GP S tracking 15 people

[goldnugget]

I was Detecting this past weekend with our Metal Detecting Club, looking for Civil War Relics. We had permission to search a farmers field of 100 acres. I am curious if there is available a Master Unit and 15 slave unit that could track the detecting pattern of all the Hunter's. I noticed I crossed a lot of footprints all over the field. Is there any way that each G P S could be uploaded to a Flat Panel Screen and see where each individual was looking for Relic's and how many others crossed the same path. I know this would be an expensive experiment, but it would be interesting to see what they results would be. We also go to the Beach on Club outing's. If if I had one I could track my search patterns for the day. I might try my new G P S and see what they result will be. I know it tracks my driving directions for the day..Thanks for any help, Looking forward for a answer. Oh ,yes about 2 Dozen Bullets were found and about 1 Dozen Civil War Button were found.

 

[edjcox]

The only way I can think of to do this would for each individual to be carrying a GPS unit and it recording the individual GPS track to memory. You could then offload the individual tracks to the same map and you would be able to have a visual record on the map of each seperate track.

 

[Andrew Kalinowski]

Most mapping programs / software will allow display of numerous track records so, you can do exactly what you want. What mapping software? If you are using Garmin receiver, chances are that you already have MapSource and can do it with that. If other people are using different brand receivers, look at software like OziExplorer, TTQV (from my mapping website) or Fugawi - all of these can do it.

 

[edjcox]

Explain how you would track 15 individual people, on a field at the same time to one display. I'd like to know.

 

[Andrew Kalinowski]

Explain how you would track 15 individual people, on a field at the same time to one display. I'd like to know.

In post (and that's how I understand OP question) you simply load the tracks from each receiver into a capable software and you can display any number of tracks and see where each hunter was at any time.

In real time (I guess this is what you are asking about) it gets a "little" more expensive. For starters, you need a capability to transmit the location from each receiver and some receivers can't output real time NMEA so, may need new receivers. Than a transmitter for each one. Receiver at "master computer" and a capable software. For example Pro version of TTQV can display real time data from unlimited number of receivers. http://canadianmaps.ca/TTQV4/versionsvergleich_e.pdf For GPS transmitters something like
http://www.navigadget.com/index.php/2006/07/21/navsync-gps-receiver-with-wi-fi-transmitter could be used.

To cover larger area it may be better to turn to a commercial solution. A number of such solutions is available but none of the multi unit are cheap.
Just google http://www.google.com/search?q=real+time+gps+tracking

 

[edjcox]

Out of reach for the average MD and club... Realtime my only interest.

By the way the US Army would love to track it's troops on a battlefield especially in an urban enviornment.

 

[Andrew Kalinowski]

Well, not necessarily so. There is another solution and I just can't believe it skipped my mind. Possibly because the question was about 15 people and I didn't think that on a small screen of a receiver, tracking 15 people is going to give a clear picture.
Anyway; The solution is; Garmin Rino. It's a combination GPS / FRS/GMRS unit. It can transmit it's position on FRS/GMRS to other Rino receivers. I use it when in the bush and for keeping track of couple bodies, it works very well. In theory, receiver like Rino 520HCx can keep track of up to 50 contacts (other receivers) but, can you imagine the maze of 50 tracks displayed on a 1.3 X 1.7 screen? OTOH, if you zoom in, you could easily see if you are crossing or following a path somebody else already have taken. Another thing to consider is; the position of the receiver can be transmitted no more often than every 30 seconds. The transmission has to be manually activated. Hmm, it may just work if the group of (say) 15 people agrees that, when detecting, every time a person changes the direction of movement that person hits the "send" button. It would also require a bit of discipline - no sending at the same time somebody else is sending - all receivers have to be on the same channel so, only one should be transmitting at any given time.
Rino 520HCx lists for 450USD and has a very decent range. Rino 110 has weaker receiver but plenty strong enough to transmit it's position in an open field and it retails for under $200 so; it all can be done relatively inexpensively.

As for tracking the troops on a battlefield... I think that US army could easily do that but they may be concerned that they wouldn't be only ones who would be getting the info on position of their troops... After all, it's not that hard to pinpoint a location of a radio transmitter...

 

[edjcox]

Thanks

Didn't know Rhino's track multiples. Gotta check that out.

Anyways I was visalizing a PC type screen for overwatch not a small handhelds.

Yep sure would not be nice to give away your troops locations to an enemy, that's why spread spectrum, encryption, passive IFF, etc...