Steve Herschbach

No, I’m not sure how you are reading that into it, especially if you read the full source article. The max depth on coin size targets is determined by the outer coil, a coin being a large target. The inner coil enhances sensitivity on stuff like ear rings and small gold nuggets.

If there is a year that will make or break Whites it will be 2021. The game is going to get taken to the next level, and anyone who wants to stay in needs to bring their best players to the field, and soon. I do hope Whites shows us something truly new, as their future as a going concern depends on it.

Oh, ok, thanks Dan. Yeah, I get that. Kind of like that Fisher Impulse I’m still waiting for. And the Nokta/Makro PI... thought we would see that way before now. Turned out it was a pinpointer!

Never found a half dime, and I agree with Rick, that’s an outstanding example!

A big bold display is another easy upgrade. Like you I'm not expecting new detector technology, just way better packaging of what they already have. The Ace models actually detect just fine for the market segment they are intended for.

I decided to go to the source - the Dual Field patent. "A new dual field search coil for pulse induction metal detectors has multiple coplanar wire coils of different diameters connected in series with the output of a pulse source, overcoming the loss of target size resolution associated with a single coil search loop. Small objects are sensed by an internal small coil and larger objects are sensed by the larger outside coil, and the overall depth of target sensing remains similar to that of a single coil construction. The smaller coil is isolated from the pulse source by the inductance of the larger coil and will ring at a frequency determined by its own parameters. To prevent the smaller coil from ringing, a second damping resistor is connected across the terminals of the smaller coil at the junction of the large and small coils making up the modified search loop." "FIG. 5 illustrates the placement of the physical coils, with small coil 33 inside the circumference of large coil 35 and isolated from the electrical driving source by the inductance of the large coil 35. FIG. 6 is the associated wiring diagram for the two-coil assembly with pulse source 37 and large coil inductance 39 and resistor 41 and small coil inductance 43 and resistor 45. The coils are connected in series. The value of critical damping resistor 41 is determined by the electrical parameters for the total coil assembly, whereas the value of damping resistor 45 is calculated from the electrical parameters of isolated smaller coil 33."

I used to get asked a lot by people in Alaska if metal detectors can detect ivory. The name “metal detector” is a clue. Metal detectors can detect some things that are not metal however. They are electromagnetic devices working on principles related to alternator theory. They can be affected by anything that is either electrically conductive or has magnetic properties or both. Saltwater is conductive so many metal detectors will conduct saltwater. The human body has a high salt content and is conductive, and very sensitive metal detectors will react to a hand held under the search coil. Many rocks and soils contain enough magnetic mineral content the affect a metal detector. Diamonds neither conduct electricity or are magnetic and so unfortunately a metal detector can not help you. But as Pimento noted some do glow under an ultraviolet light and that might help. But many do not so that is not a sure fire solution either.

And you know that how? The Nokta/Makro Multi is well along in development.

What hint? New detector... or new digging tool?

Well, my final guess before tomorrow. I’m expecting an update/replacement for the Ace series. Basically Ace detectors in a slick new compact package, with rechargeable batteries and built in Z-Lynk. The Ace 250 came out in 2006, almost 15 years ago. It’s been a fabulously successful series for Garrett. However, I think right now a person would be nuts to buy an Ace when you can get a Vanquish for comparable prices. I doubt we will see multifrequency, but getting rid of the old bullet housing and going rechargeable and wireless at good prices would be enough to keep Garrett in the game. Certainly would beat anything Whites and First Texas offers in the lower price range. It’s amazing that things like wireless headphone capability is still too advanced for some so-called industry leaders to get their heads around. Garrett unlike the others have done a good job with their Z-Lynk technology and will no doubt be expanding its use across the product line. Even their pinpointer has gone wireless. Note - I was right except on Multifrequency!

A mono coil is one winding that alternates between transmitting and receiving. A DD has two windings, one that transmits, one receives. This separation of the transmitting coil from the receiving coil is what makes a DD coil less reactive to the ground. As far as I know the dual field is all one winding, one coil inside another, that simultaneously transmits, then alternates to receive. So a mono coil. If one coil transmitted and the other received I guess it would be called a concentric rather than a DD just based on the configuration, although concentrics are normally associated more with induction balance (VLF) detectors. The difference there is that with a PI one coil would transmit, shut off, and then the other receive, in an alternating fashion. With an induction balance both coils would be in action continuously, one transmitting and the other receiving. If you are familiar with mono coils you know they are very sensitive close to the winding. A large mono will signal a small item twice as it passes each edge over the small item. There is in effect a hole in the middle less sensitive to small targets. Large items tend to read more in the center. The dual field attempts to fill in the hole by placing a smaller coil inside a large coil. The windings on the smaller inner coil add small item capability to the center of the coil. However, by increasing the total length of windings in direct proximity to the ground the dual field enhances the mono coil sensitivity to hot ground that a DD coil alleviates by separating the transmit and receive coils. The dual field adds to both the strength and the weakness of a mono coil at the same time.... typical trade off we see in everything you try to do with detectors. For a 12” round coil..... Dual Field - best small item sensitivity, most reactive to bad ground Simple Mono - less sensitive to small items in center area than dual field, less reactive to bad ground, excellent depth on larger items under most situations DD Coil - Designed to help deal with bad ground, a 12” DD has a smaller receive coil than a 12” mono and therefore under normal conditions less depth, less sensitivity to small items. In my opinion for most use a simple mono coil is the best solution for a PI detector, with dual field and DD being specialty coils. Dual field for small item sensitivity in milder ground, and DD for dealing with the worst ground.

I did extremely well on a beach in Hawaii and it made for some stories that made me look like some kind of fantastic detectorist. The reality is I was the first one to figure out the location and how to work it, and man was it a good location. But I was working out decades of accumulated rings, and now it’s hard to find more than recent drops at the same location. Unfortunately even the best jewelry locations deplete rapidly, forcing us to find the dwindling number of remaining good sites to continue to do as well. I like your setup Joe because it gives you the range to do just that.

That’s what iSAT does.... smooth audio variations.

Ah, springtime in a Alaska... thanks for posting George!

Still sounds like the unit was out of ground balance to me. I’d like to have been there to play with it but oh well....

Well that part is true for sure, the GM having auto ground balance and even auto sensitivity. Long story short both my Bug and GM are gone and the Equinox still here. The GM is a good detector but the Equinox is just so crazy versatile....

I guess my main comment there is that I don't see a real benefit going from a Gold Bug 2 to a Gold Monster when it comes to tiny gold. Hard to beat a Gold Bug 2 with 6" concentric for the tiny bits, and no knock sensitivity for scrubbing like you get with the Monster when you jack it all the way up.

I’m confused as to why all the confusion should be so confusing!

Great report. The full target id combined with notching and frequency options can work magic with hot rocks that bother other VLF detectors.

It just depends on what the targets are worth. If the field was full of gold coins I'll dig nails all day. I have done exactly that metal detecting for gold nuggets. I fully agree there are places where there is too much trash and the targets are not worth the effort. It's up for each of us to decide what is worth our time and effort. But as long as anything remains that goes beep in the ground, good targets can still remain, masked by that very last trash target.

A person can dig everything in a park, but you have to have common sense. No making the area look like a war zone and getting us all banned. Just pick a spot that used to produce some real good finds but now nothing. Go in and dig a dozen targets or whatever, but keep it spread out just like normal detecting. Now leave it be for a month. Then come back and dig some more. Do this round robin at a dozen sites so as to not put too much pressure on any one site at any time, but still enough to keep you busy. You might just end up amazed at what has gone undetected by hundreds if not thousands of detectorists at some top locations. Yeah, you will dig lots of trash. If you don't want to, don't do this. But if you want to try something unique that could really pay off, here is your chance. You don't need a PI. Just a good VLF with an all metal mode. Instead of discrimination, look for and try and dig nice mellow sounding "round" targets. Not only will you be removing the masking effect, you will be getting more depth with a true all metal mode (as opposed to zero disc).

No, there is no date for the Multi announcement.

Bury a dime at a few inches and put various trash targets nearby and on the surface and try to detect the dime. The amount of stuff in the ground that is masked depends on how much shallower trash exists. In an old park the best coins are deep, but the most trash, especially aluminum, is near surface. It is likely in some locations more coins remain in the ground than are detected. As long as people use discrimination that is the way it is. The solution is actually very simple. Use all metal and dig everything. People think this is impossible. “Too much trash” they say. Really? All it really takes is time and patience targeting the best areas. A PI can be a good tool for the job. Beneath The Mask

You have found more gold rings so far this year than most people find in a lifetime. You are also finding more gold than most of the gold prospectors on this forum so far this year. Well done sir!

No doubt about one thing... detecting tailing piles requires LOT of patience. Keep at it, and good luck!