS so that I can list it in the database as a place that I can find later. I also can list the same lat and long on a computer map and a topo that I have as well (1:100,000).

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

I just started using Google Earth to mark my finds with a "thumbtack" with the date and a description of my finds.

Then I can "Hot Link" it to my post in Tresurenet!!!

It is awesome!

 

[E59]

This is an awesome idea! I keep a book and have written down when, where, how much paid for the glassware I collect and now I will definately keep a journal on what I find in the dirt.

 

[Montana Jim]

I am probebly alone here... but I do not keep a journal. :P

I don't think that makes me a bad guy... I kept one for a long time when I realized I hardley cared where I found all that clad, an I remembered where I found everything else! Strange I don't keep one because my father kept a penny-by-penny account of every single thing he found, requardless of value (ie: 7 pull tabs) to include weather conditions, soil conditions, time of day, and probebly other things too like the order of things he found. I think he still has volumes of ledgers from the 70s and 80s.

Like many things though it's a wonderful extension of the hobby - almost becoming a seperate hobby in itself. Much like neatly catagorizing every find in bags or boxes, or by date. Or like completing in-depth historical research into every piece found, or making a photographic journal. All of which I see as additional hobbies beyond detecting and recovering.

I do photograph my stuff, and do want to make more displays. That will come when I have the time.

 

[Stacylee926]

I keep a journal with the place and what was found. Since I mainly coin hunt, I just put the total.
I have also taken some pictures, which I plan to scrapbook at some point!

 

[BuckleBoy]

Seems like we always think we'll remember where we found things. This IS NOT the case. After digging thousands upon thousands of targets in my 15 years of diggin, my memory is getting faint on where some of those nice first finds were made. I always keep one of where I looked, what I found, how long I hunted there, and what my discrimination levels were set at. It is a BIG help down the road if I'm in the same area and I want to know if the site will be productive still. If I see that I hunted for three hours with low discrimination and didn't find any old coins it most likely won't be worth it, but if I hunted with fairly high discrimination and dug a couple old ones in an hour of hunting on the last trip I'm gonna hit it again! Also helps the memory on what was found where. I don't usually write any more than the dates of the wheat pennies to give a timeframe for the site (since they are usually the most common find at old coin sites). The clad I disregard. I record the rest: old nickels, silver, jewelry, interesting items, nice buttons or other military relics.


Buckleboy

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I started off with one, and it is fun to look back. I used a little paper flip-style pocket sized note pad. It got so I was detecting on my lunch-hours at a nearby park and became overwhelming to record every coin and date. Now I just record the "unique" finds and locations.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

I just was looking at some finds from a while back, and I realize some of the relics I originally thought were junk are worth going back to look for more. Only problem is I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE I FOUND THEM!!

LOG EVERYTHING!!!!! It may look like junk until you examine it further.

 

[gregl01]

I do keep one as well. Its not as elaborate as some of you folks but it works. I write down the date and basically what coins found ( 1q,2d,1n,18p) format. Sometimes include a better coin or jewelry and maybe the weather. Its fun to look back!!!!
Greg

 

[renegade_7]

Be sure to back it up on disc. I lost lots of info due to a computer crash.