Gold Prospecting Tools - GPS tracking system, designed specifically for prospecting.
Not a metal detector :)
Trial Version - Has Ads at start.
Please consider Pro Version - to support further development.
Shows a real-time map, with current and previous tracks, to help you explore new areas and find more gold. All data is stored on the phone and displayed using the Google Maps V2 API. Co-ordinates are not uploaded at any time. Each 'site' is stored against a Pin. Also includes a directional compass and mapping tools to mark locations, measure distances and ability to send a location as link to SMS or email.
Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and Google Maps are required to be installed on the Phone. It is recommended to cache potential areas in
Google Maps prior to going prospecting.
Please note:
- The GPS must be working before maps will be displayed (ie you need to be outside)
- It is only as accurate as your GPS (probably +/- 3 metres when in the open).
- Please use commonsense, and don't rely on GPS/Phone/Compass as only means of navigation.
- Sessions are stored against the selected PIN. It is recommended that different PIN's are used for different sites. If you use the same PIN, you will be able to see roughly where you have gone before, and hopefully where you have had success.
- The Green Marker is where you started (useful for finding your car ...).
- Having the app open will drain battery. It is recommended that you start the app, check that it is recording, and then lock the screen (using the power button).
- Buttons are on a Slider (drag across to show buttons)
- There is a separate mapping Tools sub menu, which allows you to add three Markers, which are used to calculate distances. (these will only appear if you create a marker).
- You can disable the compass in the settings menu
- Long Click Maker menu Buttons (eg M1) to send that location to the Share menu (can then SMS or email). This is a link to Google maps (you need to add a recipient, and can add messages etc)
Future versions will have a concept of sites, and a pin will be required to start the App.
At the moment, the pin is just a site number. If you use the same pin, then previous tracks are shown in Red, and the current track is shown in Yellow. Green markers show where the GPS was activated (ie start). Yellow markers show where you have logged locations (hopefully gold). Dark blue dots are relatively accurate GPS points, Light Blue dots are inaccurate. Green dots are where the location hasn't changed much for approx 2 minutes. These can be handy, as they probably relate to spots that you have dug.
The PIN can be as long as you want, but there is no easy way to recover your pin...
It is recommended to pick a pin, say 123, and then an extra digit for different sites. If you are not worried about your mates looking at where you have gone, then you don't even need to enter a PIN, just click on 'enter' (The Gold Triangle).
Please let me know if you find this useful for Grid'ing. Whilst there are inaccuracies built into GPS, the relative data points are less effected - ie if you walk in a circle, then you will see a circle on your map.
Please feel free to drop me an email, if you would like me to build some specific functionality.
Tags: metal detector detecting prospector hunting treasure GPS marker distance measure SMS hiking track tracker directional compass minelab metorite
