Gold Catcher

Since I never use the internal speaker, I won't send mine in. The fix only addresses the speaker issue, nothing else (as per ML rep). So, don't expect any "improvement" when you are using BT exclusively.

GC

1 hour ago, phrunt said:

I tried general/difficult and it quietened many hot rocks down but had me digging more as they became faint signals, this could just be the 8 inch coils crazy sensitivity.  I of course tried balancing over them which calmed them right down but couldn’t get rid of the worst types.

Yeah it does not get rid of the worst ones, but it cuts out about 80% of what the 6k is hearing. I have only tried that with the NF12 and I can still detect small "flakes" attached to hot rocks that are otherwise quiet (general/diff/semi GB -balanced on ferrite, gain 15, filters off). The same hot rocks would be screaming with the 6k and the attached gold would not be heard. I am sure the type of coil will play a big role in this experiment, and I can imagine the 8 inch XC is much hotter than the NF12. Thanks for following up.

GC

I have been going back and forward with this, but I am landing now to get my first Garrett detector ever.  So, you are still excited about the Axiom? Is the GB control as useful as I am reading? Is the reduction in ground noise cutting into selectivity/depth?

GC

Very nice, Phrunt. For me, general/difficult is the way to go, not normal, when hotrocks are an issue.

GC

The swing arm helps me mostly for coil control, I never use the Z without it. It also alleviates some of the weight and takes some pressure of the shoulder, when combined with hipstick. Yes, I have my Hermit in my hip holster and manage to walk without be sliced. Once I have identified a target, I disengage the swing arm and have my pick in the other hand for the first surface scrapes. But I never do steeper hiking with the pick in my holster. Falling down would not be a pleasant thought.

GC

I think I have heard enough to be convinced. I will pull the trigger and get on the order list.

GC

7 hours ago, Gone Bush said:

So, in this ground, comparing to my experience with the 6 in this same location, I would suggest it is equal on depth but better at providing a signal far enough above the threshold to be heard.

This is one example where the Z has a distinctive advantage over the 6k: it has a volume control (not to mistake with threshold level) for modulation of a target’s audio response relative to the target signal strength. When I am forced to apply filters for the Z (which I hate to do), or I need to change timings due to difficult ground conditions, I dial up the volume a bit. This usually makes targets stand out better over the dumbed down threshold noise. The 6k totally misses out on all of that due to automation, and the normal to difficult timings change on the 6k does not much for stabilizing the detector in hot grounds, or to make targets stand out better, IMO. This makes me wonder if the adjustable GB settings of the Axiom might be its biggest advantage over the 6K? Having control over the GB strength allows for fine tuning to just get the right balance without overdoing it, as Steve was suggesting. I hope the next GPZ will have a similar control feature, not just having the choice to lock the X signal or to go to manual.

GC

All good Norvic, and I see your points. I think it all comes down to personal preferences and circumstances. If weight of the Z would not be an insurmountable problem for a prospector, then I think the Z has still alot to offer. Is the 6k more easy/pleasant to use and might have an edge with a mono over DOD for fast gold in many instances? I sure think so. I love the 9 mono with the 6k, what a great combo that is. That being said, I don't believe the 6k is a match to the Z wrt to ground processing, despite Geosense. At medium depth in more challenging grounds the Z has signaled me nuggets, even smaller ones, that the 6k would not see, despite mono coil. But that's the beauty of prospecting, isn't it? Not all tools are equally loved by all, and it all comes down to personal choices. I am just so glad to hear that you are having fun and that you are happy with Santa's new toy. 🤠

GC

The combination of hipstick and NF12 makes the GPZ a more reasonable machine even for long prospecting days, at least for me. Would I prefer it lighter, of course! Is it easier to swing than the SDC, for sure (due to much better ergonomics). But IMO the GPZ remains the most powerful and versatile detector ever made, and for me the performance/weight ratio is still in its favor. I sure hope the next gen. GPZ will be inspiried by the great weight efficiency of the 6k and Axiom, but without sacrificing its unmatched power and capabilities.

GC

5 minutes ago, Northeast said:

the video headline says warning shots  🤣🤣  I'm thinking 'bad shots'.  They were so very, very close to the mountain lion that if they w

Agreed. You can see how his hand is shaking before taking the shot. He clearly missed. Better probably to drop whatever is your other hand and take both hands for the shot. The lion was attacking, so a warning shot would not have been any good anyhow. Glad nobody got hurt in the end, but scary stuff man!

Watch this mountain lion encounter. The gun saved his life. That's why I always take mine.

These are two very different detectors that are almost impossible to be compared. The SDC is a specialized machine designed for shallow gold in mineralized soil, and its timings (MPF) are specifically made for these applications. Think of it as a PI-GB2 that is super robust and also great for hiking (since foldable). Albeit outdated and clunky, it remains a workhorse for me in certain terrain types and it is hard to beat there. The Axiom is a much more modern and versatile machine (disclaimer: I don't own one). No question in my mind that the Axiom would be the better choice as an all-round PI if this would be your only detector. But the SDC remains very effective in certain circumstances, and I continue to be in love with it. I hope a next gen. one will come out soon!

GC

TY, Norvic, that was fun. Let's do this weekly 😉

1.20 g. Very nice, Norvic. Will sell it to buy espresso for our upcoming hunting trip 🤠

GC

4 hours ago, RONS DETECTORS MINELAB said:

using the 12 Z-search coil without skid plate

I would not recommend it. The skid plate of the NF12 will not add much to the weight but will protect the coil. I would not swing a USD 1200 coil without skid plate.

GC

4 hours ago, Gone Bush said:

Two weeks ago I had a play with the 9” round Coiltek and was hugely impressed.
Im not a Coiltek person (Holden/Ford) but to go over it just once more and make absolutely sure you leave not a single crumb behind, this is the coil to have. Obviously not as deep as the standard 11” but more sensitive that the man in the canoe.

I concur. The 9 Goldhawk is a delight, and it is my to-go coil for the 6k in tighter areas (for more open ground I mostly use the Z/NF12). I didn't do the 6k fix as I am only running with BT without ever using the internal speaker, and with the 9 inch Coiltek I have no EMI issues to an extent that would require a potential fix. I am usually a NF guy (12 NF-Zsearch is probably the best coil I have ever owned), but US-supply is a huge challenge with no (reliable) delivery date in site for the Xceeds (sigh). One thing I will continue to monitor is the Axiom's ability to find fast gold at some depth while running smooth in hot ground (7-9 ground by your definition). That to me is where the sweet spot will be. I want to see what sensitivity is left while "quiet", and at what depth. Just a smooth threshold in hot ground won't make the pill box rattle. There have been some very promising reports on DP by the early testers, but I want to hear this from retail operators who actually paid for their machines, without any promotional incentive or dealer's background, and who will have a hard (and skeptical) look at it (e.g. you-once machine fixed, Norvic, others.). 

GC

PS: Just saw your new clip, good to see that it runs better. I noticed at the beginning of the clip that it tends to track out rather quickly with the settings that you are using, something Lunk was pointing out as well, I think. How does the Axiom do at some depth in that ground? Can you burry the nugget a few inch to see if it still picks it up?

Cheers!

GC 

6 hours ago, Gone Bush said:

So, Aussies that read these forums, please take note of what the USA regulars post on here, (like Gold Catcher), particularly those members who predominately operate in the super hot areas.

Thanks, Gone Bush. Yes indeed, many areas in CA have serious hot rock issues, either due to volcanic activities (Mojave desert in the South) or due the nature of the iron rich geology of the motherlode belt (i.e. Serpentine schist, North). Now, we also have better and milder grounds for detecting, so it is certainly not all that bad across the entire state. It just would be nice to have a workable and light machine available for these problematic areas where other machines can't be used (with the GPZ being perhaps an exception, with the settings I described). Although in AU the nature of the soil is very different, you surely don't lack difficult ground conditions there neither (!), so the Axiom could be a great value detector with its reported GB capabilities. It would be very interesting to go back to the same spot where you shot the clip to see if the same test nugget would be picked up after the fix. But this might be a long journey, so probably not feasible. I hope you can at least use the Axiom in less hot grounds during your trip, with some nice gold for you to take home regardless. You surely earned it. Good luck!

GC

I am really sorry to hear. Good quality is hard to come by these days. Same wishes to you.

4 minutes ago, Gone Bush said:

That NF coil makes the 7000 soooo much better. Had one on mine and loved it.

Could not agree more! You need to try it to actually believe it. To me, this coil was a total game changer for the Z without the need to cut the cable.

3 minutes ago, Gone Bush said:

Back injury means my 7000 days are over so that only leaves 6000 or Axiom unfortunately.

Sorry to hear. I haven't met a 7000 user yet who doesn't complain about back issues, even without previous injury...

28 minutes ago, Gone Bush said:

Having said that, being unable to have a usable threshold and hear a 0.1 surface nugget regardless of ground mineralisation is still unacceptable, especially in a $7350 machine.

This is where my particular interest would be for the Axiom. I realize that I am in a very different situation than many because I have excellent machines to choose from, and I am just looking for a very particular application (finding gold in very hot ground where other PI's struggle). But I have to say that the GPZ/NF12 in general/difficult (my to-go settings in very thot ground) generally has a very stable threshold and a 0.1 g nugget on the surface would blow your headset of your ears. Now granted, not a fair comparison between these very different detectors (also from a price point!), but for me performance in difficult situations is all that matters. But these particular needs are certainly not what makes a detector great or not. I am sure the Axiom is an excellent detector and a welcomed competitor for ML, and it will make a very convincing case for a great all-round PI with a settings package that the 6000 is lacking (unfortunately).

GC

1 hour ago, Gone Bush said:

So, Axiom can provide a good threshold with good stability.
However, any settings used to achieve this meant the 0.11 gram test nugget could not be heard.
Sensitivity 4, Fine mode, medium speed, threshold I think 16 and the nugget can be heard.
These settings give a very unstable threshold that had me digging hot spots one after the other.
Also, bump the ground and threshold goes through the roof.

Bummer. Stabilizing the threshold in "7-8 hot ground" and not hearing a surface 0.1 g nugget defeats the purpose. Looking forward to reading more reports as they come in. I have 0 experience with the Axiom and don't know if these settings were appropriate for the ground, but the clip is disturbing to say the least.

GC

All detectors have strengths and weaknesses. And it surely appears that the Axiom has particular strengths other detectors don't have. This would make it a great fit into my fleet, in particular thinking of the difficult grounds that I am often faced with. Keep those reports coming, Norvic. Steve already built a very convincing case, and I am that close to pull the trigger! This would open up so much more opportunities for me, and it might outperform the GPZ in situations where I need it the most. Who knows what the new GPZ will bring, but this might be a long way out. And waiting for years is not my forte. 🤠

GC 

43 minutes ago, Norvic said:

Thanks Phrunt, Au... I tell ya what, you show that a vid cam will get me more gold and I`m that fickle I`ll have one for sure. Nah we are not the same gen at all, I`m only a kid of 12 going on 100..... But be assured Garretts on a winner with the Axiom especially if you like having control with settings, it isn`t as vocal as the 6K on some deep scraps but it still gets them. I just had 3 rare cool Summer FNQ days out with my son on the Z , 11year old grandson on the 6K, myself on the Ax. No 1 spot to the son, no 2 spot to the grandson and I come in a crippled last way back in the field, not the Axs fault ..... they`d deliberately burnt me out with gentle prod strategy.......🤪

Still no fair game for your son and grandson, Norvic. Yes they have the Z and the 6k and have younger bones, but you have all the experience in the gold fields that matters the most. I bet you can find more gold with a pin pointer than many others out there having fancy ML machines....Good luck out there and have fun with your new toy. And yes, your word counts. You are one of a few in an elite club who don't need any video evidence to be convincing 🙂

GC