auminesweeper

That's a great report JP, and you pointed out the glass is half full with this machine with it have so many possibilities and it does so much when you take in to account the price point, and to find Gold in an area that has been well used is saying a lot, Nothing is ever going to match certain well known machines, But the QED seems to offer the best bang for the buck along with giving less well versed people a chance to get in the thick of it. It seems like the QED is the perfect machine for someone who is just getting in to the hobby or on a limited budget, This hobby needs more machines like this to cater for the young and old as well, thanks again, John.

So would the SAT on the V3i fill in the gaps in the tracking speed like it does on other Whites models ? I prefer to use the Default relic mode but if the ground phase numbers are above the mid 70's I hit the push pad once or on earlier models push the trigger forward because they have a faster SAT speed which does help with ground noise. John

Having the off set on the V3i is more of a hybrid version of manual GB, It will be interesting to know just how much adjustment the off set can offer for those who prefer to manually over ride the GB setting. Where I posted in an earlier post that you can off set the GB via not lowering the coil completely to the ground I think that has a reverse effect in that it actually sets the GB to a slightly more negative setting because by doing that it sets the GB to a lower GB number, So really there is no way to set a machine with a ground Grab to a more positive setting because once the coil reaches the ground those + numbers will not get any higher, So the level the machine see's is as high as you can go. Or have I got that wrong ? As in + numbers being higher or more positive and - numbers being lower meaning more negative , because the only manual numbers I can intentionally set my machine to is "83" by locking the Tracking before I turn the machine on or by turning the machine on and setting it to "Lock" before the coil reaches the ground then I get a setting of "50" John.

That is a very cool set up because although it is not updating the machine you can actually follow the ground conditions where machines like the MXT only display the current setting in the GND window unless a person is actually using the tracking feature, Does the V3i or the DFX have a Live ground phase window when the GB is locked ? John.

Sorry Steve I was under the impression that the F75 did not self adjust, I thought that they only monitored the Ground and then set them selves to their last reading when the Ground grab was pressed, Thanks for that, again I apologize for any miss information. John.

No in effect what you are doing is up dating the GB to the current location, Machines like the F-75 don't really have tracking and they basically are like running these 3 machines in the locked position, but with a few of FT machines your only option is to update the tracking although they monitor the ground conditions they do not actually Track the ground by self adjusting like the DFX, V3i and the MXT's do. where they can self adjust In the ground mode or monitor the ground when in the Locked position and they will update at the press of the Grab button. John.

Yes I see your dilemma, and the faults or short comings of all 3 machines seem to over lap. Neither the V3i or the DFX has the Tracking system that the MXT 1 to 4 series has which would no doubt help tame the ground conditions Yet the V3i has the ability to off set the GB setting and neither of the 3 will let you just grab a knob and twist it manually or push a pad to do the same, Putting the V3i in the Super detector Class, I would of thought when you think about the amount of things you can personalize on the V3i I would of thought that manual GB would have been the first things added to the list and see it as a more important feature than being able to change screen colours etc, And being the flag ship model I would of thought that Whites would of included their best tracking system to such a machine in order to make it the best it can be, Or even make that tracking system with a variable speed so it could run slower than the MXT and faster so one could utilize the 22khz mode for prospecting, I see those two things more important that colour screens and stereo sound. I have always admired the DFX and thought it was sad when production stopped but newer machines that sounded like R2D2 seemed the way forward and the DFX got traded in at the rate of 4 and 5 a week at my local store, And If I could find a good one I would still buy one even now because we have not seen any major breakthroughs when it comes to depth, In fact when Detectors went digital we actually lost depth, which is something I found out last year when I bought a brand new unused Di 5900 Pro Still Boxed. I make no bones I love the switch on and go of the MXT's but ? Again I wish they had fitted the 5 push pads in stead of the 3 pads, 2 extra for the manual GB, I like all these machine but to be fair they are so close yet so far, And all 3 machine are still very relevant with the current models on the market, Of coarse with all three we can hold back the GB by holding the coil a little higher off the ground which I have done from time to time but it is still no substitute for manually over riding the GB. I see no reason to change from the MXT A/P unless they fit a manual GB to the next model and all the current models on the market don't offer me enough to warrant changing brands, But when I think about it I have done well with the way the MXT works for 7 years that I wonder is my fixation with having a manual GB more of a matter of want than need ? Or is it a matter of that I would just like to have the option to pick and choose ?. John.

Just another thing to make a note of, The 5.3 would really sing on a Nugget that big, Mine will pick up bits weighing 0.0002 oz or 0.006 grams on the surface so that Nugget should not be a problem, Good luck. John.

The main reason to get the threshold smooth is because on tiny targets sometimes the only signal you will get is a rise in the threshold so you need to set the threshold very low, Quite a lot of targets do not always make a zip zip sound in the prospecting mode or a Bleep in the relic or C&J modes and the secrete to hitting those tiny targets is to listen to those whoosh or faint whoo sounds, By using the MXT this way you can add up to 120% more depth on some targets but not many people use it like that, I am not saying forget zip zip or bleep bleep sounds but by using it like I am saying what you are in fact doing is using it like you would a GP/GPX and it is that faint "Whoo sound from the GPX that alerts the operator that there might be a small target or a bigger one way down deep, Your MXT will make that Whoo or Whoosh noise on a coin at about 8 to 12 inches past the point where it stopped bleeping on it depending on what coil you are using and with a good set of phones like Nugget Busters or Grey Ghost and now the Whites prostars you will hear those faint signals, By setting the threshold real Low and turning the headphone up to the Max, You can get an Idea of what to listen for just by doing a simple Air Test but lock the tracking before you turn the machine On, The sound is anything from a good whoo sound to just a wobble in the threshold, Yes Ground noise can mess with your ears but boils down to the skill of the user, So don't just think zip zip dig, or bleep bleep dig, Think Minelab GPX As well as the ZIP or Bleep, Ok. It's not perfect but it is another tool you can use and if your ground is that mild then either grab a bigger coil or if the Gold is small then try either the 5.3 coil or even a larger DD, to date my favourite large coil is the Detech 14x10, but we need to try anything to be successful so give it ago and see what happens, but you need to do that air testing just to train your ears what to listen for, hope that helps. John. Congrats that's a sweet little Nugget, Well done. Now Tape that Nugget to a ruler and max out your machine and test it like I said and then you will see the difference of just what it can do, have fun. In the Relic mode try pressing the mode button once and test it in that mode and then try the relic default mode, I think the Whoo sound will show up more if you press the Mode button Once and run the Gain right on the edge,Ok.

Sounds like you had a fun day, I like all I have heard about the GM 1000, can't wait for a few more pros to get them and give them a good workout. With the MXT A/P or the Pro you could try the default Relic mode and crank the Gain right up But if the ground is a bit hot then press the musical Note button once because that mode has a faster SAT speed than the Default Mode and it will handle the ground a bit better but you might have to lower the Gain just a fraction to smooth out the Threshold but still try and run it right on the edge where it becomes sparky, Also Never run the Disc higher than "2" or just under, you might dig a bit of Iron but you won't miss a Nugget, Some Nuggets have Iron Staining on them so If you run the Disc any higher you risk Discing them out so "2" is the absolute Max limit, Ok. If your GND meter was reading 58% then that is pretty mild Ground So I would try running it in the standard Relic Mode and Max out the Gain to right on the edge, And don't worry about running the Gain where it is sparky because the machine will tell you if it is too high with a message on the screen saying "REDUCE GAIN LIFT LOOP" . Hope that helps, so let us know how you get on, and remember run the machine with the Tracking Locked unless the ground is changing rapidly, Good luck, John. EDIT:- If you can run the Gain that high in the prospecting mode and with a GND reading of 58 then you should run the SAT no higher than about "4", If I can run my Gain in the +1-+2 area I run my SAT between 2 or 3 for 2 reasons, 1) you get more depth and 2) it will run quieter and using a very low threshold you will be able to hear those faint rises in the threshold that tell you there is either something small or something down Deep, Again remember if you have to lower the Gain for it to run stable "Don't" try raising the SAT first and if you end up with the SAT up around 7-ish then fine but if you have to go higher then you might have to lower the gain but to allow for the reduced gain try lowering the SAT Ok, both of these controls can either work against each other or as a Team and because no 2 bits of ground are the same you need to do your testing/practicing actually on Site, Ok. J.

Yep I agree, The hottest coil for tiny bits is the 5.3 and in mild ground it can rival the 6x10 in terms of depth, On tiny bits what the 4x6 can see at 1 inch the 5.3 can see at 2 to 3 inches, In shallow rocky ground where the mineralization is not very high it will pick out the tiniest of pieces,, Back about 2 or 3 years ago I all but begged Whites to make one for the GMT and then late last year they released one, I think that the small concentrics are what makes the GB II such a great machine on fine Gold, John.

The finder must be over the moon after his efforts, At a record price of $64,625 he must be wondering what his coin is worth, Congrats to the finder on a real piece of American History, Tom, thanks for posting it . John.

Thanks for that, I saw it when they first started to test them but I never saw the out come, I don't under stand how they got the TDI Pro with a 12" DF to see such small things, Maybe it was because the nugget was long and Flat because mine won't see them in their natural state and neither would the 7.5 DF coil, I ran both my TDI SL and the TDI Pro maxed out and it just could not see them even when they are sitting on the Coils, So the results of TDI being able to see that test nugget is because it is long and flat, I need to find a NF Sadie or the new Coiltek TDI Series or both, I really would like to use the TDI SL more, As pointed out it is nice and light and a joy to use and I think with better coils the SL could be as good as it was meant to be, Thanks again, John.

That's impressive, I only have the factory coils for my SL so alas my lack of success, But I would really like some hot coils for it because with the standard coils I am sure I am missing a lot of real small targets because I think that the factory DF coils are more aimed at Relic hunting than prospecting, The symbol for Grains should be "Gn" and Gr or "G" ( g ) is normally the symbol for "Grams" I had to buy a set of Scales with a 5/6 digit readout for weighing smaller bits that can weigh things to as low as 0.0001oz and 0.001g (grams), I did the ebay thing but after about a month of being sent scales that were either not as described or had the wrong measurements on them I had to go to a Real Scale retailers in order to buy a set that are certified and calibrated,. Thanks for the Info that's very helpful, John.

Back when I did the battery tests on the TDI SL the overall average run time I got was 6 hrs 20 mins using 2650 mah batteries and the 9 cell conversion did not add to the run time but it did bump up the voltage to over well over 12 volts, making it a bit more sparky but no real depth increase but the signals were more positive, One thing I noticed during testing is that the SL does not work like the TDI Pro when you turn off the GB and you gain a depth boost, In fact the SL is the reverse where the SL gains depth with the GB "ON", over the time I have owned the SL and the MXT 99% of the time I will try and use the MXT because in the All Metal mode it will match the SL and when fitted with the 12/300 coil or the 14x10 it will out run it for all out depth, Don't get me wrong because the SL is a great little machine but my biggest grudge with the SL is not so much the depth / power but it's lack of sensitivity to small bits which to me is the biggest problem because the smallest bit of metal/Lead I have found with it is 0.17 grams and yet with the standard MXT 10" DD coil I found bits weighing 0.06 and 0.03 grams and when I switched out the coil to the 5.3 eclipse coil it found a bit weighing 0.006 grams, So because of the MXT's sensitivity I will always pick it over the SL even if the ground does Hot up because even running a reduced Gain due to ground conditions the MXT can still see smaller surface bits, And even fitting the factory 7.5 DF Mono to the SL had Zero effect on it's seeing abilities and the only gain in using the 7.5 coil is that it fits in to tighter areas. EDIT:- by fitting one of Miner Johns folded Mono Coils will boost the TDI SL's abilities to see much smaller Bits / items than the factory Coils, On the beach the SL is a great all rounder and in bad ground with hot rocks and serpentine it really excels, But it's abilities to ignore EMI is a major leap forward compared to all other PI's, It will run flat out in the middle of the city and It will run smooth even with Thunder storms going over head where other PI's will warble away if a storm is within 200 miles or more, "I know" because when we had real bad thunder storms here one night I tried it and the MXT would not run about 6 or 7 without very bad spikes in the EMI blasting out the speaker, and because of this I see the SL as a secrete weapon to have when conditions are such that other machines will cause you to pack up and go home, So this alone Is one reason why people should own the TDI SL, It is far from perfect but it can make the difference in whether a person can go detecting or not. Hope this helps. John.

Depending where a person is in the world Notch Disc can be a dangerous thing, IE If I were to notch out pull tabs then I would loose 800 year old coins and some Roman coins because they share the same ID numbers, And another reason I don't like Notch Disc is because each Notch Block can overlap and wipe out good targets, Where as an Adjustable Disc allows you to set the point where the signal breaks, from trying to use a VLF for searching for Gold I have found that some Gold can signal such low ID numbers that you need to fine tune the machine right on the very edge of nails and no higher, where as the first Block on most machines will start around IE -20 to +10, which does not sound that high But a Gold and Platinum Diamond ring I found gave me a signal of around 4 so if I had been using block edits then I would never of found it,. Block Edits can cover too wide an area per notch, So I would suggest that you use it as a last resort and when you do, Use it sparingly, Hope that helps. John.

Yes that was a surprize to me too, when the 4x6 arrived the first thing I noticed was how solid it felt, So I think that it may also be a potted coil too, The 5.3 appears to be a tad hotter on tiny bits of lead, being a concentric it seems to pick up smaller bits better, I tested them both in the ground and in the Air and it does have a measurable edge but that edge can be negated according to ground conditions, the smallest bit I found was 0.006 grams in Clay/Iron filled dirt. Hope that helps, John.

G'day everyone, I have weighed all of my MXT Coils and here is the list which includes the Coil weight and the Lead and the Plug and Coil Cover, In the first column are the claimed weights and the second column are the actual weights, Please note the weight of the 14x10 Detech Coil compared to the factory D2 coil, and please note that the 14x10 gives the machine better balance and a couple of inches extra depth and the cost is another bonus being around the $130.00 Dollar mark. Hope this helps, John. Coil Model,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,FactoryWeight,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ActualWeight,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Difference. 5.3 /6"Concentric......14.4 /408.23gms .....14.715oz /417.2gms..........0.318.93 gram,,,, because of sealing tape ? heavier 4x6" Shooter DD.......12.8oz / 362.82 gms.............12.535oz / 355.3 gms....................-0.265 oz / -6.7 gms lighter 6x10EclipseDD,,.N /A...........................18.615oz /527.7gms...........................................N / A 6x10TwinD50khz............16oz /453.59gms........18.15oz /514.54gms........+2.148oz / +60.91 gms heavier 6x10 GM II Longscan Concentric,,,,,,,,........N /A...................14.61oz /414.3gms...............................N / A 950EclipseXtypeConcentric...........18.4oz /521.63gms....20.617oz /593.00gms.........+2.517oz / +71.37 gms heavier 10" D2/ MXT A/P DD..........17.9oz /507.4gms....23.670oz /671.10gms..........+5.77oz / +163.57 gms heavier 950 BlueMax 6.59khz BlueBox5900........N /A........................18.931oz /536.70gms.........................................N / A 14x8GoldMax50kHzConcentric..............N /A.........26.495oz /751.10gms..................N / A 15" MXT Max Concentric,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,36oz / 1020.58 gms ........37.02oz / 1049.6 gms.............+1.02oz / +29.02 gms heavier NON Whites 14x10 Detech Excelerator Pro2DD.......N /A...........23.838oz /675.8gms..............N / A

Thank you for listening and for the products you make, Great all round company, john

Great Video Tom and very nicely done, thanks for posting it, John

I would like an Extreme version of the MXT and the TDI or even the 2 machines built in to the one box, I like the bullet proof design of the MXTs and the TDI pro, The weight does not bother me too much but I want Whites to keep making these two machine because they are Great But a Hybrid of the 2 would be an Awesome thing to have and would beat the heck out of having to carry 2 machines out in the Bush and add a volume control and Boost would be cool, This past week I have just bought another 2 Whites coils for my MXT, As far as I see it the MXT is the standard which all other should be judged and all it needs is those extra 2 pads for the manual GB and if the 3 that are already on it were made a 3rd smaller there would be room to fit 2 more and again with a volume knob, It already has the Boost section added to the Hash marked area on the Gain control so there is no need to touch that but maybe give it a bit more power Just because, 2 machines Whites should keep and they are the MXT and the GMT but just update a few bits to ensure they keep pace with the Rookies, I would be happy with that, Like add the Boost switch the GMT has to the MXT, that 4X gain boost switch would be good. John ,

What Steve said with manual Ground Balance, Auto GB and Ground Grab, No menu's with knobs and switches and push pads But most of all updateable via downloads hopefully, The V3i was meant to be updateable but that only happened once to turn the V3 in to a V3i and since then there has been 5 years of missed opportunities but back then people had to send their V machines in to get them updated, whites would save Millions on postage and labour costs etc if they did it this way, And then all the Tech people at Whites could focus on Innovation instead of trying to make improvements on old technology and that's money in the Bank. john

Even in junk filled site I don't dig too much trash unless it is washers or big Iron down deep and a few pull tabs and can slaw, But most of the time it is less than 50 50. john

Well now the MXS has the fix it should be a good machine, and like you say The price of the MXS is going to allow a lot of people to get in to water detecting who are on a limited budget and have reasonable results So that has got to be a good thing, Apart from a certain design flaw the only other thing I would change on the MXS is the way the Tones react in that I would like the to respond like the 7 tones on the MXT, Because they appear to be a bit lethargic with a slight delay, But we must not forget that this machine has only just arrived on the market and they will have time to make changes in the years ahead, So it's all Good, Aye. john

You just like digging holes But I know what you mean because I just wanna know whether to dig or not, But I Guess a lot of folks use the Tone in the same way, But even though the Sovereign GT only had 4 tones it was still the higher tones that I was looking for even though I dug them all, But now I rely on the 2 tone / Disc to tell as in low tone is Iron but Dig the rest because it is the closest thing to using the All Metal mode, john