Gold Catcher

Thanks, Steve. Yes, that's why I am always careful to remain on unclaimed land. At times though, it is hard to exactly pinpoint where you are with not a soul out there, and claim markers are sometimes missing. But the apparent deserters there should not be an invitation. But at least people there are not pointing a gun at you, like this happened to me in AZ (even though I was right then, the claim I was on was expired. But I didn't feel like arguing...)

One older guy from Florida who read about the wonders of RP but who was kind of lost, and one lady who was frantically looking for buried gold from a dead friend....

The past ten time I have been to RP I saw 2 people in total. The place is basically given up, unless some special events are taking place in form of sporadic outings/learning courses. I try to stay on unclaimed land, but honestly, nobody cares where you are detecting, really (which should not be an invitation however to not care)

I would have taken the SDC. Better machine and lighter (5.1 vs 6.9 lbs). The SDC manual says the operating temperature range is –33°C to 70°C (–27°F to 158°F). So, that would work if climbing in summer (average temp -19 deg C). But I have to agree, probably more iron trash up there than bullets at a mine site. And so much more fun digging it up....

Thanks for the great pictures and the report. The desert is always worth a drive, with or without gold. Having lived in the San Diego area I know what you mean. The El Pasos have always treated me well, that should be about 2 hours from where you live. Now I am a little more blessed by living within 2 hours of the Motherlode, but I still love hunting in the desert the most.

Sorry, meant per day....Per hour I wish

I could not agree more. There is a hydraulic mining pit where I go (going now in 15 min...) where the GM is the only machine that consistently produces results. The area is full of trash so I ignore iron targets but still hunt in deep. It then comes down to lead or gold, with it being gold half of the times (consistently about 5-8 nuggets/hour with 0.08 - 0.5g weight range). Both SDC and GPZ are completely useless there. On the other had, only the GPZ gets me gold when I am at Rye Patch. So, one never fits all!

...will remain the king of the hill for backpackers (and small wash enthusiasts)

In "SDC territory" no other machine is a match. I would never sell mine. The rumor is that the 6000 is as easy to use as the SDC and GM, but more powerful. Well, unless it's foldable, small and fitting in my backpack the SDC will be the king of the hill for the backpacker.

This is a great discussion guys! I very much enjoy this thread. I hope one particular person will chime in as I think his thoughts would add a lot of value and perspective....

On the GPZ the target volume and threshold volume need to be set/adjusted based on ground conditions and target response in the area you are hunting. I like the additional option of audio boosting without changing any of these parameters. Like a functionally independent volume control without interfering with how the GPZ processes the audio signal based on it's internal volume/threshold setting. Regarding the filtering option, which is a separate topic and not related to the audio boosting function of the SP01, I like the setting "1" which IMHO makes the target signal somehow cripser (regardless of GPZ settings). I am sure Nenad can comment about the specific reasons why that is. You are right, for the SDC it is a total game changer. But I, personally, find the filter function useful for the GPZ as well. But everybody is different.

I use the SP01 not necessarily for audio boosting, but rather to have more control about target response/ filtering of audio frequencies. This goes beyond to what the Volume control on the GPZ control box is doing. I just hear faint signals/wobbles clearer.

Good idea Simon. Yeah, recovering those 0.001 g metal wire trash with the 14 in coil can be really fun. So, I nice pinpointer would come in handy as the ML PF35 would not register that small trash at all. My only worry would be how to carry it comfortably while keeping it away as far as possible from the Z during long detecting sessions, and still not being overloaded from all the other stuff (hipstick, hydration backpack, pic holder, SP01, etc....). Also, turning the GM on and off each time while keeping the Z away as far as possible appears a bit cumbersome. However, very cool set up that you have with that short shaft !

Who knows. But I bet ML has heard the complaining about the lack of coil options loud and clear. They may team up with someone (NF?....). Obviously, they know about the success of the X-coils and I would think they want a piece of the coil pie eventually...;). I think the GPZ even with the small coil would poke out from my back pack. At times, I want to hide all my equipment including pick in my backpack, so nobody knows what I am up to. If asked about my big backpack, I just say I am a photographer....;)

I also like that the SDC is foldable. I can't think of any other detector with this performance level that I would take on a 8 mile hike into the bush (although I have done that shouldered with the GPZ.....). I could also imagine that more coil options would become available for the GPZ as the GPX 6000 is rolling out. Like a product refresh cycle.

Explaining complex theories in simple terms is a sign of truly mastering the underlying content. I for my part rarely understand the complexity of gold formations, aside from simple lode or river placer deposits. Even less so is my ability to predict where to find it. I do my research, look at geological maps and learn about the history of the localities I go to. At times, it allows me to get a better view on what to look for, but more than often I find gold where I would have never expected it. Looking at mountain formations often does not help since the gold in many cases was already there before mountains even existed. Hence, in contrast to Einstein, I neither master the content of complex theories, nor do I even try to explain it in simple terms. I am just happy to find it, that's enough for me 🙂

So Einstein's quote is wrong? 🙂 If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. Albert Einstein

Planned to go up in there tomorrow. However, with all the current wildfires around here that are severely impacting traffic, in particular driving East through towards the Sierras into NNV, I will give it a pass (for now). So, go ahead an clean up before I get there...Checked the weather in Lovelock, heavy smoke expected from the fires in the entire basin area and 100 deg. heat. Enjoy!

Here is an interesting read about it. Makes me wonder if there are more undiscovered locations with conditions similar to those at Rye Patch http://www.onlinenevada.org/articles/ice-age-nevada-and-lake-lahontan

Did you ever find anything on the right of the street (east)? I haven't

AMEN! I just started to use the hipstick very recently, used the ML ProSwing before. A few weeks in and I can't imagine ever being without it anymore.

Where the placers are salt isn't actually that big of an issue. I can hunt in HY/normal without problems

Yeah it looks different now. Whenever I am out there I hardly see a soul! BTW, I misspoke earlier. I of course meant WEST of the Majuba placers towards the hills, not to the east. But watch there are active claims beginning at the foothills.

Hike towards the hills on the east site of the Majuba placers, away from where the crowd has been eating for decades

Not quite, but hard work for less than it used to be