Northeast

Good old 'Straya 🤣🤣 Sounds like an easy process for the cider. I don't mind it and the wife loves it. Not sure I am that keen to get a whole crapload of it for her - especially at 10% 😳 Stewed apples would have to be one of my favourite things. Sounds like you have a years supply there of that. And stewed plums - yummo!

I'm a registered owner too - no emails. Might be the Find of the Month thing - I've never got involved in that. The only emails I get are Miners Den emails. A Minelab dealer here in Oz. Not sure if you went to the Bendigo store Mitchel?

Happy to receive a commission for my refining ideas 😉

Well 4 of the 5 are certainties. An upgraded, Multi IQ incorporated, slightly less weighty, improved target separation, easier to decipher display - CTX 4040. The CTX 3030 will be put to bed. A non water proof SDC guts in a Monster/Equinox shell that will come standard with a centre attachment, modified version of the original coil but also allow the use of the already marketed Coiltek SDC options. New version marginally cheaper than the old due to standard configuration of the head, rod, battery compartment, etc and be called the SDC 2.0. The original SDC 2300 will remain in the line up. A slightly lighter, more ground modes, more gold modes, more raw power, better EMI suppression, larger Sensitivity pot GPZ 8000. AU $1000 dearer than the old version currently and will plug and play to NF's new coils. The GPZ 7000 will still be available but drop to AU $8,500. The larger Sensitivity pot is mostly because Phrunt and JW can run at 20 so they figure they may as well push it out to 30 and see what happens 😜 Lastly, the good old GPX 5000 will simply see a long overdue makeover. No new tech but smaller box, lighter weight, incorporated batteries, addition of wireless options similar to the Equinox where proprietary or open market audio can be used. Finally, a factory standard completely wireless GPX! My neighbour's friend's cousin's auntie's dog's groomer didn't know what the 5th new detector was but Phrunt is probably right - it is probably just a Vanguish that comes in black, Camo, torquise or bright orange for the guys that sit them down to take a leak and then can't find them again! There's a few conspiracy theories going around the world at the moment, thought I might as well have a stab a few myself. I'd also be genuinely interested to hear who wouldn't buy the 'new' models outlined above or who would buy them. I recognise they are 4 higher end models and not at the entry level but I personally see all of those machines as very purchasable. Minelab, you watching? And yes, of course I am available for testing 🤣😉🤫 All good fun, N.E.

When I had the Z I most gently rolled across the surface. It helped with weight support and also finding the tiddlers. Where I detect I was able to do this. But, and I am sure JP will confirm or deny this, I am sure I read a thing from JP where he suggested running the Z coil 1-2 inches off the ground particularly in saturable ground. I think the reasoning was that if the detector was simply unusable at ground level then being 2 inches closer to the gold was no advantage. However, if by running 2 inches off the ground you could still detect then at least you were still in the game. As always JP, feel free to correct me 👍 Edit - actually it was Steve H - half way down the first post. https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/970-minelab-gpz-7000-a-super-vlf-saturable-soil-tips/

Me too! Me too!! If only we knew then what we know now. Would have done lots of things differently 😉 Nice specie Norm. Have you got a weight total and pic of your finds?

These are the stories we love to hear Reg 👍

Looks good Doc 👍

The border controls are unfortunate for the 'Grey Nomads' that would generally spend the winters getting out of Victoria and heading to warmer climates. From a prospecting business perspective JP is quite vulnerable as Clermont is a huge destination for the travellers and it looks like things might not go ahead there this year and certainly no interstate visitors. Although JP might be looking forward to a winter of prospecting instead? Hopefully online sales will help. I'm sure Gerry, Rob and Doc will also have their struggles in the US. I hope you can all manage to stay ahead of the financial curve and would encourage all forum members to support them where possible. Thankfully my frequent goldfields are very close to home and I see heading into the bush by myself as keeping within the social distancing rules. Even if I drive 100 k's and camp in the bush by myself I really can't see an issue. I thought more about club claims Mitchel. I am unsure of the actual costs here in Vic but I believe to peg a mining lease it is quite expensive. I am not 100% sure but I think there is an environmental recovery 'bond' you have to provide upfront before any 'mining' can commence. Even that would be prohibitive for a club to claim an area. And then the actual cost of the claim, trying to keep others out of the area, etc. More headaches than it would be worth I think. Cheers, N.E.

Each state has their own licences, own rules around type of land public can access, differing names for everything, different rules around claims, etc. Re: club claims. I didn’t know exactly what they were but always just assumed club members fees paid for a/some parcel of land that then only members could prospect on. Nothing like that here in Victoria that I know of but then I am not a club member. Thankfully there is (currently) plenty of State Forest and some State/National Parks that provide many options for us. Stay safe Mitchel 👍

Except maybe the SDC 2300. I know it is not on your list and it is much pricier but it will also find tiny gold, hit at similar depths as a VLFs and way, way better at handling mineralisation and hot rocks. Your countrymen with more knowledge of the Mojave Desert will be able to better comment if mineralised ground capabilities are a detector requirement for that area. Whatever you decide, have fun and be sure to show some nugget pics 👍

Just out of interest - what are your Volume settings at and do you use a booster of any sort?

Bitching - great term. No matter how much I noise cancel or attempt to apply audio smoothing I just can’t seem to reduce the bitching at my house some days 🤣 Audio files are certainly different JP. Take away the visual of the coil swinging and it makes you listen a bit more intently.

Thinking the same thing, very Gold Monsterish. Would be good. That little 7.5" X 4" coil would be a ripper 👍

I agree, there 'should' be less trash...but there often isn't. It amazes me how many patches I used to go over that were supposedly flogged but I'd still pull heaps of trash out. Any one of those items could have been a nugget but they generally aren't. I'm not doing that so much these days but when I only have the time for a quick, short hunt I still hit those spots and still find targets.

Low mineralisation testing location. Small gold. But surprisingly deep. No photo or mention of detector used. What can’t you tell us JP? 😉 🤫

Good to hear you are getting on top of things Doc. It isn't always about not making mistakes, it is about fixing the ones we do make. My laughy face reaction above was not to your troubles but to your humorous writing style. "Worst thing to come out of China", etc. Best of luck with your amendments 😉

Good work Mitchel. I think if you are swinging over old ground that had given up everything and you start finding new targets then that is a win. Just a shame some weren't yellow. Better luck next time 👍

I am definitely a glass half full person. An optimist will tell you the glass is half full. A pessimist will tell you the glass is half empty. An engineer will tell you the glass is twice as big as is obviously required.

🤩😍 Won't that be a glorious day!! Prospected all day yesterday. Dry panned, detected, searched high and low on some private property - it was a zilch day. Which means I am 1 day closer to a great day 🤞

Thanks Pat. I thought the batteries of the SPO1 would ‘drive’ the external speakers. But it is an audio not a power issue. Best I stick with nursing, technology is not my forte 🤣

Thanks PT. Interesting that there is a difference between pre or post. There is something about the QED and the SPO1 that they don’t play well together direct plugged. They have different output frequencies or ohms or something. Changing the QED to suit the SPO1 would mean the QED then wouldn’t work for other headphones. Howard and Pat might have a beer and a collective think about it one day 😉

Amazing, amazing, amazing photos. Thanks for sharing. Cripes they did some work back in the day.

My youngest lad may have just made the decision not to play footy this year, which would free up my entire autumn, winter, spring! Might finally get a chance to get across and have a play with an x-coil 👍

14 Phrunt 👍