Steve Herschbach

Nice nugget Bob! Ah, the good old days... from my last visit to Ganes Creek... 36 nuggets and 2.86 ounces total

No, the lack of a "tone only" mode does not bother me since I would never use it. I only use vibration mode on my pinpointers, and for models where you can’t shut the speaker off I plug the speaker with glue like in the picture below. I wear headphones anyway and don’t like the pinpointer alerting people around me that I am recovering a target. The best thing I liked about the orange AT Pro Pointer is it let me shut the speaker off instead of plugging it. The F-Pulse also has a “vibrate only” mode that I prefer. 1.26 ounce nugget found with aid of Garrett Pro Pointer

The Bigfoot is not V3i rated and some will not work on the V3i at all - they just overload. Most will work however... mine does and is on my V3i right now. However, even when they work, the target ID numbers are usually tripled in 22.5 kHz mode. You have to mentally adjust for this in three frequency mode. Or just use 7.5 kHz only to get accurate numbers. The numbers in 22.5 kHz will not only go higher but most clad/copper/silver will “wrap around” into the ferrous range. Some people use this tripling of the target ID numbers in 22.5 kHz to get extra resolution in the gold and pull tab range. White's V3i metal detector with Bigfoot coil

From the Minuteman User Guide 5COIL-TEK, 5" DD Round, closed 8COIL-7TEK, 8" Concentric, open* 10COILDD-TEK, 10" DD Ellipse, closed 10COIL-TEK, 10" Concentric, open 11COIL-TEK, 11" DD Ellipse, open *stock coil Plus from chart below (click for larger view)... 4COIL-FS, 4” Concentric Round, closed Fisher / Teknetics 2018 Coil Compatibility Chart

Many thanks to EL NINO77 for making arrangements to have the proper adapter mailed to me. I replaced my homemade hose clamp setup with this 3D printer made adapter. It certainly looks better, and hits the scales at exactly 2 lbs 10 oz (2.7 lbs) or 1191 grams with the 6" coil. Thank you again EL NINO77

Yeah, the SD2200D I would not bet on being better, but I would bet on it being discontinued with minimal if any parts and service support. I had a SD2200D and GPX all the way for me.

When using a mono coil very weak targets will signal best right against the coil winding. As a target gets stronger the place with the best signal will shift to the middle of the coil. Ferrous items signal better on a PI so it would make sense that they would tend to show up in the middle first, but it is mainly just a signal strength thing. On the other hand a spike or other long ferrous item buried horizontally can throw the signal way off center. When I used my 18" mono coil some targets that seemed dead center would turn out to be a large nail about 9" off center and deep.

I have not used them underwater but in a casual air test the Tony Eisenhower headphones are definitely louder than the Minelab yellow underwater phones.

I just go by what I see. Using my own ranking I consider Park 1 & Field 1 to be number 3 on my list of "most powerful" to "least powerful" Equinox modes: 1. Gold Modes 2. Park & Field Mode 2 3. Park & Field Mode 1 4. Beach Mode 1 5. Beach Mode 2

Park 2 and Field 2 are very hot modes, so for me the idea that they might detect high conductors better is not even questionable. Why would it not be possible? "Lower frequencies are better on high conductors" is just a generality, not an immutable fact. I have never considered low frequencies to be better on high conductors so much as I consider low frequencies to be less reactive to ground and super tiny stuff. I have preferred Park 1 or Field 1 for coin hunting because they are quieter. Better noise to signal ratio for me. I don't think Park 1 or Field 1 are inherently "better" on coins. They are merely the modes I prefer. Others may be better served with Park 2 or Field 2... whatever.

No, I just try to break threads into discrete topics as opposed to threads that go on forever and morph over time. The reason is to keep things organized for future reference/topic searches. A thread title is it’s best reference, and when the subject changes from the original title topic time for a new thread. I always leave a reference link to the original thread when a split is made. In this case I may have split something best left together but it seemed to me the question of modes is a distinct subject. The following are not "facts" but the way I look at / employ the modes. The names have nothing to do with where I might use the modes. Park 1 and Field 1 - basically the same except for presets. I use when I want a well behaved machine not excessively sensitive to tiny stuff. Coins and rings. Park 2 and Field 2 - basically the same except for presets. For when I want enhanced sensitivity to small signals/low conductive targets. Beach 1 and Beach 2 - saltwater beaches, extreme mineral ground/alkali flats. Beach 1 is more sensitive, Beach 2 compensates for “in water” saltwater effects or mineralized magnetic sand conditions. Gold Mode 1 and Gold Mode 2 - basically the same except for presets. For pushing the limits, maximum depth or low conductor sensitivity. Most sensitive to small signals, hot rocks, signals from salt/alkali conditions 1. Gold Modes 2. Park & Field Mode 2 3. Park & Field Mode 1 4. Beach Mode 1 5. Beach Mode 2 Least sensitive to small signals, hot rocks, signals from salt/alkali conditions

Welcome to the forum Allen... good day to you also!

I of course buy all my gear from Alaska Mining & Diving Supply

I can’t believe I started that thread back in 2014 after talking about it for a couple years. From day one I all but begged Garrett for a dry land version of the ATX. Something like the new Fisher Impulse AQ but with the ATX touch pad, which I prefer over the Fisher knobs. Would have needed light coils on standard rods instead of what is currently offered for the ATX. That machine at about 4 lbs well balanced, out the dealer door for under 2K and Garrett would have a winner. The LTX as I call it has been one of the major frustrations for me as a detectorist. It is clearly something that is possible, I can see it in my minds eye... but Garrett won’t budge. Who knows, maybe other companies will wake them up to the possibility at some point. I hope so, I would still love to have that machine.

The website and forum is beholden to nobody. Anyone can recommend and link to any dealers they like. Unless you just joined to spam this thread... then I will probably delete you and the link!

It sounds like the test coin must not be available for you to test. Or do you not have a 6" coil yet Mark and are looking to find out if it possibly exceeds what that F75 and 5" combo could do? I can't really say personally as I have not used the 6" much in parks and when I have I have not been comparing to any other detector. I like mine well enough I picked up a second one on my last trip to Alaska. Mainly to test 6" against 6" on tiny gold with the two firmware versions we have so far but that has been low on the priority list.

Welcome to the forum! You type English far better than I type Spanish

The update process just updates to whatever version you want. Each update is a complete version. There is no order.... you can roll back to old versions if you wish. GPZ 7000 Firmware June 2017 (Second Update GPZ 7000 Firmware June 2017 (20170630).ml3 - Version Information will display 1.10.8-2052) (11.26 MB) GPZ 7000 Firmware October 2015 (First Update GPZ_7000_UPDATE_IMAGE_20151009.ml3 - Version Information will display 1.2.8-98) (9.69 MB) GPZ 7000 Firmware January 2015 (Original Release GPZ_7000_UPDATE_IMAGE_20150130.ml3 - Version Information will display 1.0.8-57) (10.63 MB) To display the current installed version go to the reset screen and choose the version information option. See the information above.

Interest is on the decline unfortunately and the number of shows is therefore dwindling.

As regards gold prospecting on federal land that is open to mineral entry and not under claim by some other party the key question is what triggers the need for a Notice of Intent. This is the lowest level of paperwork requirement. The CFRs were specifically changed in 1995 to clarify this requirement as regards metal detecting and a few other specific methods. I recommend having a copy of this on hand for reference if questioned. You must be on unrestricted federal land open to mineral entry and not on another persons mining claim. Forest Service http://www.fs.fed.us/emc/nepa/oged/includes/leasing_regs_36cfr228.pdf (1) A notice of intent to operate is not required for: (i) Operations which will be limited to the use of vehicles on existing public roads or roads used and maintained for National Forest System purposes; (ii) Prospecting and sampling which will not cause significant surface resource disturbance and will not involve removal of more than a reasonable amount of mineral deposit for analysis and study which generally might include searching for and occasionally removing small mineral samples or specimens, gold panning, metal detecting, non-motorized hand sluicing, using battery operated dry washers, and collecting of mineral specimens using hand tools; BLM Casual Use https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2011-title43-vol2/pdf/CFR-2011-title43-vol2-sec3809-5.pdf "§ 3809.5 How does BLM define certain terms used in this subpart? As used in this subpart, the term: Casual use means activities ordinarily resulting in no or negligible disturbance of the public lands or resources. For example— (1) Casual use generally includes the collection of geochemical, rock, soil, or mineral specimens using hand tools; hand panning; or non-motorized sluicing. It may include use of small portable suction dredges. It also generally includes use of metal detectors, gold spears and other battery-operated devices for sensing the presence of minerals, and hand and battery-operated drywashers. Operators may use motorized vehicles for casual use activities provided the use is consistent with the regulations governing such use (part 8340 of this title), off-road vehicle use designations contained in BLM land-use plans, and the terms of temporary closures ordered by BLM. Code of Federal Regulations / Title 43 - Public Lands: Interior / Vol. 2 / 2010-10-01780 (2) Casual use does not include use of mechanized earth-moving equipment, truck-mounted drilling equipment, motorized vehicles in areas when designated as closed to “off-road vehicles” as defined in § 8340.0-5 of this title, chemicals, or explosives. It also does not include “occupancy” as defined in § 3715.0-5 of this title or operations in areas where the cumulative effects of the activities result in more than negligible disturbance. Note that although the BLM mentions "may include use of small portable suction dredges" may is the key word and in fact all states now require a permit to run a suction dredge. While BLM may administer the land and not require notice for running a small dredge the water falls under other state and federal agency jusrisdiction. In general assume anything with a gasoline motor and that discharges water into a stream may be subject to some level of permitting.

If the land is now a park and detecting is illegal I don’t see how a past family connection would be of use legally in getting an exemption. All you can do is contact the specific land manager and give it a try. If you had specific reason to believe a family “treasure” had been purposefully concealed there for future recovery, treasure trove law might be used to prove ownership. Getting permission to do the recovery would be the fun part.

Video from IWA show....

First off if you go looking for reasons not to go metal detecting there will be plenty of people who will tell you no. The rules can be complicated and even kind of scary if you dig into them too much. I advise common sense. Anything marked as a historic site / historic park is almost bound to be a site where it is illegal to use a metal detector. If the idea is preserve and protect, stay away. That includes all National Parks in the U.S. It is illegal to even have a metal detector in your possession in many and illegal to detect in any of them. State Historic Parks? Stay out. Relic detecting on federal land puts you in automatic violation of the law as regards antiquities if the items are over 100 years old, and very often 50 years old is now a cutoff date around historic sites. Detecting for gold on federal land open to mineral entry (that is the critical factor that simply means open to claim staking) on the other hand is protected by law. So it is not just where you are but specifically what you are doing that matters. And on land open to claim staking figuring out what land is claimed and what is not is a challenge also. Local jurisdictions vary a great deal. One person leaving holes in a town park means that town may have made all metal detecting illegal in public spaces. This is a slow but seemingly inevitable process that almost never reverses, so we are losing ground every year. Most towns have no rules at all, but are just waiting for one idiot to ruin it for us all. Some towns have a free permit. Some a permit with a fee. My main protection? Stay invisible. I never hunt with groups in town and basically avoid viewers. I love rainy days, early mornings, whatever. And always leave no trace. People show up, I usually move away or leave. I never call anyone to ask permission in a new town. The person you will call usually knows nothing, and says no to be safe. I search online for local rules, and if I find them I abide by them. If not, I go do my thing and stay invisible. At worst a person may approach and say you are doing something wrong. I always immediately apologize and leave, even if I know I might be in the right. There are 1000 places to detect and I will not do anything to raise my profile, including arguing with people. The reality is however I have only been told a couple times in 40 years I was in the wrong place. Metal detecting is the wrong place is a pretty innocuous offense and getting anything more than a warning would be very unusual. If I am in a strange place and see a groundskeeper I always ask them. They are the ones caring for the place and so I give them respect for that and make sure I am doing things to their satisfaction. They always seem to appreciate it. No point in trying to compile rules here as there are sites just for that. Here is one.

I am sorry it did not work out but there are always lessons learned. In my case I learned to stick with factory manufactured nozzles and jets.