Looking At GPS With Topo Maps ?

[geof_junk]

As far as I am concerned get a Garmin Rhino they have access to satellite maps you can upload maps and tracks. If you have a detecting partner you can communicate between each other as well as send/get location of each other. All of my year 2006 on records were done with the rhino (Magellan GPS before 2006 great unit) Have a look at ........Nugget-spread...........all of those nugget were record with the Garmin Rhino.

[principedeleon]

I have been playing with GPS essentials APP and it does a lot for me .. saves downloaded maps.. tracks. Marks waypoint with images.. 

And the best is free if you alreadys have a phone .. 

[GotAU?]

Topo Maps for IOS uses free USGS topo quads with a lot of functionality like waypoints, tracks, KML input, etc.  that can be preloaded for offgrid use in the field.  I have also downloaded the USGS’s mine resources KML files on it for my state, too. 
 

[flakmagnet]

Yup, Garmin Rhino is a great unit if you want to communicate with a partner. Easy to use, good range and rugged.

But, phone apps are great too. The main point is there are many possibilities to pick from. The seemingly hard part; pick one, learn it and go for it.

[GotAU?]

Do you have an iPhone or iPad? As I pointed out earlier, TopoMaps App works really well off grid as you pre-load it with downloaded free low and high resolution USGS topo quads. Here is a copy of what the output looks like with a low resolution quad from my iPhone.  I use it on my 64gb iPad and it looks much better in low res too. I and have pretty much the entire set of USGS quada (over 100 of them) for the California deserts preloaded on it.  The maps can be easily joined together with a single button push too, makes navigating between two quads seamless.

If your iPad does not have GPS, you can buy something like a Garmin NUVI bluetooth gps to receive GPS locations off grid for navigation.

[IDMineralSurveys]

I've been using the phone app free version of Alpinquest. It gives me options for different map layers with topo and aerials and ability to overlay them with differing opacity. When in the middle of the wilderness i can turn on gps and find where I'm at in relation to preplanned points. To save battery power (and not knowing how gps signals will be) sometimes i will download everything i want on an area while sitting at home and as i make my plans i screenshot the topo and aerials separately in best resolution so i only have to refer to the photo library. I do the same thing from my desktop and file them in the phone since its so easily portable ( and mine's waterproof). I did this extensively for my trips north of Nome and also the central Idaho wilderness prospecting trip this past summer. Here's a screenshot with planned waypoints, significant landmarks and many gps shots where i found gold in Idaho...all in the past 2 years. I name the waypoints whatever i need them to be... easy! 

[IDMineralSurveys]

Bonus...I generally have the phone in Airplane mode the whole time on the backcountry trips and find my battery lasts multiple days yet still have the references i need available right there without any cell service. 

[goldtimer]

Hi geof_junk, I'm very impressed by your work - that is valuable data to collect. Much better than relying on memory when you return to old patches.  Has the Rhino ever interfered with your detecting gear? I'm guessing you leave it on all the time? Do you carry it in your pocket? Cheers & thanks for sharing