What Detector Did You Buy In 2018 And Why?

[oneguy]

17 hours ago, Bryce said:

Does the Minelab Pro-Find 35 pinpointer count?

Bought it to complement the Gold Monster I bought last year to speed up target recovery. Overall does a great job but tends to flip out at max power and keep beeping away until lowering the power or restarting it.

Have the exact same issue(s) with my Pro-Find 35.  Works but I won't be buying another......

[Gravelwasher]

 This year I picked up my 1st VLF an XP Deus. Absolutely love it, wireless, lite weight and sensitive to the yellow with its high frequency coils.

Started off with a GP3000 minelab and worked up to the 5000 over the years.

Minelab always did me good with the PI machines, so I up graded to a GPZ 7000.

No regrets here.

[Jim in Idaho]

12 hours ago, kiwijw said:

Hi Jim, I would be very interested in how this turns out for you. I have a Falcon MD20 as well & while I dont use it much it certainly does what it is good at. Sniffing out tiny gold hidden in quartz float or quartz in old hard rock mine dumps. Thanks. 

Good luck out there

JW  

What i want the slightly bigger (2") coil for is checking anthills, JW. Up here in the northern Rockies the harvester ants build large mounds. Inside the mounds are chambers where the ants can warm their larvae, and dry the seeds they live on to prevent germination. The ants go out as far as 150 yards from the mounds, and bring back materials to cover the mounds to prevent erosion, and damage. In the process, they gather the heaviest materials they can find. Bringing back the heaviest materials is a proven genetic trait. It's thought that this maximizes the benefits of the long range roving they do. So, the mounds are a great place to check to determine the minerals in a particular area. The reason I bought the Falcon is I was concerned about the ability of other detectors to "see" these really small pieces of gold or platinum. But the tiny search head on the Falcon means a slow process, so I thought maybe a 2" diameter coil would increase the search area by a factor of 4X without decreasing the sensitivity too much. I'm working on another project right now, so may not get to the coil build until December. I'll post my results.

Jim

[dgatleyDP]

None bought in 2018, however I did buy the ML Gold Monster in 2017 for lots of reasons, to compliment the ML GPZ 7000(2016) for a Nome Alaska gold trip, satisfying my desire to have at least two quality detectors up there.

I’ve owned a long list of detectors since the mid-80’s, but reached a point around 2010, when I decided I had to ‘get serious’ about the pursuit of gold due to my advancing age.  The newer machines were a big jump over those I’d been using, and when the ZED finally came out, it was time to ‘settle’ on one powerful machine that elevated my abilities to recover this elusive metal, and then to learn it well.  I sold all the other detectors to afford the ZED - and not sorry at all.  You can only swing one-at-a-time.

The GM1000 however, VLF, discrimination, waterproof, offered a simple, light, packs really tight, and incredibly efficient detector to prospect new target areas, to find any shallow gold and indicate when to bring out the ZED for deeper targets.  (BTW - Shortened, the GM makes a terrific & quick pin-pointer with its small disc.)

All that said - these two machines are dedicated gold machines, and frankly suck as coin type machines.  Living in So. Cal, the beaches are very inviting, and the new NOX 800, may well round out my tools..... unless something even better comes out very soon.  Before the end of 2018?  Unsure..... ⛏?

[Ridge Runner]

I know my question was what did you buy in 2018 but you don’t have to buy anything on the contest for the book . I say the more the merrier.

 Chuck 

[MSC]

Purchased the 7000 and the Pro find35, like them both. Keeping the 5000 for certain conditions.

[Jim in Idaho]

6 hours ago, kiwijw said:

That is really interesting Jim. Thanks for sharing that. ? Look forward to december.  On another note concerning ant nests. Anthill Art. Kinda feel sorry for the ants  

Cheers

JW 

 

 

Yup...I've seen those videos. Up here, the native Americans believe it's bad karma to dig into an anthill. They also believe if you remove gravel from an anthill you should always put something back. I never dig up anthills...the surface tells me all I need to know. I'm trying to keep karma on my side...LOL

Jim

[Calmark]

My brother and I found a couple of nice patches this spring.  I used my SDC 2300 and he his TDI. After cleaning out the "easy" stuff, I decided I needed to get a used GP 3000 I'd had 4 years and never used going and bought a new lead acid battery.  I also got it a new NF Evo 14x9 coil. 

After cleaning out the next layer of deeper gold with the GP 3000, I got myself and my dad both GPX 5000 units so I could teach him how to use it while out together.  He and I both found some more good gold in the patch area and surrounding it. 

I then added a 17x13 NF Evo to my GPX  and found some deeper gold I'd missed previously in the main patch area. 

Now that its getting harder to find gold in my patch, I decided I'd go after some of the smaller stuff that has to be there, so last week I had an Equinox 800 arrive.  My brother also got one at the same time.  I also got us both the 6" coil to go with it.  My last VLF was a White's MXT in 2005 and I never found gold with it other than 1 class ring, so now I have some more modern vlf technology for coin and jewelry searching when I'm not out swinging for gold. 

So, for 2018 I revived a Minelab GP 3000 by getting a new battery, bought a GPX 5000 and just got the Equinox 800.  I think I've become a Minelab fan.  ?  I definitely I have the bases covered very well for nugget hunting with the PI and hot VLF.  Thanks to the capabilities of the Nox, I also think I have any coin, jewelry and beach hunting also covered very nicely!  ? 

 

[geof_junk]

I have not got a new detector since I got 2 new GP-3000 since 2003 as they have not failed yet. Since I am only looking for easy gold in bad ground. I also have a wide range of coils to extend my depth after I have got most of the gold from the new patch. When both of the GP-3000 break I will have to find $20,000 to get 2 new GPZ-9000.?

[Dig It]

Well my body was telling me, if I wanted to continue to hunt for gold I would have to change things up. Sooo  I had to retool, sold my claim the Rocco, sold all my gas powered equipment, Gans-So Digger ( Mini Bck. Hoe ) Pro-Line Dredge / Highbanker Combo, 8" Drum Trommel, Hybrid Hydro Force System, Keene Concentrate System, Cube Deluxe 4 Stacker. Also sold my Fisher Gold Bug 2. ( When you maintain equipment, it sells ) Kept my Polaris 6x6 800 & ATV Double Axle Trailer and all hand digging tools / Dive Equip. Dry Suit / Mask / Snorkel / Kevlar Gloves still like getting in water.

Then I started buying, 1st buy was the NOX 800 followed by the 6" & 15" coils, 2nd buy was GPZ 7000 & 19' coil, 3rd buy was the Mine Lab Pro Find 35. ( Already had the Garrett Carrot ) And besides not having my own piece of ground to go to, I haven't look back since...… My new challenge is getting out of my locale comfort zone & find new hunting grounds. Which will include before spring a new slide in camper for pick-up and trailer to haul wheeler & trailer.

Looking forward to my new direction for a couple reason, getting out to stay active & healthy, hunting gold & relics in different ground conditions, and meeting and detecting with like minded folks...….. Always Alaska in summer, somewhere in lower 48 winter months. And just maybe a plane ticket or 2 ???

Happy Hunting