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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/22/2019 in all areas

  1. Had a great day hunting in West Texas at a very target-rich environment. I was using the 800 equipped with the 6-inch coil, that's a deadly combination ?
    11 points
  2. Personally I am not assuming anything about the aftermarket coils yet. That's why a few days ago I was asking specifically for objective tests, numbers, and comparisons to the stock coil from the testers, and not just subjective tests finding missed nuggets in old patches which can happen with any machine no matter how good someone is. It happens to all of us. Actually I think Minelab kinda has to tell us, because I'm definitely not in a position to answer those questions. Do you know why the major aftermarket guys haven't done anything by now? If you encourage me to ask myself rhetorical questions then I can certainly come up with rhetorical situations aplenty. 1.) IP prevents legit 3rd parties from developing a coil and Minelab would rather sell SDC backlogs than retool their factory to make a new coil for a product that probably didn't sell a lot of units in the wider scope of things globally, when compared to say an Equinox which is more profitable to create accessories for. And/Or 2.) The X Coil performance is due to a design that allows higher sensitivity and less material (lower resistance or inductance thus less wire weight?) that drives the GPZ to operate outside of FCC specs that Minelab must comply with but a Russian random company can skirt around. Thus Minelab finds itself on an uneven playing field where any product it makes will by nature underperform the 3rd party coils who do not have to comply with FCC regulations and so will lose money by offering their own coils which cannot compete with a 3rd party? 2b.) The electronics not being designed for this lower resistance/inductance/whatever may fail eventually. But we won't know because ML probably has no desire to waste resources testing that scenario if they have no intention of honoring the warranty. 2c.) Or they already know what potentially happens running coils like these because they in fact did make their own, and found it caused issues. Thus they know these X coils may cause issues too. I mean, I could sit here and hypothesize elaborate scenarios all night if encouraged like that. ?
    6 points
  3. I’m very lucky because I live in a country where I have the opportunity to actually pay for my detectors with the gold I find, in fact it is this potential that drives the demand for product which I then sell in our shop. From a gold perspective I’m pretty sure the Australian recreational market/demand for Minelab tech is bigger than the US market. This is down to a few factors, the main one being our soil conditions and the opportunity the Minelab product provides us and secondly the vastness of the detectable locations with ready access. No one in Australia seriously uses anything else other than Minelab if they want to regularly find gold, and I’d say Minelab know this. Steve I hope you haven’t misunderstood my comments about the GPS, the GPS in the GPZ is a carry over from the CTX 3030 and as such was never going to be more than what it was, discussions I’ve had on this subject over the years indicated to me ML were better off focusing on what they do best rather than provide a band aid carry over that is not really suitable for the application, especially if they have no intention of ever improving/investing R&D on it. Hence why I refuse to use it. In answer to others comments in regards to aftermarket coils for the GPZ, it is pretty clear from my perspective ML put a chip in the coil connector for a very good reason which is to circumvent counterfeiting, therefore anyone hacking that chip or modifying it in any way is breaching the intention behind its use, ethically that is a problem for me. Minelab have demonstrated they are willing to outsource coil manufacture, they have been doing this in partnership with Coiltek for years now. So why to date haven’t any of the coil manufactures put the case to Minelab so they can access the chip? There is obviously a big market there just waiting to be tapped into. Maybe they have but have not reached the level of quality and performance required for ZVT? Lastly Steve I sincerely hope you hang around and continue to have input on this discussion, in my opinion Minelab turned a corner with the introduction of the Equinox and I truly hope this direction change will flow through to future gold centric detectors. I’m not sure about your price point desire but I now know thanks to the Equinox they can make a really nicely balanced metal detector. JP
    5 points
  4. Hey JP, That for your knowledge on the detectors, as always it's great to hear what you have to say. When you mentioned about myself and other dealers promoting other units, we then get into another issue - MONEY. I'm sure everyone would love to own a SDC for backpacking, exploring and finding the small gold and then having a $8000 GPZ 7000 to punch down deep. That being said, that investment is nearly $12,000 US. The majority of the prospectors out there have a limited budget, so maybe the GPX 5000 is the best overall investment for someone looking to chase all gold types and being able to use a handful of Minelab and aftermarket searchcoils (NF, Coiltek, Detech and more).
    5 points
  5. At a time when the trend is clearly towards having less detectors and one machine that does the job of a few detectors at once, that is a surprising statement to hear since I felt Minelab were actually the ones sort of pioneering this one detector fits all approach better than anyone else with the Equinox release. And I assumed the GPZ was the same way, one machine to combine performance of older PI's, SDC, and newer ZVT all in one package for those willing to pay for it. Grab one machine and go. Or at least it seemed that was the future promise. Buying an SDC doesn't do anything to solve the weight issue with the existing ML coils either, which as we've seen with the X Coils is a problem which is possible to be addressed if desired. An SDC also doesn't have nearly the configurability with settings as the GPZ does so why would we want to give that up? I mean, if Ford told people who just bought a new F250 that they couldn't put a offroad suspension or a supercharger in and had to buy a brand new Ford Raptor built for that purpose from the factory instead, yet couldn't tow a backhoe, couldn't take a yard of dirt in the bed, or carry a bunk of lumber, they would probably be laughed out of the truck market. No one wants two or more trucks when the one they have could work better than both combined and they already spent a song to get it. Am I wrong or is there really a compelling reason that it's better for the customer to go buy a new SDC instead of a new coil that effectively makes their GPZ do the same task? If Minelab made the coil themselves the IP issue wouldn't exist either, especially if they made a better product, for cheaper and killed the competition through capitalism and not jurisprudence. I just don't see any actual reason buying an SDC would be a better choice, especially when ML could be making lighter 14x13's and 19's on top of it if they came out with a new line of coils. I do see how it's better for Minelab though, especially if SDC sales are faltering. Am I off base? If so, why not just make a coil? I feel like there is some piece of the puzzle missing here...
    5 points
  6. We had a friend come by the studio with some opal samples she brought back from a friend of hers who has an opal mine in Australia. The pieces she brought this time over to the studio were small samples of Boulder opal. The mine is a 3 day drive from Melbourne and over 200k of that drive is off road into the bush a very difficult and somewhat risky drive she says requiring careful preperation and notice to the locals to come looking for you if you fail to come back out is also a good idea. This is a chunk of the local boulder opal, The next question on my mind was is there any gold????? I’m thinking Australia, minerals and gee I wonder and if so, is the owner finding any gold? She didn’t know and sent him a message asking because a friend was interested to know, he’s going to be visiting the US later this month and I invited them both back for a visit when he is here if they have time I’d love to learn more about his adventures. Anyway, my friend sent over some plctures I think might be of interest, seems there is a few nuggets to be found here and there along with the other goodies in the ground.
    4 points
  7. I really regret selling that custom ATX now. It would be my non-VLF alternative to the Equinox at this point in time. If this is the way things are going to be I may have to build another. I really don’t want to get involved in another detector modification project. Having done it once however I could do it again with less effort and get an even better final product. That was truly a project meant to poke a stick in Garrett’s eye in hopes of motivating them to do it right. That being the case I cut some corners. It really needed a built in rechargeable battery system with a charging port for instance. At 4.73 lbs it still needs some weight shaved to make the challenge. Revamping the battery system would probably get me those extra few ounces. With my luck though I would make another one and Garrett would finally introduce a factory built LTX the next day. That’s what I really want. I think I will probably just get the Fisher Impulse AQ and switch from nugget detecting to jewelry detecting while I keep waiting and waiting. It took me 20 years of bitching to get the Equinox so I really am satisfied with my VLF options these days. I guess I can keep complaining and waiting for awhile longer on this. Somebody will crack the code sooner or later... ...or I will get so frustrated I make another LTX! Garrett ATX Strip Down & Rebuild Garrett LTX (custom ATX)
    4 points
  8. Rob you’ve answered your own question in your post and most everyone else’s questions as well. There are VERY good reasons why ML have not gone down the path of more coils for the GPZ, as a dealer the complaint of what a detector does coil wise is answered in the options of products made available. If you WANT a smaller coil and better sensitivity in tight areas then use an SDC 2300, that is what they are designed for, conversely if your an SDC user looking for more depth then I as a dealer would be encouraging the owner to look into the GPZ to cover off on their need for more depth. Both these units have been designed for a specific purpose. The SDC has what is known as ‘narrow band width’ timings, this means they are very good in extremely variable ground conditions with minimal noise, thanks to MPF they are also incredibly sensitive to fast time constant targets (tiny or prickly gold). Narrow Band width means they do not react to a lot of ground noise and salt signal that ‘wide band width’ units like the GPX and GPZ react to! Putting a larger coil on an SDC will increase depth to some degree but open up a whole lot of other issues that go against the original design, in effect fighting against the MPF concept and special tuning of the coil that was required for the SDC to work properly. The SDC was never designed to have coils swapped out so this also opens up a can of worms with regards to warranty etc. An SDC user who goes over some deep ground with a larger coil will still miss a lot of deeper gold that a GPZ will easily find, this comes back to the timings of the SDC and what it was purposely designed for. BTW yes I carry stocks of these coils, customers want what customers want, but I always inform our customers of the draw backs involved and I’m very reserved about installing a coil on an in-warranty unit. In the case of aftermarket coils for the GPZ, I can see Minelab being very unhappy about connectors being cut off other coils to get past the security chip, in essence this is a direct hack against their IP so I’m not sure how this would go legally speaking, unless as Steve has said they are experimental and not offered as an aftermarket option. Minelab take a very dim view of counterfeit and other attacks on their IP. I suppose its a ‘watch this space’ on this subject awaiting further developments. Lastly Steve, IMHO the GPS functions in the GPZ are a carry over from the CTX. I do not even use the GPS function because to my mind it is a resource hog, I would rather my GPZ focus on the act of sensing metal not telling me where I am. If you look at any online GPS forum they are full of hacks on how to deal with data and mapping associated with GPS! Minelab make metal detectors and I feel they should just focus on improving them not worrying about a thing as complex as a GPS! I carry a GPS with me at all times for safety and can do a whole host of different things including interfacing neatly with a PC when I get back to camp. This is just my opinion and I understand everyone has a different viewpoint. JP
    4 points
  9. Hey Steve, I have to agree with you on your statement about the GPZ. I doubt Minelab will promote any aftermarket coil on these units, which in a sense is unfortunate. Many customers since the day the GPZ was introduced were hoping for a option of a few more coils, such as a smaller and larger. They eventually introduced the 19" Super DD Searchcoil, but never anything any smaller. It's always been a debate of mine, as I have found such tiny gold with the GPZ using just the stock 14x13. However, it's not the easiest sized coil to work tight areas, pinpoint in tight locations, or just be a coil that you run on bedrock all day to pick up small gold nuggets (dinks). I personally think a smaller coil would have sold well on the GPZ, maybe something even as small as a 11" Round. The Coiltek/Minelab debate on the SDC is kind of weird. Since the early 90's Coiltek started designing aftermarket searchcoils for the first SD 2000 and on. I was one of the first Coiltek dealers in the US, working under Doc. I still remember the times where I couldn't keep enough coils in stock, the demand worldwide was super high. Doc, in my opinion did an amazing job as a US Distributor and I couldn't see anyone else filling that shoe at that time. Coiltek in my opinion, has always represented Minelab to the highest degree and their coils and detectors always worked great together. I understand the warranty issue on the SDC and maybe the GPZ, as it requires you to do more than just unplug and plug a coil into a connection. The SDC 2300 requires you to remove a side panel, unscrew the cable, remove the cable through the shaft and such, and do the same steps to attach a new aftermarket coil. I do feel anyone that has a SDC 2300, these new coils will give you more performance and options on the SDC. I have sold a good amount of them, mostly the larger ones as customers are looking to achieve more depth and coverage vs. the stock 8" round Mono. I have done some testing to prove this is the case, the larger 11" Round and 14x9" do in fact get more depth, especially on larger gold Gram+ size. I don't recommend anyone buying a larger coil for the SDC to get the same performance on small gold as the 8" Round. I think it has always been a old "rule of thumb" as you increase the coil size in length and width, you will loose some sensitivity to small gold, but start getting a bit more depth on larger gold and move coverage per swing. Just my ramblings ....
    4 points
  10. I`m still not getting out for a great deal of hours and it is ages since I got a nice piece at depth but I went out for about 1½ hours yesterday and got one similar to the last one I got. The bottom one is yesterdays piece. It was only 1" down and a very iffy signal with the 7000. These two came from 2 different spots maybe 5 miles apart.
    3 points
  11. No worries JP. I am fully on board with built in GPS and XChange being a waste of money and resources if that is how you see it and will no longer advocate for the system. Silly really if even Minelab does not care about it, as is rather apparent. They broke it for a year so it's obviously not something to get invested in as it could be abandoned at any time. Back to Garmin for me. It's unfortunate though as it is a system unique to Minelab and could have been leveraged for competitive advantage. The fix I propose has nothing to do with hardware and would take a 14 year old coder a day to implement. Too much to expect I guess so I give up. The good news there is I don't have to bother writing part 3 of the series I started and then put on hold when Minelab broke it. I'll possibly do a different thread instead on how to export out of XChange to move on to something else. Which is why there is no need for me to participate in the thread. I wanted a small coil for the GPZ and I won't get a SDC to have one. I also am not interested in the aftermarket stuff. Like Jason I kind of thought the GPZ would have more legs as a developing ecosystem but it sounds like Minelab is already abandoning it to work on whatever comes next. As I have stated elsewhere I am not in the market for a replacement until next year anyway so it really just does not matter to me all that much at the moment. I was kind of assuming that I would be getting another GPZ but the reality is I don't have to even think about it until next winter. By then GPZ will be getting pretty long in the tooth and I may just wait on whatever comes next. Honestly, I could not be happier with what we already have for options. It's just my nature to always push for more. That and I am a spoiled brat. All I ever wanted was a small coil for the GPZ and the import/export for XChange. Since not even one of the two things I wanted are forthcoming after 4 years I am throwing a temper tantrum and holding my breath until I turn blue and pass out. That'll show Minelab!!
    3 points
  12. You hit the nail on the head, Rob. I think this is the underlying gap that Minelab is content with and that we are not. I love my GPZ, but it is not a good fit in many environments. And so we are forced into experimenting and tinkering with our equipment. I *do* believe this will put a bit more pressure on Minelab to reconsider previous decisions with what options they will offer. But time will tell.
    3 points
  13. If you can plug an after market coil into a GPX and not void warranty why not the GPZ. Minelab made the GPX detectors for many years and did not develop coil technology, the aftermarket boys did. If Minelab dont want to make coils for the GPZ then let the aftermarket boys get the chips and make them simple. I realise its a difficult area to run a viable business but costumers are always right.
    3 points
  14. Hey Al I can only speak from my personal experience within the Victorian Goldfields. We have some of the most mineralised ground in the world. The honest truth (IMHO) is that most, if not all, VLF machines will struggle. The likes of the Minelab Goldmonster, Fisher Gold Bug etc will get gold but you have to pick your ground. White pipe clay, mullock heaps and quartz piles are the usual targets for those machines. They certainly don't punch as deep as a PI machine and are harder to work in our soil. But they are cheaper. As for PI machines - not all are created equal. Although the basic technology is the same, the way they handle mineralised ground, emi etc is very different. Basically you get what you pay for. For my way of thinking, for a beginner who wants an intermediate machine thats easy to use and a proven gold getter - a Minelab SDC2300 is the way to go. The Whites is an ok machine but I have yet to see one perform as well as the Minelab (down here anyway). I have only seen one in use down here and it has found gold but not much. The user was struggling to get the depths of the Minelab due to having to dumb it down to handle the mineralised ground. Now I do admit that I am a Minelab fan so I'm probably a little biased but if I am always open to other machines if they prove themselves as capable as the Minelabs. In other countries where soils aren't quite as hot, I'm sure I'd certainly have more of a choice. Disclaimer:: I am only speaking about how the machines work over here in AUS (especially down in Vic). So please all you guys based in the US, dont jump down my throat because another machine may work better over there. ?? regards Pat
    3 points
  15. There is a very famous saying about the word “Assume”, everyone is assuming the aftermarket coils are as good as the ML offerings. But of course if it is supplied as an aftermarket option there is a lot of latitude if the coil is not up to standard (especially in advertising and promotion) and as has been demonstrated over the years ML are more often than not blamed if there is a supposed problem anyway!! The Equinox is a totally different animal compared to the GPZ or SDC so is not a good example, just like the CTX is in a league all its own. The Equinox just does a good job of a lot of things all at once so is in my opinion a VERY good cross over unit, however in gold ground it does not stack up against MPF or ZVT, not even close. If you factor in the price of aftermarket and then add the expense of a sacrificial coil either via second hand purchase or cannibalising an existing very expensive coil the price is getting up there for springing for an SDC or on par if you go used! I understand the need for smaller coils on the GPZ, I also understand the need for less weight, but you have to ask yourself the question “why have Minelab done it this way?, and “why haven’t the major aftermarket guys not done anything by now?” The success for the GPZ should speak for itself I would think. If you want lighter and smaller then I’ve suggested the options available right now without the risk of voiding warranty or damaging your machine. Not trying to be a kill joy, just that assumptions can be very misleading and expensive when reality bites! JP
    3 points
  16. I have to admit I am getting extremely frustrated that no detector company is up to this challenge. I posted this nearly two years ago now and still no ground balancing PI detectors under 4 lbs, under $2K with the exception of the White's TDI models. White's TDI SL Special Edition There is the new Fisher Impulse AQ on the way soon, but the first version is a beach detector. It may or may not develop into a good dry land unit. It's all particularly maddening because I am perfectly satisfied with the performance of the Garrett ATX circuit. I simply want the electronics in a dry land design with simple dry land coils. It's an easy project, but Garrett is steadfastly not doing it. I honestly just don't get it. The machine I want would blow away ATX unit sales and with a lower production costs no reason margins would take a hit. Garrett is generally smarter than this so it is a puzzle. And where is Nokta/Makro? Like I said.... frustrated. If I ignore my under 4 lb under $2K criteria, what machine in my opinion gets the closest? That would be the Minelab GPX 4500. The battery is put on a harness and so the actual detector "weight on arm" is 5.3 lbs and you can get them brand new for $2699 or less. I just can't bring myself to go with the TDI SL because it lacks the horsepower and so if I personally had to get a GBPI detector tomorrow and wanted to get as close as possible to my under 4 lb under $2K detector I would have to settle for the GPX 4500 as being as close as I could get without shooting myself in the foot. Minelab GPX 4500
    3 points
  17. Hmmm, as an early adoptee of detector & coil technology that has lead to early substantial finds, tis the above that makes one consider ones unselfishness and perhaps just keep to oneself and enjoy the success that often comes with being an early adoptee and of course the let downs when they are not productive products. But your right in hypothesizing all different kinds of scenarios as to why ML acts like ML does etc etc, me I just like the standard of life their advances have given me, but encourage and support aftermarket improvements, simply because time has shown some not all of them have been top producers. "Av a go" and take the plunge, be positive, early adoptees are grinners.?
    2 points
  18. Yep that upper shaft that the guts of the "SDC" is mounted on, is a "Sandy Shaft", an aftermarket shaft that takes the standard lower coil shaft that most coils fit, but with closer tolerance thus no "sloppery" movement, fits the GPXs, GPs, SDs etc etc. and to answer your question MN, the new Coitek SDC coils. Allows to interchange coils as per normal. In time I`ll get back on my impressions of the Coilteks (SDC) and the X (Z) coils performance. Time sorts these things out.
    2 points
  19. Phoenix as a user has said where I stand also as a user, and I suspect from the number of aftermarket coils out there this is so for most users. I`ve got a 11" coiltek for the SDC and have a 15"X coil in the mail. Having to cut a coil lead to make a patch, sucks big time, having to partially dismantle to fit an aftermarket coil sucks as much ( although this is not relevant in my case, below photo illustrates this, "The SDC the user wants"), but as users we`ll do it. Thus it is good to see this "debate" involve dealers as well as users, it should ensure ML are listening because as a user tis about getting gold foremost what lengths a manufacturer goes to protect their intellectual "rights" means little to the user and the users market, we`ll go to the product that performs.
    2 points
  20. Nice to have you back Rob... your posts are always welcome! If Minelab ever produces a small coil for the GPZ 7000 and a import/export function for XChange I will consider getting another GPZ. I expected both those items by now and Minelab failed to produce. We should not have to be relying on the aftermarket for coils and software hacks to get support on the most expensive consumer metal detector ever sold. The idea I have to cut the end off a $1500 coil cable to make another coil work is ludicrous to me. Instead now all I have to do is hope for a 6 x 10 coil for my Equinox
    2 points
  21. I do what I can to foster competition that develops alternatives to the all too common VLF detector. There are plenty of options out there, but in my opinion they all weigh too much or cost too much. Usually both. I envision people out there with a popular VLF metal detector for beach, relic, or gold detecting. These machines all sell for around $700 and weigh 2.5 - 3.9 lbs. Perhaps they would like to add a ground balancing PI (GBPI) to what they have. I think that for "normal people" with normal budgets a machine under $2K and under four pounds just makes sense. It would be more than twice what they spent for their VLF, and in this day and age there is no reason why a decent PI should weigh over 4 lbs. I am drawing the hard line at 5 lbs. I am setting under 4 lbs more as an aspirational goal that I think can be achieved, but recognize that battery power and coils are key inhibiting factors in high power PI systems that may make sacrifices in depth necessary to get total weight under 4 lbs. To clarify what I am talking about here, I should say that for many people a $700 VLF detector is a great place to start and in many cases is all a person ever needs. However, there are places where extreme ground mineralization and mineralized rocks (hot rocks) severely impede the performance and use of VLF detectors. Alternative technology to deal with these conditions has been developed, by far the most familiar being the Minelab ground balancing PI (GBPI) detectors. These differ from common PI detectors by having the ability to ground balance. Other brands have offered the Garrett Infinium (discontinued) plus Garrett ATX and the White's TDI models. These detectors are used not just for gold prospecting but also by relic hunters, beach detectorists, and others who face challenges regarding ground mineralization and VLF detectors. Frankly, in my opinion GBPI technology is largely maxed out. The main room for improvement comes now in better ergonomics at lower prices. This challenge therefore limits detectors to those that weigh under 4 pounds with battery included, and which sell brand new with warranty after discounts for under US$2000. Detectors need not be ground balancing PI models, but must offer similar ability to ignore mineralized ground and hot rocks that trouble VLF detectors. I am going to rate detectors as to their relative performance using what I call the "Minelab Rating Scale. Details here. 1. Minelab SD 2000 - crude first version, very poor on small gold, excellent on large deep gold 2. Minelab SD 2100 - vastly refined version of SD 2000 3. Minelab SD 2200 (all versions) - adds crude iron disc, ground tracking 4. Minelab GP Extreme - adds greatly improved sensitivity to small gold, overall performance boost. 5. Minelab GP 3000 - Refined GP Extreme 6. Minelab GP 3500 - Greatly refined GP 3000, last and best of analog models 7. Minelab GPX 4000 - First digital interface, rock solid threshold 8. Minelab GPX 4500 - Refined GPX 4000, solid performer 9. Minelab GPX 4800 - Released at same time as GPX 5000 as watered down version 10. Minelab GPX 5000 - Culmination of the series, current pinnacle of GBPI prospecting machine technology. All Minelab models leverage an existing base of over 100 coil options from tiny to huge. I am a very practical person when it comes to detecting. I know all the existing models and options by all brands very well, perhaps better than almost anyone. This is the way I look at it is this. If I personally were to spend a lot of money to go gold prospecting for one month, and needed a GBPI detector, considering machines past and present, what would I get and in what order of choice? Put aside concerns of age, warranty, etc. just assume functioning detectors. Here is the issue in a nutshell. On the Minelab scale of one to ten as listed above, I would be generous in rating the White's TDI SL as a 2. Same with the Garrett Infinium which I will mention in passing as it is no longer being made. If I was going to spend a month of my time and a lot of money going on a prospecting trip, I would choose a TDI in any version over the SD 2000. I might go with a TDI Pro over a SD 2100 but I would have to think real hard about that, and when push comes to shove I would go SD 2100 were it not for the realities of age I said to ignore. A newer TDI Pro might be a better bet than a very old SD 2100 from a reliability standpoint, but again, this would be a tough choice. The TDI SL not really. In my opinion I would be shooting myself in the foot to go on this hypothetical trip with a TDI SL instead of a SD 2100. You see the problem now? The Garrett ATX fares better. I would rate it a 3, roughly analogous to the SD 2200 variants. Still an agonizing choice really and the ATX being new versus SD 2200 being old might again be the tipping point, but from a pure prospecting options perspective the case can be made that the SD 2200 might be the better way to go. The problem for this challenge is the ATX weighs way over 4 lbs and sells for slightly over $2000. The price is close enough really but the 7 lb weight is way off. That's it folks. That is reality. The best of the best that the competition can offer can only go solidly up against models Minelab has not made in years. I am not saying that to be mean or as some kind of Minelab toadie, that is my pure unvarnished opinion as a guy who is pretty well versed on the subject. Let's bring it all home. This person with the $700 machine really, really wants that under 4 lb, under $2K GBPI machine, but if they do their homework they discover that truthfully, they would be better off shopping for a used Minelab than what the competition offers new. With the TDI SL rated as a 2 the ATX in a much lighter box at under $2K is a solid win as a 3. A well designed ATX with standard dry land coils would look very enticing as compared to the GP series Minelabs. But Garrett refuses to budge! White's can certainly do something, anything to improve the TDI SL. A battery that lasts all day would be a good start. In the end they are limited by the basic single channel design of the machine. The SD 2000 dual channel design was literally the answer to and the improvement on the single channel technology used in the TDI, the basics of which predate the SD 2000. Still, White's currently owns the under 4 lb under $2K GBPI category so they have the first out of the starting gate advantage. Anything they do would at the very least just show they have not given up. The Minelab MPS patent that formed the basis of the SD series has expired. Not sure about DVT, which formed the basis of the GP series. Where is the competition? What the heck is going on here? Much gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair is going on here, that's what!!! That is my challenge to the manufacturers. Under 4 lbs, under $2K, on the 1-10 scale I am offering, what is the best you can do? The TDI SL as a 2? Really? Yes, really, that is currently the best of the best in the brand new ground balancing PI, full warranty, under 4 lb, under $2k category. You can pick up a 3.5 lb TDI SL right now brand new for $1049. The White's TDI SL takes the crown. Note that a challenger has a half pound of weight they can add to the TDI SL and still make the 4 lb mark, and retail can be almost double the $1049 of the TDI SL and still come in at the 2K mark. I therefore do not think my challenge is outright crazy. Hopefully we will see more competition in this wide open category soon. I have been beating this drum for years to no avail, but I do have reason to believe we are finally going to see more alternatives soon. I hope. Maybe? All I know is I have had it. I sold both my 6.9 lb Garrett ATX and 7.2 lb Minelab GPZ 7000 and am boycotting metal detectors that weigh over 5 lbs from here on out. I don’t care how well they work, I simply refuse to buy such heavy beasts anymore. In the future I will support and give my dollars to companies that pay attention to and prioritize lightweight, more ergonomic designs. White's Electronics TSI SL metal detector
    1 point
  22. Way too much common sense in this thread for me to comprehend in on sitting.At this time I would not think twice about buying a used GP series (3000 or newer) over a new PI of any non Minelab brand. But you all know I highly value my own opinions.
    1 point
  23. I think the right lightweight pi would sell like hotcakes. That said, its not gonna be easy to develop a pi circuit that is not full of detection holes, due to sizes and shapes of nuggets. We have seen this in the past with different machines and their limitations. Its gonna take a multi channel unit. Maybe Fisher is well on the way to developing such a machine for us, time will tell. Plus these days we require a pi detector that can really reach down deep on 1/2 gram to 2.5 gram nuggets. These seem to be the leftover nuggets 8"-17" deep in old goldfields that havn't been detected as of yet. Plus an added bonus would be a machine capable of finding grain size gold deep. Those are the two types gold left in the old goldfields we are hunting these days. The gpz has been in the forefront in last couple yrs with finding this type gold, but at the price point of the machine and the weight of it, I am much more interested in investing in a new machine under 4 lbs, and under 2K.
    1 point
  24. I agree with that 100% JW. My comments were not directed at anybody. I`ve seen quite a few people on different forums say "my detector is out of warrenty anyway" The thought I have had for a long time and I wanted to express it is, if Minelab is going to void warranties I expect they will also NOT repair detectors that have had unsanctioned coils hanging off them. I think people should at least consider that. Dave
    1 point
  25. found this about the 8th cav.. 1905–42 In 1905, the regiment was ordered to the Philippines with the assignment of defending the islands from guerrilla activity. In addition, they patrolled supply and communications lines and sources of water on the islands of Luzon and Jolo. The Regiment returned to the United States briefly in 1907, but in 1910, the 8th Regiment returned to the Philippines for their second tour of Pacific duty. This time the troopers fought the rebellious tribesmen on the island of Mindanao and in the Sulu Archipelago. In the battle of Bansak Mountain in June 1913, a total of 51 members of the 8th Cavalry's Troop "H" joined other soldiers in a violent battle with hundreds of Moro warriors on Jolo. In September 1914, the regiment was stationed at Camp Stotsenburg, Philippine Islands and performed the usual garrison duties. On 21 September, it joined with the 7th Cavalry Regiment to form a provisional cavalry brigade. Returning to the United States on 12 September 1915, the regiment was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, as part of the 15th Cavalry Division. Troops were dispatched along the border for the purpose of subduing the activity of Mexican bandits who were giving the ranchers a great deal of trouble. Responding to a border raid at Columbus, New Mexico, by Pancho Villa, an expedition led by John J. Pershing was launched into Mexico on 15 March 1916. First Lieutenant George Smith Patton, Jr. was one of Pershing's aides-de-camp.[7] On 31 July 1916 a US Customs officer and a private were killed and a sergeant wounded in a clash between the 8th Cavalry and Mexican bandits of whom five were killed.[8] "On April 7, 1918; there was a skirmish with Mexican bandits. In Commanding at Fort Hancock during this time from Dec 2, 1917 to May 10, 1918, was Capt. Thomas Henry Rees, Jr."[9] On 13 September 1921, with the initiation of the National Defense Act, the 1st Cavalry Division was formally activated at Fort Bliss, Texas. The first unit of the 1st Cavalry Division, the 1st Cavalry Regiment, had been preassigned to the 1st Division on 20 August 1921, nearly a month before the formal divisional activation date. Upon formal activation, the 7th, 8th, and 10th Cavalry Regiments were assigned to the new division. It served as a horse cavalry regiment until 1942, when it took part in amphibious training
    1 point
  26. I think many manufacturers are too caught up in developing mass produced detectors to keep the cash rolling in these days vs developing specialty detectors to cater for what is probably a smaller cross section of the market . Possibly seen as too much of a financial risk vs return type scenario, especially if some previously released detectors have not fared as well as expected. Would that mean that for a new lightweight PI gold detector to be a financial success, would they have widen its a appeal to both those new to the hobby through to the more experienced prospector by offering a simple though powerful platform that anyone can master in a short period of time. The Goldmonster comes to mind as a simplified detector out of the box that can be a turn on and go proposition (despite being VLF), whereas previous Minelab gold VLF's require a decent amount of experience to gain optimum performance/setup, thus have limiting appeal to the masses. That also means embracing new technology to get the weight down on these detectors, including use of lightweight lithium battery packs, composite materials etc - afterall this is 2019, not the 1990's.
    1 point
  27. Holy smokes, Dan! What a ton of buttons!!! NICE! Steve
    1 point
  28. Thats a big pile of Great Seal buttons!!!! Awesome token too!!!!
    1 point
  29. War nickels I have found don't get that copper color and usually stay gray or silvery.
    1 point
  30. 1 point
  31. Not at this site, WWI-WWII dump site, but, makes for some fun hunting anyway ?
    1 point
  32. I'm still kicking myself for not bidding on the ATX you modified and ended up selling on Ebay (with multiple coils) for ~$1k. I hope we're not seeing at Garrett what happens way too often (e.g. Tesoro) where a business is handed down to the next generation and subsequently run into the ground. Charles Garrett wasn't your typical detector designer/manufacturer/marketer, but still. His son had plenty of years to learn. Maybe he'll surprise us yet, but so far I'm not impressed. I've been hopeful that First Texas would step up, given all their design and engineering experience, including Carl Moreland who played a major roll in the White's TDI line. And let's not forget that Minelab, who has held such a stranglehold on the PI market, is certainly capable of making lightweight, affordable detectors as they proved with the Equinox. Steve, there are a lot of us who share your frustration.
    1 point
  33. He had 2 and I bought 1. I was hoping he still had the one left.
    1 point
  34. New PB for me 35 grams, bit over a foot deep, very happy! ??
    1 point
  35. When I first saw this thread I thought you found more lead (Pb)! I wonder how many others think that until they see that great nugget. Mitchel
    1 point
  36. Hey Jasong, I have emailed my Rep, so I will let you know what Minelab has to say about those questions. It's very possible they will not answer the questions, beyond anything done to the SDC or GPZ to accommodate aftermarket coils could or will void the factory warranty. I will definitely let you know what I hear back and hopefully it's able to be posted on the public forums.
    1 point
  37. Yeah but now that you bought it it’s gone. The links no good.
    1 point
  38. Rob, since you are a dealer, if you get the free time or happen to be talking to Minelab already for other issues, could you try to see if they'll release some official statement to my two questions in my post above? As you mention coils were a robust aftermarket business for dealers, and there is certainly a demand from customers, so it seems like it'd be good for all of us to know one way or another what the future (or current) plans are here. Steve, these X Coils are already released and available for purchase, unless I misunderstood the other thread? Either way, it's still time, IMO, that they let us know if they are going to release their own smaller coil or not by now too, independent of wether or not anyone else is developing aftermarket coils. If so, I'd simply wait for that one (assuming its not years away) and case closed for me.
    1 point
  39. I've bought from Brian, he's very good to deal with.
    1 point
  40. Does anyone know if they would come out of the ground dirty as a regular Jefferson? I have about 500 niks to go through but for me it would be well worth it if I had one in the mix. I have several War Niks and one of em is the 43' S high tone. Would love to have a Henning.
    1 point
  41. Lets just say it was in the Golden Triangle ? 14 inch coiltek Elite was the coil, GPX 4500 the machine
    1 point
  42. From A Guidebook of Buffalo and Jefferson Nickels by Q. David Bowers: Production of regular-alloy nickels took place at the Philadelphia and Denver mints through the end of the summer (1942). On October 8, 1942, the silver-content began to be used, after which through the end of the year, the Philadelphia and San Francisco mints producted the new coins. The wartime silver alloy was continued in use past the end of World War II, until December 1945. From 1943 through 1945, coinage was effected at all three mints. (and later) In 1946 the regular alloy was resumed, and it has been continued ever since. So, the answer is 'no', at least by intent. This doesn't rule out occasional (rare) errors where the wrong alloy or wrong planchet (e.g. a penny planchet being struck with 5 cent dies) resulted in anomolous production.
    1 point
  43. Broken antenna. All fixed now.
    1 point
  44. The problem with the little half battery is the battery life, i unlike you steve need a battery that lasts all day like the current GPX battery does, the little half battery although i would love to be able to stick it to the side and become "wire free" is not viable when im kilometres from the car prospecting on the side of a hill somewhere... i tend to walk around quite a lot and dont carry spares with me ....What i need is a little battery that has a big batteries "life"! ahh in an ideal world :)
    1 point
  45. Novices and newcomers and extreme fans may want one just because you put it on the list...it is just human nature to skip over the explanations and facts to get to a conclusion... No one can say you have not given clear explanations of your desires and opinions...kudos! fred
    1 point
  46. OK, final note. Just in case novices or newcomers to the forum are reading all this and taking it as a full blown endorsement of the White's TDI SL. Far from it. I have rigged the game here by placing an reasonable (in my opinion) but artificial set of limits in place. The reality is that many detector users really only care about one thing - pure power. If you are a gold prospector who finds substantial amounts of gold (money) while metal detecting, all else is secondary. Cost is less important because your tools are paying for themselves. Higher cost just means more hours before reaching the breakeven point. For some people price is just not an issue. And ergonomics? I once jokingly told a Minelab engineer he could put spikes in the armrest that made me bleed every minute I was detecting, and if it meant I found a lot more gold, I would do it! Exaggeration perhaps but not that far off the mark either. Given that reality the fact is there just is not a huge demand for machines near last place. The TDI SL shines here because of the parameters I have set up, but it only shines as far as weight and cost. Being a 2 on my "Minelab Scale" means there are a lot of detectors out there with far better performance, especially as not all of them are on that list, like the ATX and SDC 2300. The TDI SL is pretty low on the totem pole. The reality I faced when using the TDI SL was that in low mineral ground it truly is not any better than any good VLF run in all metal mode. In fact given that most VLF detectors will hit smaller gold, and offer some form of ferrous discrimination, the TDI SL is a step backwards. White's own GMT and MXT models both are more compelling choices for most people working in lower mineral environments. You have to get into ground so mineralized or with hot rocks so bad that the GMT or MXT are really struggling before you really see the benefit of the TDI SL. Having a hard time ground balancing, machine overloads unless sensitivity backed way, way down? Hot rocks nearly every swing? Break out the TDI SL and those issues just go away. This is why many people who don't get around much or have not experienced those types of ground conditions are truly puzzled by the TDI SL. Their VLF pretty much kicks its posterior, so they just don't get it, and even go so far as to think the machine is a rip off. A lot of the ground I have encountered in Northern Nevada, for instance, is mild enough that I believe I would be better off running a GMT than a TDI SL, especially given the prevalence of small and porous type gold. Bottom line is that for the TDI SL to look good compared to a decent VLF, you need some really bad ground. So before you go thinking "aha, Steve says I should buy a TDI SL" think again. What I am really trying to do here is get more and better machines into this under 4 lb, under $2K region. The TDI SL simply wins by default.
    1 point
  47. great Job!!best forumm in the world!!from Finland☺ sorry my "rally English"
    1 point
  48. Very nice outcome, I like it much better than the military design. Now you can get started showing Minelab how the SDC2300 should look? hehe.
    1 point
  49. I'm not to big on trendy styling... Give me functional over trendy design any time.
    1 point
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