Find More Stuff Pt.2 - Caltopo

[F350Platinum]

Ok y'all,

Chase brought my attention to this FREE app a while back that almost does it all, navigation, Topographic maps, tracks, markers for finds, pretty much everything, and they just added USGS Lidar maps. You can pay for the pro version but the free one is crazy good until it isn't. 😀

It's an app called CalTopo, for both iPhone and Android. I only use Android so there may be differences, but it's pretty full featured, you can't save photos of finds yet but you can mark them and label them.

What Chase and I want to do is walk old roads on Topographic maps especially, find disturbed patches and the like. If we had cellar holes where I am, that would be great too, but almost none here.

Let's get to it, download the app, open it and go to the icon that looks like stacked paper.

I select "shaded relief" which is the USGS Lidar mapping they just added. It shows disturbed ground, cellar holes and most ground relief, it "sees through" trees.

Next I select "MapBuilder Overlay" and "Structures" to see current roads and current structures. You can also select "Contours" and whatever level you want for the latest erosion, might be helpful. I use 10 feet.

I'm showing you where I live, but if you decide to detect anywhere locally to me you'll receive a visit from my local Sheriff's department, or worse. 🤔 😎

Here's where it gets really interesting as if Lidar wasn't enough, you can overlay old Topographic maps:

Select "Stack Base Layer", and pick "Historic" near the bottom of the list.

Set the transparency percent to 40% or whatever your preference is, you may have to switch between the years to get one that actually displays, and BAM.

Now you can see old roads and old structures!

We're not done, you can mark positions of finds, and eventually see patterns:

"Long press"  the screen at the location, and you can add a label and description. I save ID numbers in the description. OR you can hit the "four dots" icon on the bottom and select "marker at GPS location".

It will also save tracks like OnX Hunt and Go Terrain. I haven't tried that yet, but if it doesn't keep them you can run OnX as well.

See the black rectangle? That's the location of an old farmhouse that is long gone. The roads are "fairly" accurate. Old maps weren't in the same scale often, so it's not perfect, but... Wow.

There are a lot of things you can do with this app, but the more overlays you add the slower it will be.

GL, HH. 🍀

[JCR]

Nice mobile all in one tool.

[strick]

Thats cool they made it into an app been using the on line version on the desk top for a while...it's great for gold prospecting...do all your scouting while sitting at home in your comfortable chair...too bad the old timers didn't have this stuff but then again there would not be much to look at when you think about it. lol

strick 

[F350Platinum]

5 minutes ago, strick said:

Thats cool they made it into an app been using the on line version on the desk top for a while...it's great for gold prospecting...do all your scouting while sitting at home in your comfortable chair...too bad the old timers didn't have this stuff but then again there would not be much to look at when you think about it. lol

strick 

We're working on ways to carry your phone so you can see it as well. 🤔

I think it might even be useful when beach hunting, over time the more reliable spots to hit would be more evident. I'm wondering if it's all that random? 😀

[Lost Scout]

I hadn't thought of caltopo for this application. I have used it to track the growth of wildfires. Shows the heat levels and has a great overlay showing wind speed and direction. And now you have pointed out another resource for detecting. Thanks for sharing.

[F350Platinum]

Just now, Lost Scout said:

I hadn't thought of caltopo for this application. I have used it to track the growth of wildfires. Shows the heat levels and has a great overlay showing wind speed and direction. And now you have pointed out another resource for detecting. Thanks for sharing.

I did other posts on the forum regarding how to use USGS Lidar maps, topos and OnX Hunt, but the all-in-one award goes to this app. 🏆

Wrote to them today calling attention to the fact that there might be a lot of detectorist interest, I hope they respond favorably. 🙂

[Valens Legacy]

5 hours ago, F350Platinum said:

I did other posts on the forum regarding how to use USGS Lidar maps, topos and OnX Hunt, but the all-in-one award goes to this app. 🏆

Wrote to them today calling attention to the fact that there might be a lot of detectorist interest, I hope they respond favorably. 🙂

Nice looking app, now if I could just get a good working phone to put it on because they don't work where I live.

[F350Platinum]

1 hour ago, Valens Legacy said:

Nice looking app, now if I could just get a good working phone to put it on because they don't work where I live.

Although expensive, Verizon is your best bet for coverage no matter what others say in rural areas. I moved here about 20 years ago, and became Director of Technology for the local school system, it wasn't until I met my wife that I got a cell phone. 😀 Didn't trust or like the damn things, still don't, but they are helpful. I'm glad I can still afford it on fixed income.

I talked the superintendent and county supervisor into renting county land for cell towers, and even still only Verizon works well here, there are a couple places I hunt where sometimes there is no coverage or it comes from another state. 😵 I have a 5G phone but only get 4G.

CalTopo lets you download maps where service is good, and will navigate and track even if there is no service. That's what it was designed for. GPS works most everywhere. You'd have to learn a few more things about it but it might be worth it. Depends on what you want to do.

[rvpopeye]

I got a message that it's not available on Google Play Store....😩 

ON THIS DEVICE ! DUH.

I'll try using the phone instead of my even more useless now , chromebook ! 

GOT IT !  

 

[F350Platinum]

11 minutes ago, rvpopeye said:

I got a message that it's not available on Google Play Store....😩 

It's there, you have Android? 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.caltopo.android&hl=en_US&pcampaignid=pcampaignidMKT-Other-global-all-co-prtnr-py-PartBadge-Mar2515-1