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The forum has evolved over time. The original intent was one active forum, with old subjects moved to closed archive forums grouped by subject. However, the closed archive system is putting too many good threads off to where they cannot be discussed any more. The main issue frankly is it requires manual intervention on my part, and that is getting too cumbersome. I decided to consolidate and eliminate the overly large number of archives. Instead, each metal detector manufacturer now has a separate forum. See the full forum listing here. This also solves an issue with new machine threads by a new detector basically taking over forums each time one comes out. Now all the discussion of the new Minelab Equinox will stay on the new Minelab Metal Detector Forum where it can be discussed by people who are interested, and ignored by those who are not. So what do you have to do? Nothing. Just keep using the forums as you always have. When in doubt post in any forum you prefer, and I will redirect threads to new locations if need be. Or if all you care about is Tesoro detectors, hang out on the Tesoro Forum. For those who want to see what is going on everywhere, make the full forum list your home page and see what forums light up with new posts. You can also access the Unread Content link in the upper right under the search box to see all unread content. Another function to explore is Activity Streams which you can customize any way you want. Finally, invite friends to one of the new forums. Thanks!

Took a break from chores and getting the cabin ready for winter, and got a couple afternoon sessions in with the Monster. Went to a decomposing granite knob I first hit a couple summers ago, digging along the edges and got a few. Then I removed some sagebrush and exposed a couple crevices where I scraped out little guys like this: The other deeper crevice was really fun! Ended up with just a tad over a gram for 2 afternoons of playing. Worth MUCH more in fun! :-) Will be getting snow soon, so not many more days to get out!

Got out for 6 hours today (which is about my limit, currently) running the Fisher F75. I started with the 5 inch DD at gain of 50 in a schoolyard which has produced Wheats and one Merc. It's typically not that noisy (in terms of iron) and I decided to switch to the 5x10 concentric after about 1.5 hours. That didn't help. I ended up finding several modern coins (clads, Zincolns, and copper Memorials) but nothing with age after a total of 3.5 hours. The last 1/3 of the day I switched to a 43 year old park established on a piece of property oringinally composed of two 19th century homesteads. I went back to the 5 inch DD and after about 30 minutes with a gain of 50 I decided to drop to 40. (Note: max gain on the F75 is 99). I was searching in my most hunted (by me) section which has produced a Merc and and a couple Indian Head pennies, where I've been at least half a dozen times with all my IB/VLF's. I ran mostly in FA(st) process but occasionally I switch to other processes and even into all-metal to get a better reading on ID, location, etc. What I noticed (and it's not a figment of my imagination) was that with the lower gain I was getting more clear non-ferrous signals. That doesn't guarantee a non-ferrous target since (for example) vertical nails will masquerade as solid non-ferrous in my experience. But I was digging non-ferrous (unfortunately nothing either old or valuable) that I have passed over previously. BTW, my F75 ground balance is in the ballpark of 60 (between 56 and 64 depending upon location) at all my sites. I consider that mild to moderate but you be the judge. (Different values but similar quality ground balance figures with my other VLF's as well.) Another thing I notice with the gain lowered: the FA(st) process of the F75 has fantastic recovery time. I'm sure experienced F75 users know this, but when you see (for example) the video from England last month of the Equinox ripping through a series of closely spaced nails, I gotta say the 8 year old F75 can do that, too, without a hickup. In extremely noisy (again I mean loaded with iron) soil it sounds like an automatic weapon going off. Unfortunately I don't have any prize trophies to show (so far) with my new settings. So in some sense this is a hollow post. They will come. Again I thank all those here on this site who have enlightened me on the complications, challenges, and solutions of hunting in heavily iron enfested locations. I just wish&hope I can pay you back.

Hi MB: You know, I'm not certain exactly where that image was taken, except to say that it was nearer Leonora than Laverton. Reg with his more photographic (no pun, etc) memory may know better : There were a few other images that Reg took, but I was videotaping back then and I'm buggered if I can find the tapes now John, Ritchie Wilton and Reg with gold. They were working separately as a team. Jim Stewart and I were working separately but we often combined forces, being old mates: Reg with 6 oz specimen. WA I'll get into trouble for posting this image because I know he hates it! It's okay Reg, we all look like crap anyway these days! 6 oz specimen and small gold from the area: Many more images from that trip but more general interest than gold specific -

Got the 7000 back yesterday after it died on me a couple of weeks ago, and today I managed to get these two. Maybe I should send it away for repair more often. Not every day do I come home with 1.7 grams of gold

You're welcome Paul. Posting all this gold has got me itching to get back to Victoria - but alas - too busy atm. "Rattlesnake John" : Garibaldi gold. The larger piece (held by Ian earlier) bears a scar which Reg assures me was already present when the piece was unearthed: Detail of 20 oz nugget from Stirling Rush: Dunolly gold. 27 oz, 21.5 oz 2 X 9 oz, 14 oz, 7 oz, 3 oz. Sep/Oct 1989 27 oz clean gold from Clay gully Dunolly (detail of above)

It should be an easy goal really. I made it a personal challenge within the first 10 minutes of swinging my coil at an elementary school in an old neighborhood of my hometown, built in the 1930's. With my kids playing in the bark chips, I powered up my Etrac, and dug my first wheatie within the first 10 feet of starting. I said to myself... "self, you will find a silver coin here". That was in May. Since then, I have stopped by this location at least a half dozen times, usually when time was too short to fight traffic and drive into Portland OR to hunt the old parks and schools there. My hunts at this school have been under two hours each time... but still plenty of time to use a methodically test several areas of the plot. I have used my Etrac, Explorer SE Pro, CTX and briefly, my ATX. My first visit, I found 4 wheats and a couple dollars in clad quarters along with an equal amount in other clad. Most of my recoveries were less than 6". Clad showing up in the 2-4" range, and the wheats in the 4-6" range. All the earmarks of a site that hasn't been overly pounded in recent years, and still giving up old coins. There is a fair amount of trash and iron in the ground, I found myself digging plenty of can slaw and pop tops, pencil erasers and rusty nails, bits of chain link fence and other undesirables... but I was able to isolate enough high tones to keep my interest. So, I started my research. I found that the existing school structure was built in the mid-90's and is positioned on the opposite side of the plot from where the original school structure was built and stood in the 30's. Sadly, much of the prime playground was now covered by the new building, parking lots, asphalt playgrounds and basketball courts, as is the case for many old school grounds. In the illustration below, you can see where the old school buildings stood (blue blocks in the lower right of the picture). Armed with this new knowledge, it made sense that I pulled several wheats from the area just off the edge of the playground on the left side... that ground existed from the time the original school was built. I have placed yellow dots to indicate the general area I found my original 4 wheats and a few additional wheats during subsequent trips. During my second trip, I also found an aluminum tax token from Washington State (shown in red), and I was convinced I was digging a silver coin... high tone, 6+ inches... silver in the hole... Aluminum. Not unhappy about that find... more proof that this site is dated and this target was a solid 2 way tone in 4 directions... so it gave me comfort that those that came before me, left a few goodies behind for me. In one of my follow up trips, the clad finds diminished, but I did find a silver ring in the area used as a youth soccer field. But in these several hunts, maybe 5 or 6 hours swing time... no silver coins. Last night, I spent about 1.5 hours coming in from the opposite side of the field (where the old school previously stood), and my Etrac was nulling all over the place. It was expected... I'm sure that was a lot of fill dirt and loaded with bits of iron from the demo. But surprisingly, I recovered a 1930 wheat and another tax token just below the basketball court, in an area that should have been previously covered by the old building... so my guess is that it was dirt moved into that area during the demo and it happened to contain a few old targets. But again, no silver coins. I post this, for two reasons... to share my misery (and hopefully ultimate celebration) of my thus far futile attempts to find just one silver coin in this old ground. I won't be able to give up on it until I do... which could be a long long road ;). And second, to see if anybody has any tips looking at the pic and positioning of the buildings (old and new) as to where you would focus your hunts.. Obviously, a lot of my time has been spent gridding the small area where the majority of the yellow dots are... not to say I won't be re-gridding that area (which I plan to do with the ATX after reading the other forum thread which also included the Tom D. Behind the Mask article link.) in hopes to clean out anything that may be masking a nice target. It has become my obsession. LOL. This site has to have silver, and I am going to find it. :) Happy Hunting to all. Tim.

Thanks for posting these photos , IMHO I would consider these historic photos of the beginnings of detector prospecting. What a treat for us all to see these. Thanks for sharing and if their are more please continue posting ...

You could go to google earth pro and look at historical images. This might give you a better representative where to look. I am not sure if the regular google earth has this feature.

Yes indeed.

Wondering if the operators of the prototypes get to keep all the gold found with the prototypes?

Thanks JR for the great photos. Do you have any photos of your WA trips with Reg and the boys back in the 90s. The photo of Pieter and you in the other thread looks like the country north of Laverton. Am I close? Thanks MB.

Yes indeed Goldwright, and a 44 ozer looks OK too. This is a closer look at the one held by Ian and Reg earlier. Nov 89: Ian looks pleased with this handful: As a diversion, some of our US friends may not be aware that 31st President Herbert Hoover once lived in Australia. As a brilliant young mining engineer (working for the British firm Berwick Moreing) he was employed as manager of the "Sons of Gwalia" mine in remote WA, near Leonora in 1897. He was only in his early twenties at the time. This mine has had a very long life. More on Hoover in Australia here: http://blog.perthmint.com.au/2012/07/04/which-united-states-president-dug-for-australian-gold/ Managers house. Gwalia. Now a museum. Photos by Reg, mid 90's: Original poppet head designed by Hoover. Gwalia Museum: Gwalia open cut (now worked via a decline at the bottom) About 50 oz from the "Orange Roughie" paddock Rokewood: The machine that found it. Minelab GT 16000 prototype. (Photo: Sun Herald):

There are just three Gold Bug 2 Coils to choose from... 6", 10, and 14" elliptical.

Had a couple of hours to kill Sunday afternoon. So I went to one of my beaten old patches. I've probably ran my coil over this area 50 times. Goes to show you that you never can get it all.

Well this thread has successfully caused me to have to go out and purchase a personal AED machine.... thanks

Hi all One of the coins my friend send me photo off. Nice find and such a beautiful coin to find. ( going to a museum) REFERENCE HERE: http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sear5/s7932.html Looking forward to join him soon. Europe here i come. Long time overdue holiday. GoldEN

Been using both the White TDI Sl and ML Xterra 705 with 5x9 coils here in the California Mother Lode and along the Klamath and Trinity Rivers. Between the two detectors been able to handle the ground conditions. Lots of magnetite. Use the TDI Sl over the serpentine. Heavy thick brush, steep terrain, occasional old cabin and tent sites from 1850 through the Depression Era into 1950's. The smaller coils are a must, just can't sweep the larger coils on the steep brushy slopes. Been looking at the Fisher F19 and F75 which both seem comparable to the Xterra 705. Like the option of searching for coins & relics while detecting for gold when an old camp site is discovered. After reading several of Steve's articles on the Fisher Series and Xterra, here is what I think I have learned: The F19 at 19 kHz and Xterra 705 are very close except the Xterra multi-frequency coils selection ( 3, 7.5 & 18.75 kHz); the only waterproof Xterra coils is the 6"; all Fisher coils are waterproof. Not sure if the F19 displays discrim target id in true all metal mode; the Xterra 705 does not. The F19 is a little pricey compared to the Xterra 705. The F75 at 15 KHz 13 kHz in true all metal mode will indicate discrim target id. The Xterra 705 does not display target Id in the prospecting true all metal mode; requires you to toggle over to Coin/Relic Discrim mode for target id resulting in a loss of detecting depth. The F75 Discrim notching is limited compared to the Xterra 705. The F75 apparently has a history of EMI problems; the Xterra does not. The Xterra with a 18.75 KHZ coil runs a little hot for coins and relics but works. The F75 apparent ability to separate out good targets in trashy areas may be a big plus over the Xterra. The F75 stock coil ( 8x11?) may work in the brush. The current base F75 and Xterra 705 price are the same; the F75 Limited Editions $ 250 plus higher. Often switch from Prospecting mode and use the Discrim notching feature on the Xterra 705 then toggle between the notch and all metal to weed out the iron using target id when in trashy old mining camps. ( Use the Garrett AT Pro in pro mode when strictly coin/relic hunting; great target separation; iron audio; but no true all metal mode for prospecting.) Do not know enough about the F75 Limited Edition Boost/ Cache features to decide if they will be useful. Use the TDI Sl detecting for nuggets under a gram so the Fisher F75 15kHz is not an issue. Really like the F75 feature of displaying discrim target id in the true all metal mode; current pricing on the base F75 with two coils at $599 is hard to pass up. Have drop the F19 from the list. Any opinions and experience with the Fisher F75 compared to the Minelab Xterra 705 are welcomed. Keep in mind on the west coast during the gold rush US coins were in short supply; some military buckles from the war with Mexico were exchanged for trade goods. Let me know what you think and keep Santa out of this; on the wrong list. Good prospecting & detecting To all you devil dogs out there, have a Merry Christmas where ever you may be. Semper Fi

My aunt had tons of rings back in the 70's- 90's because she dug EVERYTHING.