Getting lost - Using a GPS?

Might be interesting and a bit of an eye opener to newbies, it can happen to anyone who detects in remote areas.
There are 3 parts to this clip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5THStdtGBM&feature=related
Cheers Mark

Own a GPS...and taKe it with you!........As a newbie back in 2004 i once got lost in Maryborough Victoria
I was out in the Timor area and it was late winter,and wandering away from the car with the head always looking down at the ground as you detect..It was getting dark very fast,but you know just 5 or 10 minutes more and i might find a piece of gold...Yeah right it got misty and dark and everything looked the same,and i did not know which way was what..

It was now pitch black as it was overcast and there was no moonlight,then it started to rain Well by 8 pm i had had enough of trying to find my way back to the car,as i did not want to trip and break a leg,or worse fall in a hole.So i had my mobile and so called the Maryborough police,and they sent 2 cars to find me,after i told them the the track that i had started on,an officer found me at aout 9.30 a bit wet and feeling very foolish..He said that i did the right thing calling them,and that they were happy to get away from other duties for awhile ..

So i bought a GPS,and make sure that i am near the car if i am detecting until dusk..When i told the guys at Coiltek they peed themselves laughing And till this day Graham sometime quips...Do you have your GPS

Eureka Dreams

when i'm always out i carry drinks with me at all times, it don't matter if i'm in on a friends farm. as water is the most important thing for you always carry it with you at all times.
cheers
stoppsy

My $900.00 "you beaut" GPS got me lost on two seperate occasions in 35 degrees......and my compass was no good because I was in thick high scrub in level ground.....not a nice feeling.
I rang the Aust agent who calmly said,"Oh yes they all need re-programming".........I was b****y wild and asked why were'nt we told......the company has all the customers warranty cards with contact details ??????
There was no info. in the literature about re- programming.........!
(These days I just get looked upon as a "grumpy old man" when I expect service and efficiency).
So now I carry a little Garmin e-trex as a backup.

Gday


You would simply have to wonder why someone would not carry a gps?, they are cheap and easy to use, even a simple to operate bushnell backtracker will get you back to the car or camp.

But the downside to a gps is that some people are so reliant on them it is dangerous, I know people who would be literally stuffed if their gps failed while in the bush as their sense of direction is undeveloped and they simply have no sense of direction, by all means carry a gps and log your car or camp but once you have done that then teach yourself to recognise features and landmarks, even in scrubby and flat country you can teach your self to backtrack on your own tracks in case your gs fails.

Its not all that hard as we are leaving tell tale signs of our passage through the area, a scrape here a dig hole there, bootprints , scuffmarks, observation of vegetation and even the texture and mixture of the rocks and rubble on the ground can be a clue that you have walked through that area, but none of this is going to help you in the dark so rule no one is to set off back to camp always allowing yourself enough time, always.

cheers

stayyerAU

Just one important point i think worth mentioning about G.P.S.
When i first bought one, the dealer said, ALWAYS carry a spare set of batteries.
Osama.

Howdy folks , I've said it before and I will say it again , take 2 gps units with you if you are reliant on them ..Also test each one has your waypoint/camp/car etc locked into memory correctly whilst camp is still in sight ..You will NEVER get lost unless real bad luck happens with your gps units using this method ...It's almost failsafe , ...Roll on the cooler weather , cheers Paul...