Is this even possible?

[Butch in Charleston]

I'm new to maps/mapping and using a GPS, so please bear with me....

Here's what I'd like to be able to do:

I'd like to go out with my metal detector and record some coordinates of search locations....then, I'd like a software program that will allow me to load some digital copies of topo maps into my computer & have the cursor read out it's coordinates as I move it across the displayed map. When I cross the known coordinates, I'd like to be able to place a marker on the map that will be there until I need it......OR I'd like to place the cursor on a feature on the map and similarly record it that way.....THEN, I'd like to drag the cursor from one marker to another & have the distance calculated.

I have read that some of this can be done totally on a GPS, but as a 60-something, my eyes are not that good & the screen is really small, so I'd like to go the PC route, if possible.

Can I do this?.........Any help appreciated!

Thanks, Butch

 

[LabradorBob]

Yes very possible with google earth.
read my tutorials at the top of this forum.
Google earth will let you place overlays of topo maps on locations, and it has a measuring tool at the top that can be set to yards miles and such.
make sure you are using the same co ordinate data on the gps and google earth.
degrees, minutes and seconds work good for me. as my gps and google earth can both use them.

LabradorBob

 

[pocketspill]

If you have the GPS coordinates from the hunt, why not just enter them into Google Earth directly? You can then drop a marker on the spot and give it a name/label.

You can use a dedicated GPS device or a smartphone to gather GPS coordinates embedded in photographs you take in the field. THEN when home, you can download thos photos with the GPS data into your computer and grab the coordinates (using "get info" or something like that depending on your program.) (I use Google Picasa, as it works great with Google Earth.)

Gathering photos in the field for GPS:
http://www.detecting.us/2012/10/04/metal-detecting-research-and-permissions-gps-marking-while-driving-using-smartphone/

Google's overlay tool is cool, but really difficult to align sometimes with older maps. That's why I use Maprika for this. It allows you to correct for the old maps' issues.

Using Maprika to use GPS on old maps
http://www.detecting.us/2012/10/30/using-maprika-for-metal-detecting/