GPZ 7000 Software Update - Official Release Information

[Jonathan Porter]

Hi all, sorry for not being around 2015 had been a year full of turmoil.

On the subject of the Ferrite let me just say that from my professional user point of view it is a necessity FULL STOP. The GPZ 7000 will benefit from its use in all environments even those areas that are super quiet. In ground that does not have much Ferrite component you will not hear the signals associated with it because they're not present, however in the tests I've conducted here in Australia in quiet soils using High Yield Normal with elevated sensitivity comparing Ferrite excitation and no Ferrite excitation the differences are significant.

Steve and Chris will remember the location in WA were we filmed the Green schists footage, Steve got into some nice color at the head of the gully, I had a ball in there this year testing the new Ground Balance with the "Zed" pulling 1/2 ounce initially without the Ferrite then 20 grams more using the Ferrite.

My advice is to always use the Ferrite for maximum performance especially in the deeper soils.

JP

[jasong]

The GPZ 7000 will benefit from its use in all environments even those areas that are super quiet. In ground that does not have much Ferrite component you will not hear the signals associated with it because they're not present, however in the tests I've conducted here in Australia in quiet soils using High Yield Normal with elevated sensitivity comparing Ferrite excitation and no Ferrite excitation the differences are significant.

 

 Interesting stuff...

 

Does the GPZ retain multiple ground balance "signatures" for lack of a better term then? Like if I did the gb procedure to let it learn the ferrite and then I did the same procedure over a piece of banded iron formation would it keep both of them in memory and use each as it was needed and neither of them if I was on quiet ground? And then a 3rd entirely different signature for the general ground I'm over like if I'm in a quiet low mineralization spot?

 

I can't wait to get to the goldfields and be able to do some testing, I didn't get my ferrite in time so I haven't even been able to try that yet let alone the new firmware update. I'll make a vid on it next month with some test results once I get out.

[Steve Herschbach]

My condolences again for your loss JP. It is good to hear from you again however. And better yet to get some reassurances about the ferrite etc. I have done the update and I do use the ferrite now every session but I have not made time to try and determine what advantage if any it offers on my ground. I simply have faith in Minelab and particularly you as their main tester that upgrades are always worth doing. So I just do them and get on with detecting.

Thanks for commenting.

[AUddicted]

Good stuff to know, thanks gentlemen.

[Tortuga]

Interesting stuff...

Does the GPZ retain multiple ground balance "signatures" for lack of a better term then? Like if I did the gb procedure to let it learn the ferrite and then I did the same procedure over a piece of banded iron formation would it keep both of them in memory and use each as it was needed and neither of them if I was on quiet ground? And then a 3rd entirely different signature for the general ground I'm over like if I'm in a quiet low mineralization spot?

I can't wait to get to the goldfields and be able to do some testing, I didn't get my ferrite in time so I haven't even been able to try that yet let alone the new firmware update. I'll make a vid on it next month with some test results once I get out.

Pretty sure JP and Steve have both said each time you squeeze the button and GB it wipes any previous data saved in the machine. It's why they've both recommended to just GB right off the bat when you start up and don't touch the button again for 20-30 mins unless you're really having issues with mineralization.

[Steve Herschbach]

More than that the ground balance system is like a looped tape constantly writing over itself. Only newer data is retained. I believe that was part of the issue with the ferrite. Tuning over it worked initially but then the data was lost as it got written over, and a new ground balance had to be done with the ferrite. The now software version somehow insures the ferrite data is retained longer requiring less ground balancing.

I usually use quick start twice a day. Once in the morning. I shut the detector off for a quick lunch, then fire back up, do the quick start routine over again, just the frequency scan and ground balance with ferrite. I almost never touch the ground balance button after that. The only exception would be if I move to new ground with a different composition.

[jasong]

 The now software version somehow insures the ferrite data is retained longer requiring less ground balancing.

 

So it does retain multiple signatures? In this case one for the ferrite and one for the ground as you do future ground balances? The knowledge base does say it's ideal to re-use the ferrite with every new balance but doesn't say it's required.

 

It's why they've both recommended to just GB right off the bat when you start up and don't touch the button again for 20-30 mins unless you're really having issues with mineralization.

 

But the reason for not touching the quick-track button was because the GPZ is constantly monitoring and rebalancing during that time period and we were supposed to expose it to as much ground as possible without resetting the ground balance. The ferrite was produced to shorten this "data gathering period" So if it's always rebalancing then what happens to initial ferrite rebalance if it's not retianing it along with whatever new ground you cover as you prospect? It must be retaining it, or at least some "part" of it otherwise the ferrite would have to stay taped to the bottom of the coil permantly.

 

That's why I'm asking if it stores multiple "signatures" in the ground balance.

 

So, for instance, would I get an even better ground balance if I went excessive and had like 12 different types of hotrocks, 5 different ferrites, a few buckets of different hot clays and then quick tracked over that mish mash? Will it remember all of those? If the GPZ takes 15-20 minutes looking at different parts of the soil and optimizing the ground balance then it seems to me to imply that it will.

 

That is what my question is.

 

If it doesn't recognize different signatures and instead just averages all the stuff it sees, then if it's constantly monitoriing the ground and readjusting the ground balance then doesn't that imply that we need to throw the ferrite onto the ground every 15-20 minutes too otherwise the automatic rebalancing due to the GPZ internal algorithms will overwrite the initial ferrite balance with enough time if only 1 signature is kept? The initial ferrite balance would get diluted with every new averaging or ground sampling the GPZ does automatically until eventually it was averaged out almost entirely wouldn't it?

[Road Dog]

I have also used the upgrade in Nevada. I find no difference in sound or

sensitivity. Maybe it's just the Nevada ground, I'm not sure. I did find gold

and just listen through the noise. I use the GPZ the same as Steve states and just wait for that signal to break through the threshold. It works for me! Good Luck and happy hunting.

[Steve Herschbach]

I do not know the inner workings of the tracking system. Just my opinion but I always want to use the minimum ground balance needed to get the job done. Ground balance is just ground discrimination. Eliminating a ground signal carries with it the risk of eliminating a gold signal that looks similar to the detector. Needlessly eliminating responses that the actual ground does not produce would in my opinion be counterproductive.

[jasong]

I agree, I'm always just trying to understand how it works, wether it's prospecting gear, a table saw, or a computer, professional work or hobby.

 

I never have success in anything unless I understand my tools. Never had anyone to show me ropes, take me to spots, or teach me, so it's part of my nature to make sure I'm as proficient as possible with the things I use both so I can find new ways to use tools better and also so that if I fail it's only because I didn't try hard enough.

 

*Another related question I have, maybe a stupid one, but it's never really stated wether these balancing procedures apply both for manual and auto track or only manual. Like if I'm on auto track do I still have to use the quick track trigger and do the ferrite spaghetti dance? Or do I just let it auto track over the ferrite?

 

And it's been talked about both on forums and the knowledge base articles that the GPZ is always monitoring the ground and adjusting it's ground balance but it doesn't say if it means it only does that when you are on autotrack or if (as it seems to imply) it is actually constanly doing minor rebalancing and ground tracking even when we are set to manual ground balance. I was wondering if there is some kind of clarification?