Tony

I really need (want) to try one of these out West…….in some iron infested locations 👍

Thanks Steve…..when I’m out prospecting, I have no style 😄

It was more the lightweight and durability that appealed to me plus the cost is reasonable. The jack connection you mentioned is a concern though…..might have to send the company an email.

Thanks for the replies.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/224402933805?hash=item343f75082d:g:Ks0AAOSwOyNfjNF6

Maybe make an offer……he is an ex Whites detector dealer (Australia).

I’m after a durable and lightweight set of headphones for warmer weather. I run a speaker with my 3500 but have the need for headphones sometimes. I want an “on ear” set. I’m looking at getting the Telex Airman 7 Listen Only headphones. The link is below…..love to hear any pros or cons. Impedance is 150 ohms…..thanks.

https://www.sportys.com/telex-airman-7-listen-only-headset.html

Well actually my Whites XL Pro came from Australia…….👍👍👍👍

I think “volume of sales” has a lot to do with pricing in Australia. When a dealer in the USA can sell a 100 detectors compared to an Australian dealer who might sell 1 of the same unit then US margins can be a lot less. I have only bought one new detector in Australia during the past 20 years…..Minelab Excalibur which is actually slightly cheaper here in Australia. All my other purchases have come from the USA…….great dealers, prices and service every time 👍

One thing I do know is the WINDIER and DRIER the conditions, the worse the EMI is.

11 hours ago, karelian said:

Tony given the exchange rate, transport and logistics I understand pricing is always going to be higher. I don't mind it when there is local sales and aftersales service, repair and warranty. Look after your dealer and he should also look after you. Minelab enjoys big advantages in Australia, not enjoyed by the importers..  but yes the price does hamper local sales. The Minelab Gold Monster does enjoy a price advantage, but it is not all about price.

Sometimes we just 'click' with a machine, be it a car, rifle, camera or metal detector. It just does things the way we like, feels the right way, balances well etc. There is a market for the Garrett Goldmaster 24k in Australia, because it is different. It gives us choice. Wait for the feedback, I think people will be happy with little buyer remorse. White's GMX, still loving it.

I'm with phrunt on this one.

Damn it…….I hate it when you’re right 😄

14 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Good to see, but it boggles my mind how much more expensive imports end up being in Oz. Here the machine is a real bargain price at US$679 but in Oz it ends up at AU$1359? Yikes!

……and that’s why they will struggle to gain sales here (again). I can’t recall seeing the last detector not made by Minelab here in Australia……prospecting, land, beach or water. We’re a tiny market here so the likes of Garrett will never be too concerned and Minelab sales will continue unabated. The ridiculous dealer prices will only strengthen Minelab’s market share……if that’s possible considering where they are already at !

I’m in the Plantar Fasciitis club as well……..tried many things before finally seeing a Podiatrist. The first thing she noticed was a severe “heel strike” in my gait. I’ve been working on this to lessen the heel impact and to get more of the initial landing towards to the front half of my foot. It has improved a great deal already but I have to be aware of how I walk or the old style will creep back in.

On 4/2/2021 at 5:55 AM, Hamid said:

TDI is unbeatable machine.
 There still is nothing that will match them for depth on gold items!
They are no other PI units out there today that can equal it's performance.
 Those loops are rare, you are so lucky to have them.

Remember that well,  any coil has a name "TDI" works extremely well, just which one that needs to use in right place. 

I wish you all the best🙂

Hamid

Respectfully disagree with that first paragraph but I applaud your unbridled enthusiasm 👍

10 hours ago, Hamid said:

All the best to everyone. 

And to you too Hamid 👍

10 hours ago, karelian said:

Tony I have managed to run the MXT in awful ground, the key for me has been the smaller 6x4 DD Shooter coil combined with lowering the gain. Just lower the gain until the machine is stable.  In trash I use audio disc, zip vs grunt. Start by digging everything and getting an idea of the type of rubbish in the area.  Some areas have few if any bullets, pull tabs or other modern junk. Sometimes rusty iron, old tin cans, rusty tools or even metal gold pans dominate. After digging everything in trashy sites I'll go hard with disc if modern trash dominates or continue to dig everything  if 'old' trash or 'relics' are present.

In gold country the 6x4 DD is my go to coil with the MXT. Great for crevicing and bedrock. Your MX7 with a small DD should give you an idea of what is possible. Some good advice on this thread, no need for another machine, just mount a small DD coil.

Tony what coils do you have for your MX7?

 

 

For the MX7, I’ve got the stock 950 but also the flat bottomed 6” Concentric coil…….I’m going to try out that combination and see how it performs. The MX7 is an absolute powerhouse little machine and an absolute credit to White’s…..not many tried this machine but those that did really sang its praises. Thanks for the information. 👍

Steve……reading your Tesoro LST review now 👍

Just as a side note…..I can get a cheapish “new in box” Tesoro Lobo Supertraq. Aside from no warranty, etc…..is this a unit worth considering. 
Steve…..I was going to put this question under the Tesoro forum but left it here as it’s relevant to the thread.

Yeah I know……I’m clutching at straws with the whole VLF idea but I’d like to cover more than 5 square metres an hour 🤬

Come on guys…….I just want a VLF to go:

”Beep”…….Gold 👍

”Beep”……Gold 👍

……..and with a rock solid threshold and nice “nulls” on iron. I’ll dig the 22 lead slugs if I have to 😄

Im trying to find a photo I had of the area……you can see where lightning has struck the ironstone outcrops and fused the area together……like a giant arc welder.

Thanks all……I agree the MX7 is worth a shot. Based on the MXT circuitry might be okay but I have heard that the MXT can struggle in bad ground…..but I’m talking bad ironstone ground. I may have to switch out the 6” Concentric coil to a smaller DD as Jeff suggested. Failing this then it’s time for a 6” coil on my 3500…….so long as the smaller coil/windings don’t get lit up by the hot ground. 👍

Maybe no one else wants them…….Limited model that is. 🙈

48 minutes ago, Chet said:

Tony

When detecting in trashy areas, gullies and desert washes I frequently carry a VLF along with the GPX 5000, GPZ 7000 and now with the GPX 6000. If roaming large areas of desert with only an occasional bullet or boot tack to contend with the VLF is left in the Jeep.

Over many years as VLF detectors improved the models for this purpose were upgraded from the early Goldmaster series to MXT to GMT to Gold Monster to now to a Equinox 800. All equipped with the smallest coil available. 

When a target is detected in a trashy area with the Large PI coil it is quickly pinpointed and discriminated with the VLF. If is too deep to detect with the VLF it gets you pumped up a little thinking that this is something good. As the hole gets bigger and deeper the small coil on the VLF pinpoints the direction to dig. 

Sometimes a dozen plastic knives with bright colored surveyors ribbons tied around them are used as markers. Detect the area with the PI. If a shallow loud target is detected lay a knife over it. If it is a weak low broader signal place the blade into an upright position. 

Lay the PI down and detect each marked target with the VLF. The shallow loud ones are fast and easy. The deeper ones require some aggressive digging to get the VLF close enough to detect, pinpoint and discriminate.

From years of experience with many detectors has led to this determination. The Equinox 800 with the small coil is the best, simplest automatic detector for this work and/or for stand-a-lone gold detecting. It has a build in pinpoint mode that immediately gets you on top of the target. Once on top you punch it back to discriminate mode and one or two sweeps you know whether it is ferrous, nonferrous or a hot rock. The target number read-out is so much better than the Gold Monster bar graph. 

Like most modern highly sensitive VLFs built for gold detecting it will sound off on many hot rocks. But it will have a repeatable number read-out that will correlate to the normal hot rocks produced in that area. 

Have a good day,

Chet
 

Chet…..awesome information as well. I’ll be putting these ideas to the test in coming weeks. I’m pretty handy with a PI but have to admit that I have never nugget hunted with a VLF…..although have heard of those that persevered back in the day when that was all that they had to swing. Small coil and low GAIN……

1 hour ago, NV-OR-ID-CAL-AU said:

Tony, 

IMHO

Depending on your ground, most 20 kHz and lower frequencies are better at handling the more mineralized ground conditions. That’s why I use the Equinox 800 in heavily mineralized ground as it gives you a single 20 kHz frequency for hot ground or you have the multi-frequency option for less reactive ground when looking for smaller gold. It also has some really good discrimination abilities for trash sites. If any 20 kHz or lower detector doesn’t work in your ground then I would recommend a PI machine at that point. 

Thanks for the great information……I might just take out what VLFs I have and see how we go……not dedicated nugget machines by any stretch of the imagination but worth a spin. 6.59khz and 13.8khz here we come.

From what I can gather, higher frequency VLF detectors are more suited for smaller gold but ground mineralisation may be something to factor in. Would there be a “better” frequency for nuggets 1 gram and above in heavy ground?

I’m not too concerned if I miss sub gram nuggets if there is a better suited frequency.

The old Garrett Groundhog circuitry was legendary in this country…..I think it was around the 15 kHz mark. Is this frequency range a good starting point or do I need to consider other things such as better ground balancing capabilities or Garrett’s extra coil voltage. 
My Minelab PI units will be mainstay detectors but as mentioned in another post, I have ground littered in man made iron junk and the ground mineralisation is severe. There are plenty of nuggets in the 1 gram to 5 gram range (maybe bigger) but the iron signals are as dense as 5 per square metre 🤬

 Thanks for any ideas.

20 minutes ago, ☠ Cipher said:

This is one of the things that won me over to start experimenting with earlier Whites models. I had never seen such stable and reliable target IDs before until someone brought an M6 over. It was as sure of itself anything. 

…….especially if using a concentric coil. A DD coil will lose a bit of accuracy from my observations.

My XL PRO has a needle/meter and the ID accuracy on it is unbelievable.

How do they get that resolution when the digital ID on my MX7 can dance around a few numbers……which is still very good btw.

Great review Simon…….I’d love to send you a few cubic metres of hot ironstone so you could build a test bed for me. I’ve got access to several trillion tonnes at short notice 👍 If possible, could you PM me where you purchased your 24K from (assuming you are happy to do so). I’ve got the MX7 so same size housing and battery tray.

Also, Australian Customs have no involvement in any parcels stopped. Australia Post security initiate this when screening exports but the system shows a “Customs” status. 

Hmmmmmm……I’m tempted but I would have to know upfront that it can perform okay in my ground.