Norvic

Yeah, have done some crazy things in 4WD, as it seems a lot of us have, but that one was a very lucky escape. No one knew we were there Sat phone would have got washed away with troppie. To add a bit more as I condensed original story a wee bit. After crossing river, a few miles on ended up on a new wide bitumen road following a new ore railway track, had signs up it was a private road, Trespassers would be prosecuted etc etc. BHP or Rio Tinto from memory, fortunately after travelling on it for a few miles moving map software showed original track cutting off it, so we got off back on track.

Originally named the nugget The Turtle. But as it looks the same from either side, have renamed it Mc Nugget, cause it looks like a miniature burger. Its one I doubt I could ever put in the dolly pot, got a few others I must post for their uniqueness. Small one in particular but must get a camera with macro abilities for that.

Dale, Yes 3.95;6d, couple of weeks ago downloaded, always check through his update menu.. Haven`t searched out its new features but just love OZI, its function, its writers continuing capacity to take on board suggestions and implement them plus of course his endeavour to give us updates free.(this day and age is rare) I think his approach has rewarded him with world-wide use, judging by the dedicated forums international members.

Western Australia about 20 years ago, the Wife, dogs and I were prospecting Australia in our self contained Toyota Troop Carrier, stopped at Pardoo a Roadhouse to the East of Pt Hedland overnight. On checking Moving Map software noticed a track that would lead us to Marble Bar and cut off a fair few miles. So we took it, good track easy going.

We got to a concrete causeway across the De Grey River about 100 yards wide. Walked half way on it, around 12” inches of water and as the section walked was on an outside bend thus the fastest moving considered the Troppie would handle it no drama. So put in 4WD low range as precaution(very fortunately), we got to within 20 yards of otherside and causeway started to dip, depth of water increased to about 1 yard plus, no choice but to continue.

Troppie started to wash off causeway but fortunately front wheels got traction and dragged us out. I can tell you we left bum prints in the seats. Extremely lucky escape, no further dramas till we got almost to main highway there we had to move the road closed flooded road barricade to get to the highway. There was no such sign back at other end.

Stayed at Marble Bar for about 4 weeks, did very well and have kept this unusual piece as a memento of my foolishness. I should have checked with local police. Of interest perhaps, the year later Pardoo Roadhouse was wiped out by a cyclone, the people there protected themselves by camping in their cold room.

Paul, by my def, that certainly is moving map software. I have steered away from proprietary software, rather go for generic software like Oziexplorer which allows you to scan maps and source digital maps from anywhere providing they are in a format OZI handles, which will handle most formats except proprietary ones. This allows use on PC, Android devices, Mobile PC and Magellan Mapping GPS`s and probably soon Iphones and IPads. But NatGeo US certainly have given you folks a fairly large mapping resource.

Is great to see as such expands our detecting horizons. For me as important as the detector but not without hiccups, I have an experience where my faith in Moving Map Software nearly led to a tragedy. I`ll post this experience and a photo of an unusual gold find that experience led me to, once I`ve got it together.

Peteren, Lots of info on OZI site as Dale suggests. I have included a link below for QLD Mines map download. Understand you are in SA, believe SA mines have similar. These downloads are brilliant, will download with georeferencing for OZI. You add layers as you wish, zoom in to get area of interest, but it is very time consuming to get the hang of,(being a Govt site is not very user friendly) but very comprehensive mapping and a top resource. Plus they are a free download.

 I use this mainly with 1;50000 topos I`ve scanned, digital form maps are the way to go for this old codger, been doing it for 20 years plus, with a massive data accumulation of tracks and waypoints used in partnership of OZI on PC and OZI android app on smart phone, plus also use a Magellan Handheld Mapping GPS that you can download maps to from OZI.(again check out OZI website in particular Utilities) Hope this is of help.

https://minesonlinemaps.business.qld.gov.au/

Eat your heart out Crocodile Dundee, here comes Bear Carl, love it, the world should have more characters.

Paul,

You mention using moving map software called basic Topo. I wish to have a look at such, but cannot find on net. Have you the internet address of it? Whilst I use Oziexplorer I do note there is becoming more such software as user base expands, am always keen to keep up with this tech.

No harbour freight in OZ, but that is probably it. Your shaft must be different quality, have not heard of this problem in OZ, nothing on OZ forums wonder if US models are identical.

Moving Map software on the GPZ screen, not on our models but maybe on a future one, would be enough if Minelab would allow the export and import of tracks and waypoints in a standard format that it seems most moving map software can work with. Not many prospectors are going to trust going online to view such as Xchange requires.

Jasong, no drama at all with mine and my nickname is "sandpaper", rough as guts on my gear, so can only think if you haven`t assembled incorrectly than there is variation in machines, which considering modern assembly lines is a wee unlikely. Extended with lock not engaged still cannot twist only time it can twist is when shaft is shortened. Talk about RSI, I don`t have to bend over too far now to touch the ground with right hand. Come on Klunker get that weightless coil mod on market.

Coil twist?, my coil will twist around only when fully retracted which is good and allows it to be put away in vehicle neatly, but once shaft is extended to user length it is firm, locked and doesn`t twist. Very happy with GPZ other than the GPS in its form is basically of little use to this prospector.

After realising its failings there I sent a courteous email to Minelab with my thoughts and a similar one to the developer of Oziexplorer. Immediate answer from Oziexplorer still no reply, not even an acknowledgement from Minelab. Tis disappointing, with oziexplorer I have spent probably $300 over many years, upgrades are free, with Minelab I won`t bother adding the amount up, their products are tops just question their inability to reply. Perhaps this may be why their share price is going south, shame as one certainly can`t knock their products.

Not sure the 705 will be of much use discriminating hits behind the 2300, the 2300 has far better ground handling and depth capabilities, but in these early days of its use amongst trash areas, it has the ability to prove there is gold amongst the trash then come in with the magnetic rake and PI or GPZ.

But Paul this is my take after running the 705 over a recent small piece shallow(for the GPZ) patch, found with the GPZ in tall grass and rocky surface, I thought with the small elliptical coiled 705 it would score, poking around the rocks, after 4 plus hours not a piece. I was a wee disappointed but not surprised, the GPZ is a gold magnet much like the 2300, don`t get me wrong I think I`m going to have a ball with the 705, the GPZ is taking my time currently, just "horses for courses".

In NQ OZ`s gold fields are a lot of ghost towns, having picked up coins both silver and gold with gold detectors over the years, that is where I believe the 705 will really come into its own, amongst the trash where ones patience is tested with the PI`s and GPZ. 

Yes, it seems even less than 10% will use the GPS on the GPZ. Being a long term user of GPS and moving map software as a prospecting tool I am surprised. But I do believe once the benefits of such becomes more apparent with time, (read- produce more gold) this will change. Much the same as there were a few of us wandering OZ with GPS, laptop and moving map software back a bit, now nearly every vehicle is fitted with a navigator, which is basically a GPS, laptop and moving map software in a more user friendly form (and a lot cheaper)

I don`t think the cost or weight of the GPS in the GPZ is of any concern, lightweight and cheap as chips

Wow, that`s neat. Yeah normally I just skim through manuals and learn in the field, the 705 gold mode is no drama, pretty straightforward but I am going to have to do a wee more to get into notch discrim., tone recognition etc. It`ll be fun.

That`s a klunker, Klunker.    I`m going for a button you push and a little fellow hops out and digs it up and of course the weightless coil. Seriously I hope they remove the proprietary crap re. GPS only assessable via Xchange2. But then again they may believe they are pulling an Apple.

Yeah, that piece "in maybe an amazing find", was about 1/2 metre in front of me or so when a 16" mono picked it up, plus it was 1/2 metre down a dry waterfall. Has your experience Dale shown DD`s are better at this then mono`s on smaller stuff, say around rocks ? That "look over here signal" not sure but have feeling, sometimes there doesn`t even seem to be a signal, sort of its calling you. Sounds weird and illogical, but they may be critters (re.Featherfisheads mate) and just want to be found on rare occasions.

On thresholds I think as you get older, you cannot sense that pitch & volume change as well, my excuse anyway when my son scores a deepun where I`ve been.

I found the DD coils on Minelab PI Machines had this more than the Mono`s, but I used the mono`s most (more depth & sensitivity). For this reason I found the DD good for poking around base of rocks as there sometimes be a nugget hiding under the edge of a rock, mono`s didn`t seem to be as good there. I found this was also so with the vlf machines, except I think they used DD & concentric rather than mono (from memory) I recall taking a new fellow to a spot he had a new Minelab 1500 (DD coil) I was using a A2B, he`d never found gold and called me over to check a signal at the base of a rock, the A2B didn`t register it so we rolled the rock aside and there under the edge of it was a 4 gram nugget, he was stoked, so was I nothing better than seeing a fellow get his first.

 The coil on the GPZ seems to be even better at this again.

Wow, that is some incentive for the young to get out there. I am a wee envious however, my Missus has got me making furniture.

My sentiments exactly, is magic to prove up a detector on own ground.

Tis the Goddess of Gold me lads, if you haven`t her on your side leave your detector at home, just go sightseeing.

Never noticed that chirp sound on the 5000, but have noticed similar bare change in the threshold of the Z from the very rear of the coil, so far has been deeper sub grammers. The front and centre of the coil do nor register it until you`ve scraped away with the boot and got the coil lower. Audio smoothing off, medium mineralisation firstly considered it may have been simply the wireless audio slight delay.

Son lives in the big smoke, just recently he bought a 705. A few coins from park near where he lives, those smaller goldy looking coins a the front are $2, a boon to the OZ detector operator.

I can`t think of a deep nugget of size that didn`t give a warbly response and sometimes a null over centre. I believe that is why a lot of such responses are left by operators, I know I did on a number of occasions and than next morn when bright and revitalised back and recheck and dig up another nice one. Just love those indistinct warbly signals, makes the heart pump. Their not all horseshoes.

After a few hours use of the Xterra705, just got to say it is a great little lightweight machine, sensitive on gold and the notch discrimination for coins Wow!  Not having used a VLF since the 1700, they have certainly come a long way, have a lot of learning to do with this machine. Thank you for advice all.

Might be the secret, we give the machine a bit of "curry", which puts the Goddess of Gold in a good mood and bingo  Now I only got a couple of scraps today, I`m bloody sure my GPZ`s playing up.

That photo certainly lays my concerns to rest. Keep the faith fellows, just a matter of guiding the Z over them.