Gold Catcher

32 minutes ago, Gold Catcher said:

(consistently about 5-8 nuggets/hour with 0.08 - 0.5g weight range

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

2 minutes ago, Rege-PA said:

Again I try to pick my machines and match them to terrain

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)

5 hours ago, IdahoPeg said:

Toyed w the thought of selling mine recently, but for all these reasons decided to hang on to it!

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....

19 hours ago, jasong said:

I still don't understand why people with good hearing swear by them though

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.

1 hour ago, jasong said:

But the boosters I don't understand since I cannot see a situation where both the volume on the WM12 is insufficient and headphones are not the better option at that point.

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. 

8 hours ago, phrunt said:

I've put a strap on it so I can carry it over my shoulder on my back too.  I've only got so many arms.

 

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 !

1 minute ago, phrunt said:

My GPZ with small coil fits in my backpack.  Although the Qed is an ideal super light alternative for the long haul. 

Are you thinking genuine Minelab GPZ coils are in the near future? They may shock us 😲

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....;)

1 hour ago, phrunt said:

The only benefit the SDC would have is being a waterproof detector.

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 🙂

8 hours ago, jasong said:

the easier an idea is to understand, the less correct it is.

So Einstein's quote is wrong? 🙂

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!

29 minutes ago, jasong said:

The Lake Lahontan maximum elevation was somewhere around 4370ft

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

7 hours ago, mn90403 said:

Actually the little 'light' area is closer to 1/3 up from the bottom left.  It is 2 miles from that road.  Your picture is about 20-25 miles wide.

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

8 minutes ago, flakmagnet said:

but the way to be able to lug that detector over 
the kinds of terrain you cover is to start using a HipStick now. Don't wait til it hurts.

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 

13 hours ago, afreakofnature said:

Gold’s all gone

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

11 minutes ago, Goldseeker5000 said:

Gold Catcher, Minelab doesn't put out detectors that are essentially the same as the previous model

I am a ML fan and own the GPZ, SDC and GM. I am just tying to build a case why I would want to buy the 6000 in addition. I am still hoping more ML-backed coil options will become available for the GPZ. If not, then I would go for alternative options (X-coils, NF) rather than buying another expansive detector just for coil versatility and modern configuration.

I am still curious if there is any technology edge with this new one, or just housing reconfiguration. Also curious to see how they will position it in the fleet, unless the 5000 has then a significant price drop.  At this upper price tag something has to be really new.

Or it would just be a more convenient and modern 5000?

1 minute ago, Hard Prospector said:

Nenad's SPO1 filter / booster........... where can you get one?

Several dealer sell them, Rob is one of them

https://www.robsdetectors.com/steelphase-audio-enhancer-nenad/

Sorry, the pic somehow pasted on my message. No you don't. Just open the front straps but you can leave the back strap on. Then, flip the stand and it is ready to go in the backpack 🙂

On 7/23/2020 at 8:10 AM, Denver Bryan said:

Cover: 
Do you have to remove the cover to fold up the SDC?

No you don't. Just open the front straps but you can leave the p on. Then, flip the stand and it is ready to go in the backpack 🙂