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Best Ground Balance For GPX 5000 - Coin / Relic Timing


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hi

I am a begginer in gpx 5000 prospecting deep targets , I prefer to use coin/relic timings and use a double D 18" coil .

What confuse me is ground balance , we have "fixed" and "tracking" in front of panel and also 3 option to choose by setting in GB type .

Would you tell me what to choose to gain maximum depth?

And is it possible to ground balance on a target and eliminate that size of target in prospecting?

Thank you

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What are you looking for coins or nuggets?

With a 18in DD coil I would use the Normal or Sharp timings for the best depth.

I prefer to run the detector in fixed GB on the front panel I think it gives me more depth.

Run it in general on the back.

Tracking in Medium for a DD coil.

The rest of the settings are going to be set by the type of ground you are detecting over.

Try to get the detector running smooth by adjusting the gain stabilizer,motion and audio.

To start out try gain 8-12

Stabilizer 2 numbers down from your gain setting.

Motion slow or medium

Audio normal

With a DD coil you must swing it slow.

It is not possible to GB on a target to eliminate that size target. If you did this all you would be doing is putting your detector out of GB and this would cause you to loose depth and miss targets.

Above all read the manual and try to find someone to give you instructions out in the field.

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As Root said read the manual, then after the fourth time of reading the manual, take a look at this.

 

http://www.detectorprospector.com/gold-prospecting-equipment/minelab-gpx-4000-4500-5000-manuals-timing-charts.htm

 

This really helped me wrap my mind around some things.

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If we all read manuals and understood them my forum would be out of business!

Welcome to the forum usefy_eng and thank you for bearing with me while I got you online. First off, I have to say I have never heard of anyone yet suceessfully employing the Coin & Relic Mode. Despite its name, it really has nothing to do with Coins & Relics. Here is the quote from the link cited above:

"Coin/Relic is designed for use in lightly mineralized soils including many beaches. It offers maximum detection depth on a range of target sizes, significantly greater than any other timings. However, if the ground is any more than lightly mineralized, the detector may not ground balance. Coin/Relic should work very well in most common parks, ovals, and old home sites, so is the preferred timing when using your detector for coins, jewelry and relics. On ocean beaches containing significant quantities of black sand, better results may be had by using Normal or Salt settings."

In other words, by design the Coin & Relic timing is already using an extremely limited amount of ground balancing, so minimal that ground balancing simply will not work at most locations if you use this timing. So my first answer to your question is that it may not matter what else you do if you use Coin & Relic in the vast number of locations where it will not work. Your first clue will be that the detector will pick up the ground if the coil is raised and lowered over the ground, despite any changes to the ground balance settings. Another tip for Coin & Relic timing is to use very low gain settings to reduce ground effects.

I strongly advise you start elsewhere, and a good place to start is at GPX Help For A Beginner

If the GPX is run in ground tracking mode it constantly adjusts the ground balance for you. Holding the green button on the handle pauses the tracking while you are over a target so as to not track it out. The tracking speed determines how aggressive the tracking system is. Fast tracking will do a better job in highly variable ground but may tend to track out tiny or deep targets so is actually only used if you really need it. If the detector can't keep up with changes in the ground. Another solution is just go slower. Slower tracking speeds do force you to move slower in bad ground, but are preferred for maximum depth and sensitivity where you can use them.

Most operators prefer no tracking at all. Turn tracking off. Now the green button temporarily turns automatic ground balance on. Hold the button and pump the coil over the ground until the ground signal goes away, and release the button. Now you have a fixed ground balance setting, and only set it again if the ground conditions change.

If you yse Coin & Relic tracking may be best because that mode will be very sensitive to even slight changes in ground conditions.

If you are trying to use the detector for coins or relics, ground balancing over targets is a real bad idea. The only discrimination you have available that works to full depth is the sounds the detector makes, and the best way to learn them is to listen to the sounds, then dig the item up and see what made the sound. Eventually you will learn small items or low conductor items make a hi-lo tone, and large items or high conductive targets make a lo-hi tone. Finally, if you use a DD coil you can use the Discrimination control to blank out shallow ferrous {steel and iron) targets but it is unreliable and does not work on deep targets. The GPX 5000 is designed first and foremost for depth. Any discrimination is a secondary attribute.

Relic Hunting with the GPX 5000 http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/230759-new-gpx5000-digs-diggin-virginia-xvii.html

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Thank you Root and you indianbullet .

 

steve every statement you wrote is really helpfull.

 

I don't insist in using coin/relic timing ,Actually I used normal mode since bought my gpx and in an experience I could dug out a copper spoon in about 80 centimeter .

 

http://www.detectorp...ming-charts.htm

 

As I red this topic you atached in forum I thought about maximum depth gpx 5000 can operate in relic mode .

 

every operator has an aim in using detector in a particular ground , but like you said ground type is important to choose timing .

 

Because I search for large targets in depth and not to want dig out tiny targets near surface so I need to know what is my best setting ?

 

 

 
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Pi detectors love iron at any depth and any size. If you can accomplish what you want; it might be done with a large DD coil and set the discrimination to 3/4 or full on...I doubt it will work if the ground is littered with small nails or tin can bits...

I have worked right through old dumps with a 11"dd and full disc...if the ground was not a carpet of iron the detector could pick out nonferrous things like rivets or 22 bullets...I never did snag a nugget doing that and the noise nearly drove me insane ( more so than normal).

good luck

fred

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Guest Paul (Ca)

I'm still a beginner myself with my GPX 5000, been using it about 7-8 months so your post here is helpful for me with others sharing their experiences.

I use the Coin Relic mode, strictly a relic hunter and have several coils used for certain terrains. From trashy sites with iron to cleaner open areas going after deeper signals, for me prefer fixed GB somehow under the impression tracking would be the wrong mode because of the constant iron?....That's my mindset maybe I'm wrong? ...that's how I treat a VLF in iron hunt with manual GB so I assume PI is similar.

Haven't tried tracking yet maybe I will out in cleaner areas, and I've read Coin Relic mode doesn't work in some areas but luckily I've only encountered this once. Couldn't use Coin Relic and that was because I went with a larger coil, but switching back to my elliptical DD Comander Coin Relic mode worked fine.

Overall, The GPX 5000 is a user friendly PI very forgiving pretty much runs forever on a full charge. Once it's dialed in very smooth PI with serious depth, I feel all serious relic hunters need to take a look at the GPX series especially now with these Minelab specials.

Good luck,

Paul

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Paul; when there is lots of surface trash, how do you get past that to the deeper signals?

 

Are you hunting iron relics or nonferrous relics?

 

Have you tried the Hi-trash setting?

 

I think running in tracking over metallic targets would throw the Gb way off....i always ran in fixed and used the button for gb and to re-gb...

 

fred

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Guest Paul (Ca)

Hello Fred,

Haven't tried the high trash feature yet, thrnk you for mentioning it I'll give it a try.

To get depth in trashy areas with iron, I use the elliptical DD Comander it somehow allows me to seek in between the iron and reduce my Gain too that helps. Even with the smaller elliptical DD, it gets serious depth more so than the larger coils in masked areas because of the smaller foot print.

I hunt for both, iron and nonferous relics but usually nonferous at first. Then, As non ferrous finds slim down I'll start picking up larger iron signals.

Recently picked up a 15" DD coil, like it allot but it's too big for extremely trashy area's so the stock 11" DD and especially the elliptical DD Comander are my coil of choice in trashy areas.

Looking back, made the right decision getting a GPX for relic hunting. Hands down nothing comes close, the discrimination is decent enough using the GPX is an enjoyable PI.

Even use it in real iron laced sites, sweep real slow ears tuned to pick out the weaker targets between the larger pieces of iron...

Take care Fred,

Paul

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  • The title was changed to Best Ground Balance For GPX 5000 - Coin / Relic Timing

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