Question about using ground-penetrating radar on a tight dig budget

Last season at the Cahokia Mounds site, we had to choose between renting a high-end GPR unit for $8,000 or buying a basic magnetometer for half that. We went with the magnetometer to save money, and honestly, it was a mistake. It missed a key posthole feature that the later GPR team found just 20 centimeters down, setting our timeline back by three weeks. If your budget forces a choice, I'd say find the extra cash for the better tech every time. Has anyone else been burned by going with the cheaper survey tool on what seemed like a simple grid?

2 comments

2 Comments

thompson.brian6d ago

Ever tried to save money by using a cheap stud finder? I ended up with so many extra holes in my wall, it looked like modern art.

barnes.mason6d ago

Man, that's the hidden cost of "saving" money. A cheap tool that misses the target just means you pay for the job twice, once for the gear and again for the extra labor. Never works out cheaper in the end.