Gold Catcher

Thanks guys, all really useful info. I am fine with sacrificing some depth if it would give me a better target ID at mine sites. The video was really useful to get an impression of how it works in mineralized soil (thanks for posting Phrunt). I probably would swing much slower though, and I am curious if this would make any difference. It surely makes all the difference for my 6000 and 7000. I know in principle that for VLF discrimination to work "well" the swing speed should be slow with strict coil control. GC

Thanks, Phrunt. I was told the Manticore ID is better in discriminating, like nails, etc and with more advanced algorithms. I will check it out and will report, albeit without having a Nox comparator. GC

Ok I changed it to the Manticore after a long discussion with my good friend in AZ. I also will get the 8 inch coil which are coming up soon, so I was told. Who knows, I might become a VLF fan 🙂 GC

I thought for just gold the nox 900 has an edge of the manticore with the 6 inch coil, or at least is not worse. No? I just placed the order for the nox but could still change to manti....I need it for trashy mine sites with the most effective ID. Any additional feedback welcomed. Thx. GC

I am still puzzled though why this was not noticed during field testing. Did the prototypes not have the unshielded part(s)? It surely should have been noticed by the testers when using the speaker. I did not notice it at first since I never use external speakers. But when I finally did it was clearly noticeable. GC

I paid about $150 for shipping and 6k insurance. Things are totally out of control here.....with everything! GC

The GPZ was a great built detector from the get go. Ok, some minor issues here and there (cheap screen, some latency when changing settings-which presists even after the last software update, some shaft issues), but overall pretty good right away. Same for the SDC, aside the battery issue which was easily managble. These were the good old ML quality days. I wish they would come back! GC

Totally agree, and with aftermarket coil and shipping for the fix you are down for $6600, let alone the frustration. But what would have been the alternative after purchasing? Selling it for a loss? At least now I have a great working detector. But the bad after taste for sure remains. Makes me wait a bit longer to get the GPZ8000 after its release, that's for sure. GC

Get yourself a Coiltek or NF coil, do the audio fix, and you will love this machine. GC

It confirms that gold loves the 6000/NF12x7..😍...Great job Reese! GC

Many thanks, Steve. I am sold. There are times where I don't mind digging up alot of trash (where there is trash, there is gold), but I just got back from a trip yesterday where I was pretty close to be admitted to that mental asylym that Simon was talking about....With all caveats understood, a VLF with smart IQ might be the only productive strategy in areas where 1000's of miners have worked for years. GC

Thanks a lot for the detailed response. Really helpful and great insights! GC

Hey Simon, I am thinking to upgrade my VLF capabilities, and your comments are timely. What do you think, is the Nox 900/6 inch significantly better than the GM/5 inch when gold is the sole focus? Or should it be the Manticore with a little wait for better coils? Would both punch deeper with better meter read in mineralized soil compared to the GM? I like the GM but its capabilities when using the iron meter are severely limited. I would only upgrade if the newer VLFs really beat the GM in every aspect on gold. I do not care too much about the other useful features that clearly favor the much more modern and versatile Nox or Manticore. Just which one would make my pill box heavier in the VLF world? I thought I'd ask the expert; I see you have posted a lot of great stuff about the ML VLFs (and many other topics...). I am good with PI/ZVT, but when it comes to VLFs I am a bit "on ice".... Thanks! 🙂 GC

Doesn't matter whether it was filmed 6 years ago or yesterday, it is a timeless account about the excitement of metal detecting. And good to see the magic three in action 🙂 . Just too bad that Kevin and Chris did not end up filing a GPAA claim. At least GPAA does not currently have any active claims in the La Porte mining district from what I know. But I would have been very surprised had they even been able to get a claim. The entire Southeast area of La Porte, including the Spanish diggings, are absolutely off limits for prospecting and littered with private placer claims since decades. They must have had permission to film on one of the many existing claims, at least that's my guess. GC

ML should have put a 0.0001 scale into the 6000 box, as a standard accessory...😁 GC

I can beat that (as posted before). 2 inch down, was a clear signal and noticeable, but machine run full bore and very slow coil swing. 😉

As always, we all have our preferences. As I said several times before, for me the NF12 has been a game changer, and it is a significant upgrade for the 7000. The coil is more stable, more sensitive, lighter, better built and has practically no depth loss compared to the 14 stock. Most grounds I hunt are highly mineralized, so the coil configuration is a perfect match for me. I can highly recommend it. I use Bogene's setting from time to time and find it beneficial in some but not all circumstances. As reported before, general/ difficult works well for me in volcanic hot rock infested grounds that I often face in the desert. In fact, it is the only setting that produces gold that is in close proximity to hot rocks. I wonder how the 15CC would perform in these difficult grounds. I also use the SP01 religiously, and I find it a great combo for both the SDC and the 7000. So, is $1300 a wise investment? Absolutely in my view, and I like this coil ever since I mounted it, just as much as I like the NF12x7. Again, guys, we all have our viewpoints and the only thing that matters is the rattle in the pillbox at the end of the day, however you get it. 🙂 GC

Do you know what my shirt looks like after a day detecting...? 😬 Not washing it would mean the end of any social activities. Perhaps not a bad idea....Permethrin works well for me and is the only reliable tick defender of those that I have tried. I have tried many "natural" sprays, none of them worked for me. Those ticks on the North Yuba river need the nuclear option, otherwise they just laugh at you. But I will give YaYa a try. I do pretreat my clothes and gear regularly though when using Permethrin. A small price to pay IMO when operating in heavily tick invested areas. I usually spray Deet on top of it right before detecting and always wear long pants and long sleve shirts, tucked in. I am not (too) worried about bears, mountain lions and snakes (except Mojave Greens). But ticks I am most scared of. GC

The vaccine should be available in 2025. Wishing you a speedy recovery. GC

Excellent job, Mitchel, and well deserved! Greater Barstow area? 😉 GC

I feel the same way! Wish I could swing them both at the same time 🙂

It's the SteelPhase SP01 audio enhancer build by Nenad in Au (Phasetechnical). Essentially, a filter and booster that enhances the target signal. You can find a lot of reviews and discussions about it here on older DP threads. It works especially well with the SDC, but I use it with the GPZ as well. GC

Good performance of the Axiom. A few things though. First of all, he did not ground balance the sdc before going over the target. This can make a big difference, but perhaps it was already done before and we did not see it. Second, the 8 round stock is more sensitive than the Coiltek aftermarket coil. Third, no settings for the sdc were disclosed (was it really 4 or 5)? Third, coil moved to fast. Small targets can only be captured with very slow swing speed, the sdc misses often when this is done too fast. Fourth: the sdc should really be used with headset. Ok to use the built in speaker for filming, but this impacts performance as well. Also, for best performance the sdc should be used with the SP01. Assuming all settings are adjustes properly, the SP01 gets about 20-30% more performance out of the sdc. So, impressive performance of the Axiom without a doubt, but I venture to say that with all the above points met the experienced sdc operator should have had no problem hearing it at that depth. Even though the gold consistancy of the specimen might be somewhat challenging, the MPF timings should have still picked it up. But of course with all this said, there are always these odd examples where one nugget is heard by one detector and not the other, even when ideal settings are used. Just my 2 c GC

I only have the Coiltek 9 round. Also an excellent coil and more stable compared to the stock 11. Perhaps a bit on the heavy side. But definitly nothing bad to say about it. I just happen to be a NF fan and the 12x7 is a good elliptical size for me, next to being a superb coil. GC

Great finds. Thus far, the NF 12x7 has only fans, me included. Simply an outstanding coil, stable but yet sensitive, and well balanced. Just like the 12 Zsearch! Real ceaftmanship and worth every penny. GC