Bada Bing

Nice little stuff GoldEN. I too am a 2300 convert. I only got one in Sept last year. It's already paid for itself in less than 5 months of sporadic use. I like the fact you can mix it up, chasing big stuff with the 7 and then fiddle with the 2300. I think it keeps you fresher ..... and its a bloody handy pinpointer when digging a crater .... Good luck out there .. Cheers BB

I go regularly with 2 mates. Every man for themselves. The most enjoyable part is the gold but a very close second is the 3 hour drive home annoying the shit out of them when you win .....The two way radio cops a flogging .. priceless dribble. Our rule for finding a chute or reef is: finder clears whatever they can. As soon as you have to call in reiforcements from then on it's a 3 way split. Cheers BB

Cobra crusher - small and lethal. Easy to use out bush and for small stuff at home. Bit pricey but if you dolly for hours it looks cheap ... BB

That post is going straight up in the royal mail mate ......... the real west aussie locals will sort you out .... Come in for supplies in the dark from now on. We are watching you...... BB

Pm'd you Cheers

Regularly have this problem. Can be upto 2 second delay. I just soldier on and hope it doens't get any worse. Factory reset has not improved the symptoms ... Cheers BB

They can be so intense that when you try to go to sleep you still hear them around your scone - no joke. Cheers BB

Not a cracker unfortunately Mitchel. I find it smoother than the 14 and you cover serious ground. We only had maybe 4 full days on it due to the heat over here. After a couple of days you get used to the weight, but initially you will cry like a little girl ...... After a few days use, throw the 14 inch back on and you will laugh. All the whining we all did last year about the 14 inch weight ... it's a feather in comparison. I'm confident nonetheless - it will be a winner. Yes ice and a bit of compression has helped ....... get out there. Cheers BB

Spend alot of time setting your harness up well. I had a bit too much movement in the arm rest on the 7 which translated to tennis elbow - never had that before.................. elbow still playing up weeks after my last swing. Lock everything in tight and ease your way into it (like that's gonna happen.....). We went nuts as the season was coming to an end because of the heat. Envious of you guys - good luck. cheers BB

Reflective tape is my friend. A couple of bits on the handle - it sticks out like a dunny in a desert. If you can't spot it by day - it lights up like a xmas tree at night.... BB

A Kiwi will scoop this up for sure.... BB

What, how and what not to do ..... pics?? Cheers

Dave - could you post your polycarb stuff here ??? Cheers mate

It is not really the season (over here in WA anyway) to be testing the 19 inch. The heat has set in now so the ground just does not cool down. Salt signals are so bad in parts here (where I know gold is) that it is unusable. I'm not talking about salt lakes but rather creek washes. The 5000 handles it well but the 7000 just wails like a stuck pig. I'm doing up a comparison vid and will post when ready. I've tried contacting Minelab re the salt fix that has been coming forever but have not heard back. Maybe JP knows something about it?? Polycarb skid would be the go. After the initial weight shock I'm pretty much used to it now and it is my stock coil for the next season. I think after running it for a full season you will understand what it can and cannot do. The only time the 14 inch will be back on is when we are pushing. I'm positive though....... Cheers BB

Agreed Paul. The whole air test brigade has me a bit baffled. There is no mineralisation in "air". The whole point of any detector is the software dealing with the mineralisation in the ground, isn't it? Who cares how far away it picks it up in the air, unless of course you are walking over a field of sunbakers holding your 7000 two foot above the ground ... try that with the 19" coil .... Cheers BB

I've been trying HY and again I'm not a fan. Seems unstable to me as I've always been in general. Only slight irritation with general on the 19" are the false signals when you knock it around. This coil will be on for the next six months and yes I'm looking for the big stuff. Only need one ........

Funny you should say that Ken. I ran yesterday in auto for the first time (never been a fan - I run in manual all the time). I didn't like it. I am finding I can run in normal mode more with the 19" and the hot rocks are far less which is a big step foward. I haven't walked over anything yet but it's a matter of time. Re: tree roots. Yes, had many with the 14". New coil means dig everything ......... for the next month anyway until I get a handle on it. cheers BB

I forgot to mention the bespoked design. I used to love my nuggetfinder 17" mono which was bespoked but the gpz 19" is just so heavy it snags easily and it is a mission to lift and untangled after a few hours ..... Once we get the harness right this will be OK to swing all day and the coverage is just so much more. Interesting Ken that high yield/diff was the go. How big are your test bits ???? cheers BB

I tried everything in every setting on that first decent suspected target. Don't think it was salt but who know's. My mate keeps telling me it was a 8oz nugget down another 2 foot and I walked away - that's what mates are for ..... I was trying normal mode as much as possible and dialling down the sensitivity to 2 or 3, it definately helps. I did that as much as possible with the 14" as well before switching into difficult. Until I get a bit with the 19" it is all academic though. What I can say is that you start picking up a beer can at about 5 foot away on the surface, so scope all around you when you start getting a car door sound. It's a monster. Cheers BB

Thanks Chris - Correct. It was expected but It's more of a whinge that nearly 2 years post release of the 7000 we hear from dealers that upgrades are coming for this issue. I was told that there was a software upgrade that was supposed to happen before the 19" release, now we hear before christmas - so who knows. Very frustrating. Cheers BB

Initial run with the 19" coil over two days: 1. The weight is massive. Within the first hour we were already redesigning our harnesses. It is a brute of a thing and needs far better weight distribution through the harness. Tried both the minelab bra and hipstick. The bra worked better for me as the hipstick just pushed straight down into my thigh. The machine is not balanced like it is with the 14" coil. If you plan on using it all day as your standard coil, harness engineering will be a growth industry ...... 2. Coverage is king. Huge leap forward in ground covered at same pace as 14" coil. Big tick. 3. Minelab have to do something about the salt interference especially over here in WA. It is crippling...... Hot rocks are handled better which was expected. 4. Be prepared to dig. Sounds obvious ........ but take everything you've got (mattock, axe, crowbar, long handle shovel, genset (unnamed things used when using a genset...). I had what I thought was a signal right next to a pretty big tree (diff/general). I know that the creek line had big gold come off it (13oz, 7oz, 4oz and a few 2oz plusses so it was in the right area). No sounds around it so I was reasonably confident. Got stuck in and before long it was an archaeological dig site with shit strewn everywhere. Got through 2" roots and down about 1.5 foot. The hole was wide enough to get a small swing of the 19" coil - so it was sizable. Not much change in signal with the 19", maybe slightly louder. Got sdc 2300 as pinpointer - nothing. Chucked the 14" coil on and thought it was like swinging the 2300 it was so light in comparison - no signal at all in diff/general 1.5 foot down. Started crying and it is now known as the mystery hole ...... walked away but it will bug me until I get an excavator. I predict I will not be alone. 5. JP is right - in diff/general you get false signals when it gets knocked around. Far less in other modes. 6. For those who enjoy staples and small pieces of wire, fear not. Your 19" coil will not let you down. Sadly I didn't get any gold with the elephant gun 19" coil. Got 11g with the pea shooter so paid for the trip.... Cheers BB

Got it today. It's big. It's heavy. Out there in a few days to road test her. Did I mention it's heavy....... It's heavy. Cheers BB

Jim ... mate. Your two comments in this thread both relate to clothing (disturbing enough - seek professional help) but you do not comment on the mad queenslander with a speaker stuck on a hat? Really ? Disappointing Jim, very disappointing. Ps. they are my nugget shorts - no joke. Cheers BB

Steve. I've been running two modules for over a year -.never had a problem. One on each shoulder - no drop outs and great sound. The main reason is purely reduncancy - you know if you're 200kms out of meeka having a backup is the go. I can't do headphones in the heat .... Cheers BB

Well I know JP's got one. What happens in Meeka stays in Meeka ........... BB