flakmagnet

Happy New Year to you Caleb and to everyone on this amazing forum. This is a pretty big year ahead for many reasons. 

1 hour ago, mn90403 said:

If they don't stay in my ear then no price is too great or small.

That seems strange that they won't stay in your ear as the hearing aids I have seen (a bunch of them), usually have different sizes of the part that goes in your ear. Some of them even have little rings that tilt outward acting like sort of a brake on it slipping out…it's hard to describe but you get the idea. Is it that perhaps you have a large ear opening or something? Anyway I am sure a competent audio person will be able to figure something out, don't let that stop you, it's too important...

Happy New Year by the way...

Hearing aids are notoriously ridiculously expensive. That is another reason I have been happy (since 2012), with Costco.

I thought this might be of interest to people who are on the fence about getting a hearing test and perhaps hearing aids:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/12/health-lifestyle-changes-hearing-aids-exercise-loneliness/

Don't wait, it matters to be able to hear well.

Really fun to see the results of your hard work

Thank you for sharing with us, it provides great incentive.

Happy Holidays and beyond...

Dear Mike, I was in the same situation with my hearing that you describe. From experience I can promise you will be blown away by the change in your quality of life when you are able to hear well again.
Detecting is one thing, but the other 99 % of the time as you go about the rest of your life, you will remark to yourself again and again, "why didn't I do this sooner?"

I hope you decide to go for it...Your Holidays will be amazing 

best wishes...

People may wonder why I jump into this topic with such enthusiasm.
It's because I have never had one single person who took the plunge into the world of renewed hearing by getting hearing aids say they didn't love it. I don't have any connection with businesses that sell them, I only know this is one of the most under-appreciated bonuses for those of us in later life. Your life will literally change for the better.

1 hour ago, mn90403 said:

I've got a fitting scheduled for Costco

Costco has great hearing aids (Kirkland), and they do most of what you are asking about.

You have clearly passed the first hurdle to becoming a first-class gold detectorist if you have mastered detecting lead. That, and a good sense of humor are axiomatic for finding gold.

I have a strong feeling the year ahead is going to be a great one for you.

Best of luck!

That's a big ouch for Bill and I'm sure I am not alone in wishing him a quick rebound from 

such a scary and devastating event. Sending you my families best wishes Bill.

Hello Klunker

I am willing to bet you a new pair of glasses that you will thank yourself for your decision to get your HEARING checked. 

Anyone who is having any sort of hearing diminishment should give themselves a chance to get back into life by having their hearing tested. It is just amazing how resistant most people are to taking that small step  and because of that, are missing out on much more than just gold signals in life. I am happy for you mn90403, you are getting a large part of your life back…as well as gold in the ground. Good decision.

Nice to see you and your very welcome opinions JP.

good work!

It's a shame NF has some difficulties, I have never used better coils and I've had a bunch of them.

9 hours ago, LuckyLundy said:

besides knowing a few clues

yes, that's the problem with being a long distance traveler to RP…I don't know the area well.

Some of your usual beautiful gold Gerry. It is inspiring to see how regularly you come up with beauties.

I wanted to add that anything Maureen Johnson wrote is usually among the finest in the category, she was amazing.

3 hours ago, Norvic said:

A stubborn faith with good strong legs and an ear for that first slight signal that leads to a patch, plus being a wee touched by the sun helps.🤪

I heartily agree Nordic. In addition to those traits I would add excellent coil control coupled with fanatical ground balance, but you know that…all the best.

1 hour ago, phrunt said:

so US customers must really be attracted by "free" stuff.  

Nah, I'm attracted to detectors and detector companies that actually work.
Sadly, MineLab is notoriously NOT forward-facing as far as customer satisfaction goes, it's a shame.

And Reg, I tend to agree with you as far as the earlier days of gold discovery being over - at least in the easy-to-get-to known gold areas, but I am willing to be there is still substantial gold being found if one is willing to do the research and get off the beaten track…does anyone remember Chris Porters posts from a year ago? And how about the Gold Hounds, whose posts I sorely miss. Many of the posters like those folks are, in todays climate, keeping the results of their hard work out of public view. Who can blame them?

32 minutes ago, Lunk said:

That is caused be the air gap between the bottom of the coil and the coil cover. I used some gaffers tape to stick the inside of the coil cover to the bottom of the coil and voila! Way better now.

I solved that air gap noise with an X of very thin insulation foam that didn't add to the gap between the coil cover and the coil itself. I have been pretty aggressive with the coil (a white one) and except for high wear on the coil cover, there are no cracks or problems with the coil  itself.
And as well as being excellent for small gold it also seems to have very good depth sensitivity for its size. 

3 hours ago, phrunt said:

I would go for the grey one but not the first version.

What is it about the first version that you think is improved/changed in the grey version?

I have never found anything to surpass a HipStick. It needs minimal adjustment while you are hunting and definitely saves back and shoulder damage from being furthered. In addition, I use one of Chet's always-smart recommendations and attach the HipStick to the topmost strap on my shoulder harness. This adjustment made a small but noticeable difference.

IMHO it is one of the best add-on's for detecting comfort.
 

13 hours ago, Lunk said:

Looks like this version was the first to be released:

I think so Lunk, I got the black decal-version very early on from Rob Allison. This coil has been a revelation both in sensitivity and its lighter weight. I am constantly amazed at how easy it is to work with especially when compared with the stock coil; it seems to balance out the GPZ. I don't know whether the subsequent coil decal releases mean changes in how the coil works, but if they are an improvement on this early one,
I would jump at the chance to get one.

The soft coil cover is it's only drawback but I have had good luck with using non-metallic epoxy on the edges and it still remains noticeably lighter.

Like we say Jim, the difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits.

good story...

Yup Bob, that's where I panned and where my friends used to dredge. I never understood why the forest service closed the road. They kept it closed after that last big fire out there too. I tried to drive out and have a look, but couldn't even get close. Ridiculous when you aren't allowed to access own open land.

I used to pan on Piru Creek decades ago. Only found flakes, but I knew folks who dredged at a certain little campground there - when there was water - who had some quite good days. They were using 5" dredges.

Have fun if you ever give it a try.