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What Constitutes A New Prospecting Detector?


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Like a lot of people I like keeping up on the latest and greatest. I am always on the lookout for something new in detecting.

However, now that we have several forums I have been thinking about what constitutes a prospecting detector these days as opposed to machines made for coin or relic detecting.

It is obvious that any detector specifically marketed as a prospecting detector is of interest on this forum. Ones where the advertising clearly is all about gold prospecting.

The problem is mostly with VLF detectors and the fact that nearly any decent VLF detector made these days can double as a prospecting metal detector. Machines designed to run in the "teens" from 13 kHz to 19 kHz are overrunning the market. Most are marketed as general purpose machines. Sure, you can also use them for prospecting, but there is nothing in particular about them that makes them of special interest to prospectors.

Two recent example on the forum; the Nokta Impact and the Rutus Alter 71. These are two new entries that run up to 20 kHz and 18.4 kHz respectively, and which can be used for prospecting along with the other uses the machines were designed for. However, neither of these detectors is being marketed specifically to prospectors but are aimed mostly at coin and relic hunters.

I don't care too much where threads start out. This forum software is really great and just keeps getting better. I can move threads around easily, and I can leave a thirty day temporary link pointing to the new location. An example right now is my moving the Nokta Impact thread from the Detector Prospector Forum to the Metal Detecting For Coins & Relic Forum.

In general from now on most new threads on VLF detectors will get started in the Coin & Relic Forum, or, after they start here, get moved when interest wanes on  the DP Forum.

Exceptions will be VLF type detectors that really are marketed specifically for prospecting, or which have exceptional capability in that regard. I do not consider machines running at 20 khz or lower to be rare any more. However, any VLF detector that offers 30 kHz or higher is exceptional still and so will get my interest as a possible nugget detector.

No big deal and nothing anyone need worry about. I will keep stuff sorted out but just wanted people to know what the rationale is behind some of the moves.

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 OK. Here is my two cents worth. all major credit cards accepted. If you are going to prospect for gold (nugget hunt) than get a nugget hunting detector. If you are coin and relic hunting get a coin and relic machine. A crescent wrench with a screwdriver welded to it will do a lot of things but will do nothing well. Technology is moving extremely fast so the day will soon arrive when a true dual purpose detector comes out but it aint here yet. When it does happen Steve H. will have a real dilemma for properly placing posts. 

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I basically agree with that Norm. There is some overlap however. The White's MXT is the best example that comes to mind. There has been a lot of gold found with that detector although it is a general purpose machine. The difference is that when it came out it was a ground breaking design in that respect. These days mid-frequency do it all detectors are a dime a dozen.

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Steve,

  I wonder what thread Minelabs new Monster detector will fall in, I heard it will have different frequency's to select from????  A lot of times they will have demos at the gold shows, like they do during minelab conferences...

Dave

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For me and this is my take for where I prospect, this is the detector I want currently. A Z with the weight of a Deus,(asking a lot I know) with a full function GPS that allows me to upload and download tracks and waypoints so as I can use the mapping software of my choice, and of course a smaller coil for such.

In regards to VLF hunting gold in my country, they will get gold no doubt in fact I`ve got gold recently with the Deus. But that was for good fun not for production, production for me is defined simply by consistency ie. the best chance to get gold on each trip that at the very least averages out to pay trip expenses. To express this similarly to KL screwdriver-wrench....Horses for Courses.

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All I want is a small coil for my GPZ and the new DEUS high frequency coil. I guess we have to wait and see what else Minelab is cooking up right now, but that goes for others (Fisher?) also. So far nobody has been able to give me firm availability on the DEUS elliptical HF coil. And the GPZ small coil - I am not holding my breath.

I am plenty content with my GPZ / Gold Racer combo but the new DEUS coil could replace the Gold Racer as the companion unit for my GPZ, mainly just for being more compact. It remains to be seen if the DEUS running at a harmonic 55 kHz can match a Gold Racer running at a dedicated 56 kHz.

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No Nenad, sold my GPX, I am GPZ all the way. I do not need a small coil for my GPZ so much as I just want a small coil. The stock coil is perfect for 90% of what I do. But for working in boulder patches or thick brush a smaller coil would be nice. I think a small coil would also put the GPZ on par with the SDC for tiny nuggets, though it is close enough with the stock coil.

I still list the GPX 5000 as a Steve's Pick of three essential prospecting detectors so it is not that I do not have respect for the GPX 5000. In my opinion it is tops for overall value and versatility. The GPZ just suits me better personally for what I do.

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12 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

It remains to be seen if the DEUS running at a harmonic 55 kHz can match a Gold Racer running at a dedicated 56 kHz.

Do we know for sure that 55 kHz will be a harmonic frequency or will it be the main frequency?

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