Tahoegold

That's a nice find. You use a good way to go through steps with the GR. I see, all metal has it's place in open non trashy areas. If you're trying to find a place where an old site exists. I found one recently by accident. Just taking a chance and walking through the woods. I didn't use all metal. That would have been the way to go though. Then start bringing more disc and tone break to cherry pick. Etc.. I'm learn about how to do these processes, there is a method. Thanks, good stuff! However, I'm really surprised at how little disc it takes to knock out micro jewelry. Since I started using the tone break as an audible kind of discrimination, I find tonebreak to be more effective at actually reporting micro jewelry through the trash. The Gold Racer has a hi freq. so it gets to hear the tiny bits. And, with tone break, it gives a way to actually use that hi frequency to ferrit out the good signals. I understand now that all metal has it's place in finding anything at first. Or, in the case of gold prospecting, I want to have the whole power of it's capability at use if possible. Good to know about how l can work with just a tiny bit of id filter like 1 or 2 and that even makes a difference. Then rely on tone break to identify good targets. This has been very informative. Love my GR, nice learn it's tools and tricks!

OK, This is the best explanation in my mind, of the difference in the AM vs Disc. The ground variation is the big difference. Which helps decide the size and depth. OK, AM is best in areas with low trash. I'll buy that. I used AM a few times and recovered tiny bits of lead in sand, so I know I can use it. I know what you mean about Aluminum. It hits well on that. I didn't know about the numbers and the spread for Iron and gold areas. That seems like a good thing to me. Coins are all up in the high numbers. Now I have a much better grasp of this detector. Great info, Thanks!

Thanks for the history on this! Now I'm really glad I have the racer. I was tempted to try a Mars coil. But, the sales rep that sees returns on coils said the manufacturers coils were usually designed with better specs. However, now I'm thinking, if I ever need a replacement, there's some interesting options in sizes. Mars coils may be more rugged. I'm not sure. But, that woud be my reasoning to try another brand. At least I have options!

This EXACTLY!! I like to cherry pick at first, grab what I can of the easy stuff and then set up for the tiny stuff when I find a spot where it seems people had been. This is where I was trying to find jewelry. I then cherry pick with disc 2 in 10, tone break at 30. I know now I was not tuned because of my test chain results. Now I'll set to 0 on Disc 2 and 0 on tone break. Single tone all metal and go for the tiny stuff. I seem to be hearing the high tone better. My mind is set to be alerted to that tone. The GR takes a lot of confusion out of the beach crazy using it's tool set. Going through the process to all metal, helps me mentally to enjoy. Then, the process in all metal is a hunt to find the tiny stuff, so, tiny sounds are the target. Which, in itself, is a type of discrimination. So, I feel like it's a process of elimination the GR does with precision. It's too bad I wasn't set up correctly until now. But, I'm really looking forward to using it now! In All metal, the issue for me is the echo it gives on targets. It gives a signal, the signal recedes, and then theres a prolonged hum which settles down to threshold level. I have a hard time with that. I have been able to find tiny stuff doing that. I did give it my all, working in all metal. However, the Disc response doesnt have the echo. It gives a report, then, silence. That works so much better. Even when I change the iSAT in all metal to mimic the same retune speed, I cant get the all metal to work as clearly as Disc 2 in all metal. The signal in AM sounds so vague comparatively. Am I missing out by not using AM? Or, am I really doing better in Disc 2 set to 0 on ID filter AND tone break? Or, do I need to experiment to find out. Am I the first to look into this?

So, I wanted to ask this again. Will the Disc 2 be just as deep and sensitive as all metal when the ID mask is set to 0? I was not sure. Is the all metal circuitry different? Is there still something reducing sensitivity in Disc 2 even at 0? Because, I sure can hear responses better in Disc mode. I tend to get frustrated with the muted sound of all metal. If I don't get a response, I may do a test myself. Which I should do anyway. Maybe NotMac is reading this and can reply. Why would the disc channels have such great signal sound compared to all metal? So crisp and distinct! I don't know much about the circuitry to understand. I mean, the Gold Racer is built off of the Racer technology. This is some kind of hybred detector. It has the all metal circutry, with a whole new way of adding features to a Gold/micro jewelery Detector. Nothing has been made like this before. I have successfully used the tone break and ID filter set to 0 to find a tiny bit of brass in a pile of trash in a roadside pull out. I was just experimenting with using only tone break as a discriminator. I could hear one high tone. One tiny high tone. And I recovered it too. Do that on all metal. Maybe I just set up my next experiment. I have a tiny bit of gold glued to a zip tie. I'm going to set it somewhere on the river and do this same thing to see if I can figure out the settings... To be continued...

I see, that could be an option if I have an issue with a coil like I did once. I got another. That big coil is nice but, it would be nice to have a slightly smaller one. That's for another day when I have money to burn! Or, need a replacement. I think the GR is excellent. However, it probably is niche. It works great for me!

Ok, I see, flat iron. I was talking to a dealer about the different coils. He had the opinion that the manufacturers coils seem to work best on most detectors. I haven't had any experience with after market coils. I think the big coil is all I can handle. It gets a bit tiring after a while swinging it on the beach. It is deeper by an inch or 2. I like that it really covers ground. Mostly, I'm really glad it hits the tiny chain at an inch. I feel that I still have a good chance at micro stuff even with this big of a coil. Amazing to me.

Thanks again KAC!! This is the thread I've been needing! GREAT info. I have the concentric. I never thought the coil type would change the ID. I have the large coil as well for the beach. I noticed on that coil the quarters show up 5 points higher into the 90s. I didnt think about the concentric. So, since the big coil moves the coing numbers higher, I think I need to check all my coils and get familiar with the difference between each. I read about the tracking. I keep it off in disc. But, changing the tone break to make it single tone is a nice tip. I kept having to check my numbers when I heard a low tone. Sometimes all I'm looking for is silver or quarters. So I set it to disc out zinc pennys. It works perfectly on that for coins. Except for the nickles. Single tone would be nice then! I also have the tiny sniper coil. Now that coil really hits this tiny chain. But, it would be frustrating on the beach. The big coil does hit this chain an inch away, amazingly. So, scrubbing is a must. Yes, thanks again. This detector is good for micro hunting AND coins! Now I'm thinking about your tip on making a single tone VCO. I prefer the sound in disc over the AM. Would Disc be the same as AM when set to 0? I could put tone break to zero as well and have the perfect solution. I suppose if hot rocks were an issue in a particular spot, some here are about a 3 on the ID I could use tone break for them. At least I would hear them and decide if I want to dig. Using any disc seems to affect small gold so, this would really help my hearing of the signal in hot rocks or just in general! What do you think?

This has been very informative. Sensitivity for the right depth of target, id filter off or 1 to 2 for chatter. Find the iron break point. That one about the gold showing 30s-40s but not sounding in the high tone until the tone break is down in the 20s was surprising. All good stuff. I just wonder how much stuff I missed. It's ok, this is changing things for me. My chain would sound off all balled up, but when I dangled it, I had to go down to 3 before it sounded. 0 was clear and crisp. I hunted in 0 today and that was really great. I feel like I finally have the detector I wanted. Now these tips are really helping. Thanks!!

Ok, I just did a test hunt, I was finding tiny bits and parts. I found a few coins too. However, now I seem to be kinda excited to find tiny tiny bits. I didn't care if they weren't jewelry. The ID isn't accurate in this hunt mode. But, I sure can tell that, indeed, it's a target, and it's tiny. Like, a staple, a tiny screw. So, now, I think, I'm not going to disc out anything when hunting like this. Here's my question. To you that have found small earings, tiny rings and chains etc. Do you just dig it all? I'm thinking that's the only way to even know for sure. I finding myself ok with that if that is how this works.

Thanks Mike,This is good too! I can detect the chain itself. Holding the clasp and dangling the chain. It reads 3!! So yeah, it's in the iron/hot rock range!! However, it sure doesnt sound like a hot rock. It gives a distinct but short signal. I do know at that point it's a tiny but valid target. I'm ok with the sensitivity and trash, in some areas, there's some trash but not piled together. I just needed to be able to hear it and now I do. I had no way of knowing until I found this chain. It's really tiny. It looks like a necklace for a small person, but it has really tiny links and is thin. I think I weighed it to be just short of a half gram. Really really thin. So, now, I am aware of the proper settings and feel a lot more confident I can detect this kind of jewelry now. Thank you! Side note, I find it important to be able to hear as much about a target as I can. These settings give me a full tone range on tiny targets. I can actually hear the chain bouncing as I dangle it in front of the coil. It sounds crisp when I pass over it on the ground, not scrachy. My ears tell me, "Hey, thats a tiny target..." That kind of info is what I value most when hunting micro jewelery. I have that now. Thanks!

Thanks KAC! This is what I needed! I kinda found out some of this. But these settings confirm and add to my understanding. 0 seemed to be great in Disc 2. But I didn't think about using 1 or 2 for ground chatter. ( We're talking disc not imask) I could use 1 and 2 and still get a signal. 3 was barely making a signal. I can see how that method would quiet it down. That's a nice tip. I had set my tone break at 35 because it would make most iron go to the low tone. I like the idea of making the nail tone break up. I'll try that. I really started to like the sounds rather than the ID. Since I have a compadre, I'm used to hearing targets anyway. I was having a hard time setting it up to work best. I already like what it sounds like, and, the sensitivity now. This is why I got this detector. I knew I was not quite dialed. I couldent even hear this chain at first because of how I had it set up. Now this chain and my other tiny gold bits ring out solidly. Thanks!

So, I really like the Makro Gold Racer. I keep finding more things about it. Recently, I found a really tiny 14k gold chain visually, just lying on the ground. I had my compadre and it couldnt pick it up. I took the chain home and tried it on my GR. I had the factory settings, 10 on disc, using Disc 2 the deeper one, and tone break at 30. Nothing, I couldn't get it to detect it. So, while I was waving this chain in front of the 10" DD coil I started lowering the disc, I realized the ID number was about 3. So, I experimented with going one number at a time all the way to 0. At 1 I could get a somewhat clear signal. At zero it was a nice signal. Even the big coil coild pick it up at about an inch. I have been trying to find micro jewelery with no luck. Maybe this is why. I have not used the disc mode in all metal. You see, I really like the clear signal the disc modes give. I have a hard time "reading" the all metal mode. I can really hear the signals in the disc modes. Why is the all metal mode so hard to understand? So very faint target sounds compared to the really obvious ones in disc. So, am I searching in all metal when disc is at 0? It sure seems as deep and sensitive as all metal. I get much more audible info than all metal in my opinion. However, I have to state here, I'm not an expert. I know the all metal has a way of indicating a target with thresh hold sounds too, or, the silence of the thresh hold sometimes on tiny targets. But, it's not as easy as this method. I really could hear this tiny chain this way. Can I hunt just as effectively like this or should I keep trying to learn the all metal mode? What's your opinions? And, please, lets keep this discussion to the Gold racer and those who have one. I'm actually really glad to have discovered this. I'm fortunate to have this chain to test.

So, the coil was overloading, then, falsing, then completely stopped transmitting. No sound, unable to ground balance, ground balance numbers frozen. I lift the coil to eye level, then gently move the coil front to back maybe 1/2" and it transmits on then off. I velcroed it in place in the working direction and it stayed working. I hope that I can keep it running for a while. Seems a wire may have already separated... I'm missing that small coil, it was a trash sniper. I figure this is part of the learning curve. Sometimes it costs to get experience.

I just had my 10" DD do the overload and falsing. Also, it cut out all together. I heard that the wire where it meets the coil can be an issue. I wiggled it there and yep, that's where it was. I wrapped the wire around the other direction around the shaft and it worked. I was able to use it. Now, does this mean I should be looking towards this coil dying now too.?

Ok, great info. Heck, this thread is turning into a "How to care for your Notka/Makro coils". Kinda cool...

So, is everyone saying this kind of crack in a Makro coil is normal for cold weather? (Monster/Gold Racer) I am trying to avoid responses about any other coils please.

Darn! Sorry! I'm really glad to hear of these in order to be aware.

Are you using a Gold Racer?

Ok Fred! That's good info. I guess Paul and I just are having some bad luck with 3 of the same manufacturers coils. I'm sure These are made well. There's not any reports of these coils causing an overload signal except for Paul and me. I'm just saying it appears to be very rare. Even the Makro tech hadn't heard of this issue. If anyone has one, try pressing down on it a little. Let me know if it overloads.

Ok Paul, I have been moving dirt slightly to make a smooth surface, I haven't been using mine as a walking cane. My 4.5x7.5 is epoxy filled. So I really was surprised when it reacted to pressing down, now the 10". But, it's quite possible I am just having a bit of bad luck. I was thinking, if they put a cross section of pvc pipe right under the pole connection it really could strengthen it! The symptoms definitely came when I pressed on both coils. I'm not going to press or bang another coil again!

Ok, that's good news. I'm concerned as I have another coil, my 10"DD that is showing the same signs. Same issue by pushing down very gently. If they are not supposed to do this this easy, maybe I am having bad luck. It's not falsing, it's overloading. Wierd symptoms, Paul's did the same thing... So, that's 3 coils. I will trust you Steve. I know this can happen. The Makro repair guy said he doesn't see many problems at all either with their line. He says the coils are well made and seemed to think all coils have a few issues equally. And, he said the manufacturers coils seem to work better. I'm hoping my 10" DD doesnt get worse. It made that overload sound once already... Like I said though. I'm not giving up on Makro, and I'll stick with their coils. I'm happy with their performance. Thanks again. I don't mean for this to sound like I'm not trusting Makro. I just don't have much experience with all this. I appreciate the input!

Well,, all this info is good. I have a far better understanding of the situation now. I saw a major retailer carrying the sister company coil from the Urkrane and they offer a 3yr warranty. Which I know they would honer. That being said, I'm positive my GR 19 coil that is epoxy filled didn't have any cracks. I do know that it happened when I was pushing down on it to sweep a flat spot. Yes, this particular coil only uses a skid plate. The bottom is the epoxy. So, I guess coils are to be handled with care. That is good info for me. The fact that this happens makes me understand it's a must that I'm careful. It's all ok for me. I will be getting a GR19 replacememt. I'm sure it's the best match. The little sniper coil really works well on tiny stuff. And in trash. Thanks for the info to you all!

I think that's what happened, I could notice a slight movement when I did it. I suppose any coil will break if pushed on. I'm not a long time detectorist, I sure dont want to keep breaking coils!

I had it on my hardwood floor. I had a piece of bird shot in a plastic bag and was just pushing down to make sure the shot was on the coil. I wasnt pushing very hard and I wasnt moving it, I just pressed down gently to flatten the bag. I hear of guys using their detector as a walking stick. I wasn't pushing nearly that hard. I guess I should treat coils with extreme caution. I'll be gentle and not push on them is all. I hope this coil isn't going to go next...