Wild Coast Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Bin lurking for a while and based on some of the info floating around like this thread http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/1151-reintroduction-of-the-minelab-gpx-4500/, I bit on a used 4500. Will be using in Alaska so wondering if the mono coils will generally be what a person would be using. Comes with one double D and 6 mono's. Glad I can put the Zed out of my mind for a while. Appreciate all the experience that's being shared around here. Has saved a lot of miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Coast Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 Maybe I should start out with a "Joey" coil just to get familiar with the set up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanursepaul Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 the stock 8 or 11 inch monos are hard to beat from what ive seen...... Steve will know more if you can tell him what area you plan to be in in AK Good hunting!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Coast Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 Thanks, can't wait to get out and hunt with this thing. Watching videos and reading online manuals. At least it's a healthy addiction. I hope anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Allison Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Hey Babeinthewoods, I will let Steve give you the best advice as he probably has the most experience here in Alaska metal detecting with a PI. Here are some of my thoughts on places I visit in Alaska. Many of the "pay-to-mine" locations are based on old bucket/dragline dredge operations. You're working a lot of oversized tailings from material that went through the sluices to oversized cobbles that got screened off. In some of these locations there are "Volcanics" rocks that can cause hell on even a good PI. In these locations I preferred using a DD or DD Pro to help eliminate or null out some of these volcanic hot rocks. Other places might just have hot ground mineralization or hot bedrock like Serpentine. The DD's also allow you to have some "discrimination" in very trashy areas like these piles. Keep in mind all the rubbish got tossed in them, nails, wire, bolts and .... If the ground mineralization is low to moderate and has minimal trash, you might benefit from a Monoloop. A Mono will give you better pinpointing, more depth and sensitivity overall. I would also always recommend taking two items for backup. This would include headphones, power cords, batteries, handle and searchcoils. If you break an important part of your detector in the bush, you might be out for the entire trip. Many even take a backup detector like a smaller VLF. Just some thoughts before heading to Alaska. Wishing you much success!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Coast Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 Thanks a bunch. I live on Alaska so won't be traveling to far but most info still applies. Have a couple of vlf detectors, one is a gold bug pro that will probably be using as a pin-pointer and backup. First place we have in mind should have very little trash but not sure about the hot rock situation. Vlf machines were able to operate with only running into occasional hot rocks. Was interesting to read about the use of big mono loops on tailing piles. Possibly a indicator that we will beable to get away with the monos but will have DD on hand for sure. Very impressed with the depth of pi machines as shown on YouTube . Haven't used one yet. Going to be checking out some virgin ground behind some receding glaciers as one project . Figured if going to put in the effort to get there it wouldn't seem right not to have a good pi machine. Will be practicing ahead of time. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Coast Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 A area we have done a lot of hunting and thought we would check out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Herschbach Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Looks like the typical very low mineral, very low trash virgin ground scenario in Alaska. The gold is likely to be small unfortunately so I would recommend small mono coils running in Sensitive Extra at as high a gain as allows for stable operation. Be alert for faint signals. The Gold Bug Pro may work as well or better in that location. Good luck, and thanks for posting the photos. Been awhile since I had a view out the windshield like that! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Coast Posted August 14, 2015 Author Share Posted August 14, 2015 Thanks. I've bin scrambling the last few days responding to a call to run a boat in Prince William. Leaving at 4am headed for Whittier tunnel. Might take Gold Bug. The glacier trip involves some (supposed) inside information that makes it a particulary interesting destination. And now I have to wait until this boat trip is over but it is my "day job" that allows me to do the other stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auminesweeper Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 Wow they are some nice photos, Not A Place to venture Alone, Thanks for posting them, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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