~LARGO~

Thanks, Steve. You are a compendium of great knowledge. Gary

Steve, And here I was all prepared for a whipping! I don't know how to pay for items from Australia. I don't do PayPal, don't think he wants my check, or postal m.o. I wonder if Nenad would take English pounds for the connector. I do have about enough to cover his price, or pretty close. Would you have any suggestions as far as payment to Nenad? Best wishes, Gary

Thanks for your in depth discussion, Steve! I have never used any of the supplied Minelab headphones, for more than the minutes it took to give them a fair shake. Some folks like them, but as you I don't. I have a pair still in the wrapper because they didn't fit well, and wind noise is always a problem with them. If the new SDC 2300 had a standard female receptacle, I would use my Detector Pro headphones, which I have several of, and I have their best they make (at least I think the Black Widows are top drawer) For me, Detector Pro is the gold standard, and have been perfect for me. Good audio, good seal, robust cable, pricey a little, but you get what you pay for. Their cords are robust, stretch and retract as I need them to, and any part of them can be repaired by Detector Pro, if something goes south on them. For a time, when I used the Whites Goldmaster's, I used White's KW Pros, whose cable is a little smaller in diameter than the one on the SDC 2300. It is much more stretchy, to the opposite of the Minelabs. It would hang up on sagebrush way back behind you, before you knew there was a problem. They as well, were rather loose fitting, but that was before I found a better headphone. I was waiting, hoping someone on this side of the pond would come up with a alternative cable adapter, (Doc, where are you) or some deal buy a case of Nenad's adapter, but I think he has all the sales he can handle right now, and doubt if he can keep up with the demand. Why Minelab departed from the standard plug receptacle is a head scratcher, to be sure. Minelab did make some odd changes, but I am sure they had their reasons, (new style headphone connector that is problematic, 9 volt batteries) but providing cheap goods, (battery charger with no 12 volt charging capability) and less goods (no bungee, no harness) with a high dollar gold detector wasn't such a good idea, IMO. You will note I mentioned harness. A harness has been always provided with the pulse induction machines. What Minelab is saying, is this is a light machine by the lack or absence thereof, of the harness. The SDC 2300 is not really a light weight detector, it can wear you down. Old geezers like me (almost 73) will feel it after swinging this machine for a few hours. And finally, as mentioned elsewhere, the detector price point is really a little high, why not allow the end users a little more "stuff", to help justify the price, hmmm? Thanks! Gary/Largo

Hi Chris, This is all very interesting from all your travels and swing time on the SDC 2300! I have followed most of you and Steve's adventure's through out. As far as the supplied headphones, do you use them, or do you use the on board speaker? I found my cable could be long enough, but so tightly wound that it made target recovery difficult, or near impossible, without disconnecting the cable from the detector, and using the on board speaker to check out what the target might be. Kind of a goat rope, doing it that way, unless you have a second person on, as in a video I saw, showing one person detecting, and communicating verbally to another person, who would recover the target, a convenience most of us do not have. I have read that heating the coiled headphone wire with a hair dryer somewhat, and stretching it to help make the cable relax and extend, thus countering the memory effect, may help deal with the "headphone cable too short" complaint. I have not tried that yet, just curious if you have tried it. I found my headphone's ball bearing locking mechanism was not locking in properly, would fall off after a time, so I visited the local dealer, who checked the connector, and verified there was an issue, and was able to provide a replacement. Great service! Keep up the great work, your finds are growing, and I and others are enjoying vicariously going along with you on your adventures! Take care, as always, Gary/Largo

Hi Steve, This is such a great story! I had read about such a lake, perhaps there are others as well. The fascination with the Inca gold is truly addictive, and I can see why so many have tried and failed. Thanks for you and Lipca for bringing us up to date... Yes, cutting can pasting can be problematic. There might be more to Lipcas cut/paste issues, but I found that clicking on the switch image, on top left corner is the key... Cut what you want to save, click on the switch, paste, then click switch image again to return back to the reply box. Simple. Hope this helps! I am still working on how to cut/paste, with the cut/paste portion color highlighted... Gary/Largo

Hi Steve, A couple of years back, I had borrowed an F75 from a friend, to help me decide if it was a machine that I might be comfortable with, the result was, I found two silver rings as well as some other trinkets. I do have a good range of coils for my F75, a small round, a 9 inch elliptical, as well as a 11 inch dd, which is the stock coil. Find out how pleasantly easy the F75 was to negotiate, easier than my White's XLT, which I liked very much, I opted to purchase a like new F75 Special Edition. The machine is so well balanced and screen easy to negotiate in either all metal, or discriminate... Plus it runs for HOURS /up to around 40, or so, on four AA batteries... Don't you wish the SDC 2300 could do that?? I have been trying that new F75 SE a little bit, at a city park near me.There are unforgiving power lines running along the street, so that adjacent lawn near to those power lines very likely don't get hit by higher end detectors, so that area might be a better target for a machine without all the bells and whistles, such as my Troy Shadow with a small coil. It has a neat and unusual feature, a coin check button, which can tell you with good certainty, if a signal in the coin range is or is not a coin. So, I will be taking both machines to the park. Sorry for the convoluted subject matter... Gary/Largo

Hi Steve, "Bottom line is the adapter is great and for the price of the SDC should be included. If Minelab will not do it smart dealers should bundle it with the detector." That is for sure, Steve! Little by little some of the wrinkles are being straightened out, thanks to people who want the machine to succeed, and have some skills and knowledge to make it happen. I am surprised some dealers aren't ordering some of those headphone adapters. I believe that for those who would make them over here, the availability of that special connector on the SDC 2300 is the sticky part. I would buy one, as I used the detector briefly in the past week in the mountains north of my home, but felt that the headphone cable was problematic, and spoiled the brief time I had to try out the machine in the field. I may heat my curly cord on the headphone cable, as been suggested, with a hair drying gun, to see if the curls will relax enough, to make the cable at least somewhat longer. Again, thanks for your comments! Gary/Largo

Steve, Great read! I intend to try some of your tips. Especially lowering the sensitivity. My F75 is a case in point. Now I am getting somewhat of a handle on this machine, largely because of the tips you shared on using it in the goldfield with success. Thanks for your very interesting post, and all you do to make our detecting time more enjoyable as well as (hopefully) productive. Gary/Largo

I will try to get out and do more testing. Right now lots of drama in the family, children buying a upgraded home, moving into it, sick relatives, on and on. Mostly the reason I have not been crossed any state line or even close for 3 or so years, but, being the optimist which I apparently am, bought a spanking new SDC 2300, as you may have well noted by now. Now that I see you have teamed up with Mr. Herschbach, I am worried that what quantity might be left of the small bits remaining on patches we all have hit for so long. In my mind's eye I will see parallel chain lines from you two cris- crossing those expanses in the Northern Nevada desert. I need to catch up with Chris and Wilma, to see how they are doing in their recent digs. I should call them and tempt them with some fresh organic blackberry honey, and maybe some Carolan's Irish Cream. Best wishes. I hope Steve will be able to see we at least have been somewhat pro-active in keeping this fine forum rolling. He never did comment about the need to take a stickery lariat to put around his sleeping bag at night, to keep the rattlesnakes at bay... I am getting tired and goofier than normal... Thanks! Gary/Largo

Hello All, I was curious about how much power an external speaker draws, versus the use of headphones, most specifically, in the case of the SDC 2300. I am told that normally, headphones do draw less power than external speakers. There has been some talk with regard to the headphones, length of cord, and the new connector that is used and the SDC 2300, but I'll leave that to those who want to dig a little in some other forums... Where I go gold detecting in Nevada, the wind blows constantly, loose fitting headphones can contribute to failure to hear faint targets while the wind blows. That being said, I visited Costco in the past few days, walked by a display of Walker Digital 360 Muffs (headphones), that are supposed to deal with wind noise, all the while amplifying surrounding sounds by up to 9 times. The cordless headphones cost $40 bucks or so, so I thought I might give them a try as there is no cord to hang up on anything and perhaps if they seal out sounds of wind well enough, it could be money well spent. I bought a set, installed supplied AAA battery in each earpiece, tried them on in the house, turned on my SDC 2300, adjusted the threshold to the very minimum, and found that the headphones DO seal well, in fact as good as my high dollar headphones. Add to that the fairly quiet threshold could be magnified to a much higher level than I could ever need. BEST of all, I am not connected in any way to the machine. In addition, they do have a Noise Reduction rating of 24 db, so loud unexpected sounds are dealt with, so as not to damage a persons hearing. Each earpiece has an volume control, which is a real PLUS, when looking at headphones. I will try to get out today, and see how well they work. I have thrown a whole lot more than $40 on a lot of things and got less... So far, I am a happy camper.We'll see. Have a great day! Gary/Largo

Steve, As always, your answers are well thought out and complete! Apparently, your 20 watt panel is about the right size for the job at hand with respect to the four "c" cell batteries you need to recharge. I believe Goal Zero's next smaller foldable panel is 13 watts, I am not sure, however, if it would struggle with the four 5000 mAh 1.2v batteries or not. Maybe someone with some portable/foldable solar knowledge might be able to chime in on this. I am ready to spend the $ for a solar setup like yours, but not so flush with those $ that I wish to spend more of it than I need to. I have plenty of "extra" stuff sitting on shelves, that I have spent money on, and not been able to use. When I used Doc's Pocket Rocket batteries for my Minelab GP's, I had an extra set to use after detecting for about one half day, put on my car charger, the second set would last me the rest of the day easily, then in the evening I would charge the second set. The idea was, however long you detected was about the length of time it would take for the batteries to recharge. It was a good system, was field rechargeable with 12v., in the truck receptacle or r.v., or could be recharged at home with the same 12v male plug, along with a Radio Shack 110v. transformer, which are relatively inexpensive, while pretty robust and durable. Thanks very much! Gary/Largo

Steve, before you go what is your plan as far as batteries for your SDC 2300 on this backpack trip? Yesterday, I was thinking I should ask you how long it takes to recharge your new detector batteries in the back country, using the solar panel by itself, as I am still thinking about buying one. I wouldn't think you would take a lot of throw away batteries with you in this instance, as you would still have to carry them in and out, which wouldn't be good. I think you would have to have at least two sets of rechargeables, maybe three sets along, using one set for say 1/2 day, putting it on the panel recharger, so the recharge time would not be so long. It will be interesting to learn how you will manage this aspect. Best of luck in any case! Hope you are packing your horsehair lariat to put around your sleeping bag, to keep the rattlesnakes away at night... I know Chris will manage things well here. I understand he is a hard task master and won't allow any funny business... Gary/Largo

What a great feature about this detector: the ability to custom adjust it's length in an instant, without having to fiddle with coil cables! Gary

Well said, Mr. Herschbach! I keep looking on this forum for the "like" button, on both you and Chris's posts regarding the Minelab SDC 2300. I have read most of the posts by Nenad on the Australia gold forum, AND the quote by Bruce Candy that was included in your post. Pretty impressive in what is being said! There is much in the works by others for this new detector, which is the norm for the latest gee whiz machines, to make them more user friendly and appealing to those still on the fence. I fear that by the time I get to my old patches, you and Chris will have them already vacuumed up at the rate you two are going. The gold you show is spectacularly beautiful, I must say. I hope to be heading up the hills soon, as the weather is moderating, and perhaps I will have some gold photos to share here soon! Take care, Gary/Largo

I have 12 rechargeables in the 5000 mHa range, plus some throw away batteries for a few days. I have looked at quite a few solar possibilities, but for a person of limited electrical experience, it would be folly for me to throw more dollars at a system I know little about. I may chat with a local fellow that is big into solar, maybe he can tell me what I need to know about set up needs for outback battery recharging. Hope to get down south to my old patches soon. Chris knows where a couple of them are... ;-) Thanks! Gary

Thanks, Ken for your comments! I know our comments are sometimes like whistling in the wind, BUT people are paying attention to what we say, especially on this forum, as it is a non-dealer run site. Thanks to Steve Herschbach, for making the forum available as always. I think that when the new SDC 2300 kinks are worked out, Minelab may see the light and provide a means for field charging. But something tells me there is a reason why there has not been, given the bright minds that design the Minelab metal detectors. I can't imagine that it was an oversight. As discussed in other posts, (thanks, Steve) there IS a headphone adapter being made available. A little pricey, IMO, but it does have a very special ball locking connector on one end that is not a normal over the counter part. I am a little surprised that someone on this side of the pond has not jumped on to that opportunity. Add to that a means to keep the machine from tipping over when it is set on the ground on less than level surfaces. A simple add on there could be made, as well as a way to deal with the arm rest closing on your arm when it is on fire... (anyone paying attention?) ;-) Gary

Hello, I am seeing there are several options for recharging of the SDC 2300 "C" cell batteries, as long as there are at least one or two extra battery sets on hand for the next detecting day. I know there are questions in peoples minds about how to go about it. You won't find that subject cussed or discussed in any other forum that I have found, but right here. :-) Rechargeable batteries do take some significant time even with a 115v outlet, if you have it conveniently available, so I know it will take much longer with a solar panel setup. The question that comes up next for these recharging setups, is how fast can those 4 batteries be recharged with what voltage solar panel? A 7 volt. A 12 volt. A 15 volt. A 20 volt, etc., with optimal sun exposure, or that absent, a solar battery that can be had for a few extra hundreds of dollars. Today I saw a Net Zero 15v panel at Sportsman's Warehouse for $159.00 on sale, problem there is it is wired to hook up to 12v. battery via spring clamps. Now if it could be rewired, putting a female 12v receptacle on it, one could use it coupled with an inverter for use with the 115v charger that comes with the SDC 2300, but I still don't have any idea how long it would take, for a 15v solar panel to charge the batteries. Lots of depends on this, and lots depends on that... To be brazenly honest, Minelab did no favors to the end user of this detector, by not providing a simpler solution for field recharging of the detectors batteries. I have a Honda Eu2000i generator which could recharge my batteries very nicely, if I wanted to listen to that nice little generator for however many hours it would take, using that very inexpensive 115v charger that came with the machine, or I can plug in an inverter to my 12v. accessory plug in my truck and charge that way. While we are about it, a pigtail adapter for using your own headphones should be in the works by some enterprising soul by now. I know it has been mentioned on a down under forum, but that topic was buried by hijacking of the thread by locals. As with any new product, there are always glitches that can be dealt with by enterprising and thoughtful means. I need to end this grousing here, lest my new 2300 be dealt a remote fatal blow... I look forward to using my new detecta very soon, I don't believe I will be disappointed with the results! Gary

Hi Chris, That may be the way I have to go, unless I can snag one at a Costco showing of the product. Gary

HI Steve, I visited Costco today, they didn't have the Goal Zero Nomad 20 solar panel in house. I checked with Cabelas, they had Goal Zero 13 but no Nomad 20. I also checked Costco on line, with no success, so it must have been an introductory sale you happened onto, happily... I was all prepared to by a panel set like your, as it has the 12v. female receptacle. I visited Finders.com.au in the past couple of days. Some discussion there about lack of ability to use your own head sets with the 2300, so some enterprising folk will be on that issue right now. I made up a attachment point for a bungee. My old hands and shoulders talk to me when I swing a heavy detector very long. A swing arm is on the horizon as well. Thanks for the wonderful photos of your trip, they were spectacular! Best regards and have a safe trip! Gary

Hi Steve, I will have to take a look at the solar charger set up. That is incredible that you could charge your batteries in such a short time... Very much like the lithium ion battery recharge time. Do you discharge them before you recharge? And is your inverter part of the process? I suppose I need to read the particulars on the solar panel. I will have to look at the Costco offering. Thanks again Steve! It is always great to read of your adventures! Gary

Hello, I bought a SDC 2300 in the past couple of weeks. It came with a Vanson Model V-9688 Super Universal LCD Charger, reading right off the package. It only has a 110 volt wall plug, and no other means of charging batteries, as we have grown accustomed to, with our Minelab detectors. Oddly enough, there are Vanson chargers available with both 110 and 12 volt charging capabilities. There could be some reason electronically why the 12 v. capability was not included. A person with knowledge of both the Minelab SDC 2300 electronic demands, as well as the capabilities of a 12 volt automotive circuit, to recharge four "c" cell batteries with this charger, at one time, could probably explain this better than a wood butcher could... As an aside, the "c" cell batteries that come with the detector do not carry a full charge when packaged, and some people are using the batteries without charging them, and while they WILL work for a time, it won't be the full amount of time you might have hoped for. If you charge them WITHOUT discharging them, when you do charge them, you will not have a full charge at the end of the charge cycle. At least that is what I have read somewhere... Kind of weird, huh? We will muddle our way through this, until and IF Minelab sheds some needed advice on these questions that are being put forth. There is some discussion on Finders Forum about the need of an after market headphone pigtail, so a person can use your own headphones rather than the stock UR 30 headphones that come with the detector, with the odd locking ball cable end, which could very well go south on you at the worst time, and leave you with NO option, but your external speaker, which also is a topic of discussion elsewhere... Have a great day! Gary

Hi Chris, Looks like you put the Minelab SDC 2300 through it paces! Nice gold you came home with! I am curious, did you take the detector in your carry on? I have heard of someone else doing that, kind of made the security guy nervous somewhat, however. Unless a person has a pretty robust suitcase, I don't think I would want to have it in my baggage. I suppose you could pack things around the machine to prevent damage to it. I bought an inverter to couple with my charger, as well as ordering an 8 pack of Tenergy 5000 mHa "c" rechargeables, so I will have sufficient power for quick turnaround, plus I have 20 throw away "c" cells. That should hold me for a few days! We in the lower 49 have enjoyed reading about the adventure you guys have had for the past two weeks. I look forward to trying my new 2300 soon, in some of the old patches you are aware of, and some you may not be, that I located late one day, but never got back to, as it was a long hike away from any roads... Gary/Largo

Hi Steve, Very nice blog! Great commentary about this fine new Minelab addition. I do like your new handle for the SDC 2300, as the "Alaskan". From your dense growth confines, rainy and muddy photos, it really fills a niche that needed to be filled, AND it can be carried in a backpack, easily! Now that you have reminded me of the rainy day use capability, I will now put my rain gear in my pack! Gary/Largo

LipCa, What you say is true, to be more precise, non-rechargeables with high run time are of a more of a less common variety. You want find "c" batteries with the longest run time possible in absence of finding suitable rechargeables, as these detectors suck the power out of a run of the mill 1.5v battery very quickly. And these detectors use 4 of these batteries, just to be able to turn the machine on and begin gold detecting. The suggested MINIMUM for a rechargeable, if or when available, is 4000 mHa. A non-rechargeable industrial "c" battery, mHa rating is 1400 mHa when you can find them, a far cry from the longer running rechargeable minimum 4000 mHa batteries. These are the more beefy, batteries that you may find at specialty electronic supply houses construction supply stores, and probably not at your corner gas station, or Walmart. The feedback I have received from the field for Duracell copper top "c" cell batteries set of four each, is about 4.5 hours run time, if you are paying attention to your stop watch, and if you spend 8 hours swinging your metal detector all day, and burn up 8 or these 1.5v "c" non-rechargeable batteries, you then begin to realize through pretty simple math, and a thinner wallet, that the rechargables are a good choice, again, if you can find them. You must have a means to recharge your batteries in the field, which, as has been learned, can be problematic right now, but can be dealt with, if you are the inventive type, and have realized and anticipated there could be a problem doing such, before you left home. I hope this helps... I am tired. Gary

LipCa, The SDC 2300 metal detector comes with 4 5000 mHa "C" batteries. The mHa give the batteries a longer run time than the normal every day "c" batteries. That is what makes them hard to find, plus they are rechargeable, which every day c batteries are not. You use the every day c battery up and throw them away, then buy some more, if you like throwing money away. That is why the search is for a rechargeable c battery, and a means to recharge them. I hope this helps! Gary