Anyone use spreadsheet to keep track of metal detecting

[Waterdog]

I talked to one of the guys around here and he told me that he uses a spreadsheet to track his metal detecting adventures. Anyone else here use the same with examples of how they do it ?

 

[rogueaviation]

I use a journal, but not yet a spreadsheet.

What kind of data were you thinking of tracking? It seems like a good idea!

Maybe put some GPS data? Time spent? Settings columns?

--Matt

 

[Waterdog]

I want to keep track of when I go to a place (day and date), What place I go to, and what I find at each place. Keeps track of how many coins, jewelry, and relics I find at each place. Something in the past year I can click on it and see what place I have been to produces the best finds ect. That way in the following year with my poor memory I won't go back to a place that produces little to nothing.

 

[UtahRich]

Yes, have done for a long time. My spreadsheet was Coin focused.

I set mine up so i can have monthly totals of coins found -

My columns are set for:

Month-Date / Location / Detector / Coil / / Dollars / Halves / Quarters / Dimes / Nickels / Cu Cent / Wheaties / IHC / V Nickel / Buffalo Nickel / 1800's / Gold Ring / Silver Coin / Total / Other Finds.

January . / Location. / Detector / Coil / / Dollars / Halves / Quarters / Dimes / Nickels / Cu Cent / Wheaties / . . . . . / Other
1/2/2021 - Old Jones Farm - EQ800 - 11" - and then quantities of each 14. 7. 6. 12 24
1/17/20212. swimming hold. EQ800 11". 1 12. 9 11 32 17 2 trade tokens . . . etc.

(sorry the quantities don't line up under the categories . . the forum software doesn't like the spacing . . . . )

Jan Total

February / Location. / Detector / Coil / / Dollars / Halves / Quarters / Dimes / Nickels / Cu Cent / Wheaties / . GOLD RINGS. . . . / Other
2/7/2021. Beach Surf DF 11" 14 3 10k necklace, 925 ring
and so on. . . .

i have a formula at the end of each row to add up the coin values for the day. I also have a formula at the bottom of each months columns to add the numbers for that month. And a formula at the very bottom of each columns to sum the totals from each month for the year totals.

I don't count or keep zinc pennies. if they are spendable they go in the pocket, if they are corroded, they go in the garbage without further thought. A few years ago i decided to stop wasting my time trying to clean / recover and store them. The world is a better place with fewer corroded zinc pennies.

There are lots of ways to keep track of things. Back in 80-90's i had site sheets where i listed everything found under various categories and on the back of the sheet i would draw a map of the location and denote where various targets were found. I liked this method a lot because of the map and being able to go back to a site at a later date after reviewing notes.

Food for thought.

Rich -

 

[DanU]

I would love to see some examples as well. I have been trying to figure out what I want in a log and finally made up a word template I can print out and put in a notebook. This way I can carry it with me and fill it where I am hunting and put it in the computer later. Since I don't have any experience yet, I suspect things will change once I get some experience.

 

[UtahRich]

I mentioned above that i had site sheets that I used for many years before changing over to the spreadsheet. I went back and looked thru many of them. One of the things I like about the site sheets it that i can add to previous entries and get an overall idea of where i've hunted and how certain areas have produced or not. I'm thinking of returning to the site sheets rather than continuing to use the Spreadsheet.

 

[coinworld]

I talked to one of the guys around here and he told me that he uses a spreadsheet to track his metal detecting adventures. Anyone else here use the same with examples of how they do it ?

Water dog-

Good question and yes I have been keeping a spreadsheet for about the last 10 years, more so to track what and where relic/coin was dug/date.

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

Yes, have done for a long time. My spreadsheet was Coin focused.

I set mine up so i can have monthly totals of coins found -

My columns are set for:

Month-Date / Location / Detector / Coil / / Dollars / Halves / Quarters / Dimes / Nickels / Cu Cent / Wheaties / IHC / V Nickel / Buffalo Nickel / 1800's / Gold Ring / Silver Coin / Total / Other Finds.

January . / Location. / Detector / Coil / / Dollars / Halves / Quarters / Dimes / Nickels / Cu Cent / Wheaties / . . . . . / Other
1/2/2021 - Old Jones Farm - EQ800 - 11" - and then quantities of each 14. 7. 6. 12 24
1/17/20212. swimming hold. EQ800 11". 1 12. 9 11 32 17 2 trade tokens . . . etc.

(sorry the quantities don't line up under the categories . . the forum software doesn't like the spacing . . . . )

Jan Total

February / Location. / Detector / Coil / / Dollars / Halves / Quarters / Dimes / Nickels / Cu Cent / Wheaties / . GOLD RINGS. . . . / Other
2/7/2021. Beach Surf DF 11" 14 3 10k necklace, 925 ring
and so on. . . .

i have a formula at the end of each row to add up the coin values for the day. I also have a formula at the bottom of each months columns to add the numbers for that month. And a formula at the very bottom of each columns to sum the totals from each month for the year totals.

I don't count or keep zinc pennies. if they are spendable they go in the pocket, if they are corroded, they go in the garbage without further thought. A few years ago i decided to stop wasting my time trying to clean / recover and store them. The world is a better place with fewer corroded zinc pennies.

There are lots of ways to keep track of things. Back in 80-90's i had site sheets where i listed everything found under various categories and on the back of the sheet i would draw a map of the location and denote where various targets were found. I liked this method a lot because of the map and being able to go back to a site at a later date after reviewing notes.

Food for thought.

Rich -

Rich,

I've been thinking about this for while; have a library book on Excel sitting next to the sofa. I'm not sure if spreadsheet or data base would be the best. I could see that your columns could be expanded greatly to allow for more exact coin type counts, Say Dim, bust, seated, barber, mercury, etc with dates. Might get clunky. Thoughts?

Chris(SoCenWI)

 

[UtahRich]

Rich,

I've been thinking about this for while; have a library book on Excel sitting next to the sofa. I'm not sure if spreadsheet or data base would be the best. I could see that your columns could be expanded greatly to allow for more exact coin type counts, Say Dim, bust, seated, barber, mercury, etc with dates. Might get clunky. Thoughts?

Chris(SoCenWI)

Yes, they can be expanded to be very extensive, but i found the more columns I included, the more my spreadsheet became unwieldy for me. My Other Finds column is a great place for me to list unique or unusual finds. Columns / categories can be added or subtracted as needed, no reason to consider it set in stone.

That said, while the winter weather holds I'm also going to drum up a new site sheet based on my old forms and have a hard look at which I prefer for my own use, the site sheet or the spreadsheet.

Rich