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Showing content with the highest reputation on 01/13/2021 in all areas
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Late this afternoon I snuck in a beach hunt. It was very disappointing in the beginning. The conditions were just great with a low tide but there was nothing much down low. I began following the advice I gave Adam about Zig Zagging and it was only producing odd targets. Sometimes the beach just doesn't have much to give you I began to say. When I reached one of my good beaches after about a mile walk and the conditions weren't right it was time to return on the high side. This I did and I worked my way into a few coins rather than just trash and by now I had 3 cheap rings which I would have been 'satisfied' with had I gotten back to my car then but it was a great sunset again. This time I didn't have my phone so no pictures of it. I worked the high side for a bit with a grid and then I heard a little 1. When I say 'little' I mean it was not very loud. It was consistent and I was hopeful. I don't get many 1's so in my first scoop I could see something sandy hanging from it and it had knots. It wasn't exactly balled up but I could tell it was a chain and I was hopeful. I could see it ... GOLD! And when I got it home I was able to measure it. It is 30 inches (a delicate link) that weighs 8.4 grams. That gives me some pause but I'll get it checked and modify the post if it is a fake. Here it is with the other junk from the hunt. Here is a hunt from 4 days ago when there was a lot less than today. Mitchel
17 points -
If the number of controls had anything to do with how well a detector works, the Whites V3i would be the worlds most powerful metal detector.10 points
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I'll be adopting a wait and see approach to this one. I'm after a third detector to always have a spare when we are miles from nowhere. However, this might have too much irrelevant crap on it for my liking, such as wireless headphones, which I will never use, and possibly too much " automation ". I'm expecting it to sit midway in pricing between a 5000 and ZED, so it won't be cheap either ! A good used 5000 might be in order, to complement our 4500, and ZED with X coils ! Cheers, Rick6 points
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Hi guys! Well, I just this couple minutes ago on Facebook! Looks awesome!
5 points -
Took my Gold Racer out for just over an hour to an area I had picked up the barber earlier this year. There is a lot of brush and the GR solid coil works well for poking around. Along the shore of the lake I noticed a stretch of bog iron, the lake bottom is usually a light gray. Ran my coil over the area and hit some coin sized objects but numbers bit low which I expect and just under the bog iron was these coins, 1883 IH, trashed IH and an 1873 seated dime. The pond is pretty hard pack gravel so old stuff isn't that deep. Oddly that stupid sinker was about 6" down in the rocks below and tough to dig out and find. Will hit this side of the lake in the spring when it thaws.
5 points -
Do you have a choice?5 points
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Damn it....I want one! NOT Reeses' garbage can lid, one of those 6000's.........5 points
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I no longer remember the name I gave the detector 🤔4 points
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4 points
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With the Mono coils provided as standard equipment and no mention of iron reject, I suspect iron reject is not an included feature and possibly also not compatible with legacy GPX coils (ML or 3rd party). If that is the case, it won’t be very popular with the relic hunter crowd other than the fact that it does appear to be lighter, weatherproof, and no cables flopping about. If it had/has iron reject and legacy GPX DD coil compatibility - no brainer for me, there would be a used GPX 4800 up on the classifieds board tomorrow. But without it, would have to wait for a highly discounted, lightly used “oops why did I buy this?” unit. But Simon, it has a built-in loudspeaker!4 points
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The GPX 6000 is a new gold prospecting metal detector from Minelab. The Minelab GPX 6000 is a pulse induction (PI) gold nugget detector, featuring a lightweight, well-balanced, rainproof package, coil options, built in wireless headphone capability, and quick release Li-Ion rechargeable batteries. See the specifications below for details. The Minelab GPX 6000 is powered by the all new GeoSense-PITM technology, which analyzes and responds to ground signals with great clarity and precision. Now you can detect difficult environments once thought undetectable. GeoSense-PITM technology rapidly suppresses unwanted signals via three overlapping feedback systems for superfast detection of all gold pieces. The GPX 6000 has three search coils available, an 11" round mono, a 17" elliptical mono, and a 14" round DD coil. The coils are not compatible with other GPX coils, having an entirely different connector. The Minelab GPX 6000 will be packaged with different coils in different regions. The Africa model will come with the 11" mono and 17" elliptical coils, plus two batteries. The U.S. model will instead include the 11" mono and 14" DD coils, and a single battery. Mains and DC charging adapters are included, as well as the new Minelab ML 100 wireless headphones. NEW! - Minelab GPX 6000 Video Training Series Minelab GPX 6000 gold nugget detector MINELAB GPX 6000 FEATURES POWERED BY GeoSense-PITM - GeoSense-PITM technology quickly and precisely analyzes gold signals buried in the ground, so you'll be able to ear all gold pieces clearly and accurately. FIND ALL GOLD - Built by the world leader in metal detection technology, Minelab's GPX 6000TM is the fastest, lightest and simplest way to find all types of gold in one machine - from tiny pieces of gold to that elusive 'retirement' nugget. EASY EXPERT - With automatic features and an easy-to-use interface, you'll be an expert at finding gold from the moment you turn on your GPX 6000TM. Because Automatic Ground Balance continuously adapts to changing soil conditions as you swing your detector over the ground, there's no need to adjust any settings. Finding gold has never been easier. LIGHTER SWING - The GPX 6000TM weighs only 2.1 kg (4.6 lbs) with the 11" mono coil and 2.3 kg (5.1 lbs) with the 14" DD coil. The GPX 6000TM features light carbon fiber shafts, streamlined control box, and signature U-FlexTM armrest - detect longer and feel comfortable doing it. With a Li-Ion quick-release rechargeable battery supplied, you can detect for up to 8 hours on a single charge. BUILT TO LAST - Tested in the harsh environments of the Australian outback, the GPX 6000TM can withstand extreme heat and heavy rains. A 3 year warranty is included, backed by Minelab's global support. CHOICE OF COILS - The GPX 6000TM includes a versatile 11" Monoloop coil for tight spaces and pinpointing tiny gold pieces, and a large 14" Double-D coil to detect gold accurately even in salty environments (both coils waterproof to 1 m / 3.3'). LOUD AND CLEAR AUDIO - Whether listening to the 'loud and clear' external speaker or the supplied wireless Bluetooth headphones, you'll never miss out on the sound of gold with the GPX 6000TM. MINELAB GPX 6000 SPECIFICATIONS Search Modes / Ground Type - Difficult (Default) / Normal Double-D Modes - EMI Cancel (Default) / Conductive Ground Cancel Ground Balance - Auto / Manual (Quick-Trak) Noise Cancel - Auto Sensitivity - Manual (Levels 1-10) / Auto (Level 11) /Auto+ (Level 12) Threshold Tone - On / Off Volume - 5 Levels Length Extended - 145 cm / 57 inches Length Collapsed - 76 cm / 30 inches Weight - 2.1 kg / 4.6 lbs (with 11" mono coil) Display - Monochrome LCD with Backlight (Low, Med, High, Off) Audio Output - In-built Speaker / Wired 3.5mm (1/8") Headphone Jack Wireless - Bluetooth aptX Low Latency Supplied Headphones - ML 100 Wireless Headphone Supplied Battery - Quick Release Li-Ion Battery, 5833 mAH Chargers - AC Mains Charger & 12V Battery Clip Cable Included Battery Runtime - Approximately 8 Hours Supplied Search Coils - GPX11 11" Round Mono & GPX14 14" Round DD Optional Search Coils - GPX17 17" Elliptical Mono Waterproof - Coils Submersible to 1 meter / 3.3 feet and Detector Splash / Rain Proof Key Technologies - GeoSense PITM / Bluetooth / aptX Low Latency Minelab GPX 6000 User Manual Minelab GPX 6000 Accessories & Spare Parts Minelab GPX 6000 Video Training Series Minelab Metal Detector Forum Note: Minelabs GPX 6000 features three coil options: the GPX11 11" monoloop coil for versatile gold hunting, the GPX14 14" Double-D coil to detect gold accurately even in salty environments, and the GPX17 17" elliptical coil, to find large gold nuggets at greater depth. All coils are waterproof to 1 meter (3 feet). Early information indicates the Africa model will come with the 11" mono and 17" elliptical coils, while the U.S. model will instead include the 11" round mono and 14" round DD coils. Minelab GPX 6000 control summary Bluetooth® Control Enables Bluetooth® for connection of wireless headphones - Initiates Bluetooth® pairing mode for connecting Bluetooth® headphones (long press for at least 2.5 seconds). Backlight Adjust Cycles through the backlight brightness settings - High, medium, low and off Power On/Off - Turns the detector on and off - Restores factory default settings (press and hold from off for at least 7 seconds). Sensitivity Adjust - Adjusts the sensitivity level. Ground Type - Toggles between Difficult and Normal Ground Type. Toggles between the Threshold On / Off settings (long press for at least 2.5 seconds). Noise Cancel - Initiates the Noise Cancel process. When a Double‑D coil is connected, toggles between the Double‑D Modes — EMI Cancel and Conductive Ground Cancel (long press for at least 2.5 seconds). Volume Adjust - Adjusts the audio Volume Level. Quick‑Trak - Press and hold Quick‑Trak Ground Balance to conduct a Ground Balancing operation. Minelab GPX 6000 relative performance Minelab GPX 6000 control closeup3 points
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Hello, everyone. My name’s Greg and I’m a metal detector in Catawba County NC. If anyone else is from the area I would love to meet up for a hunt. For your viewing pleasure, I’ve attached a nice little flat button I found yesterday at an early 1800s site I have permission on.
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After seeing a new post from others and NM about some new accessories, I started to ponder the old naming contest about a new multi freq. detector. We all have posted our thoughts and hopes on this new multi and a PI. First question, Did anyone win the contest? The date of start for said contest was September 21, 2018. That's 1014 days since its start. I'm not the smartest, But you would think you had the product developed and ready for the winning name, To give you some time for marketing. Lets say a year for printing, adds and a selling platform. (Frustrated) I know we all have said it just takes TIME, We want to see what the competition puts out first so we can make a better product. Blah, Blah. A lot of people participated in the contest hoping to actually name a new detector. (How cool would that be). It feels like NM left a lot of people hanging with a great marketing idea that just won't happen. I'm hoping this is not the case, I would love to see one of our members name a detector. I love my Kruzer and wouldn't trade it for anything,But after drifting through some of NM's Time lines, I'm wondering how much longer? September 21, 2018 - Naming Contest October 8, 2020 - Missouri service center February 28, 2019 - Georgia service center October 26, 2020 - New thermal thermometer April 2, 2019 - pulse dive scuba November 26, 2020 - Sand Scoop July 31, 2019 - Simplex + January 11, 2021 - back pack and pp holster (no pricing) July 7, 2020 - mini and midi hoard I was just wondering out loud here, Has anyone heard any vaguery, innuendo, hints, insinuation, or whisper of any new detector coming from NM? To quote Simon (How long is too long) . AFTER 1014 DAYS I think it might be time to give some answers. Your thoughts and whispers are welcome to my ears3 points
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3 points
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Simon - There are good detectorists in any part of the world, no one disputes that, that's missing the point though. The country-wide literacy rate in some of these African gold rush areas can be very low. 60% in Sudan, 40% in Somalia, from a quick Google. So, English, Arabic or other native language driven menus and manuals might be a barrier to learning and operating a machine. The obvious solution is to make machines as simple as possible, reduce controls, and use symbols instead of language in order to be usable by as many potential customers as possible. I know native English speakers that have been running a 5000 for 10 years and still don't really understand what the settings do as well as they could. Imagine the struggle for a potential new customer in rural Sudan who cannot read, has never owned a detector, and might not even own a computer or other technology which they can abstract understanding from to figure out the detector? The GM1000, SDC, and to a lesser extent the GPZ all show a pretty clear trend towards simplifying operation. Clearly with the early Middle East/Africa releases and stuff like the Arabic script on the GM, these machines are being marketed with an eye towards these markets and the customers that live and work there. The no-threshold option and the auto adjusting sensitivity seems to fit in with those patents I posted in the other thread. It appears some stuff from the patents is not in this 6000 though too, so we might have a very early look into some features of the next GPZ as well, who knows...3 points
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I'm not overly impressed to part with my gpx5000. I like detectors to have ability to fine tune for various conditions, not overly simplistic such as the monster. Don't get me wrong, I love my monster but I do wish it was more adjustable for different conditions. As for me, I will take the versatility of the 5000 with this beast.lol
3 points -
OK, 4.6 lbs or 2.1 kgs with battery per the brochure shared above. Just for reference, the SDC 2300 weighs 5.7 lbs The GPX 5000 without external battery weighs 5.3 lbs on arm. I tend to measure on arm weight, but the battery alone is another 1.7 lbs, and if we add a couple pounds for the harness and battery cable, a person is hauling about 9 lbs of gear around when using a GPX 5000. And of course the GPZ 7000 at 7.32 lbs This page fully updated constantly at this point..... Minelab GPX 6000 Data & Reviews3 points
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3 points
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Stay out of the casino's bro, whatever you do! Don't worry eveything changes things will get better. ht 👍2 points
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Awesome Mitch, that's the 1 we hope to hit. 😃 ht2 points
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I wonder if the "experienced" detectorist always needs that many settings to play with. Take a look at the SDC. Practically no settings and yet it is being used by beginners and advanced detectorists alike. This is because the SDC is a specialized detector that is nearly perfect for certain ground and terrain conditions. Who knows, perhaps the 6000 outperforms all other machines under certain conditions (that yet need to be revealed....). One never fits all 🙂2 points
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The early bird catches the worm but also its the second mouse that eats the cheese. Always a bit of a conundrum when new technology comes out as to whether you should jump in straight away or wait and see. My swinging shoulder is not the best so the light weight would be appreciated. The 6000 headphones look good and i really like going cordless. Automatic tuning is a big bonus for me - will save a lot of time in field trying to optimise set up of the GPX - and i am happy with the technology doing this. I will be keeping the GPX4500 as a spare so im not too fussed if the old coils do not fit. I think the GPX6000 will bring some fun back into my gold prospecting - light weight & easy to use. I'm in.2 points
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I'm not going to jump on this one on day 1 of release either. But I am going to try to get a dealer to let me give it a test run, and if I like it and it's affordable, I may pick one up. I'd really like to see how this machine does in salt. I'm kinda tired of my 4500 but I keep it for wet salt areas. Can't help but notice the complete lack of a bungee in the unboxing. 🙂 And like SImon, I love the speaker.2 points
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I guess we can slap a name on the backpack or leg holster in the interim!🤣 I'll now put that into the same category as waiting for more coils for the Nox! 👍👍2 points
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My understanding is the USA marketing meeting with Minelab is next week and it'll still be a month before 6000's go on sale here. Take with as many grains of salt as necessary... Also: the knob literally goes to "11". Nigel Tufnel approves. 😄 This appears to be a machine designed directly for the African/Middle East markets. Easy to use and learn without English menus, the manual appears to be tiny, and basically a turn on and go machine? Like the GM, I assume it will have uses here though too.2 points
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Looks nice. Weight? Price? I list such things at the link below as soon as I can find them. Minelab GPX 6000 Data & Reviews Minelab GPX 6000 Accessories and Spare Parts
2 points -
First things first, The ring is awesome. As for the aluminium tokens. The DeSoto Square token is from a Mall in Manatee County Florida built in 1973. The Venus token (Krewe of Venus) is from a cultural awareness organization founded in 1965. They are based in Tampa, and as far as I can tell still operating on very little funds. Hope this can help solve the mystery2 points
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Reading a recent thread reminded me of the Nautilus and how it was perceived and received by detectorists here in the UK. My detectors of choice are GPX-5000 and Nexus MP/Ultima, with a selection of coils. Prior the Nexus my favoured VLF being the Nautilus DMC-IIB. At the time, relatively few UK detectorist had heard of the Nautilus and of the few who had and went on to purchase, most gave up on it. They couldn't get their heads round the necessary coil balancing or get to grips with the unique way it could ID iron and the way the batteries were exposed on the underside was a total turnoff. Nevertheless, as a lot of readers will know, the Nautilus was a very good detector, deep with good iron discrimination. The fact that some expressed negative opinions, didn't and couldn't change the fact that the Nautilus DMC-IIB was a very good detector. I have recently ordered the Nexus 21" Concentric coil for use on my GPX. This coil is like two coils in one. With just the outer coil in operation it's a 21" mono (no discrimination and max depth), when both the inner and outer are in use, discrimination comes into play. Two cables come from the coil into a small box, this in turn connects to the GPX coil connection. The little box has a two position switch for maximum depth (mono) and discrimination (Hot Ground) by using both the inner and outer coils. I will let readers know my opinion in due course.1 point
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Nice hunt! A breast plate, box plate belt buckle, etc., are on my bucket list! Not easy to find on the left coast, but it does happen. Believe it or not, I've found two hammered fractional reales in California at a Spanish site. Both were early 1800's hammered copper fraction (1/4) reales from the same site, one's in great condition, the other is okay. I was surprised when I posted them that Keith Southern posted that they were actually valuable as they were a rare mintage from Sonora, MX. Apparently there's a collector market for them.1 point
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Yep the gray lines are a common problem for the gpz screens. If you're in warranty, send it in to Minelab USA. If not, I wouldn't stress too bad, as it wont affect your detector in any way other than being an annoyance.1 point
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That chain sure looks good to me and with a 1 sounding off I’ll bet it’s gold.1 point
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My New Years resolution was to quit debates and hot dogs--for much the same reason...cjc1 point
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I have the 4.5" Super Sniper for both my T Max and older CXII. They are good specialty coils. If you know their strengths & limitations. I have the small coils for the Anfibio & Vista X also. My next planned hunt is a hard worked nail bed at an old horse race track. The recent heavy rain has washed the Iron halo out of the sandy soil and I'm hoping to be able to find some more good targets due to soil conditions. I will use the small coils and very low Tone break, no Disc.1 point
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If the new GPX 6000 will replace the two previous PI detectors for sensitivity and range on small and large gold ... then I see some good progress in that ... Automation of settings according to the terrain .... that's the future of detection ...- who would did not want the excellent PI detector "Turn on and Detect"? The construction of the detector looks like it is durable, in the specification it is called waterproof against rain .. ... Finally, the first tests show ... what detection results can show GPX6000 .. I think it will be the most important ..1 point
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Handy suggestion, thanks 😉 Timely post as I have just got back from my first outing. Missed low tide at the ocean beach - tide app looks to be 1.5 hrs later than what it actually is. Couldn’t get near a decent gutter that we had seen just a few hours before when we had gone for a swim All targets there were in the dry sand. Could not get a hit down near the waters edge. Assume that no recent drops and what has been there awhile has concentrated lower. Found a pair of earrings (quite a few metres from each other so that was funny), a $2 coin, 50 cent coin and a 2 cent coin. Now the 2 cent coin is strange as it was right on the towel line, was shallow and those coins haven’t been in circulation since the mid ‘80s. Would have thought someone would have got it by now. Then tried the bay side beach for only an hour or so. Nothing decent there - mostly beer bottle tops. Haven't seen another detectorist for the whole day! Pic is of total finds at both beaches.
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Nice finds even if the Indian Heads got a bit roughed up, I know that the water on the copper really eats them up. Good luck on your next hunt.1 point
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I'm out of likes Joe, I guess we have to settle for the little things.1 point
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Keeping my 4500 for now, perhaps in time and more field comparisons I may change my mind.1 point
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Wow I can't believe I got out yesterday to dig. It seems like work and the stress of things in 2020 took a toll on my detecting experiences for quite a while. I wanted a new coil for the MK and saw a post Kac made about the Nel Superfly, So I said what the heck I'll give it a try. This coil is 6 grams lighter than my 9 inch. I must say this coil is amazing!!! great depth and way better separation. So I went to give it a spin on a site I hunt that has some modern and 18th century history to it. (ball fields and farm fields). I swung for about 5 hours in the 35 degree weather, and found a bunch of coins,(1941 penny, 46 nickle) shot shells, suspender clip, fishing reel, and a fragmented old bell. I wish the bell was whole, because it was about 2'' in dia. The reel perplexes me because of the lack of water in the middle of a 20 acre field. Overall I had a really nice trip out, I was starting to forget how detecting can clear your mind. PS Joe D can you please send some of the Florida warmth up here to PA.
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Thanks Joe, My luck they only carry plastic. I'll look for pieces of Louis Vuitton on the trail, but I would probably just run into my wife. She said my new Nel coil looks just like her $750 Christian Louboutin shoes, I asked you don't actually wear those outside? She just rolled her eyes and said you just wouldn't understand. I'm going to try that with my next detector purchase, I'm thinking that won't work out the same way.1 point
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The guy on the video making the presentation is called Ali Ibrahim. Development ManagerMinelab MEA Check him out here: https://egypt-mining.com/speakers.html1 point
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Great finds Dog, Who knew that deer carried coins in their pockets!🤣 That deer skull is odd! Look's like to me that the right side antler broke off early in the season fighting, and then the brow tine received all the growth for the rest of the season! And the left antler was broken later, or chewed away! The main reason that you hardly ever find sheds; ( discarded antlers) in the woods, is because they are chewed down to nothing by rodents for the calcium, and minerals! Keep following those "blue collar" deer trails to see if they dropped any more indians! Maybe you can find the "wealthy 1%" deer trail, where the deer carry only gold coins!💰🦌🤣 👍👍1 point
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Let me qualify that statement. When you have a pulse that you are really familar with--that you know the feild size well on, and you hear a very faint, narrow signal that's round--there is a very good chance that it will be non-ferrous. I can certainly do this with the Cuda--having run it for 30 years....1 point
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That piece of gold ore looks like a museum piece.Very stunning.1 point
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Thanks to forum members for showing me how to clean and cash in my coins, didn't pay for my nox 800, but sure made the wife happy with Amazon credit. We now have some nice new cookware. 😃 ht
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1 point -
Since I like to use the polycarbonate skid plate as per goldhound, I go for the solid. With spoked you just get a bunch of stuff under the edge on top. IMO the regular skid plate for the spoked is a pain to tape off, but maybe I wasnt doing it right1 point
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I have been trying to locate a school house site in a small farming settlement that was abandoned by the late 1920's. The settlement had a few houses scattered about, a rail stop/ post office and a 1 room rural school house. Everything was razed years ago. Yesterday I located a privy hole that was cased with an iron pipe so I figured that must be the area. Meager finds that are par for the course here where I live with the exception of the Chinese coin. It is the first I have found, so I was pretty happy with that.
1 point -
Hello all! First of all, I just wanted to publicly say thank you to Steve and the rest of the members on this site. Although this is my first post, I have been using the wealth of information gathered from everyone here for a while now. It's that time of year up here in Alaska where the days are dark and the memory of summer seems like a distant past. To cure my deep seated winter time blues and my sense for adventure, I decided to check out a spot I have been wanting to try for a while now, but let the myriad of summertime activities get in the way. But perhaps the real underlying driving force for this trip was my new highbanker waiting patiently in the garage to process dirt. Whatever the REAL reason, I looked at the forecast and saw a balmy 26 degrees forecasted and knew it was time to shine. So I drove North of Anchorage with my back country cross country skis (say that ten times fast) in tow, looking forward to a day out in the back country. I have found that if my main objective is to get out and enjoy the outdoors with a side chance of pay dirt, I am rarely if ever disappointed. And this day was no different. I arrived and strapped on the skis and my touring sled and set off into the snow. I quickly found out that hauling equipment by skis should be an Olympic event. The powder was easily three feet deep and probably pushing on four, making me earn every "stride". In reality, the snow was so deep and the sled so heavy that my skis weren't gliding at all, but being used more like elongated snowshoes, trudging through the snow. But the temperature was warm and snacks aplenty, so I trotted along the creek ahead encountering open water in places and crossing precarious snow bridges at times in order to make my way along. Just around the moment where I realized that I may be in for more of a workout than I intended, I had arrived. Located a few miles downstream was a section of the creek forced into a ninety degree bend by an outcrop of ancient gold bearing glacial till. During the summer months this "creek" (creek only in name) produces too swift of a current to properly explore this bend. But thanks to mother nature, winter freeze up reduces this section to a little more than a shin deep trickle. (The section of glacial till forcing the creek into a perfect ninety degree bend. The creek erodes alongside this till and prevents any debris from accumulating at the base.) (The creek encountering the glacial till and being turned at a sharp ninety degree angle, causing a major drop in water velocity.) As I considered this to be more of an exploratory trip on skis I had left my waders at home, preventing me from properly getting out in the channel. What I settled for instead was balancing myself on the edge of the ice as close as possible (not recommended) and shoveling a few scoops of dirt from the pool formed at the base of the till and into my bucket from the area that I could reach. Realizing that I had all that skiing back left to do, with darkness quickly advancing, I hurriedly filled half a bucket from mostly surface gravels and raced the darkness back to my car. Now for the fun! With dirt in hand and back home in the comforts of a heated garage, I was ready to test out my new 6 inch highbanker. Now let me preface this with some information. This highbanker is not meant to be loaded into a vehicle and dropped off at your spot of choosing. This highbanker is made to tear down and fit inside your pack and hiked into your spot of choosing. Weighing in at only six pounds, this highbanker fits a niche group for those wanting to pack out their operation on foot. And let me tell you what, I am extremely excited to do just that this summer with this bad boy. Made by Gold Rat Engineering out of Australia, this highbanker tears down to nuts and bolts and runs off of a 2,000 GPH electric bilge pump. Coupled with a lithium ion battery (less weight), you can have this set up packed out in the backcountry at 10lbs. While I realize that using an ultra lightweight 6 inch backpack highbanker out of your garage is like using a Ferarri to drive to the corner store, that's exactly what occurred. Running the half bucket that I brought back, the highbanker took it in stride and I soon found myself wishing that I had brought more back (the soreness in my quads reminded me otherwise). I panned out the concentrates from the lower mat (which can be detached and not brought into the field, making it even smaller and lighter) and found it LOADED with black sand. But not a single speck of gold. (The highbanker uses a matting called the Dream Mat) Feeling a little disheartened I ran the top mat, not expecting much after the lower mat didn't produce. Again, LOADED with black sand. And as I panned it back, gold! Now I realize it's not much (it was only half a bucket and ten minutes of digging in all fairness) but what I was really impressed with was the capture rate of the highbanker and the fines of the gold it was able to capture. Some of this stuff was the definition of fly poop. And for it to capture all of that in the top mat without any getting to the lower, I'll take it. So overall, I am extremely happy with this new highbanker and look forward to using it this summer out in the backcountry of Alaska. I am happy with the quick results of the spot I tested out. With a little more effort I believe it will produce some decent results. Once it hits 33 degrees I am taking the highbanker out there to really run some dirt. (Although a suction dredge would be the best tool for this location). But the biggest takeaway was being able to shake the wintertime blues, enjoy the outdoors, and remind myself that springtime prospecting isn't as far off as it sometime feels. Once again I want to thank this community for the knowledge and expertise you all have shared and hope that my short trip report reminds everyone that better panning days are ahead (looking at you 2021). Happy New Years, -Brandon
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I actually live half way between Hendersonville and Bat Cave. But a family member has property close to Burnsville.1 point
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Was waiting for a buddy to show up so I hit a small area across from where I parked. Usual tons of trash being so close to the road and first real hit I had I pulled the poor beat up Merc Dime 193?. Not a bad way to start the year off, hope it wasn't the hightlight hahah. Happy new year!
1 point
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