© GPS                                                     

GLOBAL POSTIONING SYSTEMS

   Global positioning systems or GPS have changed the life of the geologist and paleontologist, treasure hunter or prospector whether an amateur or professional. It used to be the old dependable compass and map and if you were good you could locate your position pretty accurately. But today with a basic hand held GPS there nothing to it most of the time.  However if you get in a deep canyon or you are shadowed by a huge mountain as I was on the big island of Hawaii when I was trying to get a reading on my GPS near Kilauea volcano, I found the signal was not as strong when I was on the east side of Mona Kea and Mona Loa volcanoes. Even with that I would rather have my GPS with me because if you shift around a bit you usually can get a good signal on your GPS from the GPS satellites. When collecting rock samples, fossils or minerals I like to record my position on my GPS and give a brief description of were I am on my sample bags then I go about my business of filling my sample bags.

   I have read a lot of old stories about lost mines and lost treasure because I am an avid treasure hunter and I like to use my metal detector when ever I can.  One thing all the stories have in common is the treasure is lost and no one seems to be able to recall were the treasure or gold mine really is not even the one who found the treasure or mine in the first place. If they had been carrying a GPS there would not have been a problem, but then the story would not have been as intriguing. It sure would have been nice if the old Spanish explorers or men manning the Spanish treasure galleons carried a GPS with them and located the shipwrecks using a GPS but then again it would not be as fun when searching for the lost treasure.

   There are many kinds of GPS systems available from the small compact GPS used while hiking to the larger GPS systems used in cars. Then the combination GPS/fish locator used in fishing boats and the more sophisticated GPS systems used by surveyors. Air planes and ocean going liners and shipping also use GPS systems. The military makes use of GPS systems extensively. The geologist uses GPS systems to study plate movement and fault movement while the volcanologist uses the GPS to study volcanoes