Skull diver

Nothing so special here, just a common 18k wedding band, really usual in Europe.
I'm satisfied to see again gold after over two months of Covid Lockdown😷.
The amazing thing is from where I pulled it out.
I've been totally shocked by the use of a compass today, cause I found too much times myself uncapable to keep straight lines underwater in murky or windy conditions.
So today I was testing not only the use of the instrument, but also a new weight harness I maked to relax my poor back and what a relief!
I'm now doing snorkeling without fins and a neutral buoyancy trim.
The place was a terrible one, rocky, aluminum infested, uncovered bottom by months and deadly pounded by competition of other locals...
Before the lockdown I cleaned up the last drops of gold remained, when they were saying me "is over..don't do it again" and laughing,leaving me alone there: (terrible mistake💀😉)...
At a certain point I was next to leave, when I decided to follow another line on the compass to come back to the shore...
Thicker Sand, freshly deposited, no referral things to take note of, but......Bang!
When I heard the CTX to punch a solid 12.24  I was amazed and already sure about the shape of the thing...In the middle of nowhere....
The end of the story is...I've been fooled by myself dozen of times, never been really able to cover entirely hot points in patterns and potentially leaving lot of good stuff behind..I'm sure about it cause I frequently passed again like in a circle from same spots already checked...
To hunt wading is another thing than snorkeling or scuba diving. I have proof now that a compass can make the difference when I need to cover bottom in the right way.
I'm noticing this fact after "only" 15 years😭....Take note and apply.....Hard payed experience....
 

How much I miss days like that!

It reminds me some virgin like places back in 2015😭...

Well Done!

2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Does that coil work on a TDI?  I realize it was White's intention that coils made for the GPX would work on the TDI, but I don't think that turned out to be the case in 100% of coils made for the GPX.  DetechUSA's webpage for the 8" mono coil doesn't mention the TDI.

 

Actually I have the same doubt 🤔...Is a bit weird as I found on Amazon the coil straight from Detech factory and there is TDI mentioned...On their website (dedicated one for Italy)also appear wrong coil (same dd picture with different details), but also the bolt hole seem to be for Minelab and not for White's...What can I say....Need to contact the factory to better understand what they say about...

2 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

The dual field is a mono coil within a mono coil; nothing changes about the operation of the detector. The theory of the dual field coil is you get the depth of a large coil with the small item sensitivity of a small coil. However, you are exposing more windings to the environment.... soil, saltwater.... and so you get more ground or saltwater feedback than you do with a plain mono coil. The TDI Pro Oz series shipped with plain mono “Aussie” coils because of this. The standard TDI dual field coils were hot enough to be problematic on a lot of Australian ground.

Eric Foster developed the TDI circuit originally for beach detecting, and he thought an 11” round mono was an optimum coil size for beach detecting. As a ring hunter I would personally prefer an 10” - 12” plain mono coil over the dual field coil on a TDI Beachhunter. This would minimize saltwater effects while providing optimum depth on gold rings.

Thanks a lot for your words about it!

I'm oriented to an 8" coil, (Detech mono)especially cause I dive and always try looking on Rocky environment when the erosion appear.

I learned in the past that a smaller coil can be pushed higher in sensitivity, so the perfect size will be 8"for me...

Hopefully in the future i'll be able to reduce the higher delay of 14ms to 10ms and don't hear too much drift noise changing the coil.

Jeez...I'm in love with this post!

I'm looking for another coil on my TDIbH cause of saltwater (shallow) bad influence on the original one...

It seem that only with higher delay the machine is able to divehunt silently or stably in threshold...

I use however the ground bal only as a sound discriminator between high and low conductors, as the sand and the bottom in my coast are not so bad to require it.

My question is...Can I still use the two sounds mode with a mono coil?...

Actually I don't remember why, but there's a post somewhere wich talk about this thing...I think not🤔...

Hardwiring outside from the control box a real good waterproof male/female connector will be the hell's second phase for me💀🤣

No comment...Just an update I wanna share with all of You in this ship....

On 5/3/2020 at 11:22 PM, danielbecerra said:

excuse me but what is the ML?

minelab Daniel😁

On 4/17/2020 at 10:43 PM, Joe Beechnut OBN said:

Mostly chest to neck deep... Yes, I watch the bottom very close,  I've been hunting about 10 spots for the last 6 years..... I've taken note of all changes...from day one. I'm still unable to predict, but I am getting better at this slowly. 

These words from You are encouraging me!

I'm too, looking for a real hunt planning method.

Trough the last ten years I've been able to isolate some hot spots in my coast doing an expensive analysis not only visiting every single Bay or corner, but also diving there with tremendous effort due to the equipment on my back (almost destroyed at 37y.o. age)...

Still remain something to improve, 90%of the time not for my fault, but I'm next to know the potential "shine' bulletin".

I'll be curious and honored to try with somebody from any coast in the world, to test my method with exact spots coordinates.

I only need a zone name to report back news about the area...

On 4/19/2020 at 4:49 PM, dewcon4414 said:

Personally I think ML did replace the Xcal ... at least for many.  Very few water hunters dive... and use a detector.  So the obvious update was a quality wader.  We asked for a machine we could Change the phones and coils on, we wanted it lighter, faster, able to pick up deeper and smaller gold, cheaper better warranty than the 1 year, fewer repairs or mods needed.  We got it at half the price if you did mods and 3X the warranty..... and service improved 1000%.  So unless you really dive .... which 95% of beaches don’t I think they gave us what we wanted.... and a bit more with Bluetooth and magnetic charging.   If you dive.... especially very deep the Xcal might not have been you choice either.... especially to 200 ft.  However.... is it time for them to design a dive ready PI .... yes

Perfectly explained!

As a diver, I'm really bored of a too old board like the Excal.

Actually I sold a couple of them 7 years ago to replace with a Ctx.

I hate it, I love it...I need it waterproof for real!

Vlf or pulse is not that vital, but come on Minelab! We are a damn neglected race.

7 hours ago, Joe Beechnut OBN said:

Not giving up here, It going to be delayed with all that is going on but You really have to stay focused on what you have in hand. It's not all the machine...........Spots are opening...and closing in the water. Don't let those open spots get away because you don't have the "AQ"...

Right now we have a stay at home order in Maryland, once that has passed I'll be in the water.......... with or without the "AQ"!! 

Be Safe and Stay Healthy!

What an incredible story. There's enough to make a movie. This will be the right mindset. Continue hunting with or without Impulse as soon as the coronavirus lets us out.

4 minutes ago, JohnnyRox said:

You foreigners really know how to kill a joke.  ☹️  LOL

 

 

 

I'm really sorry for the ruined experiment...

But...I think there's at least an hundred sharks ready to bite for a fake news like this one 🤣

11 minutes ago, JohnnyRox said:

Just noticed my post got posted up at midnight.  So I had to edit it.  lol

Just hope this will be the real day for the machine launch. As I already writed an article on it (thanks to Rick and Steve permission)and is time to make it real for all those that are waiting this miracle.🤐

11 minutes ago, JohnnyRox said:

A lil birdie told me the release date is soon.  23 days from today to be exact.  😉

So...April 2nd to see an official launch video somewhere?🤔

30 minutes ago, phrunt said:

Well, they used a business to make their webpage that seems very amateur in itself, the place they used to make their website has an even more basic website marketing their web services than Fishers and it even has spelling mistakes on it 🙂   Such a simple website for professional web developers and Fishers was just made using a template from http://allwebco-templates.com/

And the developers site is https://www.apex-ephemera.com/design.htm

Very due for an overhaul I think, especially with things like the website being Copyright 2009 🙂

And lines like NEW! 2016 Interactive Catalog

It's using Flash too which lots of web browsers have been blocking by default for some time now for security reasons mostly so it's "fancy bits" don't even work. 

In this day and age a proper website is important, the overseas competitors are more aware of this.  One of the employees at Fishers kids could knock them up a good website in a day or so to replace the outdated one.

it seems they were on a budjet🤣🤣🤣

On 2/21/2020 at 9:09 PM, Rick Kempf said:

One happy result of the seemingly endless process of getting the mechanical package, production process and certifications done in El Paso is that Alexandre has been constantly pushing the boundaries of what the AQ is capable of. In the MANY months of slow progress towards full production, he has made multiple improvements in circuitry etc., resulting in a series of progressively improved boards, culminating in the released for production version.

Here is part of an email I got from him late last year as a result of asking him to comment on statements on another forum that there was no way a PI could operate at 7microsec. delay in salt water....

“I have reduced noise by 90% with a new electronic system (he is referring to the issued for production version) and I have reduced variations due to seawater conductivity. A variation in conductivity due to salt at 15µs of pulse delay on a FOSTER (the TDI is of course is an Eric Foster design) is equivalent to a variation at 8 µs on the IMPULSE AQ in terms of stability and salt conductivity compensation.”

Other results I am aware of as a result of this continuous evolution of the design are - reduced depth penalty for using higher levels of iron ID, expanded range of low conductor acceptance to include higher carat gold acceptance when using iron ID and a completely new mode of operation for Volcanic Sand and other extreme conditions which would totally shut down a VLF and many PI’s

 

This was actually my doubt too...Glad someone other asked for a pulse delay update regarding salt underwater use...

With a good drift noise reduction and a stable threshold I'll feel a lot better.....just remain me to...WAIT

On 2/20/2020 at 5:46 AM, phrunt said:

I had a look at their website, it's like stepping back in time 10 years.  Even the Customer finds section hasn't been updated in many years

http://www.fisherlab.com/hobby/finds-news.htm

At least Steve gets a mention 🙂

 

I've done the same thing...And appeared to me like was an abandoned web domain...Jeez....2020 and it seem like '90stuff.

2 hours ago, danielbecerra said:

I'm curious about a tdi beach to see if it has more depth than a cz? if discrimination is so effective?

Daniel, depth is not a problem believe me...

You only need to fine tune the machine to obtain a stable threshold with lowest Delay and 70/80% sensitivity.

The ground balance can change the sound of objects between low and high conductors.

Try a 10 Euro cents coin and slowly turn down the GB to 4/5. At a certain point it will sound like too high (low tone)..Anything under that will be little rusty iron, stainless steel bits and rings, bottlecaps,gold rings and damned 1,2 and 5 Eurocents.

There's a way to remove it...but really risky.(You can miss big wedding bands.).

All these settings are ONLY available IF and WHERE the water is not that salty and the bottom not that mineralized.

Keep in mind, for a real ground balance, the same principle will happen turning up to 7 the GB. So other more conductive coins will be included as lower conductors.

The low/hi switch is been removed from the original SL box and on the TDI/BH works this way and only with GB on.

5 hours ago, Rick Kempf said:

“Trash” - with a VLF you can pretty reliably ID ferrous trash, but everything above that pretty much needs to be dug.

PI’s up to now don’t offer a reliable way to ID ferrous targets.

The Impulse offers a totally new approach to doing that, but only usage in the field by experienced detectorists will tell how useful it will be and what settings and modes are most effective for that.

The Impulse AQ is not a diving detector. True diving detectors need waterproof ratings well above the current crop of beach machines with the exception of the Excalibur and CZ-21.

I already have in my mind all mods to transform it in a good dive machine.

Believe me, the biggest question right now for me, still remain how to use seriously a 7Ms delay in saltwater.

I'm able to remove small copper plated iron cents on my TDIbh misadjusting the GB and to leave gold safe under big coins that I don't dig.  (Thanks Steve!).

The threshold drift at 10Ms is sometimes a pain however, even with sensitivity on 70% and in really shallow water.

Hopefully a stable threshold will be the key for this machine.

I know the ferrous/non ferrous target separation is at it's best due to the videos.

Now I only need to test one of the first that will be here in Europe to sleep in peace😁

On 2/3/2020 at 10:31 PM, danielbecerra said:

search lesson
Last week a storm enters that destroyed the coasts, heights of waves never seen, as soon as I calm down prepare my equipment and enter the water, my old and faithful cz with me, I reached the point where by density the metals come together and began their spectacle , 53 rings, 4 chains with medals and 3 bracelets, plus a pair of earrings, total 483 gr in 8 hours of diving at 2.4 meters deep, after putting everything together and taking the photos of rigor, I understood the message "enjoy what you have and what will come" I have already passed the 4 kilos in 3 years detection, made me question if really wanted to change it? Nostalgia takes hold of me and I think of all that he has given me and I have only changed my helmets a couple of times !!! It is like part of my family, I treat it like a Japanese Catalan, I use it clean and I keep it, it goes without saying that it is worth its weight in gold

It happened the same thing to me in last days.

A rare storm affected part of "my coast", and even if I'm far from your results to say the least from 5 years, I enjoyed the shiver to find a couple of rings in less than an hour in the small hole I've been able to hunt.

Talking about the Impulse, I must admit that I obtained this result thanks to my old Ctx.

With lot of rocks exposed, a pulse is not necessarily the right weapon of choice.

In the same place a day before, I found a wedding band with my TDI BH, but only after dozens of trash holes.

I was leaving the beach without success after hours in so cold water and literally turned on again the TDI for last signals..Magically the last one was the ring.

So I decided to avoid trash and use the vlf for a better inspection.

Two other friends with small 8"Excalibur leaved empty handed the same place...

I only wonder when the Fisher will appear truly on the market and if will be seriously able to reduce useless digging action underwater.

Not to mention the waterproofing is something that scares me. A lot.

One meter down is nothing for a diver.

Some days we just can't talk about a snorkel.

Really bad doubt.

On 11/14/2019 at 9:48 PM, Mark Gillespie said:

I really need to experiment with the ground balance on my TDI, now that it's cold. 

I use mine for ring hunting (the best gold rings ever found was with my TDI) mostly with an occasional relic site as a hunt.  Then, a once a year beach trip.  Well anyway, since I hunt the old school sites where coal waste has been spread over the entire area I might need to check a few of the rings I've found to see where the GB crosses over from a high tone (low conductor) to low tone (high conductor).   All this is because as you increase the delay, the GB point moves counter clock wise.  If a small gold ring happens to be in the area, where the GB changes, it will fall unto the preverbal HOLE of no response.  The delay is how I adjust the machine to ignore more of the coal waste (that attracts to a magnet). Much to re-think...................

This is actually what I'll do tomorrow cause with my TDIbH I never dig low tones from coins.

Unluckily even with really not mineralized beaches around me, the only way to keep it quiet underwater (salt) is to raise the delay up to 15/17uS.

Full gain and ground barely on with this setting, but I know that I've done a mess.

Now I wanna try a thin 18k ring  found with it, but with less uS, I hope 10, no more than 7 sens. And a bit more GB to cut little zinc money under that ring.

Fascinating post.

Thanks

Being a scuba diver and hunting only underwater for gold, I'm thinking more to another aspect than the discrimination.

Assuming a really clear sand with next to zero mineralization and low GB , how can we manage to use the pulse delay to 7ms in saltwater?

I just hope there will be a serious interference elimination system to avoid to be forced in raising it up to 11.5 if not over... (which is actually what I do to keep stable and quiet my TDI Beachhunter with a DD coil)...

Also, the brake effect of the coil bolts area is another doubt.

On 9/4/2019 at 6:36 AM, karelian said:

Jim in Idaho, very soon I've got a week long trip into the Golden Triangle here in Victoria. Both the Tdi Pro and SL have space in the boot. For the first time the MXT is staying home.  There is a reason White's chose the 8 x 12MJ coil for the Limited Edition and I look forward to trying it in the goldfields. The new battery pack and a good supply of batteries will allow me to give the SL a good run. Generally the Tdi SL is my loaner machine and 'urban PI' (Who coined that phrase?). I suspect the Pro will see the most use but curiosity demands the new SL gets a workout. 

Jim in Idaho I did a quick air test on the Limited Edition when it first arrived in the mail. Used the standard battery pack loaded with cheap disposable Lithium batteries for a total of 14.7 volts. I did record the results, as always.. Karelian

1 grain ingot                8cm

0.5 gram gold coin   25cm

1/2 Sov.                     34cm

US 1/4                       30cm

Really nice setup...

I loved the easy way to use the same battery pack.

I'm now trying some fake capacity cells just curious about the drainage they can support (maybe an hour hopefully).

Also, I'm adding an inside voltmeter to check fastly when they're died...

As the title say,

I'm a new subscriber arrived right now onboard...

Few words on me so You'll don't waste your time🤣🤣🤣💀

37y.o. scuba diver and gold sick...

There's something more to add?

Nope

..Is enough for every smart guy to understand that Sooner or later gold will fu...k up our heads🤐🤐🤐😅

Cheers from Italy to all the family