Trev (NZ)

Nope there is only one of me Steve. The world is lucky. Yep would appreciate that merge. I had a lightening strike take out my modem and laptop a few weeks back. Lost all my links passwords etc. So to save time just joined as a new member.

Great find Steve. This detecting caper can be mysterious to say the least. I don't know why but as I was reading your epic tale I had this vision of you sitting on a tailings pile at Moore Creek Alaska with a handful of detected nuggets. Not knowing that in the future 1000's of miles away in a far off country, buried in a country paddock, was a Bronze Age artifact with your name on it. And at that time relic hunting wasn't even in your game plan. Fate or luck, I tend to go with fate on that one. Everyone in the past working that paddock had missed it, For some reason. And It was there just awaiting you and you alone. I really enjoy reading your epic tales and the recent one I came across about your early days gold detecting and dredging in Alaska was up there with the best of them. I think my favourite of all time was the recovery of that stranded dozer on the tundra at Moore Creek. That was indeed a mission of "True Grit and Determination" Actually all the ones about Moore Creek and Gaines creek were great. Are those stories still around somewhere. Would love to read them again. Pretty sure in those days you put them on the Alaska Gold Forum.(Jim Foleys}. About 15 years ago I did make it to Alaska, great country. Drove up from Washington State through Canada with an American friend that wanted me to look at some dredging claims for him, up around the Circle area. I saved him some money. Well done over by the old timers, then later bucket lines and later dozers etc. Only flood gold left in the top layer. Cheers Trev {New Zealand)

Well if you dig a little deeper on the info. Minelab say this. No matter what you seek, VANQUISH has you covered. Simply select one of the four Find Modes — Coin, Relic, Jewellery, or All Metal — then start swinging. Each mode is pre-programmed and optimised to give you the best performance, anytime and anywhere: park, field or beach. You can even save your favourite settings to a custom Find Mode. VANQUISH welcomes tough terrain. It dominates at the beach in wet sand and salt water, outperforming other detectors that can’t compete. 25 discrimination segments deliver ultimate control over what metals you want to accept or reject. And next to that statement. Is a picture of a ring (Jewellery) mode) and a beach. So it's pretty obvious, well to me anyway. That the Jewellery Mode is the one for beaches. After all that is what most people search for on beaches. I note jewellery mode is on all the Vanquish models. I highly doubt Minelab would describe them as Beach friendly, and wet sand friendly if they weren't. To what degree, really won't be known until they actually hit the market. Cheers Trev (NZ).

But what are we going to nickname it. The GPZ became "The Zed" The equinox became "The Nox" . Now "The Quish" just doesn't sound right, Imagine saying took the Quish out for a search yesterday. "The Van" don't cut it. Took the Van out for a search. Now the meaning of "Vanquish" Is to "defeat completely" so who or what is it Minelab are out to defeat. Well the opposition springs to mind. Or are they out to defeat "trash" remember in the first Vid when the disguised Garret Ace found a beer bottle top. Or are they out to defeat the buried treasure. By causing it to be found. Remember the stuff flying up out of the ground in the first vid. So maybe it will become known as "The Defeater" I kinda like that. Anybody else want to join me in a game of "Lets Play Minelab" lol Cheers Trev

Looks a bit like an Ace 350. Certainly made for coin rings treasure and relics. Will have Multi IQ (Simultaneous Multi Frequency Technology. That pops up down at the bottom of the screen at the end of the vid. Didnt see any alluvial gold popping up anywhere.. My guess is it will come in just above the Go Find Series. And priced accordingly. Just got to go find one now sticking out of a rock. And see if I am the "Chosen One" lol. Cheers Trev

Haha Lacky. Latest Minelab Teaser Video is out on the Vanquish. You were close. Its embedded in a rock, like the sword Excalibur that King Arthur pulled out. And Goldwright this one is even whackier than the first Cheers Trev (NZ)

Very innovative idea and obviously a lot of thought went into it. But in my view not much is actually achieved if using it in the field. Vibrating stuff is very prone to wear and ultimate failure. JW has it right, would process more with a sluice or small high banker. And if you were in a deep sided river where you can"t use a sluice. Easy enough to lug in a small pump and trash pump to run it. Why there is the perfect one driving this device.

Minelab and their usual "Carrot Dangling" when a new model is on it's way to launch. Remember The Equinox, it came down with a parachutist at an organized UK Detector Meeting. Maybe this one will come down on a "Hot Air Balloon". But is that a gold pan I see flying up off the forest floor. So maybe, just maybe, a gold function too, similar to the Equinox. Time will tell. We all wait with baited breath. Cheers Trev (NZ)

Hi Steve. I really enjoyed reading your test results and your comments and opinions as to the whys and wherefores for each detector. in your arsenal. Very well done thank you. You included enough dis-claimers to make it abundantly clear that these were only your opinions and we could draw from them what we wished. Keep up the good work, I really respect the time and effort you put into everything you post , they are all informative and so helpful. As far as I am concerned in the Detecting world, you are up there with the best, for knowledge, experience and the ability, or should I say gift to express yourself in an easy to understand manner. I like the way you don't beat around the bush, with you a spade is a spade and a shovel is a shovel. And your love off detecting and detectors is so apparent to us all, when you open your heart and mind, and share it all with us. Keep up the good work. Cheers Trev ( New Zealand)

Hi Folks: Sorry can't resist. The other day I went to see the Doctor as I was feeling a little run down. He asked the usual questions Docs always ask. How much do you smoke a day and how much do you drink a day. He got my usual response. Then he said, hold the palms of your hands out please. I said, the Nurse's always take a blood sample from the underside of my forearm. Are you going to do that to see if I am lacking in iron. Hence my condition. Oh no he said, blood samples are old hat.We use this now, and he pulls a Gold Racer out, and waves it across my two open palms. Nope he says, not a beep.I will prescribe you some Iron supplements. That's why you are run down. Lack of iron in your blood. Went back a week later after taking my Meds. Man did I make that Gold Racer beep, and now I just feel on top of the world. Amazing is all I can say. Cheers Trev from Down Under

Hi All Maybe I should have put this in the other CTX3030 gold thread, the one about small coils. But I hadn't seen that thread when I posted. I am in a bit of a friendly disagreement on a NZ Metal Detecting Facebook Forum at the moment. Re a Video put up of a Macro Racer 2 v A Minelab Etrac on a very chunky piece of gold chain. Maybe that Vid surfaced on here also, but I have lots of posts to go through in my catch here. I just cannot accept what I see. I would welcome views please and or explanations. Here is the Utube Link. Okay its an Etrac, but isnt a 3030 more or less an Etrac with more bells and whistles. https://youtu.be/yXl4s1b7gho Cheers Trev .

Hi Steve and others. I am back after a lengthy absence. Got your message at last Steve. Glad to hear a 3030 rejoined your Detector Array. No news yet as to the 4040, maybe next year eh lol. I just got a Minelab Xterra 705 Gold Pack and was having a play round inside testing its capabilities. Was using a flake of gold just under half an inch long and about a quarter inch wide. OK it was an air test, which doesn't mean a lot. The 705 picked it up at 6 inches. I thought wonder what the 3030 will find it at. So got it out and gave it a go. Was quite astounded, it picked it up at three and a half inches. That was in Coin mode. Tried the others, but Coin Mode was the best. Not to bad for a Treasure/Relic Machine. Cheers Trev

Hi All What a brilliant design. I have always been a great believer in the sump system, to separate out the fines and treat separately. Much like " The American Dredge" where the fines were transferred, to a sluice on top. Keene Engineering you have taken dredging to a new level. Well done. Cheers Trev (New Zealand).

Hi All After reading of Pauls very kind gesture to Professor Hector. I kinda think he was actually a kid, thats Hector the Detector lol. Not Paul. I bought two Minelab Gofinds. One a 40 and the other a 60. Frig I liked them so much I even bought me one. Just to go with my CTX3030. Two kids aged 11 were gifted them. Both have shown an interest in detecting. I loaned my mate my Etrac and he did so well with it, how could I take it back, one of those kids was his son.So Dads got the Etrac and Ethan his son has a Minelab Gofind 60. The other kid was from the corner store. Thomas. 11 years old, helping his Mum run the store When I was out playing I would oftn visit the shop with my detector. His eyes would light up. So I would send him across the road to a park for a play.. He did say it was pretty heavy. But now he has a Gofind, and the smile on his face when I gave it to him, well you guys can imagine. Kindness is a virtue and may it flourish . Cheers Trev. (New Zealand)

HI steve I think you are making a mistake in getting rid of your CTX3030. As you say its like brand new. Which means it hasn't had much use. I liken Detectors to learning to fly. One has to put the hours in to learn the machine. In the case of the Zed you have done this. Lets take a Rotary Aircraft for instance. One can pretty soon learn to rotate or lift off, gain altitude. Make it go up and down and forwards. And of course land lol. But it is not until you become one with the machine that you can make it hover. And really do what you want. Kinda like a Detector I reckon. Now you have had so many Detectors I often wonder how you transition from one type to another. No offense or criticism intended Steve. But each one needs many hours to master. In my humble opinion. The CTX3030 has so many features, and is programmable to suit the user requirements. I have no trouble with masking. Target trace and the right tones takes care of that for me. The nail and the dime doesn't enter the equation. If you haven't got it, I suggest you get Andy Sabichs CTX3030 Manuel, he is the Etrac and CTX3030 Expert. And you will get a link at the back of the book, that allows you to download Andys retwinked Minelab settings and they are magic, esp the Relic Mode. Like I said no offense intended. Just my honest opinion. I love my CTX3030 and Etrac. And I have been playing around with a Minelab Gofind40. A neat little machine. I gifted it to a 12 year old boy from the corner shop, and his eyes lit up. (his parents own the shop). Now I have a Minelab Gofind60 on the way. Like you I want more toys lol. Just gota learn to fly them. Cheers Trev (New Zealand)