Steve Herschbach

Hi Steve, It was really great visiting with you and I enjoyed the impromptu speaking engagement! I did stop by the White's Electronics factory the next morning before heading out. Here are a few photos from the "Museum".

Also fun using a detector with no target id information, making you have to dig targets that "sound good". That alone results on a different class of finds.

Yeah, TDI settings. Good job! I really, really enjoy trying something different, like a PI, where everyone has used a VLF. Main thing is just be real different. I believe that similar technologies miss similar targets. Changing up technologies can reveal finds that really do make you wonder sometimes.

You guys need to cut this out. I have owned several X-Terras and liked all of them. Now you are making me want to get another to fiddle with. Going contrary to my desire to minimize my collection. Must resist......

Yes, Gold Bug Pro, another fine unit. I am very much at the point where I think single frequency 13 - 19 kHz tech is maxed out for depth and sensitivity to small stuff. It really now is all about the "additionals" like ground balance methodology, coil availability, and intangibles like how the machine sounds, feels, and even how it looks. Performance advances, if any, are in the area of how well a machine operates in dense targets and how well they separate ferrous from non-ferrous. Long story short they all work about as well for me. I am just as guilty as anyone however when it come to playing with the toys so I get where you are coming from.

Yeah, it is a VLF, and a very high gain VLF at that. It will overload on extremely bad ground. The nice thing is it tells you about it. Some VLF detectors shut down silently and you do not even know it. I look at the overload signal on the FORS models as being the "time to break out a PI" signal. Depths are comparable to other 13 - 19 kHz detectors. You already have the MXT so you are already at the limits of single frequency VLF performance.

I agree Chris, I found that older coils I used to really like on my older Minelab PI models were unstable by comparison when run on my GPX. They still worked, but got a bit noisier.

The Minelab coils and TDI coils are not the same. The TDI is very forgiving and can run most Minelab compatible coils. The Minelabs however are more demanding and will not run coils made specifically for the TDI. Some larger Minelab coils overload when run on the TDI at lower pulse delay settings. I tried quite a few briefly to test this and found that the pulse delay had to be run from 10 uS up to 17 uS or more to just get the coils to work at all in the air. No telling what exposing them to bad ground would do. In my opinion the coils that are going to works best on the TDI are those made specifically for it. I have no real evidence to back that up however, just a feeling based on the fact that the Minelab coils are "out of spec" as far as the TDI is concerned. In general it does appear from the evidence that the larger the Minelab coil is the less likely it is to run properly on the TDI, or at least without having to increase the pulse delay setting. I would also be interested in hearing of any success with oversized coils on the TDI. The largest I actually used for any real hours was the stock 12" round coil. This was my best find with the TDI, a 1.93 oz specimen at Moore Creek, Alaska. http://www.detectorprospector.com/steves-mining-journal/whites-tdi-moore-creek-alaska.htm More on subject here

You mean besides finding gold with it? What sorts of tests are you looking for?

That is something you have to determine through trial and error yourself. My experience with two I built was it is not a major issue. I could only get so short and still have room to wrap the cable.

That ground up there is why they make PI detectors. Just loaded with magnetite and there are places even a SDC 2300 will struggle. Bottom line is it can be a real battle with any VLF in places like that. Smaller coils, DD coils, low sensitivity settings etc are all possible ways that will help. There is no magic solution for a VLF in really bad ground however. Not the best place to use a new machine as a person usually needs to be an expert VLF operator to tackle locations like that. Sorry to hear about the coil.

As long as there are targets there will be gold. Good going Chris!

The only way I know to do it is hit the Full Version button at the bottom and do on full forum.

It will hit smaller gold than anything you can buy, far smaller than a Gold Bug 2 even. Main problem is it is a probe, and so you only cover an area about 1" wide with a depth on small stuff of about an inch. But in that inch it is super sensitive. I have one I use for finding specs of gold in hard rock samples. It also is manual tune and finicky. It will sound off on miniature hot rocks just like any hot detector, except they are hot grains of sand. A great tool to have but very limited in applications. It could be very helpful sniping but will also find a tiny piece of lead or steel down in that hole.

I am not a big fan of air tests. I have seen a detector easily out test another in the air, and in the ground have the results reverse. Air tests have uses but determining what works best in the ground is not one of those uses. You need ground for that. http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/528-using-air-tests-to-gauge-detector-performance/

Looks like you have to pay to read it now. http://lostreasure.com/node/1750

Wow!! I hope nobody got hurt.

I think John answered that already. Using coils made by a manufacturer for the detector they made is pretty cheap insurance and not a bad idea in general. I usually do that myself unless there is a size I want the manufacturer does not make. Then I go after market. In general though people have probably figured out I have no brand loyalties. I just try stuff out and use what works for me. You never know which company will produce tomorrow's gem, and the best companies make a turkey now and then. Johns experience has made him quite down on Detech coils. Other people really love them. I have three (yes, I bought them) and as far as I can tell they are just coils. No better or worse than other coils I have used.

Well the point then is do not be in a rush to use a substitute since Minelab specifically recommended against that. More chance of making it work worse instead of better if there is no problem needing fixing. But do get one - they are free! I am not sure how much they will help but Chris and I have been assured they will not hurt.

Hi Fred, Sounds like simple copy and paste into new thread.

The surface dries quickly but it will be weeks before it dries deeper down, longer if it keeps raining now and then. I would go myself as long as it is not actually raining. Sun in the forecast at least.

They sell on eBay for $1500 - $1700 so $1500 is a good price. I use eBay "sold" listings as a guide to fair market value. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&_nkw=garrett%20atx&_dcat=14955&rt=nc&LH_ItemCondition=3000&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

Have it how? What format? I will help get it back online. Here are some ones you will enjoy Fred - from 2005! Second week of visitors with Fred in attendance, huge forest fires in area, could barely see across valley at times. A shot of visitor tent camp: Fred with his Eric Foster Goldscan: Amazing find by Fred, great condition 1909 half dollar, one of a few very nice coins found in our years at Moore Creek: One of the fantastic 2005 finds, a 6.54 oz "potato" by Dean: Second week visitor finds: The second week visitors: And me doing what I enjoyed doing most at Moore Creek. One of the few things I have ever discovered more fun than metal detecting!

I am not sure where your article is Fred. If you have the address you can post the link. Moore Creek is likely to go down as the number one adventure in my life (outside marriage). Trials and tribulations and an incredibly good time and many great people well met. Like you Fred! I ran a poll awhile back about activating a photo gallery on the forum. I let it go due to lackluster response. However, on reflection I have a huge archive of photos I would like to share with people, especially the Moore Creek visitors. I always meant to send everyone a CD but never got around to it. Easier now to just put the whole collection online and most the people who visited will eventually find it.