Steve Herschbach

Very nice, I love seeing neat stuff like pendants or charms... something to break up the rings! A testament to your detecting skills also. Interesting you are using Gold Mode. That and a 6” coil are my staples for nugget detecting, but I’ve not really given Gold Mode a fair try for other types of detecting.

OK, beefed up the original post quite a bit, added more about the coil and headphones, various other tidbits. I may fine tune it a bit more but it is pretty complete now. Might be worth another look. And yes, my eye is healing up very well... vision recovered is a beautiful thing. I honestly had no idea quite how bad it had gotten, the world is a much sharper and brighter place now than it was a few weeks ago! Should be able to maybe think about some mask and snorkel work right about the time the water gets warmer than it is right now. Been a cool spring around here, especially up at Tahoe elevation.

Why all the emphasis on 18650 batteries? I just got a Tarsacci, and it comes with a couple EBL 26650 batteries. These things are sweet! 5000mAh 3.7V each, four (14.8V) with some kind of drop in battery design for the Impulse would get a full day of detecting I think. Four would be a nice counterweight to the coil, maybe add a little more weight overall than the 18650, but I think balance would work out well. And only $20 for a four pack! https://www.newegg.com/ebl-2-pack-lithium-batteries/p/14R-01BT-000W8 https://www.walmart.com/ip/EBL-4-Pack-26650-Battery-3-7V-5000mAh-Li-ion-Rechargeable-Batteries-for-Flashlight-Vapor/822287699 https://www.ebay.com/p/1753415266 High Performance: The advanced batteries provide maximum reliable power for the need of your devices. The high-quality pre-charged battery can be conveniently used immediately out of the package. The batteries can be recharged up to 1200 times when fully or partially drained, which is extremely economical and powerful. The advanced batteries provide an expected lifespan similar to that of the device in which it is used. Besides, the highly improved low self discharge makes it still maintain 75% of capacity after 3 years of non-use.Universally Used for Devices: EBL 26650 lithium rechargeable batteries can be universally used for household devices, such as digital cameras, toys, remote controls, hand held games, 2-way radios, PDAs, flashlights, alarm-clocks, LCD-TVs, electronic toothbrushes, shavers and portable audio players, you name it.Trustworthy Quality: Certified by CE and ROHS, EBL brand batteries, such as AA/AAA/9V/C/D/18650/26650 rechargeable batteries, have trustworthy quality and good reputation. The Tarsacci runs on only one of these, so one is a spare. Nice dual battery charger also.

The Invenio is not mapping out target id results on the screen, but position information as to where responses are occurring. So if you walk over a buried triangular frame, a picture of a buried triangular item will get "painted" on the screen. This is totally different than what a CTX 3030 is doing, for instance. The CTX is just mapping target id numbers on the display. The Invenio is drawing a map of the ground with target responses added to the map over time, building up a "picture" of what is in the ground. It's fairly useless for coins or typical detecting items - they are just a dot. More of use for archaeology type tasks. But could be used coin detecting to map a scatter of coins, for instance. The IPTU SENSOR (Integrated Positional Tracking Unit) is the hardware part doing the positional mapping. Since the IPTU unit is made to interface directly with the Invenio hardware, I am clueless as to how it can work with other detectors and doubt that it can. See the owners manual for details. Invenio product Information

A bunch of relevant discussion here

The percentage is not high, but when you are dealing with what is probably the most popular VLF sold the last couple years the numbers are probably pretty high. I can't tell you what to do, but here is how I approach something like this. I have had half the waterproof detectors I ever bought leak on me, a couple on first use. I now assume any waterproof detector will eventually leak. I therefore always have two, and I tend to sell them just before the warranty expires and take the hit to replace them with another full warranty unit. Then I go detecting and I don't worry about it. I got the machine to go detecting and I will. If one fails, I have a backup I will use while the one that fails gets sent in and taken care of under warranty. I've never paid anything more than postage yet to get a flooded detector fixed and probably never will. In the rare event both go down at the same time.... has not happened yet. The good news is a pair of Equinox costs way less than one CTX 3030, and hardly more than an Excalibur if you are talking 800s, so it's not a crazy expensive thing to consider.

Well, he did ask for a wish list, and we can always wish. Nothing says I'm right, just an educated guess. I was after all one of the reasons the TDI ended up coil compatible with Minelab coils. Or at least when the question came up I voted that remain a top priority in the final product. I'd love it if there was somehow a way we could have over 100 accessory coils available for the Impulse Gold out of the starting gate. Or at least maybe compatibility with the Coiltek coils made for the SDC 2300?

Because they have already reinvented the wheel to make coils that run at 7 uS for the Impulse AQ. Nice thought, but it is unlikely Fisher could gain any performance benefit by using Minelab coils when the coil tends to be one of the major limiting factors on getting a detector to work properly at 7 uS. I know that was a major hurdle for First Texas to overcome in manufacturing, and still may be. It is a far better bet to assume that the Impulse Gold will be coil compatible with the Impulse AQ. Hopefully we will see coils made just for prospecting however, as the round open spoke coils are more for in water use.

It’s officially Impulse Gold, so I took the liberty of editing your post to reflect that. I’ve been trying for years to get Minelab to put a SDC 2300 in a standard detector housing and outfit it with a set of standard accessory coils. Don’t care about waterproof in the desert. Waterproof is nice, but not if it adds a pound or more. Waterproof should come with little or no weight penalty these days, and the Equinox proves. So if Fisher just made something with SDC equivalent performance with 8” coil, but with better depth on large gold by way of larger coils, in an ergonomic package, at a reasonable price (under U.S.$2K)... I’d be thrilled. I agree with Simon, a decent external speaker would be great. The speaker on the SDC sucks. It’s poor volume to start with, but then aiming it directly away from the operator makes it worse.

Good question. But personally I own and like the NEL Snake DD due to the 3.5” x 6.5” size, which I prefer over 5” round.

Hopefully people will chime in as they get an AQ. I won't speak for others - I have one obviously.

Now THAT’s what a forum is all about! Good on you Joe, I hope your gold take this year sets a record!! 👍🏼

The CTX is mapping target id information, the Invenio is mapping location information. Different concepts and Intents entirely, so not really an apples to apples comparison.

“Deeper“ is a one dimensional way of looking at metal detecting. My goal is to be more efficient and to locate more “good” targets per hour of metal detecting. The Fisher Impulse AQ offers great ergonomics, superb audio, an advanced discrimination system (for a PI), allowing focus on ring type targets, and as much power as the hunting environment will allow. It’s not just “more depth”, though the AQ has as much as is possible, but the total package that matters to me. When it comes to the total package, including depth, the Impulse AQ delivers. 👍🏼

The Limited model is not available in Europe. Hopefully the updated full retail model, with improved batteries and depth rating, will be available by the end of the year or early next year.

No worries on my part, hope you can get some help, if not I might be able to do something next week. Just too tied up right now.

shooolofhardNOX, I’ve found all your posts on beach hunting with the GPX incredibly interesting, and just want to say thanks for taking the time to post all of them.

Like Mike said, small concentrics are great unless the ground is really nasty, then small DD. Small is the key in either case. The F70 is an excellent little nugget sniper. Mike, the thread originated on the Minelab forum as a “hi, I’m here on the Minelab forum to tell you your Minelab sucks” type of post. So yeah, that gets some pushback, and is why I moved it to this forum instead. Long term result looks like the guy was trolling the Minelab forum, and long gone now. Buying an 800 versus a 600 as relevant as regards nugget detecting is more than just groupie talk, as you laugh seems to imply. Gold Mode is more than just a pretty name. Personally I think the Patriot/F70 is one of the best deals going in detectors these days. Fisher F70 metal detector Fisher F70 control panel

Well for me and my purposes, wading and or mask and snorkel use, I have no interest in a GPX. For me the real finds have not only been in the water, but in some pretty rough water. But I can see how it would be quite the opposite for those staying out of the water. Different tools for different jobs really. And as Alexandre points out.... I do like the AQ single minded focus on rings, rings, rings. Nothing was done without that single goal in mind.

Really great posts already. I’ll go simple. I recommend buying a detector based on your intended use. If all you intend to do is prospect for gold nuggets, get a 24K or a Gold Monster... etc. If you want a detector for nuggets plus coins and jewelry, relics, beach... can’t go wrong with an Equinox. You can find gold nuggets either way if you dedicate yourself to mastering whichever model you decide to get. We are blessed with a lot of top performing detectors these days. Kind of like buying a car really... which one has the features you want? But they all will get you to the store and back. Gold Nugget Detector Guide

Buying a Minelab PI used makes a lot of sense for this application. And as you probably know, the Minelab circuit boards are usually quite well sealed. It’s those little toggles and knobs that need the care. If I lived on a huge beach I’d have a Minelab with a 12” x 24” Mono coil for no reason other than ground coverage. Sometimes covering twice the ground is a better strategy than 2” more depth.

I always enjoy putting detectors to oddball or unintended use, and I’m sure the AQ will get to a park at some point. A misconception about pulse delay is that it only adds depth to select target types. The reality is a detector has no idea what it sees. The pulse energizes, and ALL targets start to decay - get weaker, the moment the pulse shuts off. Some fade completely away before the receive cycle kicks in, and going shorter can pick them up. But maybe also an undesired target along with it. But a shorter delay also means all targets are stronger. They all have less time to get weaker. The main goal, I think, of the Impulse going to a short pulse delay was not for small item sensitivity, as has often been assumed. It is to boost all target signals, which gives the circuit more to work with when comparing signals, and to add depth on ring type targets. So yes, I’d expect a boost on coins also.

Ronnie was a drive by poster. Logs in, posts once, never to be seen again.

No, all prices on the internet are MAP (Minimum Advertised Price). MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) is the fake price everyone creates so everything can be on sale 365 days a year at the same price it always is. Illegal in many countries, but not here. Often also referred to as List Price. It does give cover for the few retailers who actually ask and get paid full MSRP by their customers, since technically it is the manufacturer recommended price. But you have to not be paying attention or desparate to pay MSRP for a detector. It's not like anybody is a bad guy for doing it. Everyone does it in the U.S. Everyone wants a sale price so everyone gets one! You can read the Garrett MAP policy halfway down this page. If you see somebody on the internet advertising new product well below MAP price, the odds are extremely high you are going to get ripped off. Legitimate dealers can't do it, and it is strictly enforced.... mainly by other dealers!