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Whites V3i For Prospecting ???


Dakota

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G'day Bill, Yes it can be used for prospecting and does quite well but you would be better off using the Whites MXT/MXT All Pro because the MXT has about the hottest ground tracking system ever fitted to a detector and is very sensitive to tiny bits , But the V3i does not use the same system so the long story short is the MXT makes for a better prospecting machine so with the cost of the V3i you would be paying for a lot of stuff that has limited use in the prospecting world, The V3i is a great machine but with so much adjustability it can cause the novice and the average user a lot of brain ache, Where the MXT is about getting out there and getting on with the job,

hope that helps,

John.

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I agree with Auminesweeper.  I don't really prospect much, but I do hunt for gold micro jewelry, and the MXT is actually a little hotter than the V3i on small bits of gold, even with the V3i in 22.5 single frequency mode.  I did a comparison test once where I measured air test distances of the two detectors on tiny real gold nuggets.  Both detectors on highest sensitivity, no disc, and using the same White's 6x10 DD coil swapped between the two detectors.  I was expecting to find the V3i a little hotter on gold, but the opposite was true:  the MXT was slightly, but measurably, in repeated tests, hotter than the V3i.  This was a very surprising result, but that's what I found.  I have a printout of the test results here somewhere in my office if I can find it ... 

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I used one for a few months here in California and wasn't very impressed with it's prospecting ability.  It's a neat detector, I enjoyed using it but for the price I think there are better choices for gold hunting.  

 

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I have both.... MXT & V3i.

The wife has kinda absconded with the MXT.....:biggrin:

If you already have the V3i learn to use it. It is a good machine even though the ground balancing isn't on par with the MXT.

If you have an MXT your already in good shape... Learn it better... 

By the way the wife has yet to find any gold... I, on the other hand have found a good bit. All jewelry since I don't get to the nugget areas but hey.... Gold is gold.

Also I think Steve has some info about a guy that used a V3i up at Ganes creek..... I am sure he will chime in here with additional good information for you.

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Bill,  The V3i is capable of finding gold (see attached photos), but for the cost, there are other White's detector you need to look at.

One of the main issues with the V3i is the "not very user friendly" for most people who purchased it.  That is one of the main reasons they came out with the more desirable VX3.

The other folks who added info is good and they seem to like the MXT for Prospecting.  I would not jump to that conclusion unless I understood how much more general purpose detecting you would be doing.  After all, you mentioned a V3i (which is multi purpose) but to hunt gold, so I figure you must want a machine to hunt many styles and types of hunts (parks, old coins, relics, beaches, gold nuggets)?

If you are looking to get a gold detector and have the money for a V3i (which is a variety detector), then get a Gold Only Detector and a great Coin Detector for about the same price.  Now you have best of both worlds as a Gold Only Dedicated detector will outperform the majority of multi use detectors for gold hunts.

If you purchase a V3i and want to hunt for tiny nuggets, be sure to get the small 6" Ellip DD Shooter coil.  Yes, I'll make you a package deal on both.  Also would be wise to take advantage our of our 3 days field training sessions in the gold fields

Good Luck,  Gerry

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I have that little 4x6 shooter coil, and it's V-rated.  As soon as I get a chance, I will redo that comparison test between the V3i and the MXT that I did with the 6x10 but with the little shooter coil instead.  The V3i did well on tiny gold, it's just that the MXT did a little better.  At least with the 6x10.  But heck, with as little as you can pick up a V3i these days, if it does well with the 4x6, you might as well hunt with a V3i.  The prospecting screen info on the V3i is particularly nice to have, with the graph showing how the ground changes over time.  

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11 minutes ago, Wayfarer said:

I have that little 4x6 shooter coil, and it's V-rated.  As soon as I get a chance, I will redo that comparison test between the V3i and the MXT that I did with the 6x10 but with the little shooter coil instead.  The V3i did well on tiny gold, it's just that the MXT did better.  At least with the 6x10.  Heck, with as little as you can pick up a V3i these days, if it does well with the 4x6, you might as well hunt with a V3i.  The prospecting screen info on the V3i is particularly nice to have, with the graph showing how the ground changes over time.  

If you want to try and see which one can hit the tiniest bits, set them up with the 5.3 on the MXT and set the SAT to around 2 or 3 and listen to the waver in the threshold in the prospecting mode with the Gain set as high as possible, I managed to hear a bit weighing 0.0002 ozt using those settings, I call that my GPX setting, good luck and have fun.

J.

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