AussieMatt

If you had the finances & the required available time then having a SDC, GPX & GPZ would be ideal. Unfortunately for me I can struggle for the time to use one of them properly even with being close to the goldfields. As such which one you choose to own & use can be greatly just a personal choice for us hobbyists. Each one has things they excel at & each one has failings - some of the failings can again be individual things that not all find as being negative. I have no doubt each one has "gaps" or "holes" in their nugget sniffing ability as do other brands. There's no doubt that the new coils are helping with better gold detection but in some posts I've seen the writers would have you believe that they are magically transforming the GPX's into a new machine. I may stand corrected but to my way of thinking these coils are just providing better signal clarity & helping the machine tell you what it knew all along. Some finds people are posting in amazement are nothing new even with a stock 11" mono but do seem more consistent or more consistently talked about. It also doesn't seem all that long ago a new coil was also being promoted with plenty of wow factor, better stability, lighter weight etc. The Nugget Finder Advantage series. Good coils still too. It's just a shame that the GPZ had to kickstart the coil manufacturers into action really or was it just coincidental timing? Like how certain new machines can be overhyped I think there is a degree of that with new coils too - don't throw stones it's just my own opinion. They are good, no doubt, but IMO I'm not seeing vast improvement or machine changing abilities? Again IMO these coils may also be just squeezing the last bit of life out of the PI format? Can the GPX series be further improved on - new timings (addition of MPF maybe), even better ground handling/EMI filtering, discrimination & so on. What excites me mostly about the GPZ is it's in it's infancy & is already competing with (or bettering) the GPX now with one coil. I've think I know where the future lies but could be wrong?

http://www.niitek.com/products/handheld-dual-sensor-gpr/groundshark Pretty sure that is the platform they are working off for that contract. You can own one now for a quoted $35,000AUD now.

Couldn't agree more. Only started using the hipstick with the GPZ recently & it's great especially with the quick release bungy. I always thought they would get in the way when digging etc. but I don't even notice it. Wish I'd got it sooner!

I think the GPZ19 coil will be a weapon but still not sure I need one yet With the standard GPZ14 coil I dug a piece of very old rusty steel that looked to be a bit off some sort of steel strap. It measured around 100m-150mm long (4"-6") x 25mm wide (1") x 3-4mm thick (1/8"). From the surface it was a very faint signal & I wasn't really sure it was anything to start with but once I got digging it soon brightened right up. I ended digging down to about 600mm (24") until I struck tree roots which I couldn't break with my pick due to depth/angle. At that stage I was getting hopeful but after returning with the camp shovel & cutting through the roots out popped the rusty junk. My pick handle is a measured 900mm long (36") & guesstimating the final depth I'd say it was at least 700mm down (28"). The ground at this spot is fairly mild & mostly pretty easy digging but there are some very hard, compacted clay areas or even layers too so I can definately see the need for a good shovel or digging bar. It's an hour or so of my life I'll never get back but the anticipation of what might be is what keeps us going back for more - I think I can only guess at this stage but you would have to say the GPZ19 coil will get better depth than that?

Haven't been able to get out much this year so probably only spent about 20-25 hours on the GPZ mainly trying settings etc. Managed to christen it with a couple of nice little speccis so think I'm starting to work things out. Both were about 6" deep in gravel layers under top clay layer so could have been found with other detectors. One (the smallest) was under some heavy leaf litter too so all up maybe 8" depth? First couple of times out I struggled a bit especially on smaller targets but last couple of outings I seem to have found settings that suit me/my area. Picking up a lot more bird shot now, not that that's good , although I don't think it's as sensitive as the SDC it's not far off. I am picking up a lot more of the BB size shot at impressive depth - they hit loud & clear. The gold has been slow but I'm now confident that once I get it over some good ground it'll be a good thing. I can't remember digging deep holes with as much frequency either. Of course there had been deep holes with the SD/GP & GPX + even with the SDC on mullock heaps but I don't remember digging so many over such a short period of time & a couple of the deepest I've had to dig - unfortunately for junk only so far. The fencing bar will be living in the ute! My main current settings are: High yield/Difficult; Sensitivity - 14 to 16; Smoothing off; Threshold around 24-27

Good news but if I get one I'll be picking my spots carefully! After recently spending a few hours on some old diggings which could really be best described as a stretch of mullock (tailings) in some fairly mild ground & digging some of the deepest holes I've dug I don't know that I'd be in a hurry to return there with a bigger coil Lots of deep trash. A coil that potentially goes a lot deeper both excites & scares me a bit To be honest I'd probably prefer to see a GPZ 8 coil released but it is good news for those that have been waiting for the bigger one. Can't wait to see what the likes of Goldhound + crew dig up when they get them. I think the 14 will do me for now.....

I think Australian Gold, Gem & Treasure magazine was originally called Australian Gem & Treasure Hunter? Minelab Electronics became the publisher then it was acquired by Express Publications then to the current publisher The Magazine Works. You could contact them they may have acquired some archives from the changeover/s? Not sure of how similar or dissimilar the 15000 is but it's manual might be some help or of some interest? Available on Minelab website under discontinued products. Inst Manual Goldseeker 15000 Website.pdf

me too Steve. In the last few years or so I've owned a couple of coin/relic detectors, Whites GMT, SD2200D, GPX5000, SDC2300, GP3500 & now have none of those & only the GPZ. Choosing 2 detectors only would be pretty easy for me as coin/relic/beach detecting never really stuck for me - much prefer to spend any free time on the goldfields & being close by makes it easier too. At the moment I'd choose the GPZ (still learning it) & maybe a Makro Gold Racer or Nokta Fors Gold+? To be honest though I have in the past owned 2-3 detectors at once but usually whittle them down to the one I'm using the most. I find that at times I can struggle to find time to use one let alone 2 or 3. A good discriminating detector that did have some versatility would be good though. To me this hobby is as much about using & learning different machines as it is about finding gold or whatever else your hunting. I seem to upgrade or add to the collection as soon as I can afford to & with my gold detectors they have all been used machines (the newer ones have still been under warranty). If I had to I could go back to any of my previous gold machines & still do ok - some better than others - but I'd always be thinking about the latest & greatest, different settings, different set ups etc. etc.

Oh & volume control too...

Agree it shouldn't be an issue but it's a very easy fix where required. My SDC was supplied with Powerizer batteries & the issue was pretty bad with them. I put one wrap of coil tape around them & it largely fixed the problem but not completely. It was disappointing that these were the supplied battery but it wasn't the end of the world. I purchased a second set of Tenergy batteries (wanted a second set anyway) that had a noticeably larger male contact. These batteries very rarely had the issue - maybe happened 2 or 3 times that I can remember & I never bothered taping them but in hindsight some tape may have prevented any issues at all. To me with a little bit of tape it was a very minor issue or with the Tenergy's near non-existent & the gold I found with it made up for the small inconveniences. Fully agree it should be fixed though - SDC2300V2 lithium battery pack & wireless please Minelab

Agree that the site is great but: "By default, Google personalizes your search results based on your search activity. So if you search for recipes and click on links from allrecipes.com more frequently than all other websites, then Google will rank allrecipes.com higher up on the search results page every time you look up a recipe." Source: https://www.expressvpn.com/internet-privacy/how-to-permanently-delete-your-google-history/

I think the OP is trying to explain what is happening with the GPZ by using a comparison or example of how the GPX blanks when discriminating ferrous items using a DD coil with iron reject. He wasn't saying that the GPX does the same thing just that it is the best way he can think to describe it. I've used 3 x different types of wireless systems with various detectors from MinelabMods Little Ripper on a SD2200D thru to Avantree low latency units on GP3500 & SDC2300 along with the WM12 on the GPZ. They have all had an intermittent, although very infrequent, blanking or cutting out due mostly to body position I found. In my experience it only ever lasts a fraction of a second & any very short inconvenience is by far outweighed by the convenience of being wireless.

Quartz - the yellowing isn't uncommon & I've seen it before. It's not gold. The yellowing appears to more prolific in the second photo where the quartz has possibly come from some type of hydrothermal intrusion which could have altered the country rock causing the yellowing around the contact areas? It could be caused by other associated minerals etc. from the area? That's my guesstimate of it anyway Hey your not the same bloke that was putting up pics of quartz crystals on a gem forum & wouldn't believe they weren't diamonds were you?

Extra set up? Take no longer than 10-15 mins to set up & once it's done it's done. Worth trying especially for those that don't like hipsticks & other such devices. I find that just by using the chest piece on my normal harness & tying the bungy as shown on the handle it is better when using the Zed. Mind you I'm yet to do more than a daytrip so for longer trips would at least set the proswing up to try it out.

"I keep hearing or reading how these coils are transforming GPX's into SDC's or even GPZ's but this short "test", for want of a better word, put some doubts in my mind." There were 2 x other blokes using the GPX's & I followed them. Like I said it was hardly a comprehensive or scientific test but most comparison testing I read isn't either. Most could pick any of them to pieces, pointing out flaws or omissions. An example would be a recent one I seen with a GPX5000 fine gold using an Elite coil picking up a signal that the GPZ7000 couldn't. The GPX user was using pretty much a variation of Bogenes settings i.e. gain maxed, threshold lowered. He said the GPZ had the sensitivity maxed too? No other modes or settings or whether anything else was tried was mentioned. The GPX bettering the GPZ with a new type coil seemed to be the only point of the story? My "test" served nothing but to show me that comparisons or "testing" can go either way depending on a wide range of variables including operator & location (desired outcome too in some cases ). Coil & machine choice + success is more dependant on these 2 factors than anything else IMO. The above GPX/GPZ signal comparison is another example - location isn't mentioned & the settings being used (variation of Bogenes) don't suit all operators. If money were no object I'd like to own a SDC, GPX & GPZ. I guess my point on the coils was that I don't believe these new coils will "convert" your GPX to cover them all. Likewise the SDC & GPZ aren't going to either.

happy days then

Thanks Coota - I got it to charge to a solid green light after 3 attempts so will see how it goes tomorrow hopefully. Bit of pain when you charge it overnight & it gives the green blinking light on start up but then find a blinking red light in the morning. Might just keep it charged off my 12v powerpack.

I second the Tenergy batteries. Had a set of them & the supplied Powerizers for over 12months. I alternated between them & both sets were still giving more than a full days detecting when I recently sold the SDC. If you threw the Powerizers away due to the shutdown issue some coil tape would have fixed that. The Tenergy batteries are a lot better in that regard due to a larger lug giving more contact if that makes sense, I never had the shutdown problem with them but others have reported it happening with them & some tape stopped it to.

Old thread I know but was wondering if anyone has issues with the charger while using a power point (240v in Australia). A couple of times now I have gone to get my charged battery only to find the red light flashing. After removing/replacing the battery, turning it off then back on again etc. it will go back into a charge cycle but sometimes comes back with the red flashing light & sometimes with a solid green light indicating full charge. Its a pain as I'm not really sure if it's charging properly or not & if there is a problem with the battery/battery charger? Been putting it on 12v charge when driving out to go detecting & it seems ok but just concerned that the 240v issues are damaging it or might cause premature failure of the battery if not getting charged correctly?

http://www.garrett.com/hobbysite/1612900_camo_digger_pouch_en.aspx These are pretty good I reckon. I like the internal zip up pocket. Can attach tools/pin pointer to belt or webbing on front. Reasonable wearing - my last one lasted about 3 years.

Price drops & bundles have started downunder. $9499 ($6820USD) + some bundles include either a go-find or detector covers & bag. Some that paid full price are not happy about it but it seems to be a special or Minelab promotion price here not permanent?

No price drop seen in Australia although we're still paying $10,700AUD which is currently $7625USD.

Yeah you set the volume through the booster. I was still using a harness with the SDC so I had a pick holder, water canteen pouch & was using the battery pouch to carry a first aid/snake bite kit, PLB + small tools etc. I have velcro on my harness at the shoulder where I attach speakers etc. & had some stick on velcro on the back of the LH-380 behind the clip so I could clip it + velcro it on. I never had an issue with it there. I did try it with velcro on the SDC cover but the LH-380 didn't really fit anywhere well plus I liked it better attached to me. You could remove the plastic clip off it & get a steel clip. There's good double sided tape you can get now to attach it & once stuck on it won't budge.

No I only ever used the 2 × Avantree units as tx & rx to what I wanted to use. In my picture of the SDC on this thread previously you'll see them attached to the SDC (tx) & a LH-380 mini guitar amp (rx). I got two of these guitar amps of eBay (just search for mini guitar amp) & they worked well but have heard of others having issues so quality control may not be great on them but something similar would work. Having volume control along with wireless is great on the SDC! I also used a B&Z booster with them & it worked fine too so Docs speaker should work ok? Do they have volume control?

I loved the SDC. Unbeatable in the right spots. Had it for around 18 months but recently sold it to get a used GPZ. Have to admit I'm missing it but in saying that I have only spent 4-5hrs on the GPZ so far. That's part of the reason behind the questions. Bit of uncertainty & perhaps thinking a GPX/SDC combo + one of these new coils may have been a better option but I was never 100% convinced on them either. I also knew that if I went that way I would more than likely find myself looking at or for SDC areas more often than not & using it to chase what had become in some ways easy "rattle in the jar" gold. I previously had a GPX5000 when I first got the SDC & ended up selling the 5k for that reason. I just didn't have time for multiple detectors when I got out & still don't really. The GPZ ticked more boxes for me in that way & some others but I can understand it's not everyones cup of tea. It's early day's yet but I was pleased with how it went first day out. Handled some very variable ground well - tested my GPX5000 on the same area when I first got it & found it harder to tame there initially. Time will tell & if it doesn't pan out then the above question might help with plan B.