X-Terra 705 Gold Pack Prospecting Settings

[Gibson]

Hi Guys.

i bought my exterra 705 this year sorely for prospecting gold nuggets in Zimbabwe. Can anyone help me with the best prospecting settings. I have ventured around where some other people previously found gold but found none so im begining to wonder if the exterra 705 was a good choice or maybe its the settings that i am not getting right. Thank you

[ophirboy]

Hi Gibson . 

The x terra is a great little all rounder and has a very reasonable threshold based prospecting mode . I am assuming you have the gold pack or are using the 18.5 kHz DD coil . There are you tube videos from Minelab on how to set up the unit for prospecting as well as many articles archived in this forum . I have a small six inch DD coil for mine and find it’s extra sensitivity useful for finding the smaller pieces . The depth you achieve will depend on how mineralised the soil is in you particular region . 

Good luck with it 

PM ??

[Gibson]

Thax ophirboy

I am using the 18.5 kHz DD coil for sure, most of Zimbabwean soils are heavily mineralised and maybe that is the reason i was not able to find some nuggets because i cant set the machine to the correct settings. Thanks again i will watch the youtube videos and learn more about this machine. 

[Gibson]

JW

Thanks man, i think i have to start saving for a more technologically advanced machine. This one was much affordable for me so in the mean time i must just try to learn more about it and look for new places to explore. At least now i know that "gold has a tendency of not growing back where it has been found". 

[Gibson]

JW

I have a feeling that there is a nugget out there with my name on it, just waiting for me to dig it out. For now i will enjoy the fun and learn more whilst i save for a Gold Monster or an SDC 2000. Thanks and i will be in touch with news from my adventures here in Zimbabwe.

Gibson

[Jeff McClendon]

Hi Gibson,

you asked about settings and I am going to assume that you are fairly new at this, so here are the settings that worked for me in Arizona. -Turn on the 705 and press the pick/coin mode button so that you see the pick up at the top of the display. -Press the menu button and go through the auto noise cancelling process. -Also go through the auto ground balancing process. (Don't use tracking unless you absolutely have to since you can track out a good target by swinging the coil over it repeatedly.) -Set your gain somewhere between 18 and 22 as long as the audio is stable. -Set your threshold for a low background fairly steady hum. Basically you are ready to go once you hit the pinpoint/detect button and you see the number 5 along with the pick symbol on the display and you hear the threshold hum. 

Prospecting mode is audio only. The big number 5 is the default iron mask setting. Leave it alone and listen for faint or loud repeatable tones. Once you detect a good sounding target you can dig it or you can toggle to preset coin mode 4 and check the target's numerical ID. (The other preset coin modes have several low conductor numbers disked out including small gold.) You can also make your own custom preset coin mode for quick low conductor target ID by just having -8 -6 -4 and 48 disked out) For gold and a whole bunch of other low conductors you should definitely dig if you see a number between -2 and 22. Ground balance again after really big targets or if the prospecting mode threshold gets chattery suddenly. Again, avoid using the coin mode except for TID numbers quick check, since many low conductors are automatically discriminated out in those modes and depth is  really lessened.

You can get a great signal on 1 gram or heavier gold/lead targets at around 4"to 6" and possibly more if your ground is not too heavily mineralized.You should also see low numbers in the coin mode you setup for ID numbers that can jump around a bit sometimes. Smaller gold and small low conductors will give softer repeatable audio responses but may not give a target ID number in your chosen coin mode

Minelab has a very good gold tutorial on their website and on youtube by Kevin Hoagland that goes through this basic process for the X-Terra 70 and applies to the 705 too.

Hope this helps,

good luck,

jeff

[fredmason]

Zimbabwe; just the name brings visions to my eyes...

Some one alluded to this fact but I will just say it; you can't find it if it isn't there.

And; no on ever gets it all.

As to your settings, I would start  slightly over medium sensitivity  and follow Mcclendon's set-up.

I would dig every positive signal until I knew what the detector is saying...even questionable signals!

Finally, practice, practice, practice and read and reread the directions...carry them with you.

fred

[Gibson]

Hi guys

shockingly you will be surprised to find out that i found 2 nuggets both weighing up to 15.4 grams!!!!!!! the xterra 705 is fun and i hope to learn more. Thank you all who responded to my post i did tried to follow your advice and its working. I AM SO SO OVER THE MOON RIGHT NOW!!!!!! Next time i will try to post a video for you guys. Thumbs up to McClendon, JW and Ophirboy. You are great guys!!

Gibson

[Gibson]

Fred

Thanks man, practice and more practicing is what i am doing now,especially when i found my first 2 nuggets close to each other. Hope the name Zimbabwe brings good visions in your eyes..

Gibson

[Gibson]

JW

The ground was not heavily mineralised man, and the first nugget was about 2.5 " down. The other one you know we have to dig around the area where we found the other then sensed the soil with the detector and BOOM the second one. that pic is the first one

Gibson