karelian

Nokta Makro detector stand, ebay. Fits 22mm rods/shafts.

Issue of connecting wireless audio has been made much simpler with a cable that connects the MX Sport / Gmx Sport headphone outlet to micro USB, spotted on Fleabay.. One cable from the machine into the wireless transmitter. Not made for the Z link but it uses the identical micro usb connection, should be fully compatible. No more spaghetti.. back to waiting for the postman. Quest MX Sport adapter cable...

Yep wireless audio is a winner, a few parts and some time with wire cutters and a soldering iron will sort it all out nicely. Yes phrunt the only place I could find the GMX was on Ebay, I didn't hesitate. The Global Shipping Program seems pretty quick compared to regular post. All customs and duties organised and paid for, no hidden headaches or costs. When considering the purchase I remembered a creek in Victoria that was crevice heaven when I was a kid. Same creek almost dries out during summer with a few deep water holes full of trout. The idea of the GMX working that creek meant I had to have it. My exuse anyways.. Everything came in the mail today, the detector, the parts I ordered to go with it as well as a compact fishing rod I will take with me next time I visit that same creek. I ordered Advanced NuggetShooting with Goldmaster 24K by James A McCulloch, postman just delivered that today as well. Nicely autographed by the author. When it rains it pours, probably all on the same cargo aircraft.. from the USA to Australia. All combined for a very welcome distraction. I am feeling very lucky, everything works as it should and arrived in good time. Itching to get out there... full of 'golden dreams'. All the best.

Spaghetti is the best description, but it works. I can see myself buying more connectors so that I can do modifications and make this more elegant and funtional. Just one cable from the detector into the transmitter. Another project... All the best.

The design is good but I don't like it when a detector falls on its side, it was OK as standard but I wanted better than OK.. Now it will be upright regardless of the terrain. Z link makes good sense on this machine. Flat Concentric is a winner for sure, coil clips a nice addition. All together a nice package with the two coils and headphones.

Took just under 4 weeks to arrive, tested and working fine. Took me all of one minute to decide to put a proper folding stand on it. I can see the Z LInk wireless system being used on dry land, with the headphone socket up front and plenty of room to fit the transmitter etc. So far so good, hits those small bits real hard. Weight and balance with batteries installed is very good. Something positive for a change and I'll be very keen to get out and do some prospecting when circumstances allow.. All the best.

There are some nasty AA cells that are best avoided, feed you machine a decent quality battery. I use long life alkalines and in a VLF they are fine for days. Ten year shelf life and made in Germany, very price competitive.. no compromise on quality. Only thing is I make sure I test each AA before feeding it into the battery tray, only takes one dud to spoil your day. A little bit of prep goes a long way.. no short cuts with batteries.

Thanks, ROD I'll give it a go when the PCB goes back into the Tdi Sl later in the year. Looks like the only trim pot we can work on ourselves. The source of the problem? Perhaps the solution.. Good info so thanks again.

Just give me another ten years of trouble free operation with my XL PRO and I'll be happy.. everything else is negotiable, replaceable..

Took a photo with my new DSLR and zoomed in on the image to examine the old Tdi Sl PCB close up. The only part that appears to be adjustable is circled. It is close to smooth/sense and ground balance. If this is out then it may be the problem? I like a puzzle..

A friend traded me an old Tdi Sl for my old Canon DSLR with a couple lenses. The camera was old but still worked well and perhaps worth a couple hundred at most, so I threw in a telephoto lens and we had a deal. I got a dead or dying Tdi Sl in exchange. The machine would power on etc everything seems to work except it will not ground balance and sensitivity was way down to almost nothing. Ok so not dead but way out of sorts at least. The previous owner has moved on after having done something to the machine. Yes he had opened it up and poked about and tried to make adjustments or something to it. He has lots of history when it comes to pulling things appart followed by difficulty in putting them back together. Let's say this is not his first Humpty Dumpty moment, rather one of many.. Looking at the PCB there is nothing to adjust? I'll take a closer look later now that the PCB is out. At worst I figured I would get some parts etc. Anyways, later I managed to obtain an SPP PCB and swapped them out. Plugged everything back as I would the TDI SL PCB. Sensitivity is back to normal, seems to work well. Pulse Delay as well as HI LOW ALL do not appear to work like they would on a Tdi SL , even though they are plugged into the board. It does appear to work as a Sierra Pulse Pro should. The SPP board is the latest with all the mods already done at the factory. The old White's rep in Australia has a few SPP boards left for about $70 US each. So I have an SPP for a while, until I can figure out how to repair the Tdi Sl PCB. I'll wait and see what happens. I've got a battery project on the boil and lots of real work to keep me busy. Locked down till mid August so I'll get busy playing with my projects during my spare time. I'll compare it to my Tdi Sl LE and see if performance differs, should be the same. In the image the left PCB is SPP. right PCB is from sick Tdi Sl. I think it was a good deal and the end result satisfactory for now. Even better if I can fix the original board.. All the best.

So which coil handled the conditions best, the 6x4 DD or the 6 concentric ? 👍

If a job is worth doing then it is worth doing properly. Extra forces in the water make the use of a MInelab lower rod 'highly recommended'. Both Whites and Doc's lower rods shown. Detech 8" mono with Doc's lower rod fitted. Tight fit with no flex or other issues. I modify the rod with stainless steel spring clips in addition to using the locking cam. Some just use the cam lock, but in the water I would go with both. The White's and Minelab rods are the same diameter so fit into the uppers is perfect. Tried alternatives but because I tolerate zero flex I ended up with the GPX compatible lower rods. Glad I did it in the end. All the best.

A long time White's user I have not yet had to take a machine in for repair. So far so good. They seem to soldier on, I do nurse them but it helps they were well built from the start. The question of warranty and repair was considered when I ordered my GMX, a gamble perhaps but given my experience with White's not a big one. Perhaps the real issue is one of trust. They may be down and out but White's has over the decades earned my trust. White's reputation for quality products supported by repair and service is second to none. They have nominated a repair centre and by all indications continue to do the right thing by their customers. Again, they will be missed. Read a lot of reviews on the 24k and also on the MX Sport. Watched videos of White's people dropping and abusing the MX Sport to demonstrate the build quality and durability. Issues with the MX Sport seemed to be progressively sorted out. As Steve mentioned most issues were resolved well before the GMX was released. The 24K seemed right from the start. So this hybrid machine, the GMX should last for some time. It will be a crevicing detector and will see mud and dirt, very cold mountain water but I do not envisage it being used underwater. Not because of the machine but because of the users aversion to ice water.. unless there is a hot sauna ready and waiting. Only questions that remained in my mind were not quality or durability, just weight and balance. Weight is no more than an MXT and balance with the smaller coils provided should be fine. Did note some thought the MX Sport was a bit nose heavy, hence my concerns. The only parts I ordered were coil covers and a spare battery holder.. In the future I see a multi frequency machine, waterproof, light and durable. It will replace a number of my machines and it will probably be a MInelab Equinox or its successor.. I enjoy my White's but I'm not blind to the future and not afraid to embrace it. All the best.

Anderson makes a weight that attaches to the coil to fix the floating issue. Around $35 US, on fleabay. Was thinking of something similar for my 12" duel field coil used on the beach with the Tdi Pro up to knee deep.

Remembered the older Whites PI beach machines had the weighted 950 coil. Spotted this one from an old expired fleabay add. Seller was in Florida and asking $100. Old add, but it helps to know what you want. Whites PI Surfmaster Diver 950 coil. Others would know more than me about this coil, zero buoyancy??

phrunt, Australia and New Zealand are closing in on that 'travel bubble'. So in the not too distant future there will be opportunities to get on a plane and do some Aussie style detecting. If you drop into Victoria I'll give you a chance to swing a collection of White's machines. In Victoria we are going to be the last state to open up, the boys out West are almost good to go now. The luck of the draw when you are fighting something microscopic and too small to shoot.. Given your enviable arsenal of machines you are certainly well equipped to do the Oz tour. I know I'm going to go extra hard and hit the goldfields in both the West and East of Victoria as soon as possible. A new machine is just the right excuse to go hunting when things settle down a bit. When times are tough and people are feeling the pain it can be the best time to buy stuff. The time was right and it was already on my shopping list. Puts the dollars into the economy when its needed. My GMX is a micro dot in the scheme of things, one sold machine for a US seller, work for the couriers and other folk in the supply chain. I've got six weeks of lockdown, time to do research and get ready. A couple months waiting for the new machine works out great in my timeline. Last package from the USA took nearly three months using priority air mail, but I got it.. I'm going to do a write up on the GMX when it arrives. Take it out into the goldfields and put it to work. Ordered covers for both coils and a spare battery holder, it's going to be working for me for many years. That 6x4 DD and flat bottom 6" are my idea of perfection using this machine with the conditions I encounter here in Victoria. First trip will be to Dunolly to 'Christen' the machine in the area around the Welcome Stranger monument. I haven't personally seen a VLF machine used there in years, I know they are out there though. Let's see if the GMX finds some of the smaller gold they may have missed. A new machine, possibly the last of the White's. Something to get excited about and to enjoy the anticipation of its arrival for the next few weeks/months.. All the best. Karelian

A 24k with the same coils makes more sense, considering balance and weight. But the GMX come with the headphones and this package has the two coils I want the most for use in Australia. So the GMX won the coin toss. The GMX simply won because of that 6x4 DD coil, the added durability and waterproof capacity are great, but the lighter 24k has a lot of appeal. Goes to price and coil selection. The Minelab Equinox 800 with the smaller 6 inch coil, water proof, local support etc was a real competitor. The Equinox or its successor may later replace my Explorer Se Pro and Musketeer Advantage. This White's package with two coils and the headphones beat the local competition on local prices. So the GMX looks as if it will be my last new White's machine. Given the local lockdowns and restrictions in Melbourne Australia, I have not managed to dent my holiday/party budget. So that money instead goes to the GMX purchase. I'll be brewing my own coffee and baking my own muffins for a while yet, saving in the process... Santa came early this year.. All the best, take care and be kind to yourself and others.

If the machine starts overloading when you turn it on, first check your batteries are fully charged. Second make sure the Threshold is set well counter clockwise in the silent zone. So have Threshold silent when you turn it on and only after turning it on set the threshold level. The Tdi Sl can briefly overload when first turned on if the threshold is already set from previous use. Depends on the settings and coil being used. I find this 'bark' unpleasant so now make sure the threshold is well off before turning my machine on, then reset it after a few seconds. If this fails, try a different coil. At the end of the day you need to have confidence in your machine and that it is working correctly. Finally make sure you are outdoors when checking the machine and well away from hot EMI areas. All the best.

One reason I use protective covers on my machines when on the beach and when the elements flex their muscle. I did invest in Theosaurus covers and Protectors for all my machines, the Tdi Pro has a set of covers but usually gets the chest mount treatment to keep it out of the dirt. That Tdi Pulse Scan looks as if it has seen a full days work, wow Alaska is even more interesting to me after seeing that image.. I'll take Australia's fine red dust over Alaska's mud any day, we have flies you have mosquitoes.. All the best.

There is still something I like about switches and dials.. fast and intuitive. Must admit I'm a fan. I'll enjoy using White's metal detectors for some time more. No longer cutting edge but still fun to play with.. especially when you know how to get the most out of them, push their limits and still bring home the goodies. Quality USA made metal detectors, great pity. Good luck to all the White's employees and the best to you all in these difficult times.

Gotta love those chunks.. Only 500 meters deep... a bigger search coil just isn't going to cut it. '

All the bits and pieces have finally arrived so the high voltage Tdi Pro battery pack is in the works. Circuit, heat shrink wrap, soldering iron etc, 5 x Panasonic cells, dedicated recharger completes the picture. This battery project is the final chapter in my Tdi Pro modified units evolution. Something to keep me busy on a rainy day.. All the best.

Spotted this on the Prospecting Australia site, full credit to XLOOX and Old Hand for this, a simple and reversible fix to fine tuning the ground balance. Functional mod that when set up correctly can make hot ground much less of a hassle with the Tdi Sl. All the best. Full details on the White's page of Prospecting Australia. Again well done XLOOX and Old Hand. Folks love to mod..

Detech 8 inch mono for the GPX works very well on the Tdi Pro and Tdi Sl. Excellent performance, very sturdy and well built coil. Yes it mounts on a GPX lower rod that fits well on the White's upper. Water proof but I'm not sure how deep it is rated. At wading depth and on land it is a superb coil. If I only had one coil on my Tdi machines it would be the Whites Super Pulse 220, Detech 8 inch mono for beach use, or the Nugget Finder Sadie for prospecting. All the best.