Steve Herschbach

Here is an old post on Rob’s forum about Bud’s large specimen that has a good photo and details of the find.

The Sand Shark cannot ground balance. As a result I would rather use most any VLF instead. The reasons prospectors use PI detectors is because ground balancing PI detectors can ignore ground and hot rocks a VLF or a non-ground balancing PI detector will signal on. Half the battle of nugget detecting is removing ground signals.

Same basic question a few days ago...

It depends purely on the location and nature of the gold. In an area with nothing but fine gold a detector may find nothing where dredges, sluices, and even just pans succeed. Nuggets are the prerequisite for nugget detecting. Most dredgers get used to consistently finding gold and have a hard time with detecting, where you can go ages between finds. Legalities aside I would rather try and make a living with a dredge than a detector. It would not be a 1.5” dredge however, which I consider to be more like a gas powered crevice cleaner.

Nope. 20 “reactions” per day.

3 of 4.... 4 of 4....

You can’t overuse them since they have a limit of 20. How you use them is up to you. I generally try to “like” good answers to questions asked. I often “like” posts of nice finds. Or somebody simply makes a nice comment so I “like” it. Whatever. It is a very loose system but it does basically highlight good posts.

Works for me. Detector Prospector can be read many ways. I like prospecting for new detectors! The pattern should be obvious by now. I get wind of a new model, and then go nuts trying to collect information together about it. It is half to learn, and half to create unique website content. It is prospecting of another sort. The dealers are just too busy to post about new detectors. Google "whites mx7" or "whites tdi sl special edition" and you will see this website come up before any other forums. There is not much to know about the White's Goldmaster 24K really that is not already known. I have a pretty good idea how it will perform based simply on the technical information released so far. The Goldmaster 24K will no doubt be capable of hitting tiny gold about as well as it can be detected, but at the same time like any hot VLF will struggle with bad ground and hot rocks. It's just the nature of the beast (over 30 khz high gain VLF). With pre sales starting in August and machines rolling out the door in September we will know soon enough. White's Goldmaster 24K gold nugget metal detector

If the unit needs to be waterproof that really narrows the field. The Garrett ATX and Minelab SDC 2300 are great options but the price may not be so great. If money is no object the SDC 2300 is actually a terrific beginners machine for those willing to dig everything. VLF options from Waterproof VLF Metal Detector Comparison Chart 1. Garrett AT Gold - safe, well proven, waterproof nugget detector 2. Makro Gold Kruzer - new relatively unproven model but capable enough based on early reports 3. White's MX Sport - a little lower frequency than the two models above but can do the job. The Equinox models I consider quite capable but due to the new and unique way the machine works as a nugget detector I am not really recommending it for any nugget hunters yet except for adventurous types wanting to experiment with new things. Waterproof VLF detectors listed by price.....

Equinox Gold Nugget Detecting Tips So What Is Gold Mode Exactly? Equinox First Gold Nugget Photos My First Equinox Gold Nuggets Equinox, Micro Nuggets My first Equinox nuggets....

Based on the limited amount of information it’s anybody's guess what detector might be best for the situation. Is the ground mild and amenable to a VLF? Or is it intensely mineralized and loaded with hot rocks, making it only suitable for a PI? Without knowing the gold size or ground conditions or the amount of trash all people can do is pick favorites. Heading into an area with minimum information I would want at least two detectors, a PI and a hot VLF with iron discrimination. An example would be the GPX 5000 with large, medium, and small coils plus a Gold Bug 2 with a couple coils. That would cover just about any situation encountered. In your case it sounds like you are working within a budget. If you are just looking for picks for a nugget detector for under a grand, that really is just a popularity contest. My nugget detector review lists detectors by price so I will aim you there. Guide To Gold Nugget Detectors Deepest VLF For Small Gold? Best VLF Detector For Nugget Detecting VLF Detectors And Depth Advice On Gold Bug 2 Replacement World Bored With High Frequency Gold Detectors? GPX 5000, Deus, AT Pro, Mxt, Eureka Gold, X-terra 705, Best Combo? Your Pick Of Any Nugget Detector For High Trash Areas? Fisher Gold Bug Pro Vs F19 Vs F75 Vs Nokta FORS Gold / FORS CoRe Fisher F19 vs Gold Bug Pro vs F75Ltd vs F75Ltd2 Fisher F75SE vs Minelab CTX 3030 vs Nokta FORS Gold vs White's V3i Gold Bug Pro Vs AT Gold Vs X-Terra 705 Gold Vs Lobo Supertraq Vs MXT and finally... How To Make Yourself Crazy

It is actually 20 “reactions” per day since they added the other options.

Good to know - thanks for the feedback. It looks like even new pinpointer models need that 6 months to a year to get the bugs out.

Good job Tom - looks like you are getting out daily. I have a couple class rings to track down. Basic internet searches have come up dry. Now we have a new problem developing - schools are less likely to help track people down these days for various privacy reasons.

Welcome to the forum Mark! Sounds like you have a great family activity sort of thing going - good both for you and for them. Sounds like you are racking up some great finds!

The “Like” button on the forum serves a couple functions. First and foremost, the intent is that the most liked threads should coincide with the threads people think are most worth a read. By liking good posts you are alerting others that they should be interested in the post. Likes gives points to the person on the receiving end, which in turn determines who “wins” the Leaderboard each day, which gives people clues as to who posts the most appreciated threads. Since this is a points system it is by intent limited because you are supposed to value the number of likes you have to hand out each day. The current limit is 20 per day (they renew daily). This serves 99% of the forum members with no problem. I could raise the limit but that helps a very small number of people. My preference is that each person know they have twenty per day to use and hand them out appropriately. It’s not supposed to be like the school where everyone gets a medal just for attending.

Whatever you do resist the urge to reduce the Recovery Speed in an attempt to get "more depth". Reducing recovery speed in bad ground is one of the easiest ways I know to introduce false signals into the mix.

Different strokes for different folks. The Equinox does not suit everyone nor should it. We all have a list of things we want a detector to do and the Equinox hits my short list for a detector that can do everything at least halfway well. When people have specific needs specific detectors can have an edge. Try and put it all in one package however and things get more interesting. Minelab needs no help from me. There is nothing like Equinox for the money. Not even close. Deflecting away to detectors that cost twice as much or more is not comparing apples to apples, and people are smart enough to know it.

31" tip to tip but that will not be useable length. 25-1/4" of actual cable between the connectors. Sound like a couple feet to me but the clarification is needed and so great question! Click for larger image... There are less expensive options but they will not have the waterproof connection at the detector. You can find these as a third party option and for less cost than the Minelab version. Way less money for above water use however at less than $10. The one pictured below has been reported as a working alternative and can be purchased online at Amazon for $6.99 delivered. Another nice thing about wading and using the adapter is no low volume issues as are seen with waterproof phones.

Target sounds with no metal means either ground signal or hot rock signal. Random ground signals means issues with ground balance possibly and too much sensitivity in particular. Hot rocks you should be able to actually find, and once located they can be dealt with in various ways, including visually and by notching them out. Equinox Gold Nugget Detecting Tips

Anybody remember the original Fisher Gold Bug ads? There was a guy named Bud Guthrie that had (has?) a store called the Prospector Shop outside Helena, Montana. Bud and his gold were featured heavily in the Gold Bug launch around 1987. Most of the gold I assume came from Montana but Bud also hunted elsewhere. The largest gold/quartz specimen came from Arizona if I recall correctly. I stopped and visited Bud over 25 years ago. His shop was in a trailer outside Helena, and he had gold on display that I would not display in a trailer anywhere! Click for larger version....

These are available at some dealers now. Headphone Adaptor Cable 3.5mm (1/8-inch) to 6.35mm (1/4-inch) Part No. 3011-0369 $40.00 Minelab Equinox 1/8" male waterproof connection to 1/4" female non-waterproof connection I plan on wading a lot with the Equinox and this creates a waterproof connection to the detector itself. The cable is two feet long and reaches just about to my shoulder. Main gripe - the straight connection once it makes that 180 degree bend gives up some length. To prevent stress from pulling on this constantly the cable should be affixed to the detector itself so the cable does not get stressed repeatedly where it makes the bend. This is a good solution for people who want to hunt in the water but do not need to put their head in the water, and so who do not need the waterproof headphones. The cable also mates directly to the WM08 module for those who wish to use it for that purpose. Minelab Equinox Parts & Accessories Page Do be aware there is a compatibility issue as regards the Equinox external speaker. If headphones and adapters are not wired correctly the speaker will keep going even with headphones plugged in. Here is the Minelab article on the subject. As far as I know this applies to the CTX 3030, GPZ 7000, Gold Monster 1000, and both Equinox models. I use Sun Ray Pro Gold (CTX version) headphones which are wired to work properly with the Minelab units. Minelab headphone wiring diagram

Hi Chuck, I used the Keene 12V air system a couple times and it worked great. Only real issue is hauling a Deep cycle 12V battery to the water's edge! If I ever get serious about my lake detecting I might invest in another one, but generally I prefer a mask and snorkel. Keene HydroAir