1515Art

25 minutes ago, klunker said:

Posted February 3, 2020

  I'll give you folks my method of ground balancing with the ferrite. It works well for me but maybe not for everyone. Start by setting the ferrite ring on the ground where you are certain there are no targets. Stand the ferrite on edge and orient it North and South  (Australians and New Zelanders may have to orient it South to North). Step away from the ferrite a few feet and ground balance the detector. Now your ready to go find gold! Don't forget to pick up your ferrite ring at the end of the day. I would love to have anyone come here and demonstrate that ground balancing with the ferrite ring in this area makes any significant improvement.

I couldn’t agree more… so, I’ll just say, yep.

3 minutes ago, Rob Allison said:

Hey Art,

   Here are my thoughts, at least here in Arizona.  When the Minelab GPZ 7000 originally came out, with the first firmware update, there was no Ferrite ring included with the detector, nor was it available.  It wasn't until a year or so later, the Ferrite ring was included in the detector and the firmware was updated (new purchases or available to download).  

For 2 years solid, I found some of my best gold with the GPZ 7000 and never used a Ferrite ring.  I would just do the normal balance in the "Auto" mode and start hunting.  I actually found in my opinion some of my smallest gold and largest with the original firmware and felt later one after the additional firmware updates I was smaller smaller and not as deep.  This might just by in my mind, but I remember finding smaller gold with the stock 14x13 back then.  

I have used the Ferrite ring over the years and do carry one with me for the most part, but haven't really seen a huge difference using it vs. not using it.  

Now when it comes to Ferrite rings, they say the color ID's  the Ferrite ring.  However, some have claimed Doc's don't do the same as the Minelab one and I haven't found any truth to this.  I have even brought this to Doc's attention years ago, but I still have customers that claim the Minelab one works better than any aftermarket one.  

Just some thoughts on this.

Rob

Rob, thanks I felt the same about it as you and really appreciate your opinion the subject came up and I wonder what other opinions were, some of this because of the nature of what we do it feels like just being a good citizen and having good karma on they way to the gold fields can improve your luck. Having a good attitude makes a difference too.

Oh, fat fingers and spell check… I’ll fix that, don’t want to give anyone the wrong impression, lol.

I sent doc a pm

Thanks good to know where a ready supply is just in case. I just might decide to give Doc a call and have him send one out might just get one to hang on a string around my neck, my last ring was wrapped in orange para cord kept it from breaking, even the bright orange cord couldn’t keep me from loosing it.

Friend of mine had a little 4 wheel drive kabota, smaller than yours I’d borrow it from time to time sure beats using a pick and shovel any day. 

4 hours ago, strick said:

I have lots of bones (none are fossils) but that’s not mine lol...pulled it off the net.. hope you are doing well..

strick

I’m still breathing on my own, lol.

I don’t have my GPZ anymore, but one of my last discussion on it was about the ferrite ring. The first shipments didn’t have one it was a later add on I thought more for some X factor that was an issue in the heavily mineralized soils in Australia. The 7000 was at times pretty unstable depending on conditions and the rings were shipped everywhere. It became a ceremony starting up the GPZ you’d do your act of contrition throw down the ring for a donation to appease the Devine spirit of the holy patch and spend the day praying for gold.

minelab later anointed us with an offering our first communion a spiritual update version XX and all was good in the kingdom of the fields, did we in the western kingdom need to continue the ceremony of the ring… or was it a habit that brought spiritual peace, for we had already reached salvation?

out of curiosity having committed first the sin of breaking my ring and then an almost unforgivable act of forgetfulness the omission abandonment the ring never to be seen again.

who among us, cast the first stone discarding the past traditions of our faith and ditched the ring and why, conversely for those finding comfort in the old traditions why, does it still bring you closer to the enlightenment we seek.

seriously, here in the milder soils of the untied states, does it help or do we use it because minelab gave it to us and it might make a difference, after losing my second ring I guess I lost faith and moved on not noticing a difference in the obstacles of my journey.

18 minutes ago, strick said:

Yo Clark it would be hollow on the inside (bone marrow) if a long bone...jasong knows his stuff...

strick

 

Cool bone, my wife’s opinion would differ thou. What’s it s story?

Klunker, I can’t remember a time I haven’t enjoyed reading your opinion right or wrong… I also can’t remember a time i thunk it was wrong looking back, your eloquence could as they say sell ice cubes to those living in climates requiring warm clothing and polar bear protection. I hope no polar bears are offended.

1 hour ago, jasong said:

I'm pretty certain it's a limb cast. I've found a handfull of them thinking it's also what you are diagramming there too, but every time I was wrong and it was ID'ed as a limb cast when I took it in to the museum and had the experts look at it.

But yeah, definitely get a 2nd opinion if you can. There is a natural history museum in Vegas too, they might have resident paleontologists like the museum near me has. A bunch of people sandblasting bones out of rock in the back of the museum, always seem happy to have someone walk down and show them something new and get their opinions, I've learned a lot from people like that. 

Mostly my wife was happy it wasn’t something scary like a bone, lol.

1 hour ago, jasong said:

I'm pretty certain it's a limb cast. I've found a handfull of them thinking it's also what you are diagramming there too, but every time I was wrong and it was ID'ed as a limb cast when I took it in to the museum and had the experts look at it.

But yeah, definitely get a 2nd opinion if you can. There is a natural history museum in Vegas too, they might have resident paleontologists like the museum near me has. A bunch of people sandblasting bones out of rock in the back of the museum, always seem happy to have someone walk down and show them something new and get their opinions, I've learned a lot from people like that. 

Looking at the limb casts it sure does, I think you nailed it. Jasong thank you

1 minute ago, jasong said:

It looks like what is called a "limb cast" to me, which is a piece of fossilized wood/branch. Google image search here. 

Limb casts can be palms, or all sorts of weird early trees/plants that don't exhibit the "tree ring" type growth we'd expect.

But it also kinda looks like fossilized antler too. I'd take it to UNLV paleontology department if you happen to be driving by sometime. I'm not good enough with fossils yet to really know specifics 100%, so I take a lot of stuff to the scientitists.

Anyway, whatever it is I'd say it's a fossilized "something". 

Thank Jasong, I confess seeing your Dino bone and it made me remember this whatever it is, for no good reason the shape always reminded me of a section of ulna bone. Could have been any animal too, tree palm antler root, UNLV’s a good idea if it’s anything worth their time I’d get an answer, if it’s not …that I’ll be my answer.

I’m not sure where this came from, I think we were in China visiting friends in a carving studio I don’t remember where exactly? 
 

but it sits a a windowsill with other rocks and to me it looks like bone but just a guess?

Anyone have a guess?

1 hour ago, Jennifer said:

Yea they jump out of the ground at me here now and then...  https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/threads/dont-walk-away-renee-detect-even-if-not-detecting.32966/

Now you just need an Axiom rack for the Kabota.

2 hours ago, Jennifer said:

Well.... I guess I'm officially a member of "Gerry's Detecting Pick Bit*h Club".... let me know who I need to snuff out @Gerry in Idaho to get moved up the list and get mine sooner.... I have 65 acres and a backhoe so they'll never find them till their heads pop up in the glacial till outflow in a million years.

Welcome to the club… I was jealous of the 65 acres no point rubbing it in you have a backhoe too, naaa good work you’re deserving the prize and have a great spot for your new toy.

5 hours ago, Jennifer said:

I can see Gerry typing his response now “No, but you can CALL a friend….. FINAL ANSWER” 🤣

Ha, ha… that’s funny actually I’m banking them until I have enough detecting slots for a whole season of detecting with Gerry and his crew. Imagine the gold total from that!

I’d second Jen’s comment on including first responders in on the discount… and never getting to use my 6000 training can I go twice, or bring a friend?

So I sent my 17’ coil in to have it checked and after it was connected to the coil test in a few minutes the coil became very unstable and extremely touch sensitive the coil was declared defective and a new 17” replacement coil is shipped and on its way.

Yep, nothing to be afraid of I’ve seen them eating their natural food on an air boat tour in Florida, marshmallows… cuz, well they live in the marsh, lol.

I hesitate posting this because sound quality is so poor I only recorded two short clips both with the 1g nugget. The dirt was too loose to allow slipping the tube all the way in this test adjusted for that is around 8” to 9” deep,  I couldn’t pick up the audio from this on my phone even holding the ear buds next to the microphone.

the sp01 is clipped to the back of the 6000 connected with a 3” cable and plugging/unplugging the cable toggled between it being just 6000 on speaker or 6000 with sp01 and ear buds, I have a speaker on order for a better test. The 6000 settings are auto+, normal, full volume, 11”mono. Sp01 settings in this clip mode 1, filter1 volume 50%, mode 2 filter 3 produces the loudest targets response.

6000 on speaker

6000 sp01

I did try and take some video the wind was a big problem and I couldn’t really pick up the sound off the ear buds on my phone I’ll order a cheep speaker on Amazon.

I gave this a try just a little way outside Las Vegas south of the city and the EMI was just about impossible using the speaker I could hear both nuggets the 1g and .3g at the same depth, the SP01 ran a little smoother and edged out the speaker alone by a 1/2” roughly on the .3,. the differences under these conditions were small but noticeable I could still hear both targets knowing that they were there but to me this was inconclusive due to the conditions. I’ll try this again one day next week taking a ride out to the Johnnie district where the results are more meaningful, but I think the SP01 will have an edge.

I did hang the filter off the back of the 6000, it didn’t make any difference on or off so OK, but again just the background EMI would mask any differences.

I was stuck waiting for the UPS truck all day so no chance to test the 6000 with the SP01, but I have everything ready for tomorrow and sinking this section of pvc at a 45* will allow me to go as deep as 14” and I have a .3 and 1 gram nugget unless there is some other size you want me to test?

Northeast, I’ve never done any comparative testing with the 6000 and the filter, I already had one and after a couple days with it I think target signals were a little tighter. I’d hang the SP01 on my belt and run my ear bud cord (wired Bose sport) inside my shirt and use the 6000’s headphone cord with an adaptor to connect the SP01. The 6000 cord for the headphones is long enough I didn’t have a problem and direct connected signal seemed clean without lag?

When I get a chance I’ll drive a little way out in the desert and test a nugget, I’ve got a long masonry bit I think will work to drill a diagonal hole for some 1/2” pvc deep enough to see a difference. Not promising any great video, but I’ll give it a shot with and without on a couple small nuggets.

I got out of the habit of using it though, couple times I’d accidentally left it on packing and found a dead battery starting my day… no big deal I just didn’t have it. The 6000 is so light and easy I’ve gotten lazy I’ll probably start using it again, my last couple hunts have been fruitless.

3 hours ago, jasong said:

Actually that brings up another topical question. Has anyone actually run a booster on their 6000 yet and does it affect the detector stability if it's attached to the side of the detector? Or do you have to separate it and carry the booster on your person instead?

I know I could keep my phone on with the GPZ if I kept it far enough away. But with the 6000 I definitely can't keep my phone on while running certain apps and features on the phone or it eventually causes an instability chain reaction, and if I place my phone close to the control unit (as with the GPZ), I can actually hear the interference right away.

I’ve hung the SP01 connected with a 3” cable to the side of the aftermarket fabric cover and directly connected the 6000’s headphones hardwired into the SP01 that actually worked with no lag or interference from the SP01.

I’ve run the sp1 a couple different ways, first with a ll blue tooth feeding the SP1 and the ll Bluetooth I was using I think made the 6000 a little more noisy. The setup I like the best except I’m tethered to a cord is using the supplied 6000’s headphone cord into the SP1 hooked to my belt and Bose sport ear buds. The hardwire Bose earbuds are out of production and last time I checked going for a couple hundred used the apple version works but the android jack configuration I think is better? This cord arrangement really isn’t that bad, plenty of room to set the detector down and recover targets and the cords don’t hang up hunting in the desert anyway, forested areas might be different. Charging devices is a even trade off SP1 instead of the 6000’s headphones, but more control of the audio output with the signal enhancer.