1515Art

On 10/21/2021 at 2:36 AM, karelian said:

The sun in Australia is an all year challenge, not just in summer. Our choice in hats is evolving as it has become a health and safety issue at work. The market for hats that allow headphones has got to the stage that Newcastle Hats has a few models that allow choice of brim size, venting hole or micromesh etc You can even order custom.. Up until recently in Australia, the postage was more expensive than the hat. Luckily a few Australian local manufacturers have stepped up. This is the model I'll have no my head when I venture out. I ordered the larger brim size with the flap for the neck. Again we are spoilt for choice.

Thx, just ordered one.

I’m in line at chic filet in Vegas and to the southwest about an hour ago a very bright fireball appears in the sky and disappears behind the mountains landing I’d guess somewhere in the California Desert, no dark flight so pretty far off so must have had some size to it. South west of Vegas someplace in the desert if you find any other reports.

This won’t be much help answering about charging with your vehicle, I use a Honda generator to charge out in the field. The 6000 batteries take forever to charge and if you have two batteries as I would assume most will eventually have, well be prepared to wait. I did a little digging into my electronics parts box and found an old netgear power supply that was 12v and this ones output was 3.5 amps (the factory one is 1.0amp the battery will only use what is needed) with both the plugs size and polarity matching the factory 6000 battery charger. Doing a little research the important points are that the voltage matches, the plug is the same size and type, the polarity +/- are the same and that the output amps are equal to or greater than the original power supply/charger, more amps is fine as long as the voltage is the same. Using the old netgear power supply to charge my second battery works exactly like the one supplied with the 6000 and takes the same time with no issues.

1 hour ago, strick said:

Hey Clark I Noticed the same thing about mine with the 11 inch coil...first time I had it out it ran fine...second time couple weeks later I had it out it was really acting up...the slightest bump would sound it off.... if I even lightly pressed the coil down on the ground it would sound off...if I ever so slightly bumped the coil wire it would sound off... got me to wondering if the 11 inch coil was defective...the next day different ground it purred like a kitten....I did run it in Auto plus mostly the next day...where as the day before I was mostly in manual...I'm thinking these machines are just super sensitive...Merton says it has cheap electronics in it lol...maybe he's right? 

strick

Chuck, that is pretty much my exact experience with the 17” coil, I couldn’t believe how stable it was and then it got touchy. I wonder if something in the windings has come loose allowing some movement? I was planning to do some coil comparison at the training we can switch coils around and see what happens.

’ 

I don’t know yet if it’s a problem or not my 17” coil is very touch sensitive pressing it to the ground and also bump sensitive sets it off sounding loudly, it operates very well other than that. I’ve tried different ways wrapping the cable around the 6000’s shaft playing with the loop, also using 3 Velcro ties around and along the detectors shaft but have yet to find a way to quiet it down consistently, sometimes…rarely it doesn’t sound off. Forget shoving it into bushes between the coil false and cable snagging branches it challenges hearing targets.

I think my 6000 works like it should but like you said “who knows” mine finds really tiny stuff but again like you said other than that how can you tell really if your detector is actually putting out it’s rated HP, what’s the bench test?

I ran the 6000 first for a while with the SP01 mostly because I prefer hunting with ear buds and I’ve always liked the sound output with using the SP01. It livens and amplifies while filtering as it is designed to do, the downside I think the 6000 was more difficult to settle down causing the chatter to mask faint signals I think. While a slight difference that and the simplicity and really excellent wireless headphones supplied with the 6000 after trying them I haven’t looked back. 
 

in the picture is how my setup is with the SP01 

I was using a aptx ll receiver with Bose ear buds but have switch to the minelab wireless for their superior sound quality I think mostly due to the 6000 running smoother.

Nice job Chris, you have the gift I remember a previous post a while back on another nice find…poundage it was I think, or something like that. Anyway another very nice find and beautiful gold.

Mine twists a little with the 11” coil if I don’t tighten it enough, if I really crank on it it stays pretty well unless like others have mentioned I’m aggressively shoving it into bushes and then the more noticeable effect is a little false signal when the branches catch on the cable. The 14” coil is about the same, the 17” coil is the biggest offender and then I’m not really sure that it bothers me again as other 6000 users have mentioned the coil twisting a little actually comes in handy shifting the swing angle to suit my wrist on uneven terrain and when I want to align the shaft with the coil just turning my wrist a little with the coil on the ground does the trick. It’s not like the 17” coil flops around it stays pretty well aligned most of the time. The ergonomics actually add to the light feel unlike the 2300 that felt like a brick. 
 

If I have any concern it will be how the locking mechanism reacts over time? If it continues to function as it is now then I don’t think there is really a problem, however if time and repeated use result in the shaft connection becoming looser over then it probably is an issue to improve.

Cool, he makes really good unmentionables...

Interesting video, obviously he’s experienced and much of what he says is as important as any detector you could own.. if you can mentally meet the challenges and frustrations of nugget hunting and enjoy the hunt for what it is your way ahead of the game. He qualifies his opinion on the new technology with saying he’s never held one the problem with that approach is the generic assessment of technology in general it sells the differences in new technology a little short. Those differences can be and are rather profound, this new technology is much improved by circumstance... kind of gold, physical endurance of course locations you have access to as well. 
 

I much appreciate the information and time he took to make and post, seems like a really cool and qualified detector’ist interested in sharing his considerable knowledge and experience, I’d love to read or hear his opinions even more after he has had time to use one.

I’ve had mine out a couple times for 4 or five hours the first time on an old club claim I’ve never found gold on with my 7000 and 14” coil, switching to the 22” X coil didn’t change my luck but as mentioned it runs very stable and quiet air testing against the NF12” on the 7000 with a sub gram nugget the depth difference was impressive at a rough guess I’d say 1/3 to 1/2 again more running as hot as the GPZ allows with both coils the soil not overly hot or salty. 
 

it found plenty of small and large trash, but for me this is a big gold clean-up coil on proven ground as opposed to patch hunting at 68 my back can only take so much of it before the pain in my upper back begins to wear me down it’s a heavy beast out on the far end of the 7000.

I’ve not put mine over a nugget yet although no fault of the coil, I’m signed up for Gerry’s training on the 6000 In November I’m bringing the 7000 with the 12”NF and 22” X coil they are there if anyone here is around and wants to play with them or do any comparisons.

I can attest to how well x-coils making the adaptor was for me, had that been an available early on I’d have jumped on board right away, the one they made is built bomb proof tough I can’t see having any issues. If the same is available for the 6000 I’m a buyer ASAP just to have the options. 

11 hours ago, Swegin said:

Which did you end up buying?

This one

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-SONRU-Headphone/dp/B08B3P7GH1?pd_rd_w=lAznU&pf_rd_p=f8048a1b-0abf-4d1a-a91b-cb558d45ad96&pf_rd_r=YT77C9CPKQYCE292ZTE4&pd_rd_r=6cb92448-c735-4873-8dc2-cb533b1933cf&pd_rd_wg=8vLb6&pd_rd_i=B08B3P7GH1&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_rp_12_sc

I had my 6000 out for a few times and I’d be hard pressed to find much of anything to disagree with on anything the early reporters have said. it’s crazy sensitive to all targets including the tiniest gold and stuff, fast to setup and I can swing it from sun up to sun down (in the heat) and quit because I can’t see where I’m digging, it is as it was described exactly, lol and the trash to gold ratio isn’t screen size dependent.

waiting for the larger coil and to get the second battery a minor annoyance although I think Minelab would better serve its customers adjusting the price and include the second battery from the factory with the 6000 you need it, after finally getting one it was nice not quitting hours before sun down. 
 

I have not used the supplied headphones or the external speaker the little Bluetooth device from Amazon and my eBay Bose ear buds are working perfect for me.

On 8/14/2021 at 9:06 AM, mn90403 said:

Clark,

That is a scary story.  I would just stay in place no matter what in that area.  I've seen what big, fast water can do in that basin and other evidence of the flash floods.

You remind me of a few years ago when I still had my Isuzu Trooper and I was going on the first stretch of Greg's Hideout Road as you just get off Pierce Ferry Road.  (There was no station then or groves!)  It was well maintained and I called it the fastest dirt road because you could go 60-70 before you got to the turn and then head down to the subdivided roads.

So I had not been there in a few weeks and I was zipping along that portion of the road and it now had a few 'dips' from side washes and before I could really slow down I hit one at a high rate of speed.  I heard a big thump but everything seemed ok.  I went on about my couple of days of prospecting and used the Trooper normally for a few months.

One day I went in for some local service at my mechanic and he told me to come over and look at what he had found.  The front left corner of the frame had a broken weld.  It had snapped on that high speed dip.  He couldn't fix it but he sent me to a muffler shop where they put a good weld on it that was still holding until the day I killed the engine on another trip.  That is a different story.

Mitchel

Good thing you caught the frame damage there are a lot of things that can go wrong out there you post a good reminder about checking your prospecting rig from time to time Mitchel, we dote on our detectors to find the gold but there’re kind of useless if we can’t get to and from the gold fields safely.

60-70 What do you mean you could, lol… ha, I’ve crept up above 50 in the Jeep when I’ve got the road all to my self but much above that and you start to feel the short wide wheel base. The washboard is pretty bad right now and the faster I can maintain the smoother it rides, downside my exhaust flange bolts keep vibrating loose, no parts falling off yet. It’s going in for a transmission service next week when I get back in town but my guy says no problem if the fluid remained clear and I’ll do the diffs myself before I take it to him but I just had everything redone so I know all the seals and breathers are good, same with the hubs I just replaced everything so some new grease just to be safe.

now about that engine.

1 hour ago, klunker said:

 I am assuming you didn't have a sluice box with you. You probably overlooked a heck of an opportunity.

anytime I'm within sight of my jeep I'm taking a risk.

klunker, Damn, the one time I could have used one and it didn’t cross my mind, for those that have seen the shoe horn I use to load my Jeep with junk, lol.

Chuck, I just saw pfd, my dislexia I saw pdl, ha now I wonder if my old guy lumber support would keep me afloat in a pinch always good to kill two birds with one stone when you can.

49 minutes ago, geof_junk said:

Car insurance FAQs

Am I covered?

Will I be covered for driving off-road?

Some insurance policies will provide coverage for your vehicle if you are driving off-road, but you should check with your insurance company and always take safety precautions.

My AAA is 200 miles on road only, but the SpotX comes with 100 miles optional off road coverage I bought although I’ve never used it or talked to anyone who has I’m pretty sure the coverage will be there I’m just not sure it’s a quick turn around being specialized I’ll bet the wait could be long. The new exclusions were more about life flight helicopter restrictions, like if you went out after receiving heart treatment or had diagnosis of severe sleep apnea within the last year and went out and had a heart attack you will not be covered for the extraction cost while taking the chance knowing the risk.

3 hours ago, Hard Prospector said:

Glad you and the jeep came through,  no gold but the adventure and a tight scrape put one hell of a memory in the polk

I could write a book, if only I could write.

4 hours ago, GotAU? said:

Ugh, glad you got out 😅 People tend to think their vehicles can drive through moving water but don’t realize the amount of force it receives against one side when crossing perpendicular to the current. If in a emergency and deep water, diagonal as much as possible heading downstream is better- at least thats what my swift water rescue class instructor said- you may avoid hydrolocking the engine and can’t flip as easily as sideways to the current.  But then getting out safely as fast as possible like you did is the best thing!
Stay safe!

thanks for the tips although I hope to not need them, but it’s good to know in a pinch. My skills behind the wheel are honed from a youth of pushing the limits and getting away with it unscathed and 30 years of emergency service I tend not to panic the key to coming out OK in most situations is to keep you head. When I put the tires on fortunately the tire shop lied to me about the Toyo’s being quiet on the road (they suck, but off road they work)…and now I’ve got something more than “Matt’s off-road recovery” videos to add to my tool box if there ever is a next time, lol “not” (probably). 

3 hours ago, strick said:

And not a drop of rain here for months Clark. You know I never thought about it but a pfd might not be a bad idea in your Jeep...you hear about those flash floods all the time. 

Strick

Chuck, I have a SpotX I bought a few years ago with all the coverages, helicopter and off road recovery, earlier that day I’d been scouting for new ground exploring washes in the early afternoon when the weather turned and I made a point of getting  out of them just because I know it can get tricky. 
 

4 hours ago, geof_junk said:

Being a slow learner 50+ years ago, it took me two bad bogs where the tow truck had to winch himself 100 yards in to get near enough to hook me up. Then he had to winch himself and me back out. I can't remember how much it cost me but in was much more than a weeks wage each time. Now 20 meters and no more forward direction only reverse or get help to get out.

my insurance should cover some if not all of it..I hope although they just adopted some new rules from Garmin with more restrictions than before.

53 minutes ago, LuckyLundy said:

I’d check your Hubs!  Water/sand gets in them and eats your bearings up!  Probably, could use repacking with grease anyways!

Rick

49 minutes ago, Swegin said:

I would go a little farther and replace fluids. (both diff's, transfer case, trans, and oil.)  This is why I don't do water crossings anymore. 

I’m planning too, when I got to the chevron dealer at pierce ferry rd I checked my transmission and the fluid was clean, I didn’t see any impurities or I’d have had it towed home. I’m going to have the fluids changed and service what I can just to be safe.

42 minutes ago, Valens Legacy said:

Glad you came through it safe and sound as it could have gone from bad to worse.

You might want to equip the Jeep with a good trolling motor if you keep this up.

Stay safe and happy hunting!

My plan is to never do that again, lol.

I made a run out into gold basin today with the 6000 but I’m having a hard time going on a honeymoon with the new GPX, the 7000 with nugget finder coil haven’t missed much I guess, it was a long day of micro trash and one tiny .2g meteorite. I hunted from 5AM until past dark, on the way out of the Basin when I got to the end of Spring drive the area around Greg’s Hideout Road was flooded with around 6” of fast moving water heading into the wash at the end of Hideout road. All day long was overcast and the afternoon had rapid fire thunder (boom, boom, boom, boom) it sounded like a war zone and lightning with some rain there was obviously heavy rain farther up the mountain

i decided I’d give it a try figuring I had enough time to make it to the pavement about 4 or 5 miles before it got worse and if things did get  worse I’m not wanting to spend the night out in my Jeep. I made the right turn and headed up hideout road in the pitch black with only my lights, I got about 200 yards and had to stop and wade into about 8” of fast water now to engage the front hubs I wasn’t going any farther without being in 4hi, pretty soon it became clear in the dark and flooded waters I’d somehow missed the road and I was heading in the flooded wash running parallel to hideout road against a barrier of vegetation and the water was getting deeper and splashing over my windshield making it almost impossible to see where I’m headed. I thought about trying to turn around but without maintaining speed my Jeep would slow to a complete stop this happened 3 times at least I slowed to a couple mph even though I was running wot and working the Jeep side to side. Through Everything the Jeep was able to keep enough traction to recover momentum but the water. Was now up to the floor pan on my 4’lift with 33x12.5 mud terrain tires I kept scouring the bank for a spot I could bail and try to find the road, luckily after about 2 miles fighting the water and mud I spotted a sand bar that opened up to a drive able spot on the bank near the road I needed and went for it, I had to hunt a little but found a spot I could cut back onto the dirt road that was now clear of the flood water in this spot. I’ve never driven it in mud or deep water but I was impressed at how well my Jeep performed.

This is a reminder for WSPA members to check the member business forum for important membership information.

3 hours ago, mn90403 said:

Can you ask Jeff if someone else in the shop can do it?  There are several other guys there.

Well, when I’d called them yesterday and Jeff wasn’t in I took the position it was the shop I was hiring and told the guy on the phone what I wanted and he was clueless about working on coils so I quickly said I would call the next day when Jeff was back. My guess without the guy who’s done a couple it is probably the same gamble on any guy in any shop I find who will do it, I think I’ll just have to call around until Ive found someone that seems capable.