Steve Herschbach

The Nokta FORS Gold+ Owners Manual is now available for download

The Gold Bug 2 with 14" coil will punch as deep or deeper as any VLF in very mild ground. The intent of the Gold Bug 2 was to find gold, not just small shallow gold. Otherwise, why even make a 14" coil? How well it works is simply a matter of degree dependent on the level of mineralization. Do remember also this is not a 14" coil, it is an elongated 8" coil. Ground coverage alone is not to be underestimated. Long story short you never know unless you try. But I do agree beardog that in more mineralized ground the larger coil can actually work against the machine.

Well, the main reason is I am a minimalist at heart. I do not like owning stuff in general and try to distill my physical possessions down to stuff I use constantly. The mini VLF pinpointer is a great concept that I try now and then to get a real manufacturer interested in. My two units were basically proof of concept things. The reality is however that small as they are they are still more than I want to carry with me constantly. My GPZ in particular would not like that much metal and a wound coil nearby. It is hard enough just having a regular pinpointer close at hand. The Tesoro Silver uMax was the best as it employed off the shelf low cost items and is a clean compact build. http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/980-tesoro-silver-umax-pinpointer-conversion/ But I did not need a uMax for what I normally do so I sold it. I did still have a Gold Bug 2 so I rigged it up instead. It was bulkier and cost more but I had it on hand. However, I had not used my Gold Bug 2 for over a year and so it and several other detectors got sold this year. My nugget detecting has boiled down to using a GPZ nearly all the time. However, I always want a backup detector on hand in case the a GPZ fails for any reason. I currently have a Makro Racer as my secondary unit along with me at all times. It serves not just as a backup but as my unit for places where trash makes using the GPZ more than I can deal with. It would be easy to pull the middle rod section and use the small Racer coil to make a mini detector. Reality is I just have not bothered. These days if I feel like I have the need I just put the Racer nearby while using the GPZ and employ it to check targets. I still think the Silver uMax is the best dedicated solution but for most people like me that have a VLF anyway just tossing one in the truck to have nearby is usually "good enough". However, I did recently try and sell a couple manufacturer reps on the idea. A factory made version would be cleaner and cost no more than a standard pinpointer. I do think many people want a pinpointer with more depth and iron discrimination.

Great set of photos - thanks for posting!

I hear you Swifty and I was just commenting in general. Your cover sure had a pile of muck under it! The subject line on the thread was detector maintenance. One thing for sure, a good cleaning now and then is a very good thing for extending the life of any detector.

I do not know the inner workings of the tracking system. Just my opinion but I always want to use the minimum ground balance needed to get the job done. Ground balance is just ground discrimination. Eliminating a ground signal carries with it the risk of eliminating a gold signal that looks similar to the detector. Needlessly eliminating responses that the actual ground does not produce would in my opinion be counterproductive.

Welcome to the forum Clive. Good to have you here, and thank you for the great reads! I am looking forward to more jewelry detecting this winter. The other three seasons it is gold nuggets for me.

I once again am Mr. Oddball. In over forty years of metal detecting with countless makes and models I have never had dirt under my coil cover be a problem with the performance of the detector. At least that I was ever aware of. I do of course find a bit of fine dust or grit under some covers when I pry them off but frankly I am pretty skeptical that the amount and concentration would ever be enough to make a difference unless it was pure magnetite. And that I have never seen under any of my covers in sufficient quantity to matter.

More than that the ground balance system is like a looped tape constantly writing over itself. Only newer data is retained. I believe that was part of the issue with the ferrite. Tuning over it worked initially but then the data was lost as it got written over, and a new ground balance had to be done with the ferrite. The now software version somehow insures the ferrite data is retained longer requiring less ground balancing. I usually use quick start twice a day. Once in the morning. I shut the detector off for a quick lunch, then fire back up, do the quick start routine over again, just the frequency scan and ground balance with ferrite. I almost never touch the ground balance button after that. The only exception would be if I move to new ground with a different composition.

My condolences again for your loss JP. It is good to hear from you again however. And better yet to get some reassurances about the ferrite etc. I have done the update and I do use the ferrite now every session but I have not made time to try and determine what advantage if any it offers on my ground. I simply have faith in Minelab and particularly you as their main tester that upgrades are always worth doing. So I just do them and get on with detecting. Thanks for commenting.

They are not my pictures to post. And unfortunately my forum is rare in not demanding you be a member to view photos. I am a member and logged into most forums all the time to keep up on news. I forget sometimes that in cases like this if I send people that way that if they are not members they can't see the pictures or sometimes even the content.

On Chris' AZO forum at http://arizonaoutback.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=12293

If it is not broke don't fix it. However, the update is reversible. Test whatever targets you like, do the update, test them again. If not happy, roll back to the original software version.

Ironically I did the first major review of a Nokta product in the U.S. on the FORS Gold at http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/352-detailed-review-of-the-nokta-fors-gold-nugget-detector/. One of my comments regarded the side display on the FORS and lack of visibility while in use. I opined that a standard forward facing display would be preferable. Ultimately I also determined that the FORS Gold and FORS CoRe were basically the same detector with the Gold lacking the COG conductive ground mode. I ended up keeping the CoRe instead of the Gold. I very much anticipated the Racer because it was billed as basically being a CoRe in a different package. Then I got the Racer and compared to my CoRe it came down to balance and feel. The Racer has an odd angle in the handle that combined with the nose heavy attribute makes it harder on my arm than the CoRe even though the Racer weighs less. The Racer is fine with the small coil but with stock or larger coil the CoRe has a much better balance and feel - to me. So after my fuss about forward displays my Racer ended up finding a new home with Keith Southern and I still have the CoRe. Now with the changes in the FORS Gold+ it is very much more a unique detector all its own and a much more compelling machine for the gold prospector than was previously the case. I am very interested in seeing how it compares to the FORS CoRE. The biggest obvious difference is the 19 kHz frequency on the Gold+ but also the lack of the three tone DI3 "coin hunting" mode that you have on the CoRe. Honestly, a 4 kHz frequency difference is not all that much. I think it really boils down to intended use. If all you want is a good VLF for prospecting than the FORS Gold+ is the obvious choice. For those wanting more versatility and still good ability to hunt gold nuggets then the CoRe is the way to go. One thing I have been trying to balance when dealing with VLF detectors is the trade incurred in choosing an operating frequency. In general higher frequencies are hotter on small gold. However, higher frequencies also "light up" the ground responses and hot rocks more compared to lower frequencies. When comparing a very high frequency detector to a more middle of the road frequency in very bad ground mineralization, the lower frequency will often be smoother operating and get better depth on gram plus nuggets. It is not a case always of "higher is better" but more dependent on the type of gold sought and ground conditions. Still, 19 kHz is a bit of a sweet spot for gold prospecting and I think this is a very good move on Noktas part. P.S. It has been confirmed that other Nokta coils will not work on the FORS Gold+. The Nokta FORS Gold+ will start shipping to dealers around the 3rd-4th week of October so figure general availability starting in November. For more information see http://www.detectorprospector.com/gold-prospecting-equipment/nokta-fors-gold-plus-metal-detector.htm

Something we need more of is detectors that can select operating frequency at the flip of a switch. The X-Terras can do it but only with a coil change. The XP DEUS, White's V3i, and Eureka Gold can do different frequencies at the flip of a switch.

I will certainly be interested in learning more about how it works out for you.

Different body; note hidden cable wire in particular. The underarm battery compartment is similar but again, this is a prototype. The notch discriminate allows individual disc ranges to be "notched out" or rejected independently of other disc settings. The feature set lines up closely with the F75 but with quite a few extras. I am curious about the VLX1 and VLX2 modes in particular. The adjustable tone break and ferrous volume settings are really desirable for working ferrous trash. The missing information is what frequency does this thing operate at and can it share coils with previous Nokta product?

You know, now I think maybe the machine is a bit better behaved in alkali ground. More study needed......

It actually is all about warranty. All stuff has issues, that is just reality. Manufacturers use the warranty process to determine what is not right and what needs to be fixed. Do file a warranty claim. Worst case it gets denied but you never know. And never hurts to point out you are a very visible user!

I thought the White's TDI at 5.6 lbs was too heavy. I thought the Garrett ATX at 6.9 lbs was insane. The GPZ at 7.2 lbs is getting laughable. What next, a 10 lb detector? It is what it is mainly due to the unique coil design and battery power needed to run it all day long. I am not the guy waiting for a larger coil. I want a smaller coil which when paired with the CTX battery may knock over a pound off the weight. I walked miles on steep hillsides all day before making that post and no support system works as well in steep terrain as in the flats. I am up for it but there is no doubt the weight is an impediment for some people. It is not a complaint so much as a wish but short of a smaller coil I am not expecting much progress. And I am not holding my breath waiting for that coil. Now back to swinging the GPZ!

Very impressive results for one of the most visited nugget locations in Nevada!

The new Nokta IMPACT is a 3-frequency device (5kHz/14kHz/20kHz) combining multiple detectors and enabling a unique yet easy-to-use detector experience for new to experienced detectorists. NOTE - THIS IS AN OLDER THREAD. The latest information on the Nokta Impact may be found here. Impact Features: 12 Search Modes (2 non-motion, 2 all metal, 8 discrimination modes) Advanced Discrimination & Unmasking Ability Online Firmware Updates Optional 2.4 GHz Wireless Headphones Vibration LED Flashlight As well as all the settings users need: Ground Balance with 3 Options (Automatic/Manual /Tracking), Notch Filter, Tone Break, Iron Audio (Fe Vol.),Audio Tone (150Hz-700Hz), iSAT, ,Magnetic Mineralization Indicator, Audio Boost, ID Normalization, Target ID Depth Level, Backlight, Factory Defaults/Save PRICING AND AVAILABILITY 11000701 IMPACT STANDARD PACKAGE MSRP: $849 USD Includes: Waterproof IM28 - DD Search Coil 28 cm x 18 cm (11'' x 7''), Headphones, 4 x AA Alkaline Batteries, USB Cable 11000702 IMPACT PRO PACKAGE MSRP: $999 USD Includes: Waterproof IM28 - DD Search Coil 28 cm x 18 cm (11'' x 7''), Waterproof IM19 - DD Search Coil 19 cm x 10 cm (7.5'' x 4''), Headphones, Carrying Bag, Protective Covers, Stand, Extra Lower Shaft, AC & Car Charger, 4 x AA Rechargeable Batteries, USB Cable Optional Search Coils: Waterproof IM40 - DD Search Coil 40 cm x 35 cm (15.5'' x 14'') Waterproof IM24 - DD Search Coil 24cm x 13cm (9.5'' x 5") We are now taking the pre-orders from dealers and product will start shipping to dealers the 3rd week of March. We will ship the orders to dealers in the order they are received. Should you have any questions regarding the product, please do not hesitate to contact me. Regards, Nokta had the new Impact prototype on display at a trade show in Paris and some photos showed up on Facebook. The machine is a prototype under development so you can expect changes but it is close enough in the major details they decided to show it off. Note that this is not a nugget detecting machine but a general purpose detector. It no doubt can find gold nuggets like every decent detector these days but it is not something I expect will have any "impact" on the nugget detecting scene. Still it may be a nice machine for those who want to do it all including a nugget hunt now and then. Probably next year before release I am guessing.

Excellent question I have wondered about myself. The GPZ is new technology and no doubt more complicated than I appreciate. I am pretty sure if it was easy we would not even be talking about it. Truth is I have no idea I just go out and put the hours on the machine. My own GPZ is running just fine for me. All I could seriously wish for was for it to weigh less. A long day swinging that thing is a workout.

That has been my experience with the ferrite ring also. My theory has been this is all about issues more common in locations in Australia than in the U.S.

I am running it. Can't honestly say I see any difference on Nevada ground. If somebody had done the update secretly I would not know anything had changed.