The Fisher F75 LTD2 is the latest in the F75 series that was originally released in 2007 and is still in production. The lead engineer was the person responsible for many of the great VLF prospecting detectors of all time, Dave Johnson. During Dave's first stint at Fisher Research of Los Banos, California Dave had a major role in the development of the Fisher Gold Bug and Gold Bug 2 detectors. He then developed the Lobo SuperTRAQ while at Tesoro. Dave's last project before the F75 was the GMT and MXT for White's, and so after he was hired by First Texas I was very excited to see what his next offering would be from the new Fisher based in El Paso, Texas.

The F75 originated as the Teknetics T2. Both Fisher and Teknetics brands are owned by the First Texas company and share engineering and manufacturing resources. The T2 was produced first with the F75 developed later as an offshoot model. Details can be found at the Teknetics T2 page.

I have to admit to being initially disappointed. The first Fisher F75 that I ran in Anchorage, Alaska was troubled very much by the electrical interference common in that town. It was an immediate turn off, and I sold the detector to a friend.

Then the friend started telling me how great the F75 was that I sold him. Then another friend got one, and yet another, and they all raved about the machine. Finally I was forced to admit I had rushed to judgment with my first unit, and acquired another F75 version called the Special Edition. Once I got it away from electrical interference things clicked, and it became one of my favorite detectors. I have had numerous adventures with the machine - Fisher F75 SE & Gold Nugget Detecting, Metal Detecting Ancient Coins at Colchester, UK and Fisher F75 Strikes Gold in Alaska!

Fisher F75 metal detector available also as F75 SE, F75 Ltd, F75 Ltd2, and F75+

The original F75 was followed quickly by the F75 LTD (Limited Edition) and F75 SE (Special Edition). The first Limited Edition was just that, a model with extra modes and special camouflage paint scheme available for a limited time only. It is also referred to as the F75 Camo. The Special Edition is the same model in an all black paint scheme but also gets referred to also as the Limited Edition, so much so that it is now the official designation. Standard base unit F75 models can be distinguished by the rod assembly having a black and gold color scheme.

The 2014 versions of the basic F75 and the Limited Edition have a new feature called Digital Shielding Technology (DST) which basically is just filtering applied to reduce the perception of electrical interference. Because of concerns that it might come at a performance cost, the feature can be disengaged if desired. The new models also feature a new FA search mode that enables faster target recovery times, allowing two adjacent items to be better discerned as separate targets. Finally, numerous audio options were added, most important being the ability to adjust the volume of the ferrous tone response. This is desirable in areas thick with ferrous trash where the constant barrage of sound can be tiring. The ferrous tone volume can be reduced to minimum independent of the non-ferrous response, which stays loud and clear. The version of the F75 Ltd with DST is referred to as the F75 Ltd2.

Fisher introduced yet another new configuration in 2018 - the F75+. This is a Fisher F75 Ltd2 sold with a pinpointer instead of the 5" accessory coil and at a lower price.

The F75 remains one of my favorite detectors for several reasons. First, I very much like to hunt in the powerful Boost Process All Metal mode while having the meter run independently in target id mode, a form of mixed mode operation. The audio is 98% of what is going on with maximum depth and ground coverage in all metal. Once alerted to a target, I then analyze it with the meter to make a decision whether to dig or not. All metal reaches deeper than discrimination modes and so some surface material may have to be removed to get a reliable target id on screen. Every one of these deep targets that requires material to be removed to get an identification number on screen would be missed entirely if running in a discrimination mode.

2.37 ounce gold specimen from Jack Wade Creek, Alaska found by Steve with Fisher F75

I think the ergonomics of the F75 are superb. It is a perfectly balanced 3.5 lbs. People do not understand how important balance is but a balanced 3.5 lb. detector creates less arm strain than a nose heavy 2.5 lb. detector. The machine retains settings when turned off, which means in most cases I just turn mine on, do a ground balance, and go detecting. Finally, the F75 only sips at the four AA batteries, getting a week of long days on a set of good alkalines and nearly two solid weeks of detecting in a set of premium lithium batteries.

This is the most important tip I can offer on the F75 series. The F75 has a two tone ferrous / non-ferrous mode, the 2F mode. Ferrous goes low tone, non-ferrous high tone. Check your F75 manual and you will see it considers target id numbers 1 - 15 as ferrous. 2F mode gives a low tone on target id number 15 and lower, and higher tone on 16 and higher. Use 2F and you will dig very little ferrous stuff.

The problem is that 2F is set at the high end of the ferrous/non-ferrous range overlap area. It has been found that the F75 will actually read borderline non-ferrous targets all the way down to about target id number 6, and so the target id 6 - 15 area is the overlap range. You have to avoid 2F and use single tone mode and manually set your disc to about 5 or 6 if you do not want to reject low reading non-ferrous targets. The alternative is to run in boost all metal mode and just investigate any target that pops 6 or higher on the screen on any pass of the coil. In other words, even a single pass of the coil can't be trusted, since the numbers jump around. I work the target and if it even jumps up once above my desired cutoff point it is worth checking out. Look for a reason to dig, instead of a reason to not dig. Running in 2F will cause many borderline non-ferrous targets  in the 6 - 15 target range to be missed.

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In summary I consider the Fisher F75 series to be on of the handful of true classic metal detector designs. It sets the benchmark for ergonomics and pushes single frequency VLF about as far as it can go. The F75 is a solid performer and even with newer models coming out is still competitive due to new aggressively lower pricing.

Note added 1/8/2019 by Steve Herschbach: The F75 has had a long history of model changes and revisions. The are several major releases, and minor software version differences within some of the major release models. The major models are:

Basic Fisher F75 - initial release, black & gold colors.

Fisher F75 Limited Edition (Ltd) Camo - added camo paint scheme and extra features.

Fisher F75 Special Edition (SE or Ltd) Black - same as camo version but in solid black. There is confusion as this model is called the Special Edition or F75SE in documentation but nearly all vendors just sell it as a black F75 Ltd. They are indeed the same model except for the color scheme.

Fisher F75 DST - basic black & gold model with Digital Shielding Technology (DST) for reduction of electrical interference.

Fisher F75 Ltd DST - F75 Limited / Special Edition with Digital Shielding Technology (DST) for reduction of electrical interference. Solid black color scheme.

Fisher F75+ - The F75 Ltd comes with two coils. The F75+ is a rebranding that includes a pinpointer instead of a second coil. Other than that it is the same as the F75 Ltd DST. Black & gold color scheme.

See the user guide downloads below for details on the differences between models. Finally, if shopping used be aware that Fisher had an upgrade program for upgrading most any F75 model to a newer software version. This means older units may exist used that have more up-to-date-software than they were initially sold with.

~ Steve Herschbach
Copyright © 2013 Herschbach Enterprises

Official Fisher F75 Page

Fisher F75 User Guide

Fisher F75 Ltd Camo User Guide

Fisher F75 Ltd Black User Guide

Fisher F75 DST User Guide

Fisher F75 Ltd DST / F75+ User Guide

Fisher F75+ For 2018 Color Flyer

Forum Threads Tagged "fisher f75"

First Texas (Fisher) Metal Detector Forum

Fisher F75 Tone Break Tip

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

The White's Electronics MX Sport was introduced in 2016 and is still in production. It features a new housing design waterproof to ten feet. Many people assume the MX Sport is a White's MXT stuffed in a smaller box, but the reality is the MX Sport is based on the MX5 electronics. The MX5 circuit is inspired by the MXT but is new and so an experienced operator can tell the machines are different at the core. Not better or worse - just different.

The MX Sport also has its own offshoot design, the White's MX7, which is the MX Sport circuit in a dry land design. See White's MX7 and MX Sport Compared for details.

The MX Sport comes with the 10" round DD coil and has a couple coil options taken directly from the MXT lineup. These are the 950 9.5" round concentric, 6" round concentric, and 10" x 5.5" DD elliptical. There is also a new 7" round DD coil made by Detech. Although these coils are similar to the coils used on the MXT they have the special waterproof connector needed for use on the MX Sport and are tuned differently. White's official position is that coils are not directly interchangeable between the MX Sport and MXT series.

The MX Sport has a great set of target id tone discrimination options. There are single (mono) tone, 2 tone, 4 tone, 8 tone, and 20 tone options. The tone ranges and the tones themselves are preset, but each tone has its own volume setting - a very rare feature. On most detectors notching out or rejecting a certain target segment causes items that fall in that segment to make no sound at all. With the MX Sport, you can set the Rejection Volume to a percentage, for instance 20% or 50%, and instead of being completely eliminated those items would be heard at 20% volume or 50% volume levels respectively.

White's MX Sport metal detector waterproof to ten feet

The MX Sport is waterproof to ten feet. However, it is a very high gain single frequency metal detector. This means that although the MX Sport can be used in saltwater, the sensitivity will have to be reduced to eliminate false signals from the saltwater of wet salt sand. This is not a problem; it is common to all single frequency detectors. Freshwater however is invisible to a detector and so the MX Sport can be operated in freshwater lakes and streams in a similar fashion to using it on dry land. This is a good time to mention that in 2017 White's added underwater headphones to the MX Sport standard package. This is an item that would cost over $80 if purchased separately, and do note that many competitor machine do not include this needed option in their waterproof detectors.

The MX Sport does have a Prospecting Mode, but in a field already crammed with lower price mid frequency prospecting machines I have my doubts. White's themselves is not marketing the MX Sport as a prospecting detector. I therefore expect the MX Sport to have minimal if any impact on the prospecting market. The main market as pursued by White's is coins, relics, jewelry, and beach detecting. However, I personally have no doubt that I could go out and do just fine using the MX Sport for gold nugget detecting.

Sept 2017 Note - The MX Sport had new machine issues with both the firmware and the hardware. These appear to have been solved now. However, potential buyers of used MX Sport detectors, especially those made in 2016, would be wise to be fully informed of these issues prior to any purchase of a used unit. See this forum thread for details. Rest assured that if you somehow end up with one of these detectors either new or used, that White's will take care of you. Contact them if you have questions.

Official White's MX Sport Page

White's MX Sport Instruction Manual

Forum Threads Tagged "whites mx sport"

White's Metal Detector Forum

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

The Tesoro Lobo SuperTRAQ detector was released in 1997 and was discontinued in 2019. It is also referred to as the Lobo ST. I have had some experience with the Lobo over the years and have seen a lot of gold found with it. See Detecting for Gold with the Tesoro Lobo and Metal Detecting for Gold at Ganes Creek, Alaska at Steve's Mining Journal.

The Tesoro Lobo SuperTRAQ replaced the earlier Tesoro Lobo, which was produced from 1989 - 1997. The main difference between the two units is that the earlier model lacked automatic ground balancing, the SuperTRAQ signature feature. Be aware that coils for the earlier Lobo do not work on the newer model. The The old coils had a female coil connection and the new coils have a male pin connector. The original Lobo is listed at running "at approx. 20 kHz" while the Lobo ST runs at 17.8 kHz. Note: The Lobo ST is also quoted widely as running at 17.5 kHz. The latest spec posted on the Tesoro website is 17.8 kHz.

Another change in the old Lobo versus the new SuperTRAQ is that when the old model was manually ground balanced, the ground balance carried over in both all metal and discriminate modes. The new SuperTRAQ automatically tracks ground conditions while in all metal mode. When switched into discriminate mode, the automatic ground tracking is disabled and the unit uses a factory pre-set ground rejection. This is a less than desirable situation. In all metal nugget hunting mode it is impossible to disengage the automatic ground balancing system. Very small or very deep nuggets that generate a minimal signal are at great risk of being tracked out. Conversely, in discriminate mode there is no ground balance at all except what the factory has chosen for you.

Tesoro Lobo SuperTRAQ metal detector

Despite the lack of flexibility in ground balancing there is no doubt about one thing - the Lobo is one of the easiest detectors for a novice nugget hunter to learn. The lack of manual ground balance contributes greatly to the machine being very easy to operate, and this is a important feature in itself. The Lobo is a very forgiving metal detector.

My main experience with the SuperTRAQ came with my involvement with Moore Creek Mine in Interior Alaska. The mine produced a lot of large gold nuggets but also had hot rocks in the form of highly magnetic basalt cobbles. After trying just about every VLF detector made we decided the Lobo SuperTRAQ handled the ground as well or better than any other VLFs available at the time. The automatic ground balance smoothed the hot rock responses and in a worst case scenario the unit could be put in discrimination mode. Dialing in a discrimination setting of 1.5 eliminated the hot rocks and nearly all ferrous trash responses while still responding well to larger gold. The SuperTRAQ produced a lot of gold at Moore Creek over the years we operated the mine.

The Tesoro Lobo SuperTRAQ is getting somewhat dated in that most of the competition offers target id meters but it is still a very versatile detector. It is very easy to operate. It also is one of the few nugget detectors still produced that allow the control box to be hip or chest mounted, a very desirable feature for those working in and around water. It also has a very good coil selection, including the rare ability to run a 3" x 18" sweeper coil (Tesoro Clean Sweep).

Official Tesoro Lobo SuperTRAQ Page

Tesoro Lobo SuperTRAQ Instruction Manual

Forum Threads Tagged "tesoro detector"

Tesoro Metal Detector Forum

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

The Makro Gold Racer metal detector was introduced in 2016 and is still in production. I very much anticipated the Gold Racer as something unique on the market at the time - a 56 kHz high frequency gold prospecting detector with all the extra discrimination and other features to make it versatile enough for other uses. What follows is a basic description with a very detailed review starting below the specifications chart. Note that Makro has introduced the 61 kHz Makro Gold Kruzer in 2018 and there is a possibility the Gold Racer will be discontinued soon in favor of this new model.

The Makro Gold Racer comes standard with an 10" x 5.5" DD coil and has optional 5" round DD, 10" x 5.5" concentric, and 15.5" x 13.25" DD coils. The Gold Racer has been changed slightly from the original Racer design to make the handle grip more comfortable based on customer feedback. The original Bluetooth dongle and wireless headphones have been replaced by a proprietary 2.4 Ghz design to help reduce the audio lag that was occurring with the regular Bluetooth design. The main item of note however is the very high 56 kHz operating frequency, making this one of the hottest machines available on tiny non-ferrous targets.

The Makro Gold Racer shares many features with the original Racer plus has added many more. The new iSAT control from the Nokta FORS Gold+ is visible as is another new feature called iMask. The Gold Racer adds a Tone Break feature often requested by Racer and FORS owners and the Gold Racer has the ability to save its settings when shut off, unlike the Racer. The layout of the control panel has also been simplified making what features are available in what modes much more obvious.

Makro Gold Racer metal detector

Makro is fast gaining attention as a company that listens to its customers. The new Gold Racer model is the perfect example of that, creating a unique machine based almost solely on feedback provided by customers in the prior year.

Official Makro Gold Racer Page

Gold Racer Color Brochure

Makro Gold Racer Instruction Manual

Ray Mills (TrinityAU) Makro Gold Racer Review

Makro Gold Racer vs Racer 2

Forum Threads Tagged "makro gold racer"

Makro Metal Detectors Forum

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

Detailed Review Of Makro Gold Racer by Steve Herschbach

Makro Gold Racer finds small Nevada gold

The Makro Gold Racer has been one of my most anticipated new VLF metal detectors in years. This completely new model represents something I have wanted for a very long time – a high frequency VLF metal detector that does not skimp for features, in particular as regards discrimination options.

A little background. First, I have been testing prototypes of the Makro Gold Racer, and this review is based on those prototypes. The final version due soon has a completely new LCD display layout, audio boost, refinements to other settings, and physical refinements like a change in the handle angle, etc. That being the case this review should be considered preliminary and final specifications are subject to change, as well as details you may see in my photos regarding the physical design of the detector.

Second, what is the intended market for the Makro Gold Racer? The machine looks deceptively like many other detectors aimed at general purpose metal detecting. I want to emphasize that first and foremost this is a gold prospecting detector. There are only a few other detectors that directly compare to the Gold Racer which is running at a very high frequency of 56 kHz. Comparable detectors would be the White’s GMT at 48 kHz, the Minelab Eureka Gold running in its 60 kHz setting, and the Fisher Gold Bug 2 at 71 kHz.

The intent with very high frequency detectors is to sharpen the response on extremely small metal targets. High frequency detectors are in a niche all their own when it comes to finding the tiniest of gold nuggets. This sensitivity does come at a cost however, in that the detectors are also responsive to ground mineralization and hot rocks that less sensitive, lower frequency detectors might ignore completely. There is no free lunch in detecting, and I want to caution anyone thinking that the Makro Gold Racer is going to be a magical solution to all their detecting desires to be realistic about things. Inevitably when new detectors come out people fall victim to wishful thinking, and I would like to try and avoid that here.

When it comes to reviewing detectors I do the best I can to describe detectors to help people decide if they might be interested in them or not. Do realize again however that this review is based on preliminary information. Also, I honestly do not want people buying new metal detectors based solely on my reviews. There will be some of who want the latest and greatest right now, and I appreciate that, but being a first adopter does have its risks. My normal advice to people is to never buy anything based on a single review, but to wait for more of a consensus opinion to emerge.

I have used the Gold Racer in the field, and I have found gold with it. Right now though if it is just a matter of you wanting to know if the Makro Gold Racer can find gold then I refer you to the excellent field review with photos posted by Ray Mills at the Detector Prospector Forum.

In outward appearance the Makro Gold Racer resembles its immediate predecessor, the Makro Racer, but this really is a new detector, not just a Racer running at a higher frequency. Feedback on the original Racer has been incorporated as well as extensive testing and commentary from prospectors around the world. Besides the obvious color difference, major physical changes include completely redesigning the layout of the LCD display to better differentiate what are all metal functions and what are discrimination functions. All metal functions are on the left, and discrimination functions are on the right. I think the new display is more intuitive and better accommodates the extra functions implemented on the Gold Racer.

The angle of the bend in the S rod handle grip has been relaxed based on feedback from Racer owners. The vibration mode was eliminated, shaving a tiny amount of weight and freeing up room on the display menu. The Gold Racer with stock 10” x 5.5” DD coil and NiMH batteries installed weighs in on my postal scales at exactly three pounds.

Coils available at launch are the 10” x 5.5” DD that is stock on the detector. Optional coils include a 10” x 5.5” concentric coil, 5” round DD coil, and a lightweight 15.5” x 13” DD coil.

Makro Gold Racer with 5" round DD coil

Let’s take a look at the functions. Under All Metal on the left side of the meter are the functions that apply only to the All Metal mode. On the right are the functions for the two Discrimination modes. The settings are independent in each mode, and once set can be saved when the detector is powered down. This simple and intuitive setup is also part of the power of the Makro Gold Racer. It is incredibly easy once each mode has been customized to flip quickly between the three modes, cross checking target responses to make a dig/no-dig decision.

All Metal is the heart and soul of nugget detecting, and the Makro Gold Racer has an extremely powerful, smooth, and sensitive threshold based all metal mode. The Sensitivity setting is familiar to anyone who has used a metal detector, except that there are three base levels of sensitivity or gain. Significant boosts occur between 39 - 40 and again between 69 - 70. Most detectors max out at what is a setting of 69 on the Gold Racer. Settings of 70 and above are a type of hyper gain setting that takes the machine above and beyond, but in extreme ground overload signals may occur. Overload signals are indicated by a “warning siren” audio and the machine is telling you that there is either a large metal object under the coil, or that you are encountering extreme mineralization. In the case of mineralization, either raise the coil slightly while scanning, lower the sensitivity setting, or both. Overloads occurring at 70 will almost always be eliminated by dropping to 69.

Rest assured very little is lost by lowering sensitivity to 69 or below, again, because many detectors cannot be set as hot as the Gold Racer even at their maximum setting. Do you ever run detectors and have the distinct feeling some performance has been left on the table, because the detector can always be run at maximum settings? Makro has given you that extra power for where it can be used, but in doing so they expect you will lower settings in places where that extra power works against you. Luckily, the audio alert makes it easy to know when this is. Most people do not know it but many detectors simply shut down and quit working under similar conditions with no indication at all to the operator, a situation referred to as “silent masking”.

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The threshold setting is the normal control that sets the volume of the slight audio tone that is key to any experienced nugget hunter finding the tiniest or deepest gold nuggets. The most minute variations in the threshold tone can indicate a gold nugget, and the ability to read the threshold is what sets most really good nugget hunters apart from everyone else. Makro has added a feature to the Gold Racer called iSAT, for “Intelligent Self Adjusting Threshold”. This setting consists of several levels of adjustment that vary the rate at which the threshold tone steadies itself. Higher levels of iSAT smooth the threshold more aggressively which aids in maintaining a smooth threshold in rapidly varying ground. Lower levels allow for faint variations to be heard more clearly in milder ground for extra depth and sensitivity.

The Gold Racer can be ground balanced three ways. Holding the trigger switch under the control pod in the forward position activates an instant automatic ground balance. Just pump the coil over the ground a couple times, release the trigger, and you are done. There is a short delay when you release the trigger, and during this delay you may manually adjust the ground balance setting. The instant ground balance is neutral to slightly negative. Those that like a slightly positive ground balance need only perform the instant balance, then tap the right hand control button three of four times.

The Tracking function on the control panel engages and disengages automatic ground tracking. This is most useful where the ground conditions vary wildly, a perfect example being mixed cobble piles or river bars. The tracking is very quick yet resists tracking out genuine gold signals as much as possible. This can also be an aid to anyone new to ground balancing detectors as it makes the process entirely automatic.

The Backlight setting adjusts the illumination level of the backlit screen. The FD/Save setting allows adjustments to be saved when the detector is powered off, while the FD function resets Factory Defaults. There is also a Frequency Shift setting to help eliminate outside electrical interference from power lines, or another Gold Racer being operated nearby. This is set through a combination of control buttons but not visible on the menu. Finally, although this is a true threshold based all metal mode, the meter acts independently in discrimination mode at all times and indicates target id information when the signal strength is sufficient to do so.

Easy to read well designed screen

Under the Discrimination menu are settings that are completely separate from the All Metal settings and also saved or reset separately. Disc 1 is a standard two tone mode with low tone ferrous and higher tone non-ferrous. Disc 2 is a similar but deeper, more powerful mode. Quick switching between these two modes, each with fully independent settings, creates a many layered and subtle approach to target discrimination. Both discrimination modes are silent search, no threshold based systems. However, new to Makro models is the ability to set the point at which low tones flip, or “break” over into being higher tones. Typically 39 and lower target id will cause a low tone, and 40 and above a higher tone. This ability somewhat replaces the three tone mode on the original Racer because by increasing the Tone Break setting it is possible to create various coin detecting scenarios. For instance, all targets with an id number below copper penny could register low tone, and therefore copper pennies, dimes, quarters, and dollar coins a higher tone.

Conversely, lowering the Tone Break setting would create a more conservative approach for nugget detecting by accepting a little more ferrous digging in return for possibly finding another nugget or two.

The Sensitivity control on the Disc menu is the same as but independent of the All Metal setting of the same name. ID Filter is a variable discrimination control, with higher settings eliminating or blanking out id numbers lower than the current setting. This setting is independent for each Disc mode, and again flipping back and forth can create some interesting scenarios for comparing targets at completely different sensitivity and ID Filter levels. This quick mode switching between All Metal, Disc1, and Disc2, all with independent settings, is a very powerful tool once you get used to it.

Also new with the Gold Racer is the iMask setting. I noted at the start of this review that all metal detector designs involve making trades of some sort. Extreme high frequency sensitivity to small metal targets does increase chatty false responses in extreme ground when in the discrimination modes. iMask attenuates or suppresses weaker target responses in the discrimination modes and provides a secondary level of adjustment separate from and in addition to the Sensitivity and ID Filter settings. If the detector is producing lots of quick, spurious signals in the discrimination modes, reducing sensitivity or increasing ID Filter settings or both is the first line of attack. If this does not work, go back to the original settings on those functions, and try increasing the iMask setting. If this does not work, again lower sensitivity or increase the ID Filter or both on top of the current iMask setting. iMask acts as a pre-filter giving an extra level of control to help deal with extremely bad ground conditions. Finally, Disc1 is a less aggressive mode than Disc2, so using Disc1 offers even another level of possible options when dealing with bad ground in the discrimination modes.

The Backlight setting is independent for the discrimination modes, as is the Factory Default/Save Settings function. I think it goes without saying that there has never been a high frequency metal detector ever produced with this level of options and control. There are a lot of variables to play with here, and I would not be truthful at all if I said I have this machine all figured out. In fact, I think part of the fun with the Makro Gold Racer is we are entering uncharted territory. Until the final version of the machine is released, and until quite a few people get their hands on it and experiment, it is very difficult to say just what applications creative detectorists may find for the Gold Racer. It is a very powerful VLF gold prospecting detector, I can vouch for that. Applications also may be found for jewelry detecting and relic hunting in particular, and even coin detecting, due to the unique combination of features the Makro Gold Racer offers.

OK, finally – some notes on real world use! Again, this is all based on prototype models and so I can only speak in generalities for this report. However, there is no doubt in my mind that even the prototype detectors rival anything currently available in a VLF detector for finding tiny gold nuggets. I can easily locate flakes of gold weighing under one tenth grain with the Gold Racer and the stock 10” x 5.5” DD coil. In fact, the machine is so hot with the stock coil I thought using a smaller coil offered minimal if any benefit, mostly because of lost ground coverage and possibly lost depth on larger nuggets. I would only use the smaller coil myself for nooks and crannies where the stock coil can’t fit, but otherwise the stock coil really is the way to go in my opinion. Keep in mind I did say grain not gram. There are 480 grains per Troy ounce and in my opinion I can find flakes all day long with the Gold Racer that weigh less than 1/10^th grain, or less than 1/4800^th ounce.

Smallest nugget unweighable, largest 2.4 grams

In trashy locations I generally preferred running in all metal and just checking the meter for ferrous targets, which tend to lock in hard at 21 or 22 on the numbers. In theory anything under 40 is ferrous, but to be safe I might investigate items as low as 35 or even 30 depending on the situation and amount of trash. However, as I noted most ferrous locks in hard around 20 leaving no doubt what the target is. In All Metal mode very tiny or very deep targets beyond discrimination range give no target id at all, automatically meaning they need investigation. The main reason I prefer to always hunt in All metal is the extra depth and sensitivity it affords, and checking targets visually is very quick and more efficient than toggling back and forth to a Disc mode under normal circumstances.

For areas with too much trash where meter watching might get to be a bit too much, I normally use one of the disc modes set for two tone ferrous/non-ferrous. Iron targets just burp away, while non-ferrous target pop out with a beep. If even that got to be too much for some people, increasing the ID Filter to eliminate most ferrous responses completely can make for a quieter experience in really trashy locations. As always, I must include the warning that the more discrimination applied, the more risk of missing a good target. Use no more discrimination than needed to preserve your sanity!

I used the Gold Racer to hunt a couple trashy areas where I just could not go with my big dollar all metal machine, and easily located nuggets in the midst of trash. For me personally the Makro Gold Racer fills in two areas where the high price big gun detectors come up short. The ability to find the tiniest, most dispersed gold possible, both in flake form or enclosed in specimen rock. And the ability to deal with really trashy areas where good discrimination is needed.

Perhaps the biggest surprise for me was when I decided to give the 15.5” x 13” DD coil a try. Honestly, I did not expect much from it. You normally do not see a coil this large for high frequency machines because the ground feedback usually overwhelms them, negating any gains that can be had regarding depth. Instead, the Gold Racer seemed to be even better behaved with the larger coil than with the smaller coils. I hunted some cobble piles with it and it ran smooth as can be at higher sensitivity levels. I then wandered into some moderately hot ground with it, still with no problems, and was actually surprised when I came up with a couple small gold nuggets with it. The first was only 0.8 grams which I thought was pretty fantastic. So I put a little more effort into it, and found a 0.3 gram nugget. With a 15.5” x 13” DD coil on a VLF? That is really kind of unheard of, and I was thoroughly impressed. I am not sure what is going on there but I do know the Makro detectors can sense what coil is on the detector. Something different going on with that big coil? I don’t know, but the results and performance surprised me. Also surprising was that for such a large coil it actually was not bad swinging it for half a day. That could be from my using large, heavy detectors all summer however. Still, it was an eye opener all around and changed how I think my Gold Racer might get used in the future. It looks to have more use for covering very large areas blue sky prospecting than I would have imagined.

The 15" x 13" DD coil is unique for detectors running in this frequency range

I would be remiss if I did not include at least a note on the versatility possible with the Gold Racer. I recently took it to a local park. Now, my ground in Reno is screaming hot, full of magnetite. The mineral percentage graph on the Gold Racer and similar machines all come up one bar short of maxed, and ground balance numbers run around 88-90. A magnet dropped in this stuff comes up with a lump of magnetite. As a result getting accurate target id numbers with even the best coin detectors past 5” is a chore. I know that sounds crazy but it is the truth. I ran the 5” DD coil and even then had to back the sensitivity down to 69 to prevent overloads in the worst areas.

One thing about the Racer detectors that I have heard people complain about, and that is that they tend to up average target numbers in bad soil. For me this is a good thing. Many detectors will see target id number average lower in bad ground, and so fringe targets are more likely to get identified as ferrous when they are in reality non-ferrous. This is obviously not a good thing for nugget detecting. The Racer and the Gold Racer both tend to up average, and so targets like lead sinkers or aluminum that you would expect to give lower numbers often give coin like responses with the Racers. It is odd to see in practice. I got a good high signal reading near 80 at about 5” that when dug up turned out to be a common round lead fishing sinker. Out of the hole the target id promptly dropped to about 45. This effect whether by design or by accident is common with European detectors. I think it is by design because first and foremost these machines are made to pull non-ferrous targets out of ferrous trash. Improperly identifying a non-ferrous item as ferrous is the worst possible result, and so up averaging helps insure that non-ferrous items will not be missed. However, it also means these types of detectors are not as efficient at cherry picking coins as common coin detectors are. You get the coins for sure, but you dig more trash doing it.

Still, I experimented a few hours and if you are content to live with the limitation I just described you can actually make some good finds with the Gold Racer under almost any conditions. The ID Filter works very well, and by just running it all the way to 79 it was easy for me to cherry pick a few coins though larger aluminum items like screw caps or big pull tabs often came up in the 80s also. I do think this is a result dependent on ground conditions to some degree, but really the Gold Racer is best suited for people like me who want to recover all non-ferrous targets. I prefer to hunt jewelry rather than coins myself, as one gold ring makes up for a pile of coins. And to hunt jewelry you have to dig aluminum, no two ways about that. The Gold Racer will suit me well hunting jewelry, especially micro jewelry like ear rings and fine chains.

This report is very long, and yet I really am just skimming over the features and possibilities inherent in the Makro Gold Racer. I will close by once again noting that while everything regarding the Gold Racer is pretty much set in stone at this point, last second changes are possible. Look for more soon when the factory production models hit the street. I also get frustrated when people want information on new units, but then turn right around and characterize reports trying to provide that information as hype or a sales pitch. I have tried my best here to just present what facts I can without leading anyone to think that the Gold Racer is anything other than what it is. And that, in my opinion, is a very interesting, unique, and capable metal detector. I look forward to hearing for myself in the future what people think about it and the applications and tricks they come up with, because you pretty much need to toss anything you think you know out the door when approaching this machine.

Many thanks to the folks at Makro and in particular Dilek Gonulay for providing me with the opportunity to be one of the first to use the Gold Racer. I admit that VLF detectors were beginning to bore me, and the Gold Racer has reignited my interest in seeing what they can do for me.

~ Steve Herschbach
Copyright © 2015 Herschbach Enterprises

The Garrett AT Gold was released in 2011 and is still in production. It is a variation of the excellent Garrett AT Pro metal detector, but modified slightly to make it a better detector for prospecting. Garrett really raised the bar in the detecting world with the AT models. These detectors are waterproof to ten feet yet give up none of the features one would normally expect in an above water detector. They even have an external speaker for use above water which can be submerged without harm. Best of all you pay no penalty in either weight or price. The Garrett AT models provide exceptional value in metal detecting.

The AT Pro is a 15 kHz detector that features full notch discrimination. The lower frequency means that it can be used in salt water. It also allows for custom discrimination, such as tuning out coins to concentrate on likely jewelry targets. The AT Pro lacks a true threshold based all metal mode and so is less suitable for nugget detecting, although it can and will find gold nuggets.

The AT Gold runs at a slightly hotter 18 kHz and has a true threshold based all metal mode. This makes it a better nugget detector than the AT Pro. However, it is too hot to run on wet salt sand or in salt water. It also has only a couple preset discrimination patterns and so lacks the custom discrimination ability the the AT Pro has.

The AT Pro and AT Gold both have three search modes. The first is a discrimination mode preset to accept all items with an audio beep in different tones and a visual target id. Pretty much everything goes beep, but you can adjust the level at which iron/steel is rejected completely, and this is saved when the detector shuts off. The mode is preset and only the iron rejection level may be modified.

Garrett AT Gold metal detector for gold prospecting and more

The second mode is a preset discrimination mode with light foil and pull tabs set to audibly ignored. A so-called coin pattern that eliminates common trash but beep on common coins. Again, only the iron rejection level may be set and saved. The rest of the pattern is preset and cannot be adjusted.

The AT Pro has a third discrimination mode, a fully adjustable notch mode. Notch refers to the ability to set certain non-ferrous items to be accepted or rejected in ranges or "bins". The non-ferrous discrimination range is split up into sections or "notches". For example, all foil items may fall into a range of 0-20 on a scale of 0-99 and so would be said to fall in the 0-20 section/range/notch/bin. That 0-99 range can be split up into several notches and this varies by model. On the AT units you get 12 non-ferrous notches.

Garrett AT Gold with 5" "sniper coil"

An independent adjustable notch system lets you decide what sections get accepted and what get rejected. For instance, you could decide you are looking for something that reads like a nickel and set only the nickel range to beep, all other ranges get ignored. All nickels and items that read like nickels would go beep, and that is it. Or, you can set all non-ferrous items EXCEPT the nickel range to go beep, and ignore the nickel range. The AT Pro in the third search mode allows you to create a custom notch program and save it.

Again, both units treat ferrous items the same. You can adjust how the ferrous targets respond and save the setting. It is only in how non-ferrous targets are treated that the units differ.

The third search mode on the AT Gold is a pure unfiltered all metal mode. All items are detected, with significantly more depth. The all metal mode has an adjustable "iron audio" feature that will identify strong ferrous targets with a low or broken tone. The all metal mode also features a unique ground balance "window" that can expand beyond the normal area spanned by a ground balance control in order to eliminate some types of hot rocks.

Gold nuggets found with Garrett AT Gold

So on the AT Pro the third mode is an adjustable notch discrimination mode, on the AT Gold it is an unfiltered all metal mode. Finally, the AT Pro comes with an 8.5" x 11" DD coil whereas the AT Gold comes with a smaller 5" x 8" DD coil.

I think the Garrett AT Gold is an exceptional detector and for anyone wanting to use a VLF detector in and around water it is an obvious choice. Do note that while the detector itself is submersible the headphones that come with it are not. To actually use the unit face in water with mask and snorkel requires optional fully submersible headphones.

The depth of detection, sensitivity, and ground handling are on par with other 18 kHz nugget detectors. However, if the waterproof feature is never going to be needed (desert detecting?) then the special lubricated O-ring connectors for the headphones and coils add service issues that can be avoided with a normal dry land model. Therefore I think the decision to get a Garrett AT Gold depends in large part on whether the waterproof design is actually needed or not.

Official Garrett AT Gold Page

Garrett AT Gold Instruction Manual

Forum Threads Tagged "garrett at"

Garrett Metal Detectors Forum

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

Minelab GPX 6000 with 11" round mono search coil 4.6 lbs part# 3300-0500
Length Extended - 57 inches          Length Collapsed - 30 inches

Minelab GPX 11 11" round mono coil, 680 grams, waterproof to one meter, not compatible with other Minelab detector models. Skid plate / scuff cover included. Stock coil on GPX 6000. part# 3011-0425

Spare skid plate / scuff cover for GPX 11 search coil. part# 

Minelab GPX 14 14" round DD search coil, 1015 grams, waterproof to one meter, not compatible with other Minelab detector models. Skid plate / scuff cover included. Ships with U.S. version of GPX 6000. part# 3011-0426

Spare skid plate / scuff cover for GPX 14 search coil. part# 

Minelab GPX 17 17" elliptical mono search coil, waterproof to one meter, not compatible with other Minelab detector models. Skid plate / scuff cover included. Ships with African version of GPX 6000. part# 3011-0427

Spare skid plate / scuff cover for GPX 17 search coil. part# 

Quick release Li-Ion rechargeable battery for GPX 6000, 7.2V, 5833 mAh, 42 Wh (input 12V 1.0A), approximately 8 hour running time per charge. part# 3011-0432

Mains AC charger for Li-Ion battery, with various country adapters. This is probably the same Universal AC Charger as used on the Gold Monster and SDC 2300, part# 3011-0339

Field charger cable, 12V DC with alligator clips. This is probably the same cable as used on Gold Monster, CTX 3030, and GPX 7000, part# 67-90204 

Minelab ML100 Bluetooth rechargeable wireless headphones, with micro-USB charging cable. part# 3011-0435

Hard wired adapter cable for ML100 headphones, with Equinox style 1/8" waterproof adapter. part# ???

GPX 6000 adjustable armrest, with strap. This may be the same armrest as used on the CTX 3030 and GPZ 7000, part# 8013-0028 and strap part# 8005-0040

Lower rod GPX 6000. part# ???

Middle rod GPX 6000. part# ???

GPX 6000 headphone outlet rubber door/cover. part# ???

GPX 6000 speaker cover/grill. part# ???

GPX 6000 rubber washers for rod to coil connection. part# ???
(see below for coil bolt)

Minelab GPX 6000 17" elliptical mono and 11" round mono coils compared 

The following items do not come with the GPX 6000, but are likely to work with it based on what is known so far. This is preliminary guesswork, and it is not advised a purchase be made based solely on the information presented here.

12V Vehicle "Cigarette Adapter" charging cable. part# 0302-0082

Equinox 1/8" male waterproof audio to generic female 1/4" headphone jack. part# 3011-0369

Vanquish style coil bolt. part# 4001-0025

The Nokta AU Gold Finder metal detector was introduced in 2016 and is still in production. The AU Gold Finder is a 56 kHz metal detector in a lightweight, weather resistant package. It fights the trend towards LCD display menu based control systems with a set of control knobs and switches.

The Nokta AU Gold Finder is closely related to the Makro Gold Racer in overall function and controls. A lot about how the Nokta AU Gold Finder operates and performs can be discovered by studying the information about the Gold Racer, which has been on the market longer. For all intents and purposes the Nokta AU Gold Finder is basically a Makro Gold Racer in a different housing. Note however that coils are not compatible between the two models.

The Nokta AU Gold Finder reminds me of what a Gold Bug 3 might have been if Fisher had ever made one. Hot on tiny gold, variable disc, option to use ground tracking, ground grab, or manual ground balance - and more. There is a dual tone ferrous/non-ferrous mode, and a red LED (ferrous) green LED (non-ferrous) visual id system. The control box contains the batteries and is easily removed from the rod for belt mounting with the integrated belt loops. The Gold Finder runs off four AA batteries.

Nokta AU Gold Finder prospecting detector

This should really appeal to those who are not fond of all the digital menu nonsense and who prefer to flip a switch and tweak a knob. The Nokta AU Gold Finder with both 10" x 5.5" DD coil and 5" round DD coil (both with scuff covers).

Official Nokta AU Gold Finder Page

AU Gold Finder Introduction

Nokta AU Gold Finder Instruction Manual

Nokta Metal Detectors Forum

Review by Kevin Hoagland

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

The Makro Racer metal detector was introduced in 2015 and discontinued in 2017, replaced by the Makro Racer 2. The Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $499 for the Racer was very aggressive for a detector that offers both manual ground balance and automatic ground tracking. The ergonomic three pound package drew attention, as did the Racer's ability to pull non-ferrous targets out of heavy trash.

The Makro Racer came standard with an 11" x 7" DD coil and had optional 5.5" x 4.7", 10" x 5.5", and 15.5" x 13.25" DD coils available. The Makro Racer models do not share coils with the Nokta FORS models. For those that are not aware of it, Makro and Nokta are under the same ownership and so there is considerable technology sharing between the two brands. The Makro Racer is a 14 kHz single frequency detector while the FORS models are 15 kHz and even though that is close, I have tested the coils and they are model specific.

The Makro Racer shares an almost identical feature set with the Nokta FORS CoRe metal detector and the Racer is basically a FORS CoRe in a lighter weight package and a forward facing display.

The Makro Racer includes innovative features like a handle incorporated vibration mode for use in very noisy areas. This feature can even be used to allow a deaf person to metal detect more efficiently and safely without having to constantly stare at the meter. There is a small LED flashlight built into the pod that illuminates the coil area in low light conditions.

Makro Racer metal detector

The Makro Racer has a full set of accessory items available, including optional environmental cover set, a Bluetooth module and headphones, and coils including the new 10" x 5.5" DD coil. This coil will be the stock coil on the Gold Racer model. The Makro Racer comes with an 11" x 7" DD coil but a popular option will be the 10" x 5.5" DD coil. This is a superior coil for nugget detecting due to the narrower profile and solid design, which prevents it from snagging on brush or sharp edged rocks. Other coil options include the 5.2" x 4.7" DD coil and 15.5" x 13.25" coil. The small coil is great for hunting in really trashy locations and for finding the smallest targets. The large coil is mainly for covering more ground quickly but also adds extra depth on large items.

The Racer is a very high gain detector susceptible to overload signals. From Makro: "The electronic gain of the RACER consists of 3 levels to eliminate the internal electromagnetic noise and to adjust the saturation level. The electronic gain change points correspond to levels 39 and 69 on the Gain setting. In case of saturation (overload), you may raise your search coil a bit or adjust the Gain to the lower electronic gain level. For example, in the All Metal and Two Tone modes, if the Gain is set to 70 or above and if saturation occurs, adjusting the Gain to 69 or 39 will minimize or eliminate the saturation. Similarly, if you experience saturation in the Three Tone mode, adjusting the Gain to 39 will be sufficient. Reducing the gain will not cause a dramatic decrease in depth."

The target id chart below is based on statements by company representatives that the Racer is very similar to the Nokta FORS CoRe in capability combined with the target id reference label published in early photos. You can see below that the target id values on the reference label and those published in the FORS CoRe owners manual match almost perfectly.

Makro Racer Target ID Chart

Makro is fast gaining attention as a company that listens to its customers. The new Makro Racer models are offering performance on par with detectors selling for quite a bit more money. They are simpler detectors focused on the task at hand - making good finds.

I had the experience of reading other reviews of the Makro Racer on the internet before using one myself. It highlighted for me that how I look at detectors and how they work for me is often remarkably different than what others experience. Depth tests in particular from back east have nearly no connection to what is see in the soil I hunt in. And air tests as usual show one thing and the ground another.

I have to preface this by noting that when I did this review in 2015 I was really waiting for the Makro Gold Racer. The Gold Racer has since been released but some of the commentary here is from before it came out.

The Racer offers the physical aspects I am looking for but the Gold Racer is tweaked specifically for gold, and gold is my thing! Some of what follows is just speculation on my part based on both models being Racer models and so therefore likely to share the same basic physical design. Whether the color will be the same, what the frequency will be, and even if they can share coils I do not know at this time. Still, here is a picture of what the Gold Racer will probably look like, except possibly the color.

Makro Racer with Optional 5.5" x 10" DD Coil

The bottom line I am pleased with the Makro Racer. I think people are just getting a little crazy with all the expectations it is supposed to replace detectors costing up to twice as much. This is a feature packed 14 kHz single frequency metal detector for $649 (later reduced to $499), nothing more and nothing less. It offers good performance for that price range and a feature set unmatched at that price. What I am looking at is a detector hot on gold with ground grab, manual ground balance, automatic ground tracking, good coil selection, at 3 lbs for $649.

Unfortunately the machine caught me at a bad time between two business trips and so I have only been able to give it a spin hunting a sandy tot lot and some general park detecting, both in highly mineralized ground. The ground runs 7/8 on the cool Makro pie chart which would be 5 bars on the Fisher F75. I rigged the Racer up with the optional 5.5" x 10" DD coil just to get a total unit weight with batteries as seen in the picture above. Three pounds, 1.5 ounces. Very nice! The coil is not an epoxy filled coil making for a much better weight and balance than for instance the Fisher Gold Bug Pro with similar size coil. The Fisher coil is epoxy filled and weighs in at 1 lb 2.6 oz whereas the Makro coil weighs 12.8 ounces. That is a fairly significant weight difference out there on the end of the rod.

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Still, I really like the little 4.2" x 5.5" DD coil and with that coil the Racer only weighs 2 lbs 15.7 ounces. The rod assembly is very tight and stout feeling. The hand grip, despite what others reported, works just fine for me. The angle changes if held high to give my thumb instant access to the four way control buttons. I am happy with the grip showing how it is very much a personal preference area. The Racer suits me because I have always imagined this as the "small coil" detector and the sister company Nokta FORS Gold as the "big coil" detector due to weight and balance design differences.

I found the depth and sensitivity of the 14 kHz Racer to be nearly identical to the 15 kHz FORS Gold, which is exactly what I was hoping for. I am talking about real world in highly mineralized ground. The perceived difference between the DI2 and DI3 modes all but disappears in bad ground.

Makro Racer with Optional Bluetooth Module Installed and Wireless Headphones

I ran the wireless Bluetooth headphones and any lag or delay there is so minimal as to be almost unnoticeable to me. I certainly had no problem with it at all and quickly liked the wireless headphones from an operational standpoint. My only issue there is the audio quality compared to my Sun Ray Pro Golds is lacking. The Phillips phones have a muffled sound, the Sun Ray a much sharper, brighter tone. Not surprising given the relative price difference. Since we are talking Bluetooth I would like to haul the Racer to an audio store and try different headphones to find something of higher audio quality and with individual volume controls. I am a bit deaf in my right ear, another reason I like my Sun Rays with their dual volume controls. Bottom line is I found the lag issue to not be an issue for me personally but the audio quality is not what I am looking for in a headphone.

The Makro Racer is a very high gain detector, with important jumps in the gain occurring at two different locations on the sensitivity control. This note from Makro:

"The electronic gain of the RACER consists of 3 levels to eliminate the internal electromagnetic noise and to adjust the saturation level. The electronic gain change points correspond to levels 39 and 69 on the Gain setting. In case of saturation (overload), you may raise your search coil a bit or adjust the Gain to the lower electronic gain level. For example, in the All Metal and Two Tone modes, if the Gain is set to 70 or above and if saturation occurs, adjusting the Gain to 69 or 39 will minimize or eliminate the saturation. Similarly, if you experience saturation in the Three Tone mode, adjusting the Gain to 39 will be sufficient. Reducing the gain will not cause a dramatic decrease in depth."

Makro Racer with 4.5" x 5" coil and wireless headphones

Close up of Makro racer optional 5.5" x 10" DD coil

Close up of Makro Racer LCD display and controls

Close up of Makro Racer under arm battery compartment with protective cover, power/volume knob

My favorite feature? Quick mode switching. I was able to set up separate sensitivity levels for all metal, DI2, and DI3 modes and hunt with any one and switch rapidly between modes with the touch of a button. I only played with this a bit but immediately liked it. I found switching to all metal made for a better pinpoint mode than the pinpoint mode. Or I could hunt in all metal, then switch to two-tone ferrous mode to check the target. Switching between DI2 and DI3 is instant and effortless.

I like the big display, easy menu setup - bottom line I just like the detector. Just a great little machine, well thought out and with good performance at a good price. It fits me and my hunting style but again, it really is just a preview and a stepping stone to the Gold Racer. Chances are the Racer will be the model for those seeking slightly more versatility by way of the saltwater beach mode. The Gold Racer is likely to be too hot to play well with wet salt sand but that remains to be seen. So far so good though, I'm happy with where we are heading.

~ Steve Herschbach
Copyright © 2015 Herschbach Enterprises

June 2018 Note: The Makro Racer is now a part of history, but may still be found for sale used. Note that early models had a lot of issues with both coil ears and coil bolts breaking easily. The coils have been beefed up a lot since, but do look out for this if considering a used detector. Makro was great about taking care of that stuff under warranty, but these units are now out of warranty and you may have to take care of any such issues encountered with a used model on your own.

Makro Racer Instruction Manual

Makro Racer Product Brochure

Forum Threads Tagged "makro racer"

Makro Metal Detector Forum

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

The Nokta FORS Gold was introduced in 2014 and discontinued in 2016, replaced by the Nokta FORS Gold+. Nokta Detectors is a new name to most people in the United States. Nokta Engineering is a company based in Istanbul, Turkey since 2001. I had an opportunity to acquire a FORS Gold and discovered it was a well built detector offering a lot of features and performance for the price. In the process I discovered the most spectacular gold/quartz specimen I have ever found!

The Nokta FORS Gold key features:

1. The FORS Gold runs in pure all metal mode while displaying target id number in the handle mounted LCD window. This allows for best performance with an eye towards dig it all detecting, yet allows obvious junks targets to be verified and ignored if desired. The key is no mode switching is needed, and time waster and ultimately something that wears out controls.

2. You have all ground balancing options possible. There is the easy push button and bob, or "grab" type ground balancing. There is pure manual adjust up and down ground balancing. And there is full automatic ground tracking.

3. There is an efficient dual tone based discrimination mode, called Boost Mode (DI2 on the CoRe model), that can be used to easily sort out ferrous trash and most hot rocks by either tones or outright discrimination of these undesired targets. Yet detection of gold nuggets is only minimally affected.

4. There is a three tone mode aimed more at coin detecting that makes the FORS Gold suitable for almost all detecting tasks, whether coin, relic, or jewelry detecting. The only area to expect only moderate performance would be on saltwater beaches, where all single frequency detectors suffer. The FORS CoRe has an additional mode to help it deal with conductive salt water conditions that the FORS Gold lacks.

Nokta FORS Gold prospecting metal detector

Here are some details on the three modes offered on the FORS Gold. There is a true threshold based all metal mode that has no discrimination control. There is no variable discrimination in this mode but the on screen target id does kick in for targets in discrimination range. Because all metal reaches deeper than discrimination modes the deeper targets will give an audio signal but no on screen target id number. This is how you locate deep targets beyond what a discrimination mode can detect.

Then you have preset tone modes, either two tones or three tones. In two tone mode it is low tone ferrous and medium tone non-ferrous. Three tone mode adds a high tone for targets zinc penny and higher. These discrimination modes are "silent search" with no threshold sound.

In both the disc modes you have a variable control called ID Mask. It is just like the control on a single knob disc machine, up and down with anything below the setting rejected. This is on top of and in addition to the tones. However, ID Mask is not like on most detectors where it starts at iron and goes up from there. The control starts all the way down in the ground range and goes up from there. This is important because many detectors cannot be set for a true "zero disc" mode but always have a little iron discrimination built in even at minimal settings. The FORS are like other Euro machines that let you fine tune the ferrous responses for extracting targets out of thick ferrous trash. This combined with the small coil makes it deadly in ferrous trash.

ALL modes always have an active on screen visual target id number:

Nokta FORS target id number chart

If you want you can run ID Mask very high to eliminate foil or aluminum or whatever on the high end, but like other machines you will lose nickels if you go too high. There is no notch function. The best way to proceed there is use three tone mode. Run ID Mask up to just below nickel range. Now you get no signal on targets that fall below nickel, nickel to just below zinc penny medium tone, and zinc penny on up high tone.

My FORS reads 56 on a nickel. If I turn the ID Mask up to 56 it still accepts the nickel. If I turn it to 57 nickel breaks up badly. At 58 nickel is gone.

There is no threshold in the disc modes so no threshold nulling. The rejected targets are simply gone, and nothing pops up on screen for a target id. So on screen target id is not 100% independent of settings.

If I turn the ID Mask up to 99 nothing goes beep so the control operates over the entire discrimination range unlike many detectors that do not allow the control to run into the coin range. The ID Mask control has exceptional range all the way from ground on one end up to silver coins and above on the other end.

I like the out-of-box thinking Nokta is displaying in the design of their detectors. The FORS Gold has a small LED flashlight built into the handle to illuminate the work area in low light conditions or to just use as a flashlight when you get back to your vehicle in the dark. And in a nugget detecting first, there is an adjustable vibration mode built into the handle that operates in conjunction with or independently of the audio. This feature alone can be a real benefit to people with hearing loss and in theory will allow somebody who is totally deaf to go metal detecting effectively! Now that is some real cool out of box thinking and the reason we need more companies like Nokta in the business. Even people with good hearing can benefit as most of us have run into high wind or other situations where hearing the detector is difficult at best. Anyone who has ever used the new pinpointers already knows how this works.

Spectacular 1.83 ounce gold specimen found by Steve with Nokta FORS Gold

I used the FORS Gold and did a very in-depth review on the forum. Rather than duplicate it here see Detailed Review of Nokta FORS Gold Metal Detector. Also my story Nokta FORS Gold Scores Spectacular Gold Specimen!

I found the Nokta FORS Gold to be very easy to operate on one hand, yet it has features to please a demanding detectorist like myself. The FORS Gold is an extremely capable prospecting VLF detector with excellent ground handling capability. I was able to become proficient with it in very short order and recover several very nice gold nuggets with it. Nokta is a name to pay attention to in the future as I believe this company is going places.

The Nokta FORS CoRe and the Nokta FORS Gold are the almost the same detector with the FORS CoRe offering a salt water beach mode for the same price and for that reason I think most people would be better served by purchasing a FORS CoRe. The FORS Gold instead has an alternate mono tone DI2 offering that the FORS CoRe lacks but overall I think the Salt mode on the CoRe may be more useful even for prospectors who may encounter salt or alkali conditions. Other than that everything on this page would apply just as much to both models. For those interested in using these detectors hunting around old cabins and campsites here is a Review of the FORS CoRe by Keith Southern.

Again, the Nokta FORS Gold has been discontinued and replaced by the Nokta FORS Gold+. However, the machines are nearly identical so almost everything here still applies. The main changes were a boost in the frequency from 15 khz to 19 kHz and the FORS Gold+ comes with the elliptical 5.5" x 10" coil instead of the 7" x 11" coil.

~ Steve Herschbach
Copyright © 2015 Herschbach Enterprises

Nokta FORS Gold Color Brochure

Nokta FORS Gold Instruction Manual

Difference Between Nokta FORS Gold And FORS Core

Nokta FORS CoRe Instruction Manual

Forum Threads Tagged "nokta fors"

Nokta Metal Detector Forum

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

Two basic technologies are described here; Induction Balance (IB) and Pulse Induction (PI). Induction balance is often referred to as VLF, or very low frequency. This is a misnomer, as some gold nugget detectors and some coin detectors are not very low frequency units as normally defined. VF = Voice Frequency = 300 Hz - 3 kHz, VLF = Very Low Frequency = 3 - 30 kHz, LF = Low Frequency = 30 - 300 kHz. Most IB gold detectors operate in the Low Frequency Range and quite a few coin detectors operate as low as the Voice Frequency range. Pulse Induction (PI) detectors operate over hundreds of frequencies employing a totally different technology than IB detectors but can be best imagined from an operational standpoint as Low Frequency detectors

Internet Price - Manufacturer's often publish manufacturer suggested retail prices (MSRP) intended to set the full value of an item. In the United States they also will often set a minimum advertised price (MAP) that determines the lowest price that can be used for advertising purposes. Note that this is not the lowest price an item can be sold for but instead is what you will normally see in print ads or online as the lowest advertised (sale) prices. The Internet Price in the chart is the normal advertised sale price as commonly found on the internet as of the date listed. Dealers will often try and sweeten the deal by including "free" items in the advertised prices. You can often negotiate a lower price by contacting the dealer requesting a lowest price for the item without all the "free" package items.

Technology - The basic operating technology a detector uses has a huge impact on how it behaves. Early consumer 1960's model detectors commonly employed a method referred to as Beat Frequency Oscillator (BFO). This simple design can be built by a school child with a handful of components. The search coil or loop was literally a coil or loop of wire. They are noted for making a distinctive "putt-putt-putt" continuous beat. The beat increases as a target is detected and the BFO responds to both conductive metals and magnetic minerals. The early 1970's saw the appearance of the Induction Balance (IB) detector. The IB detector employs two coils, a transmit and a receive coil, that are kept in electronic balance. They were therefore also commonly referred to as Transmitter/Receiver (TR) and that term saw more popular use. The TR produces a steady tone that increases in volume and the early TR models, like the BFO, responded to both conductive metals and magnetic minerals.

The BFO and TR were both very limited because their ability to detect magnetic minerals interfered with their ability to detect conductive metals. An IB or TR variant was developed that allowed the detectors to not only eliminate the signal from ground minerals but to discriminate between various metals. These detectors ran at lower frequencies than the TR models and referred to as Very Low Frequency (VLF) detectors. Dual mode models existed, the VLF/TR, but the TR modes were so limited they were eventually dropped in favor of pure VLF operating modes. Almost all such detectors are referred to as VLF detectors today, but VLF is actually a misnomer. In electronics, VLF refers to the 3 kHz - 30 kHz frequency spectrum. There are detectors operating at under 3 kHz, and so technically they are Voice Frequency (VF) detectors. There are also many models operating over 30 kHz which are technically Low Frequency (LF) detectors, although because they are operating at higher than VLF frequencies many people refer to the as "high frequency" detectors. Therefore on this website the more technically correct term Induction Balance (IB) will be used.

This is important because IB detectors are dramatically different than the other major technology employed at this time, the Pulse Induction, or PI detector. The IB detector requires two coils or loops that continuously transmit and receive in electronic balance. The PI detector requires only one coil but may use two. Rather than transmit and receive continuously, the PI detector transmits, pauses, then receives, which can be done with a single coil. The PI detector is able to ignore salt water and mineralized ground that an IB has difficulty with. This makes PI detectors particularly well suited for salt water diving applications, and that is where most consumer models have been aimed over the years.

Simple PI detectors are often advertised as having "automatic ground rejection" but that is not strictly true. A normal PI will ignore common ground conditions, but they still are affected by highly mineralized ground and hot rocks, and so are not suitable for most prospecting applications. A company in Australia recognized the potential however, and developed PI detectors aimed specifically at the prospecting market. These detectors do actually ground balance, or tune out the effects of highly mineralized ground and hot rocks, and so along with other models now on the market represent a subset of the PI detectors, the Ground Balancing Pulse Induction (GBPI) detector.

Frequency - Induction Balance (IB) detectors as radio devices normally operate on one of more frequencies that govern certain operating characteristics. The transmit frequencies are often quoted but what is most important is the frequencies the detector receives and actually processes. Most detectors receive and process a single frequency but a few detectors receive and compare the results of two or more frequencies. The focus on frequency has lead some marketing people to advertise multiple transmit frequencies in ways that are a bit misleading because people assume more is better. The reality is single frequency detectors excel at some tasks and multi-frequency detectors at others. Single frequency detectors can be better honed for specific tasks, such as nugget detecting. Multiple frequency detectors are better able to handle salt water environments and generally excel at target discrimination. In general, the higher the frequency, the more sensitive the unit is to small gold, but also more affected by mineralized ground and rocks. Lower frequencies penetrate mineralized ground better but are less sensitive to small nuggets. Multiple frequency detectors have historically acted like lower frequency detectors but newer models are so sensitive as to be practical for gold nugget detecting. Frequency article

Pulse Induction (PI) detectors are sometimes advertised as using huge numbers of frequencies, which is technically true, but again is the marketing people going to work. Operating frequencies on IB detectors do not really equate with PI detectors which operate on a different principle. The closest specification in a PI detector that has some bearing on the operating characteristics is the Pulse Frequency which is the number of times the transmitter pulse is repeated every second. It is usually quoted at Pulses Per Second (PPS). The pulse frequency affects the response time (slower PPS call for slower sweep speed), power consumption (higher PPS uses more power) and interference rejection (adjustable PPS helps adjust out electromagnetic interference).

Pulse Induction (PI) detectors again are a special case, and the sensitivity to small items and ground minerals is more affected by the Pulse Delay than the Pulse Frequency. The Pulse Delay is the wait time between the transmit mode and receive mode. The shorter the delay, the more sensitive the detector is to small items and hot rocks. In theory a PI can be just as sensitive as an IB detector by operating at extremely short delay times, but then it would suffer the same problems as an IB detector. PI detectors designed to hunt gold often have a pulse delay of about 10uS (microseconds). Salt water however signals at 10uS so salt water PI detectors often run about 15uS. Some PI detectors can have an adjustable pulse delay that commonly runs from 10uS to 25uS.

Autotune Modes - Almost all modern detectors require the search coil to be in motion over the target to get a response. Nugget detectors employ automatic threshold tuning, which acts to help keep the threshold tone even in variable ground. The circuit seeks to return the threshold to a level preset by the threshold control. The retune rate can vary from slow to fast and in some cases can be adjusted by the operator. Holding the coil stationary over the target causes the target to disappear as the autotune circuitry brings the threshold back to the preset level. Detailed article

Ground Rejection - Ground rejection or ground balance can be set at the factory (Pre-Set), manually set by the user (Manual) or automatically track ground conditions (Tracking). Fixed refers to units that lock in whatever setting the automatic system has at any moment but which cannot be manually adjusted. Manual adjustment allows a unit to be purposefully adjusted to specific conditions that cannot normally be attained through manual or fixed settings. The preferred option is to have both tracking and manual ground balance systems. A compromise between manual ground balance and ground tracking is an automatic "Grab" function. This allows the unit to be ground balanced by pressing a button. The ground balance setting is obtained instantly or with a few pumps of the coil over the ground.

Soil Adjust - This refers to a control that allows the operator to adjust the unit for basic ground conditions. Common settings are Normal, High Mineral, Low Mineral (Sensitive), Salt (for salt water beaches or salt flats) or a variable setting. The technology employed may vary. The unit will compensate for difficult conditions by basically lowering the overall sensitivity of the detector in various ways so as to not detect the item or items causing problems. The sensitivity to desired items almost always suffers as a result.

Discrimination (Disc) - Most detectors offer all metal detection, all metal with ferrous (man made iron or steel) rejection, possibly adjustable, and fully adjustable discrimination that can actually identify different non-ferrous targets one form the other. The method may be audio only, via a visual display, or both. A control that allows for only ferrous items to be rejected to a varying degree is commonly referred to as "Iron Mask".

Volume Control - Detectors with volume controls usually have a built in speaker and this way you can adjust the speaker output. Detectors without volume controls operate at full volume at all times. Be sure and purchase headphones that have an adjustable volume for these detectors or the headphones will be too loud to use.

Tone Adjust - This allows for a change of tone in the speaker output, to the sound that best suits the user's ears. Some people hear high tones better and some people better hear low tones.

Audio Boost - Boosts the audio volume on small, faint targets, making them easier to hear. It may also boost ground and hot rock signals in some areas and so is usually offered as an option.

Frequency Offset - Two detectors operating on the same frequency close together will "cross-talk" or cause some kind of false signals in both nearby detectors. A frequency offset or adjust allows for a small change in frequency so detectors are less prone to interfere with each other. The control may also alleviate interference from outside sources like power lines or cell phone towers, referred to as EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference).

Pinpoint Mode - Common in coin detectors, rare in gold nugget detectors. The pinpoint mode is usually a variation on the all metal non-motion mode (see Search Modes above) that allows the detector to be held steady over a target as an aid to locating the exact position of the target. This may be of some benefit in some "silent search" that lack a threshold tone and which only make a sound when passing over a target. The mode is usually activated via a momentary push button or trigger switch.

Audio Output - Nearly all detectors have a built in speaker and a 1/4" headphone jack. Others vary from the norm and are so noted. Also, be aware that some detectors have a mono output and some have stereo output. This is noted when known but it is best always to have headphones that can operate in either mode. Headphone notes

Hip Mount - Some models allow the control box to be put on a belt or chest harness. A very desirable feature, as even a lighter detector can cause arm soreness, or even injury, if used for long periods of time. New detectors are so light this is now a rare feature more often seen on older models. An exception are the Minelab SD/GP detectors in that they are heavy, but through the use of an ingenious harness and bungee system they actually impose less arm strain in level ground than most detectors. Similar harness/bungee systems can be obtained for use on most detectors from aftermarket sources. Chest mounts however are still a valuable option for those thinking of using their detector in deep water.

Standard Search Coil(s) - The search coil or coils that come that come with the detector. Also referred to as loops. IB detectors have concentric or double D (DD) options. PI detectors have mono or double D (DD) options. Concentric or mono coils are usually more sensitive but more affected by ground mineralization. Double D coils handle ground mineralization better but at some loss of maximum depth in low mineral conditions. Concentric or mono coils have an inverted cone detection pattern with maximum depth dead center that fades off in all directions. DD coils have an elongated inverted canoe pattern that covers the ground more thoroughly but lacks the maximum depth dead center that concentric or mono coils offer. Large coils get more depth and cover more ground than small coils, but lack sensitivity to small targets. Small coils lack overall depth but enhance sensitivity to small targets and have better target separation by not "seeing" two targets under the coil at once. Large coils are more affected by the overall ground mineralization, small coils are more affected by hot rocks. Suffice it to say that the more coil options one has, the better. Coil compatibility

Optional Search Coils - See the note above. The more, the better.

Battery - Options are usually disposable batteries, rechargeable systems, or both. Common battery types are AA batteries and 9V batteries. Disposable batteries tend to fade away slowly as they lose power. Rechargeable batteries maintain a more even power output then go dead very rapidly. Rechargeable are preferred by heavy users and a backup battery is a necessity.

Operating Time - Normal battery life in operation with standard battery. Note that the use of headphones will significantly extend operating times.

Weight - Weight of unit on arm with a few noted exceptions.

Additional Technology - Features offered by this detector not normally seen on other models.

Notes - Anything else of interest about the model in question.

The White's GMZ was released in 2009 and discontinued in 2016. The GMZ is a simple to operate 50 kHz metal detector with exceptional sensitivity to small gold nuggets. The GMZ shares the coils used by the White's Goldmaster/GMT series of metal detectors.

The GMZ might appear to be a stripped down GMT, but it is in fact an entirely different design. Dan Geyer, a White's engineer, started the GMZ as a side project. It really is more of a simple coin detecting type circuit, but stepped up to operate at 50 kHz. Dan's goal was to make a detector as simple as possible yet while still being exceptionally sensitive to small gold. It proved to be a functional design and White's eventually decided to put it into production.

The GMZ only has three controls - two knobs and a switch. The switch flips from the normal operating mode to a "salt" mode. This tunes out alkali salt flat mineralization but does reduce sensitivity to small gold. There is an On/Off Sensitivity dual control. And finally, a single turn ground reject control.

White's GMZ 50 kHz gold prospecting metal detector

From the White's GMZ Owner's Manual:

• Set the Ground toggle switch to the Normal position.
• Turn the Ground Reject knob fully counter clockwise to the lowest setting.
• Turn the Sensitivity/ Power knob on & set it to the factory suggested preset mark.
• Sweep the search coil across the surface of the ground and listen for any sound level variations produced by changing mineralization levels from spot to spot. This will be evidenced by chatter or a sort of clicking sound.
• Now adjust the Ground Reject knob clockwise while sweeping or pumping the search coil over the ground until the chatter diminishes or goes away.

White's GMZ - two knobs and a switch!

That is basically all there is to tuning the GMZ for operation. Unique also to the GMZ for a nugget detector is the fact that it is a silent search detector. Most nugget detectors have a faint threshold sound that the operator listens to for faint variations that indicate very small or very deep nuggets. The GMZ, since it is based on a simple coin detecting circuit, lacks that threshold tone and does operate more like a coin detector - silent until it beeps on a nugget or some other item. This was deemed preferable for beginners.

The White's GMZ is a very lightweight, well balanced, and easy to operate detector. At 50 kHz it does have great sensitivity to small gold nuggets. The price when it came out was attractive at only $499.00

As mentioned before a good feature on the GMZ was the ability to use any coil that would work on the Goldmaster/GMT series of detectors.

4" x 6" Shooter DD, stock 6" x 10" DD, and 8" x 14" Sierra Gold Max DD coils. These GMT coils also work on the GMZ.

Unfortunately, at about the same time as the GMZ was released the market started seeing other detectors with far more capability for a similar price. The new digital version of the Fisher Gold Bug in particular proved to be strong competition. The Gold Bug offers a digital target id display, both all metal and discrimination modes, and the normal threshold based operation prospectors had come to expect and rely on. All in a lightweight package for the same price as the GMZ.

The GMZ just never caught on because of this. More experienced operators were generally put off by the lack of threshold tone. Beginners and pros alike missed having any sort of iron discrimination, a standard feature on all other offerings at the time. Ultimately the GMZ was a great little detector but it really was sold at too high a price when compared to other machines on the market. I think it would have done much better at $399 but that was probably too low for White's. As a result the GMZ languished and even many White's dealers never really were aware of the model. It was finally discontinued in 2016.

White's GMZ Instruction Manual

White's Metal Detector Forum

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

Nokta Detectors is a new name to most people in the United States. Nokta Engineering is a company based in Istanbul, Turkey since 2001. The FORS Gold+ is an update of the earlier FORS Gold and is aimed at the prospecting market. The Nokta FORS Gold+ was introduced in 2015 and was discontinued in late 2018. The Nokta FORS Gold+ has been replaced by the Nokta Anfibio 19, new for 2018.

The main changes in the FORS Gold+ include boosting the frequency from 15 kHz to 19 kHz which should enhance the sensitivity to small gold. The stock coil has been changed to the 10" x 5.5" DD coil popular with gold prospectors and a 5" round DD coil is also included. The smaller coil is good for working nooks and crannies and will provide the best sensitivity on the smaller gold nuggets. Optional coils include a 10" x 5.5" concentric and 13.3" x 15.5" DD. The concentric is new for Nokta and offers extra performance in mild ground combined with more accurate ferrous identification properties for trashy locations.

A very new feature is what Nokta is calling the iSAT control. This allows a person to customize the threshold retune rate for ground conditions. A fast threshold retune smooth's ground responses but can also smooth faint gold signals. A slow retune rate can enhance faint signals but also enhance false ground responses. The amount needed varies with ground conditions and the type of gold being found. This setting is preset in most detectors and so by including it Nokta is offering a degree of control not possible on many prospecting detectors.

Finally, the three tone "coin mode" on the original FORS Gold has been replaced by a Fast retune two tone discrimination mode suited for hunting bad ground. This is in addition to the already existing Boost discrimination mode for work in milder ground.

The Nokta FORS Gold+ comes with two coils - 5.5" x 10" DD and 5" round DD

Here are some details in the three modes offered on the FORS Gold+. There is a true threshold based all metal mode that has no discrimination control. There is no variable discrimination in this mode but the on screen target id does kick in for targets in discrimination range. Because all metal reaches deeper than discrimination modes the deeper targets will give an audio signal but no on screen target id number. This is how you locate deep targets beyond what a discrimination mode can detect.

Then you have preset two tone discrimination modes. In two tone mode it is low tone ferrous and high tone non-ferrous. These discrimination modes are "silent search" with no threshold sound.

In both the disc modes you have a variable control called ID Mask. It is just like the control on a single knob disc machine, up and down with anything below the setting rejected. This is on top of and in addition to the tones. However, ID Mask is not like on most detectors where it starts at iron and goes up from there. The control starts all the way down in the ground range and goes up from there. This is important because many detectors cannot be set for a true "zero disc" mode but always have a little iron discrimination built in even at minimal settings. The FORS are like other Euro machines that let you fine tune the ferrous responses for extracting targets out of thick ferrous trash. This combined with the small coil makes it deadly in ferrous trash.

Nokta FORS Gold+ 19 kHz gold nugget detector

ALL modes always have an active on screen visual VDI number. If you want you can run ID Mask very high to eliminate foil or aluminum or whatever on the high end, but like other machines you will lose nickels if you go too high. There is no notch function. Run ID Mask up to just below nickel range. Now you get no signal on targets that fall below nickel, nickel on up will produce a high tone.

My FORS reads 56 on a nickel. If I turn the ID Mask up to 56 it still accepts the nickel. If I turn it to 57 nickel breaks up badly. At 58 nickel is gone.

There is no threshold in the disc modes so no threshold nulling. The rejected targets are simply gone, and nothing pops up on screen for VDI. So on screen VDI is not 100% independent of settings.

If you turn the ID Mask up to 99 nothing goes beep so the control operates over the entire discrimination range unlike many detectors that do not allow the control to run into the coin range. The ID Mask control has exceptional range all the way from ground on one end up to silver coins and above on the other end.

I like the out-of-box thinking Nokta is displaying in the design of their detectors. The FORS Gold+ has a small LED flashlight built into the handle to illuminate the work area in low light conditions or to just use as a flashlight when you get back to your vehicle in the dark. The two coils, both manual and automatic ground tracking, 19 khz, new iSAT control, dual discriminate modes, and more all add up to a metal detector worth very serious consideration. The new discounted price of $578 with two coils makes this a real bang-for-the-buck option for those wanting a full featured nugget detector at a great price.

Nokta FORS Gold+ Color Brochure

Nokta FORS Gold+ Instruction Manual

Nokta FORS Gold+ Photo Tour

Forum Threads Tagged "nokta fors"

Nokta Metal Detectors Forum

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

Yes, it’s true that you can prospect for and find your own gold – it’s still out there! The title of my book is “Fists Full of Gold” because that’s what I hope it will bring you. I’ve put in years of experience to make this book the most comprehensive prospecting book ever written. It's very different from what is on the market already – It's focus is to teach you how to find gold deposits, both placer and hard rock. There is a huge amount of information here that is just simply not available in any other prospecting book. It has plenty of basic coverage for new prospectors but lots of material for those guys who have some experience and want to learn more, plus even more advanced information for prospectors with decades of experience. It is up to date with all the latest technology and science. - Chris Ralph

This book takes a unique and different approach in teaching the “trade skills” of prospecting – it covers not just equipment, but the knowledge you really need to find those locations with recoverable gold. This information is important because in the final analysis, no matter well you operate your dredge, metal detector or other prospecting equipment, unless you can find the deposits where the gold is concentrated, your equipment cannot help you recover it. It's designed to be the one prospecting book you will never outgrow. It’s a quite a reference: more than 360 pages long with over 225,000 words. That makes it longer by far than any other prospecting book written for individuals – longer than any 2 or 3 of them combined! In spite of this, it’s all written for the average individual who does not have any formal training in geology or mining.

Fists Full Of Gold book by Chris Ralph

A note from Steve Herschbach, professional prospector - "I was privileged to be able to help proof Chris' book and I can say without doubt it would have saved me years of learning things the hard way had it been available when I started out. This book addresses the huge gap that exists between books teaching elementary prospecting methods and hard to read technical manuals. Chris brings together a wide array of information in a readable fashion. If you are ready to take that next step up from the basics, this is THE book to read".

Some of the highlights of the information contained in the book include:

The basics of prospecting and finding gold, including:

• The fact that there is lots of gold is still out there to be found
• How to use a gold pan, including crevicing, mossing and sniping for gold
• How to get the best recovery out of your sluice box or highbanker
• How to use a suction dredge to find and recover paystreaks
• How to operate a dry washer for gold
• An extensive section on metal detecting, perhaps the best on the market

Building your own equipment, including building your own:

• Portable sluice box
• Lightweight suction dredge
• Desert dry washer

How to operate a small scale commercial mining operation
How to deal with and get the most out of your black sands
How to get the best prices for your gold, specimens and nuggets

A full coverage of the geology of gold and silver mineral deposits:

• All about minerals and how to identify them
• Minerals associated with gold deposits
• Rocks: what they are and how to identify them
• Basic geology for the prospector in an understandable form
• A detailed explanation of placer geology and how paystreaks form
• A detailed explanation of hard rock geology and how gold deposits form
• How to recognize many types of hard rock gold and silver deposits

How to do research to find your own rich concentrations of gold:

• Using and understanding topographic maps, aerial photos and GPS
• Where to find little known sources of information on gold deposits
• How to use geology maps to find gold

Signs and indicators of gold deposits that you want to look for in the field:

• How to read and interpret signs of old timer workings
• How to recognize geologic indicators of gold mineralization

How to prospect for commercial deposits of gold and silver
Mining law and how to stake and maintain your own claim
Platinum placers and deposits – How to prospect for them
Diamonds in placers – How to recognize them
Maps of where to find gold in the US and Australia

Plus hundreds of photos, diagrams and illustrations to explain the concepts presented in the book. 8" x 11" 362 pages.

The Garrett ATX normally comes standard with a 12" x 10" DD search coil. Other package options include the Deepseeker Package, which includes the 15" x 20" mono coil and a large hard case. Optional 8" round and 20" x 15" mono coils with integrated lower rods are available. Garrett also introduced two more new 11" x 13" enclosed coil designs in 2016, in both DD and mono configurations. New packages that include these new coils as the stock coil are now available.

Garrett ATX Search Coil Options

How To Disassemble and Clean the ATX Coil Shaft & Camlocks

I have issues with the weight of the ATX and the stock coil for certain nugget hunting tasks, like gully hunting as in my Gold Nugget Detecting with the Garrett ATX story. I had visions of hip mounting the ATX with a smaller DD coil. If you look at the third photo in my Infinium beach hunting story you will see where I got the idea. An inquiry with Garrett about the possibility of running Garrett Infinium coils on the ATX received this answer:

"The ATX can be operated with Infinium DD coils. Performance with Infinium DD coils should be normal but is not guaranteed. The ATX cannot be operated with Infinium mono coils or any other Garrett coil other than ATX coils and Infinium DD coils. Recon Pro coils will not work on the ATX. The Recon Pro is not the same machine electronically, even though it looks similar. Use of any coil other than ATX coils and Infinium DD coils, including the use of 3rd party coils, will void the warranty."

Well ok then! I purchased two Infinium DD accessory coils, the 3" x 7" DD, part number 2216600 and 5" x 10" DD, part number 2216700. The DD coils work fine. I suspect the ATX has been optimized to run with DD coils and that the mono coils therefore had to be tweaked to work with it. The Infinium mono coils therefore will not work. The Infinium DD coils however are good to go but as the note above say there are no promises about how they will perform. Mine was stable with good sensitivity to small gold nuggets.

The ATX with lower rod and coil assembly plus arm cup removed only weighs 3 lbs 5 oz, basically half the weight of the entire detector. I envisioned slinging it either under my arm or on my back, with only the coil and rod assembly on my arm. An Infinium rod assembly could be purchased as separate part numbers, but I already had a couple White's Space Saver Rod Kits for use with other detectors. These can be ordered as one part number, P/N 802-5236 and are only $39.95, far cheaper than other rod assemblies I have priced out. The White's bolt fit the Infinium coils but was a tad short, and I had to add an extra rubber washer to snug up the narrow White's rod end, but it actually works just fine.

Steve's Garrett ATX Hip Mount Kit

The 5" x 10" DD coil bench tests great. It is hot down the middle like one expects of a DD coil, and slightly more sensitive than the inner coil ring area of the stock DD coil. The advantage is it elongates the hot small gold area to nearly the full 10" length of the coil and eliminates the extraneous less sensitive outer coil area of the stock coil. This is the coil for hunting in tight locations like in bedrock pockets and crevices and in brush. There are no gaps to get caught and hang up, and the coil appears impervious to false signals when knocked about. Home run!

The 3" x 7" coil is no more sensitive to small gold than the 5" x 10" and gives up some depth, so the only reason to use it is for extremely tight areas. Pulse induction detectors do not get more sensitive to small gold past a certain point, unlike VLF detectors, so ultra small coils like the 3" x 7" get no extra boost in sensitivity. But for extreme crevice work or even for use as a pinpointer the little coil has my interest.

The Infinium mono coils should be avoided. I am not sure what might happen but you do not want to void your warranty!

Anyway, here is a picture to give you the idea. I started an official question and answer thread on this experiment on the Garrett Forum here. Check it out for some more great ATX modifications.

Garrett ATX Makeshift Rod Kit in Progress

I have experimented with a  backpack design for this setup at at Garrett ATX Backpack Modification. Chest or hip mount options are also possible.

The Garrett ATX does have a built in waterproof speaker and so does not require headphones. It does come with dry land headphones that use a waterproof connector Garrett uses on the Infinium and AT Pro/AT Gold models. The same waterproof headphones available for those models work on the ATX and are required if it is desired to put the headphones underwater. The included headphones have a waterproof cable that can be submerged but the headphones themselves must be kept dry. A short adapter dongle is also available to convert the ATX waterproof headphone connector to the standard 1/4" female receptacle so standard metal detector headphones may be used.

Garrett ATX Optional Underwater Headphones and Headphone Adapter Dongle

Garrett ATX Optional Submersible Headphones PN: 2202100. This is the same set used on the Garrett Infinium, Sea Hunter, AT Pro, and AT Gold models.

1/4" Headphone Adapter PN: 1626000. Allows land-use headphones with a 1/4” male jack to be used with the Garrett ATX, AT Gold, AT Pro, Infinium and Sea Hunter models. (Not intended for submerged use.) OPERATION NOTES: Inserting the headphone plug into the connector will provide sound from the headphones only and will automatically disable the detector's speaker. This automatic speaker-disable feature requires the input impedance of the headphones to be 10,000 ohms or less. Note that some non-Garrett headphones may not meet this requirement and will require the addition of a 10,000 ohm termination resistor inside the connector to disable the speaker.

Another headphone option is available from DetectorPro - the DetectorPro Gray Ghost Amphibian headphone.

DetectorPro Gray Ghost Amphibian Headphone

The nice thing about the Amphibian headphone is like the name implies, it can be used both above and below water. It is unique in underwater headphones in having a volume control making it easy to increase volume when entering the water and decrease volume when leaving the water. This also eliminates having to switch out headphone sets. The fewer times the o-ring connection has to be broken and reset, the better. The DetectorPro Gray Ghost Amphibian headphones can stay permanently attached to the ATX both above and below water. These work on the ATX, Infinium, AT Pro, AT Gold and Sea Hunter detectors. Check them out at the DetectorPro website.

Finally, the ATX runs off eight standard AA batteries, eliminating any shipping or airline issues that can be a problem with some PI detectors. The detector comes complete with both alkaline and NiMH rechargeable batteries plus a 110V and 12V smart charger system. The detector runs approximately 10-12 hours on a charge when using headphones, less if running off the speaker. The best method is to use the rechargeable batteries and carry the alkaline set as backup.

Official Garrett ATX Accessory Page

Here is the text from the posted screenshot:

CZX - Fisher and Teknetics

• This machine is ground breaking technology
• Turn on and go
• 2 frequency - 9:1 ratio
• No need to ground balance or adjust the detector to the environment
• It automatically senses the ground and makes changes accordingly.
• First detector birthed from this platform is a gold unit priced around $1000, but deeper than current VLF, this detector will also see through red dirt, and highly mineralized soil.
• From this platform other machines will develop. We intend to develop the CZX and MOSCA platforms to offer more machines in the $1000 to $2000 range than have ever been available.
• Target release 2016
• We have senior engineer Dave Johnson on this project

The information was leaked and so must be taken with a grain of salt but it looks genuine and matches up with statements made by various First Texas representatives online in the last couple years. Obviously the 2016 timeframe is long past. Fisher has more or less acknowledged this information as genuine but it was never intended to be leaked for obvious reason - stuff happens and delays are the norm in the metal detector industry. In fact, many planned detectors never make it to market for one reason or another.

I think the information was genuine but that unexpected delays occurred. Nobody outside First Texas really knows the full story. However, here is a quote from Carl Moreland on June 27, 2018:

"We have stuff in the works but I can't tell you to delay a purchase based on "it's in the works." The Equinox convinced a whole lotta people to sell their AT Pro, my goal is to come out with something that convinces a whole lotta people to sell their Equinox."

The latest information as of June of 2018 is that First Texas (Fisher parent company) is hard at work on new models, with the most likely new product to appear being a new beach detecting pulse induction model currently referred to as the Aqua Manta. Work also continues on new multifrequency devices, but 2019 is now looking like the earliest probable date for those machines.

A CZX type machine would be great for the Africa market by being turn on and go. The relic hunters in Virginia and elsewhere should like it. If weight and balance are right, I am going to love it as I have been pounding the table for a machine like this for years. I would like to see something with at least Minelab SD type performance in a lightweight affordable package but at $1000 it simply needs to beat the White's TDI. The biggest question I have is how small a nugget can it detect? At $1000 this machine would be the natural next step up for any prospector using a VLF who has not made the plunge into PI.

The old CZ is dual frequency running at 15 kHz and 5 kHz, a 3:1 ratio. Staying at 5 kHz for the low end a 9:1 ratio figures at 45 kHz and 5 kHz. Until recently a machine with no ground balance adjustment (automatic tracking only) would have raised eyebrows, but the Minelab SDC 2300 and Gold Monster have now paved the way in that regard. Dave Johnson always likes power combined with simplicity and good ergonomics, and that bodes well for this detector.

The "Mosca" model looks to be aiming mid-way between the Garrett AT Pro and Minelab CTX 3030 with a multi-frequency all terrain model. The AT Pro has been wildly successful and it only makes sense to emulate that success. The new Minelab Equinox notwithstanding, there is still plenty of room for innovation in this market segment.

10/1/2018 - The CZX saga finally comes to an end. This exchange took place on the forum regarding the CZX with responses by Carl Moreland (Geotech) of First Texas:

"So it was a no go, a dead end or did it lead to the discovery of something potentially greater?"

"Didn't give the results we were looking for. So dead-end, more or less."

Forum Thread About The CZX

First Texas (Fisher) Metal Detector Forum

*Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.