aerospace guy

KDOCAC..As you can see by reading this topic from 1st page to last, I did learn the machine "pretty well", but by no means an expert! I t was really beneficial to me and when Gerry himself saw me struggling he took my EQ and said, "watch...this is ground noise and this and this..but this is more than likely a target..dig it". It was a target! Also instructive were ground balancing tips and "enabling" all metal for better depth and of course ALL the settings..noise cancel etc. Since you are so far away and the likelihood of you coming West for one of his classes I will share a few tips with you privately when I get a chance. I have been asked by others who live out here in the West for settings and I have encouraged them to take one of his classes. I feel that I would be undercutting him by just posting all his info. Hot rocks..ah yes! Where I prospect in the El Paso mountains there are tons of them! There are ways to have the EQ not detect them and I know how to do that, BUT, I have to make sure that I don't delete "valid" targets also...so for now since I am anxious to find gold I haven't spent a lot of time playing with that, Maybe others will reply but I bet you would delete gold also if you delete some hot rocks. I suggest you go to Steve's "tips" of detecting for gold and read it carefully. Later I will PM you some tips also. Good luck...PS:one tip right off the bat is get the 6 inch DD coil to use for gold if you don't have it already have it.

I wish to clarify some info I posted about a comparison of the EQ800 and the 6000 at Rye Patch in June. This was the 1st time out for the 6000 and everyone was "learning" in the field. When a target was found we all would swing over it and I made a comment that the 6000 did not hear some targets that the EQ800 did. This was true, however, Gerry's group was learning the detector and the targets NOT heard were so, so small! This comment by me prompted someone to say, "well I guess one detector can't do it all". I want to dispel that notion and say that I think the 6000 can pretty much do it ALMOST all! Were the 6000 not so expensive I would buy one in a "heartbeat...still debating whether to get one or not.

Ridgerunner..see "afresakofnature" about GPX6000! I only said 6000did not detect REALLY TINY gold..

Thx!! Good info!

Steve..how to phrase this...would it not have been so "labour intensive " to dry wash those areas after you had verified that many multiple targets were there? I do both..metal detect and dry wash and I have seen detectorists spend hours and hours shoveling (similar to scrapping) and throwing the shovelfuls on the ground where they then spend more time metal detecting the same dirt! My shovelfuls go right into a properly set up dry washer... I spend way less time than they do and I don't "lose" gold as they (the double workers) say I do! Plus of course I detect "tailings. However if I were in someplace with "killer" targets like Alaska instead of SoCal with only a few..really really FEW targets I can see why someone would be enticed to just detect only! Thoughts?

Steve..what part of Alaska did you prospect in..any tips? Not asking for GPS location, just some general info.

RV.. I've already asked what my price would be with military discount!!

Ridge Runner et all, one last comment, that is I read one comment saying "one machine can't do it all". The 6000 did not pick up on the tiniest gold but did a great job on a little larger gold. If someone wants to take the time to actually weigh gold and then record what machine detected what, then you would have some definitive results. The 6000 will detect at depth pieces the EQ800 won't and the EQ will pick up very very small gold that the 6000 won't. My question is what depth will a 6000 pick up in comparison to a 7000? So far, I don't have and adequate answer but as data comes in hopefully I will and I can make a decision as to weather the 6000 is a "purchase" for me. Some people commented that they were considering training with Gerry with their EQ. I think it is beneficial and you can see in the field what all the detectors present sound like over the target before digging. That's as close to a video as you will get at this time. However, Rye Patch is probably NOT going to have "big" targets to compare (which is what I want to see) only "smaller" sizes. Those of you who dry wash and classify will understand what I'm going to say next about sizes and that is, the 6000 picked up gold in the +12 range and of course +8 range and when we got to +20 the 6000 was "hit-or-miss...sometimes it would pick it up and sometimes not depending on size, density and depth and position of gold (flat on edge etc). The -20 size I never heard the 6000 pick up...but do you really need it to do that? I'm hoping for some posts on size weight and depth for the 6000 (hint Purple) so I can compare to a 7000. The 6000 is so much lighter better balanced that if it can compete (somewhat) with a 7000 I would consider it.

Question please. I saw the 6000 air tested with "large to tiny" gold and saw it find small gold in the field. That day no "larger" gold was found and I'm curious how deep your finds were? I am considering a 6000 and have not yet seen any deep finds. I have seen a picture "large flat" piece of gold found 3 feet deep with the 7000. what are your findings on depth so far?

Purple..I had a chance to swing the 6000 at Gerry's class in June..it's a well balanced machine..really sweet! Where did you have success with it? Not asking for GPS coordinates, just county and State. found below with my Minelab..EQ800..not GPX6000.

GotAU...there are claims ALL OVER in there from many clubs to including Taft, OC49ers etc. Saw a previous poster saying something about "hiking"...no no no! We all use side by sides etc. Yes you can park and hike from 'lower RRRC' to upper and we all have done that, but at my age I prefer riding right to dry washing or detecting area. This area is know as Goler Gulch and you can read about the found and lost gold. Many years later the upside down rifle John Goler left to mark the gold was found...1917 I believe...not sure of exact date.

GotAu...I belong to 3 clubs that have claims in the area. Yes I found the nugget on an Orange County 49er claim on the Garlock/Randsburg side of the mountains. Specifically an area called RRRC..'upper'. I would be happy to take you there sometime in the fall when it cools off a bit. I also belong to Taft Club as well as Antelope Valley Treasure Club which has a 160 acre claim on the North side of the mountains towards Burro Schmidt tunnel. I have been dry washing for a few years in all the areas and doing well and decided to get serious about detecting for nuggets so I bought the EQ800. Hopefully in the fall I can find some more nuggets this size. In the first week of Oct. the AV club has a 3-5 day "chilly cook out" and I have taken guests there...keep in touch and maybe we can work something out....I go out with a couple guys who have 25 and 35 years experience and are really helpful.

KDOCAC...Just got back from Rye Patch training with Gerry's detectors. There was a SD2300 there and on every potential target we all swung our detectors over the target...I was NOT impressed with the 2300 at all! See EQ800 forum info for Rye Patch. Now if you are talking "bigger" gold, that's a different story. Where we were almost ALL the gold is small so it did not do well. The GPX6000 would pick up lots of gold at 10 to12 inches but the SD2300 would not...then again neither would my EQ800! If you want to spring for a GPX600...then you really have something...see Lunk's post today on his finds...I am impressed!

Gerry or Stev H...would really like to know how the 10X5 performs on gold when you guys get some data so I can get inline to buy one if it has an advantage over 6 inch DD. Also Gerry or Steve, I would like to know how the 6000 does on "bigger" gold when that info becomes available. Of course I will be looking on the website also. Pic below of nugget found with EQ800 this year in El Paso mountains Ca.

GotAu ..I would take one of the fall classes when it's cooler, I tried to get into the April class but was shut out by all the people waiting for GPX6000's...and then they didn't come in! So I ended up going in hot June because I didn't want to wait a 1/2 year for fall. By fall the 10X5 coils should be part of the class for comparison and I myself would like to see in person how much better they perform over the 6 inch DD coil...if it does! As for settings, Gerry does instruct us to deviate from factory setting for better depth and also how to make sense of the numbers on the screen. I had/have a bad? habit of relying on numbers because of doing a lot of beach detecting..Gerry stresses listening for the sound more than numbers. As the class taught us, real gold targets often started as minus (negative) numbers and as dirt was removed over the top of the target the numbers turned to consistent positive numbers! PS: you won't always see those negative numbers with "factory" settings and therefore may not/probably would not dig the target. This is getting overly long! Read Steve H's tips on gold..it's long but thorough and explains in detail what you are trying to achieve and also goes into negative numbers a little. I myself like to increase sensitivity when over a weak possible target although it can get you in trouble "chasing" ground noise. I didn't answer your question because I would like to see you take the class....you will be a much better detectors for it.

Ridge Runner..The way the training was conducted as I said, when a target was found all the detectors had a chance to go over the ground. As it so happened there are no "big deep" targets found although the 6000 did a VERY respectable job on "smallish" targets as compared to the7000. I know that is not even close to scientific...just the way the targets presented themselves. Gerry did air tests on all detectors before we went into the field and the 6000 did well on big and smaller gold. However as I observed (and I am only a novice) nothing, not even a gold bug (in my opinion) can compete with an EQ800 for teeny tiny gold! So although the 7000 and 6000 can't compete on it, they sure can pick up "moderate size gold 10 to 12 inches deep. I don't think there is an "all around " machine but I would be happy with a 6000 and EQ800 used together. Ask Gerry what his conclusions are...I'd like to hear it put in words myself!

That's EXACTLY what I said when I saw it!

Upon reflection, I think it telescopes down to 12 inches or less! Again..ask Gerry's group!

I KNEW I should have weighed the gold and taken pics next to a dime for perspective! Maybe Lunk could post a pic of the 6000 "folded up" as he was one of the instructors. It telescopes (handle/shaft) down to about 18 inches? Again Lunk could "share". I held it and it is perfectly balanced..a joy! It did better on smaller gold than the 7000 by far in my opinion. I did NOT post any pics of other students gold because it's their find not mine. A really nice "chevron" nugget was found by the owner of his new 6000...maybe he will post a pic of it if he sees this..hope so! Sorry...almost forgot we ALL were using 6 inch DD coils on the EQ. I would have been interested to see what the aftermarket coil everyone wants to buy but can't get would do...you know the one! Maybe I will find time to weigh later! I came home to find a whole inside house to finish painting....ah well!!!

Just returned from Rye Patch where I attended training with Gerry to learn my EQ800 better. The timing was fortuitous because the new ML6000 was there to be picked up and used by another student. So whenever a potential target was found we all got to observe and watch all the detectors as well as our own to compare response before digging the target. It was REALLY instructive to see what an EQ800, SDC2300, GPZ7000 and the new GPX6000 would do in comparison to depth of target size and density of target etc.! What was NOT fortuitous were the extreme temps...oh well! Several conclusions: the EQ800 blew most of the other detectors away on very small gold..the GPZ and 6000 sometimes wouldn't even signal but the EQ would have a loud robust "zip zip"! That said, the 6000 and 7000 could pick up 10 inch deep targets of moderately small size that the EQ wouldn't "hear" until some inches were scraped off top of target. The 6000 in my opinion was better all around than the 7000 as well as WAAAAY lighter, better balanced, more ergonomic(folds up to a really small size). The 7000 probably is still "the king of depth" ..a former student stopped by to show his results with pics of large gold found OVER the length of a 3 foot pick handle ..really impressive! I as well as all but one person found multiple nuggets with the EQ800...the person skunked was NOT using an EQ! Sure is tempting to go for a 6000 but for now I'll continue to improve with the EQ.

I keep checking for anyones results with the 10X5 looking for gold & so far have seen hardly anything! Hoping a dealer or other reviewer would have had time to use the coil for gold prospecting and again, had time to do a write up. I have had success with the 6 " DD on the EQ 800 and am wondering how the Coiltek compares?

Thx for the feedback and tip about Minelab Eq Essentials info (Steve H.) I appreciate all feedback. As for where I found the gold, both pieces big and small were found in the El Paso mountains in So Cal. This area is drivable for many SoCal people and therefore is "gone over & over by 'multitudes' of prospectors". It also has a lot of mineralization and is/was with the EQ difficult in some areas. I will say that the GPX5000 never would have found the "small" piece of gold but would have found the larger piece. I am enjoying the EQ MUCH more than the GPX but I can see I need to learn how to tune it much better than I am doing as a "newbie" on the Eq as I now am. I intend to chk. all the info Steve mentioned and may do some training also.

After following EQ's progression I decided to buy the 800 hoping for a "simpler" detector than the GPX5000 which I sold. Part of that decision was based on one of Gerry's posts along the lines of "I've found more with a sub $1000 machine than all the more expensive ones ". My 1st time out proved to substantiate the claims made that the EQ will find small gold and larger as I found what I classify when dry washing as a -20 and found a 4.29 gram nugget! This while not fully understanding how to operate the detector! Using the "quick start' and owners full manual I was able to succeed. I hope there are some comprehensive videos out now that I can access?

Thanks! You guys came thru..much appreciated!

I haven't heard Steve H. give his opinion on approximately when the EQ800 might be "upgraded". I know it's only speculation but I'm trying to see how long the wait might be, over a year shorter, longer? I wish to buy one but after reading all the posts about people sending EQ's back 3 times and 6 inch coils multiple times etc., I think it would be prudent of me to wait for another "iteration" of the EQ, IF it is not going to be long (1 year or more). Thoughts? Also thoughts on the EQ800 as a "gold detector" for "small" gold. I bought quite a few years ago a Nokta Fors because it was recommended as an "all around" detector by Steve and I was splitting my time beach hunting and desert prospecting. It, the Nokta did/does find small gold if conditions are "right" such as the gold being about a size 12 or +20 classified size, shallow depth and laying flat or "broadside up. Would the EQ800 do better than this in you're opinions in "mineralized SoCal ground? Feedback greatly appreciated!