Essential items to take detecting

1. Some form of communication
2. GPS
3. First aid kit, body protection
4. Spare water, food and fuel
5. Matches or lighter

Let’s investigate this list in more detail.

Communication is an essential item and top of my list of “needs”. The very first requirement is a need to tell someone where you are going and roughly when you expect to be back. I know that we, as detectorists like to be secretive about our spots, but an early alert might just be the difference between coming home with assistance and not coming home at all. We occasionally see some poor blighters perish for whatever reason and no-one is sure of where to start looking for them.

A satellite phone is most likely the best form of communication as it has signal available almost everywhere but the down side is they are expensive to buy and costly to use. Having said that, your life is a precious asset that you only get one go at. Two way radios are good but have limited range generally. My detecting mate and I have a set of hand held, full range radios that we use to tell each other what we are finding and where, and hopefully won’t have to be used for emergencies.

We also take a mobile phone each on short trips as often signal is to be had. If not a climb to some high ground can be the difference between contact and no contact. And I suppose a detecting mate is also a good form of communication as well as some peace of mind that you have help at hand if something unexpected happens.

GPS has become a common tool that we use to make sure we don’t become lost in unfamiliar territory. Some communication forms have a GPS built in as a standard item, but a hand held unit is an essential item. We need to make sure we plot the vehicle’s position, or at the very least enable a breadcrumb trail to find our way home in unfamiliar areas.

My quad has a section I constructed on the front that houses a 10” laptop running Ozi-Explorer software and equipped with a GPS mouse. I calibrate Google maps, run them in Ozi and the mouse gives us a moving map with the benefits of generally more detail than the standard topographical or geological offerings. I also carry a hand help GPS in my backpack as a backup.

First aid kits are one item that we never hope to use, but we have a full kit in the quad as well as the vehicle. I’ll throw in “snake guards” as part of this area even though they aren’t first aid as such, but more a preventative or protective measure. The long grasses we get in our area harbours plenty of these slithery beggars and they usually only want to get out of our way, but why risk it? There has been more than a normal amount of snake bites in this area this year, so they are still about even though their season should be over. (November to March for here)

I can probably add long trousers as another preventative measure, even though I personally prefer to wear shorts. A broad brimmed hat to keep the sun off, and add sunscreen as you wish as well as repellent for the pesky flies and mosquitos into this section. Some states have flies that attack in droves and are seasonal, so a fly-veil is essential at some times of the year.

Spare water, food and fuel are things that we always should have. There is no point in going out into the bush with the bare amount you need. Water is a must as it is the one thing that you can’t do without for extended periods, especially in the hotter months, and it needs to preferably be fresh so that it is drinkable. Food can be in the form of some canned items or bars. Your body can do without food for a week or more but it can’t go more than a day or so without water.

I make sure we have enough fuel to get out and back with reserve as we do enough walking while detecting without wanting to walk because of our own stupidity. If the trip is long or in a remoter area then spare fuel in a can is a good idea or a must if population is a long way off.

Matches or a form of starting a fire should be taken. I don’t smoke but my mate does. Even so, we have spare matches in the quads and vehicle. A fire can keep you warm and be a signal to someone looking for you, but rubbing sticks together to start one isn’t my idea of a fun time.

I suppose being stranded or lost isn’t fun either, but the above items might just make it tolerable for a short time in the event that disaster comes along. If the trip is a long one to a different state or a remote area like the Kimberlies, then the list becomes even longer, but the above will be the first considerations in my lists.

Cheers,
Peter Cragg