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Showing content with the highest reputation on 06/02/2018 in all areas

  1. Hello i managed to do a hunt before the month end and managed a bit of gold didn't find gold there for ages...........last time was with a Tejon and a Tesoro 5.75 DD so as i had a retuned lobo on DD only i decided to put the coil to work ...did have much hope but the coil was hitting medium size targets hard...........headphone 1 broke down but i had my Sunray pro gold as back up,the other pair has been designed and manufactured by the same engineer as the Manta and are the best sounding headphones i ever had ,soldering on mine need help :).I found buttons and a lead seal ,few coins and then i hit gold only my second bits this year ,the other was 200 yards away from this spot(which i believe once hold a floating barge/bar) with the GMP equiped with the snake coil. The lobo hit that ring very well but as i was just retuning from changing headphones i am glad i found it. Overall i cracked my bermudas,need to repair my headphones and say bye bye to my PROTECTOR kneepads after 100s hours of use ,weather was good and the ring seems old. RR
    7 points
  2. As some of you may know I am almost completely deaf and cannot manage without my hearing aids and a while back I bought a couple of Phonak FM Receiver shoes for use with my Phonak Hearing Aids and I later bought a Phonak Roger FM wireless transmitter so as to hear music and TV wireless direct to my hearing aids. Today I took it into my head to try connecting my Minelab Equinox WM08 wireless unit with my Phonak Roger FM transmitter and I then paired the WM08 unit with my Equinox then paired the Phonak Wireless transmitter with my Phonak Hearing Aids and low and behold the Equinox signals came belting through spot on and loads of volume, see photographs below.
    4 points
  3. Well its got some interesting eye candy ? for a picture rock. Hehh. Honestly though its a challenge to put a lable on. Two characteristic definitions : Chalcedony, Agate. The bubble *I'll call them that to be polite* like formations are characteristic of chalcedony and the banding in the obverse views are of agate. Both are the same mineral class~ silicate or quartz. On the front below the bubbles is what I call druzzy quartz ~ very small crystalline quartz crystals~ also commonly associated with chalcedony/agate. The druzzy quartz is crystal variety of quartz and chalcedony/agates fall outside of this catagory due to the non-crystalline nature of the silicate. Though I would not do it, takes away from the mental image, if one were to carefully cut one of the bubbles you'd most likely see further agate banding.
    3 points
  4. Hunting tiny gold jewelry in inland sites is just so different from mainstream detecting methods that unless you do it you don't understand the requirements. #1. EMI stability. Your detector has to be stone cold stable. No spurious noise. None. The signals you are after are small tight signals and you can’t hear them if your detector is making spurious noises. #2. The detector needs to be able to keep its HOTs at low gain/sensitivity settings because: a... You need to be able to focus on the right depth of signals and those tiny signals are not deep. Most of the time they are just down in the grass roots. You want to focus only on the top three to four inches of depth. If you have to run your sensitivity at or near max all you are doing is masking the desired signal response with reports from all the other signals surrounding it and below it. And in cases where the ground minerals are high, the ground itself will mask the response. b... You need to control the coil foot print. In this type of hunting you don’t want coil edge surface responses. You only want to hear what is directly under your coil. Concentric coils work better at this than DD coils. DD coils are ok but you get better footprints with concentric and tighter readings on your meter. #3. The higher the operating frequency, the more important the above become. As the operating frequency goes up, the level of discrimination goes down because the trash targets hit harder and sound better. In other words, the higher the operating frequency the better the trash sounds and responds. #4. Notch discrimination or some other form of discrimination that will allow you to focus just on the signal range you are hunting. The only range of signals you are interested in are in the ferrous/non-ferrous boundary range and the foil range up to maybe the nickel reading. All other signals are distractions. I'm editing to add a number #5. Tiny signal audio boost is a big plus if it can be deployed while keeping original signal response integrity. I'll close with this.....You can take a gold prospecting unit onto a woodchip playground or a sand pit and as long as it can handle the EMI you can hunt with it on normal settings. But if you are targeting sites where good quality, tiny jewelry is most likely to be present, you will be working a lot of turf sites where a prospecting detector's normal feature set isn't going to be very helpful. HH Mike
    2 points
  5. Question for those that fantasize about geology, don't know what this is, some kind of agete, or petrified amber? Interesting formation anyway, came from someplace in China, a friend of my wife had it and gave it to her because she liked it.
    2 points
  6. Botryoidal Chalcedony
    2 points
  7. Instead it was a Gucci! My first one. A couple of days ago we had some low tides and it was time to get out. When I say get out I mean at 4 AM with my light on my cap. There are a few beaches you have to get to when the tide is low and BEFORE someone else. This was one of those mornings. When I get there I head directly to the wet sand and the spots where I've found stuff before. This pattern I repeated the other morning and I got a strong target on the Nox about 2 minutes in to the hunt. I was in Beach 1 just about standard settings. When I heard the target it sounded like a quarter (30) and then a little bit higher (31,32). The only targets I have heard this high have been the miniature cars and cell phones. This had to be a cell phone. I have a big scoop with an 8" diameter and the first couple of half scoops didn't get it. It was still chirping at me. I was now down 8" and it was one of those broad signals. Got'a be a cell phone. I had to set the Nox down and dig with two hands and I flipped out the dirt and the target was out of the hole but no cell phone. I pushed the mud around with my boot and I saw silver! This is the heaviest silver ring I've found so far. It is a Gucci Bamboo that weighs 18.4 grams at 10-12 inches and I think it could have seen it deeper. Mitchel
    2 points
  8. Since there seems to be a few questions about these waterproof Minelab phones and since I stepped up to get a pair so I can snorkel, I'd like to tell about my experiences with them and what I've had to do to make them workable in normal hunting conditions. First off, I've used underwater detectors such as Aquasound, CZ-21, Sand Shark, ATX, Excal, CTX and now the Equinox. Out of that list, only the CTX and Equinox gave me problems underwater.....due to the inadequate headphones Minelab sells for underwater use. For the CTX I used yellows, 2 different GG Amphibians a set of OBN's audiosear headsets and a similar pair of HR Headphones. Hands down the audiosear phones work best on Minelabs but sadly will eventually die from water exposure over time..... The GG ampbians worked good but I had problems with the volume adjust knob corroding on one pair and a piezo assembly that leaked and corroded on the other.....both were reworked with Audiosear speakers. The Minelab yellows don't use an adequately sized Piezo to give the needed volume and the plastic on the Koss earpieces is thin and allows to much ambient noise into the ear. On a windy day the surf and the wind will keep you from hearing your machine. I don't have the best hearing BUT I don't need hearing aids. The Aquasound, CZ-21, Sand Shark, ATX, Excal could blow your ears off with stock headphones (Garrett blues for the ATX). So, to help the inadequate yellow Minelabs, I took them apart and used flowable Silicon windshield sealant to coat the inside of the yellow earcups for ambient noise sound deadening, also I taped over the vent and drain holes (to be removed when snorkeling). In addition I then installed gel earpads on the phones. Doing all this has actually made the phones usable on a windy day and I'm sure will help underwater some too. It is sad that Minelab has continued to use the same phones that were used on the Excal II. I am not an engineer but I'm willing to bet that the audio driver is more robust on the Excal II than on both the CTX and Equinox.....why not put out something that will work without using MAX volume on the machine? Cliff
    2 points
  9. I saw the explorer 2 and the metalalert in a shop in London belonging to the Tesoro dealer nothing has moved for 20 years .......he was selling the lease on his shop to move closer to his wife and told me all about the days where he used to sale 15 silver sabre a day.......the basement was full of new parts for tesoro and that day i bought him the ONLY compadre with changeable coil available at the time the uk....i also bought from him coils for tesoros a brand new INCA and a 1235X.............he had detectors made of wood and some Compass PCBs 77bs if i remenber correctly the shop was like a shop in the 80s i loved going there......btw i am only 44 ??? and i just bought a VGC 1266XB with case 3 months ago was dreaming of it in my teens now it s miiiiiiiiiiiiiiine RR
    2 points
  10. Hi steve and other members. I just joined this forum and would like to introduce myself. My name is Dale I live and prospect in Australia. I have been prospecting for 16 years and have been a full time prospector for the last 6 years. I also love treasure hunting and go to europe every second year to look for ancient coins and treasure, and also enjoy searching for treasure in Australia although there are no pre euopean settlement metallic artifacts. I look forward to sharing my experience's with the members of this forum. Best regards Gold Hound Dale
    1 point
  11. Taltexan 12 -14 are most often nickels.. Pennies from 20 -25 and dimes 23 - 26, quarters 27 -31 and 33 - 40 most likely silver That's hunting in park 1 using discrimination and not all metal
    1 point
  12. Noise cancel, then ground balance. I balance by pumping and a little side to side sweep after. Just to see if the balance number will change. As Steve has said lower the sensitivity. I run at 15 alot, some times even at 10. Even then I am punching down 8-10 inches easy. I find that the target id is a little more stable at 15 vs v 20. That could just be me, but it works. Also don' jump between park and park two. Stick with park 1 for a awhile. You will get less frustrated. 5 or 50 tone i find is best. You should be able to call out what you are digging before you dig it. The Nox is that good. With the exception of the nickle range, that is a crap shoot.
    1 point
  13. Agree with Terry, most of the lakes here have sand bottoms that sift thru fast so 1/8" holes would be great.
    1 point
  14. Is Park 2 The Magic Mode?? Park 2 Compared To Field 1 Or Field 2? Park 1 & Field 1 versus Park 2 & Field 2 Multi-IQ Frequency Weighting Differences Between Park & Field Modes
    1 point
  15. Steve and everyone thank you, botryoidal carnelian chalcedony, some great pictures on that link.
    1 point
  16. Jim, thank you and DDancer thank you for the detailed information, agate/chalcedony features except for the crystalline structure and looking at it I'm certain you are correct about the banding in the ummm, protrusions, be a shame to cut or polish and much better as a natural specimen so I'll probably keep it as is and let it work for tips?. im still a little confused, so a silicate of some sort are the insect looking intrusions into the backside any clue, or typical features in these minerals.
    1 point
  17. Hi 1515Art... I don't know what it is and I won't make a wild guess either. However, thankyou for posting these extraordinarily clear, well-exposed and framed specimen photos. It is a beautiful sample, hopefully someone here will be able to make an ID for you. Jim.
    1 point
  18. Nice hunk of silver! Refinished “used” on eBay right now for $335
    1 point
  19. that flowable silacone sealant is a great product ive recomended it a lot. got a nice jumper to dodge the proprietary plug thing and was not thrilled by the volume of my CTX yellows on the EQ. HR's are better but back when i got mine they had terrible structural issues.--wish something was available--audio is so critical with this machine. cjc
    1 point
  20. Just a guess but I expect more reports of screens developing the spots as we get deeper into the Summer months. Warmth seemed to exasperate the problem I had and I think the dryer idea may make it worse. I was surprised when Minelab told me they had neither heard of the issue , nor could they reproduce it in their facility , when I first saw the issue on a forum and they are supposedly watching the forums and even interacting with certain individuals. I casually read only two forums and their observations should be much more complete than mine. I quite frankly found the suggestion of the screen protector insulting but I understand eliminating the obvious when dealing with the public. One of the reasons I have little use for internet message rooms is that many people don't appear to have even read the manual before started a string of questions.? I believe some of that particular component of the sealed control handle may have an inherent manufacturing flaw of some kind that will work itself out as production consumes those units. It will be a costly pain in the neck for Minelab for a while and a possible glitch for buyers of used Equinoxs to be aware of in the future.
    1 point
  21. NICE dig on a BIG ring! Steve
    1 point
  22. Took my Equinox 800 out to play today . I went to a local Tot lot since it should be almost empty...it was . Found a bunch of clad, first find was a dime, then another dim. I got a solid 13 on it was double hitting, move the sand and there was a nickel....all in all I think I got about 1.77 in clad but I am getting better and ID with sounds...would here it , then look for what I thought it should be....still learning but having fun too....
    1 point
  23. As far as belts I have tried about 10 different styles of belts and then I tried this wide padded tool belt from Dewalt and I can't even tell Im wearing it its so comfortable and will accept any holsters and things I wanna put on it.
    1 point
  24. ColonelDan, Thank you posting this. I now know that I need to check out 1/8 inch stainless steel mesh. I consider 1/4 inch to be to big.
    1 point
  25. LIDAR has come a long way since I worked with it in Alaska. I helped build and operate a LIDAR facility while working for the University of California at their remote research site in Fairbanks. Our area of research was ionospheric, we studied the Ionosphere gases for clues to what causes The Northern Lights. We did some ground penetrating work, but it was very limited due to lack of remote receiving sites around the world. Here are some pictures of the LIDAR building in operation and the telescope and laser. The laser light is yellow, which is the color of Sodium. We were studying Sodium at 90 km altitude. The sky is light in this pic because the pic was taken with a long exposure time. This rotating parabolic dish holds 450 lbs of liquid Mercury. It is used as a telescope because there is no distortion like we get in a glass mirror. The dish is 9 feet in diameter.
    1 point
  26. 1 point
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