Norvic

I hope the new ML will be a lightweight PI, we`ve been screaming for a SDC in a better format since it came out. Is there a market for another gold VLF? is XPs Ver4 a VLF breakthrough of some kind that has ML nervous? Sounds like 17 might be a exciting year. MLs not "feeding" the chooks" for no reason.

Synclines & anticlines to name a couple more features, although have found synclines are more productive for eluvial sheds but that may be because there are bugger all alluvials in country I prospect. Minor fault junctions with either a major or other minors. Have found some older geo maps, usually hand sketched from 100+ years ago show a lot more minor faults then the newer ones. The advantages I`ve found with dedicated mapping software, doesn`t need a cell signal, find waypoints & track saving after many years of doing such gives you a historic database that can be recalled, plus I`m a wee paranoid about being online with my valuable data. Google Earth is a powerful tool that with time will evolve even more, find it invaluable for terrain checking at home to get a vehicle in close via bush-bashing, just mark a potential "easy" track and import across to handheld mapping software that accepts kml, kmz etc. Such Geo & GPS data is almost as powerful a tool as the detector.

I use geological maps to show fault lines, but as a total layman, my geo knowledge is only self taught. A fault line can run along a mountain range, along a flat, a valley etc, I don`t think there is any general topo feature that is characteristic of all fault lines. But quartz is a good indicator in the country I prospect. Whilst prospecting for new patches I georeference geological maps into Oziexplorer (mapping software) on the PC, transfer these over to a Android smart phone Oziexplorer application. Then using the phones inbuilt GPS allowing me to see exactly where I am in relation to fault lines shown on the map on the phones screen, as I prospect. Makes it much easier then using paper maps, fault lines are most important to me. To get started grab a geo map of your area that also shows past and existing mines, and check the relationship of these mines with the fault lines. I really don`t know if my approach is correct geology wise, but it works and has for many years.

Top analogy, have found with the Z the volume control is not quite like a volume control on the audio side of things such as with a radio receiver. It seems to do more then amplify audio, to illustrate this if you adjust it much over 8 to compensate for bad hearing, you introduce a lot of internal noises and in particular you increase the Zs potential to pick up EMI. But if you add a low noise booster to the WM12 with a volume control and keep the Z set at 8 or lower, you can have a high but stable signal volume, and get a nice even quiet threshold. Now I`m probably really complicating this subject but I just feel that volume control turned much above 8 takes away more then it gives wheras increasing the sensitivity is more a ground based control, in quiet ground you can have the sensitivity up in Normal and really gain, but switch from difficult to normal first. Heh!!!! this is my take from my use and the posts in this thread really enforce settings are an individual thing. I just know the magic of the Z is it can be very easy to use and very productive such as in default or you can crank it and gain a bit more, but that cranking can complicate things. Tis up to the individual to decide if there is a bit more to be gained or are you actually losing? Crikey, I am suffering from Cabin Fever aka Mango Madness, gotta get the coil out over some ground but this rain is so welcome.

Sure is a sensitive subject, but has been about since day one when detectors started to be used to find gold. Do you run a noisy machine or a quiet one? Now I`ve run around with everything cranked up until the 19", so I`ll probably be proved to be wrong here again but I think overall ZVT is better set with as little as possible internal noises, especially keep volume down <8,(rather go with a external low noise booster). This is something persistent young fella (JP) taught this deaf stubborn old fella, although of course us oldies know young fellas are normally as wrong as. But one thing for sure the user that believes he/she left nothing behind is only kidding themselves

I look for our OZ native pines, what is called copper grass (short coppery coloured flower grass), red anthills amongst the white ones or vice-versa. Or just any distinct vegetation change line that stands out like dog b.... when you look at from a high ridge. Basically any change in vegetation is worth a look especially when it follows the local fault line direction but not always as often the enriched leader runs at 90deg to main fault line, in which case you`ll snag it (or hopefully will) as you follow the vegetation change line.

The Z has a reset function that returns it to factory default settings, those settings are as good as any if not better to get you up to speed with the Z. A great fail safe set of settings that get gold no doubt and you will not be be far off by just sticking to them, at least until you have many hours behind the Z. ML knew what they were on about when they made these the default settings.

No magic pudding for sure, tis as Steve says a mental approach, buggered if I know a formula that helps one arrive at best settings for them, haven`t found one for myself yet, but in short.......... Freds nailed it, Jps recommended it but bet he fiddles just a wee bit too. Steves Insane, Lunks, Bogenenes, manual GB etc etc they all work.

Top to hear, father-son team. Cannot think of a greater joy in this hobby of ours than an outing with ones son.

Bloody beauty, some talent there.

"Gold brings out the best in Mans ingenuity, the worst in his Nature" another oldie but a gem or is that a nugget............ Watched a TV documentary many years back (Peachs Gold) it was claimed in this, that the deliberate adding of impurities to the gold coins (they were running out of gold) to pay the Mercenaries of the Roman Empire Era, was the key that brought down that Empire, which lead to the British Empires tradition of always having a "commoner" present to witness the purity when the first of a new gold coin series is struck. Idahogold, I have never experienced snow, seen it on the mountain tops at a distance. With the heat in the part of OZ I live in comes the Monsoon rains that see us house bound for a couple of months each year, something I believe the snow does to you folks. What I believe you folks call Cabin Fever, we (NQ OZ) refer to as Mango Fever, tis the time of year the tropical fruit mango is harvested. The parrots arrive in there millions to get into the ripe fruit and you will see an odd one fall out of his tree and stagger around on the ground, because he has been feeding on a part fermented mango. Tis a funny sight.

Probably the one quote, we all know but is always relevant. "Tis where Tis." and an Irish one that holds a lot of truth but is funny. "Never leave a shaft til you`ve dug another foot." That would be 1deg F, bloody cold, have never experienced, is 36deg C or close enough to 100 deg F here in NQ OZ house at 6.30PM

Crikey much more then 40% deeper than a Z. Eat your heart out ML.

WTG, lovely 17 gold.

Ship of Gold............Wow what a read, Clive Custler stuff but real life. Many Thanks for the reco.

Many years back at a local ML function hosted by local dealer. Spent a bit of time talking to a ML rep., he was a very positive enthusiast , he tackled this subject and commented that our hearing is not as "keen" as our sight. He said we are not getting anywhere near all the info the detector is sensing. I guess it is coming that one day we`ll receive those signals by sight, just how who knows. Chets print out of the oscilloscope screen in the Pro-Sonic thread illustrates this to some extent.

Top info.

Few of the 3D printed detectors on the "net" unfortunately they don`t release the stl files they`ve made into the public domain.(KLs not getting the gold stl file no way) If any of you fellows are into CAD etc be no drama for you to get into making stl files. stl being the file type of the Prusa or Prusa clones(Chinese) 3D printers. Public domain Repetier etc firmware & software They are cheap as chips the actual kits to make the printers, pretty impressive what you can do with these things, even the genuine Prusa, to you US folks where they are "made" are at affordable prices (most parts are Chinese, stepper motors, extruders etc) I am probably preaching here to quiet ones that have been here for yonks............ Early days for tech that will change the way we do things, especially in the medical field. KL I`ll get you the code for the 19 from ML but it`ll cost you 40% at least on top of my costs................... http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:416163

Dunno about the firewood but 3d printers only print nuggets downunder............you fellows should know that...........

Be a interesting project, did a bit of a google search to find the stl files, no luck finding them. Currently 3D printer is building architecture 3D kit for grandson, but a metal detector project might delay such. Anything to stop "cabin fever". Paul, tried to give you multiple "likes" but only accepted one, gotta keep you ahead of KL & SS.

Getting it amongst the grass close to ground and close to rocks etc without "bump" signals etc logically adds to depth & signal strength. Thus a big impact of a positive nature. I doubt it has any negative impacts, but that would depend on the individual assessment mine is all positive.

Nah, I get the sulks and mope around when I can`t get out, plus don`t want you spending all your time over here chasing the yellow, I get bloody dirty about competition. Don`t worry we`ll have a vehicle to get down and flog some gold from JP country.

Bugger, my mouths watering, rivers up and be probably months before I get out again. You put the hex on us FNQers JP, but the rain is lovely and very welcome(been a long dry) But good on ya, when we`ve had enough liquid sunshine we`ll send a bit your way.............

Yes a pretty big positive impact, stops a lot of "bump" signals,(think it keeps receive and transmit coils relatively "static" to each other) allows it to slide over grass without getting caught(weight keeps it down) and no damage from "banging" rocks. Way to go for me, no more wasting gold on expensive crap coil covers, plus Bunnings stock the stuff (0.8mm which seems thick enough so far) Like Phoenix says 500% better.

I guess it comes down to the individual whether you believe your missing targets. Personally I believe I am always missing targets more especially as the day gets on(more baked brain). Ties in with Steves thread re ground coverage, depends on ones approach on the day. New targets in old ground that is where the 19 comes into play, gets deeper targets and those others that it reaches because it handles the ground better as you`ve pointed. Are any targets missed targets? only before, not when you hit them. Don`t know of a formula that will get you gold every day, but a belief you will, always helps. The rest is up to the GoG, and she`s a fickle b....h.