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Problem With X-terra 705 And Minelab Safari For Gold?


WyoBuck

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First off I'd like to thank you for all the info you have provided for all us prospectors and your "Best Gold Prospecting Detectors report" is awesome.

Couple of questions, I have owned 2 Xterra 705's and loved them both using them mostly on beaches here in FL. 2 years ago I went out to my old stomping grounds in WY and took along a 705 and a Tesoro Diablo Gold Demon. I was working a mining tailings pile when the 705 just would not keep quiet, it just continued to sound off in the prospecting mode. I did not change to coin mode but called Minelab from right there on the top of old Centennial Ridge. I spoke to John and he could not help me nor could he come up with any reason for this. He told me he would have Kevin call asap, well I never heard back from them.

I ended up taking out the Gold Demon and ran it over the same ground. It ran fine and I did find some nails and various sized bullets. If i used the 705 off the tailing pile it seemed to work fine and I tested it with some gold I had with me. I am headed back to WYO soon and I'm planning on getting a couple of gold detectors to take along, I'm leary about getting another 705.

Now I have a Safari that I also love to use here in the east, since it has a the FBS Multi frequency Technology I am wondering how it would perform in the western Goldfields. Your expertise would be greatly appreciated.

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What coil and frequency were you running on your 705? Did you try more than one coil? Were you running manual ground balance? Did you try automatic tracking? I assume you mean the detector was sounding off on rocks, not just making noise in general. That indicates a ground balance issue. I would say a hot rock problem except you say Diablo ran fine. If you can run the Diablo then the 705 should handle the ground. What sensitivity setting were you running?

The Safari like all detectors can find gold if it is large enough but it is a lackluster nugget detector at best. No reason not to give it a go but be better to figure out what is up with the X-Terra. Good thing you have the Diablo which is a great little unit.

I may be slow to reply since I am I the field prospecting.

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Thanks Steve, I was using the 9x5 eliptical and since it was 2 years ago, I don't remember exactly what I did. John was guiding me through some adjustments even after I felt I exhausted all I could come up with, and we could not get it to work the tailings. I have used the Xterra since they were introduced.

 

Thanks again

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You should have been able to use the xterra on tailings if you could use it on open ground...Since you have a general purpose Safari why not get a dedicated gold machine like the Goldbug pro...it is also a fun little toy for coins and such....

 

fred

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The X-Terra is certainly a capable enough machine. Unfortunately given this was two years ago I just don't know what to say without knowing more. If the ground was so bad I could not get an X-Terra to work I would be thinking about a PI detector. You may as well just give it another try if you still have the Diablo for backup.

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Thank you Steve and Fred,

 

After reading your Gold Nugget Report Steve, I came across a lightly used Lobo Supertraq and grabbed it quickly for $350, looks like new. I don't have the Diablo or the 705 any longer. I was considering another 705. I will get another nugget machine and hope to get a Fors Gold after I sell my Safari and Golden Sabre Plus. Thanks guys for the input.

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