mn90403

JW, I think that the fringe area on the 14 coil is huge. The centering of a small target on the center of the coil or the edge is indeed a challenge. You know a target is there but how do you get it in the scoop? I'm left sometimes thinking the target is not there any more but I keep moving the pile until it comes back! It is really a shock sometimes how far the final scoop (with the target in it) is from where I think it should be. Sometimes it gets tracked out before I find it. (Then I am sometimes really, really shocked at how small the target is!) I've used the 14 far more than the 19 but I have recovered small targets with it. My impression is that the coil windings are so far apart that when the received signal gets under the center of the coil it 'triangulates' very quickly and I see it directly under the center of the large coil. This is a bit different than a 19" round Nugget Finder coil that I have for my 5000. I can remember pinpointing with the outside of the coil (the edge) quite easily but it would also center pinpoint for me. Mitchel

I went out for a couple of days to Gold Basin seeking gold. It was not to be so when in Gold Basin you seek out some meteorites. This trip it was difficult. Nothing until the final couple of hours on Saturday night. All of my previous locations didn't produce this trip so I went to nearby locations. The larger 37g meteorite was found in an area without many dig holes. It is hard to find a location in Gold Basin without any did holes! After moving on from that location I went to an area where I could see some very old dig holes. They were deep and big and not filled but weathered down. It was time to slow down. I checked around the dig holes and voila ... a hit about 8 inches from a previous dig. Time to scrape and dig and there is a stick to rock on the magnet. (Was it part of the previous dig hole and meteorite?) Don't leave your hole in Gold Basin. Check it again. When this was done there was still a target. Upon recovery it was a broken off piece of the meteorite that was dug. They fit. Total meteorite weight is 54g.

I have pinpointed some very small nuggets with the 19 easier than with the 14! I keep pushing piles around with my feet, scoop and hands with the 14 if it is small. Mitchel

Steve, What version of 5.11 did you have? Zappos have lots of them listed but without knowing a model and having previously had that shoe I probably wouldn't order through them on this order. http://www.zappos.com/men-boots/CK_XARCz1wE6AroLwAEC4gIEAQIYBw.zso Mitchel

How did this boot treat you so far?

I have a Targhee update. Those boots that I bought were better for a while. Then I started having a problem with the 'fit' and my toes were getting cramped so REI took them back. I went and got the Targhee III and was fitted by one of the guys there and he had me get a half size smaller so my foot did not move. They felt good and I could walk down their rock climbing area easily. When I used them the first time they seemed good but then I put on the 19" coil and a problem developed. All the other Targhees were metal free but this model has added a top eye for the last loop and it is made of metal. I took them back. Another problem I discovered with this type of boot is that it catches desert brush and rocks. This past weekend I went back to my old high-top boot and rediscovered how good it is to keep pieces of brush away from my socks. NO low top boots for me for prospecting so now I'm back to look for a boot.

Don't give up the hunt for a partner but don't drop your plans either. Time will be your ally and foe. The time you spend will reward you but will your partner have the same drive and schedule of time? What if he hunts on a trip more than you or vice versa? If you find someone who can go where you go or you go where they go try a trip. It is nice to have a companion sometimes to share finds. If one trip works, try another. Then think about a partnership on your best or new prospects. Mitchel

Paul, Don't lay it off on Chris. You are the one who said it as far as I'm concerned. I don't know YOUR source. haha Mitchel

I'm going to stretch the topic just a little bit and tell you that you don't always need to use a metal detector to find meteorites! This meteorite was found with my eyes and a magnet on Coyote Dry Lake. It weighs 13g and is only my second find there. The metal detector was in the car. We don't normally use them on a dry lake but sometimes you can. We used the GB Pro one time on a dry lake bed in Nevada to test meteor wrongs vs meteor rights. Let's say we only tested targets we saw and didn't swing randomly. Not all lake or meteorite areas are suitable for metal detectors. Holbrook in northern Arizona is an example that comes to mind. If you don't see it then you aren't going to find it. The ground is too mineralized for a detector to work. Mitchel

I have checked with Arkansas and you can't use a metal detector at Crater of Diamonds. You can use a metal detector on some of their 'beaches' listed here: Metal Detecting is allowed only on Arkansas State Park public beaches from Labor Day through the weekend preceding Memorial Day Sunday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the following parks: Crowley’s Ridge 870-285-2201 Daisy 870-398-4487 DeGray Lake Resort 501-865-2801 Lake Catherine 501-844-4176 Lake Charles 870-878-6895 Lake Dardanelle 479-967-5516 Lake Ouachita 501-767-9366 Village Creek 870-238-9406 Woolly Hollow 501-679-2098

I would trust the numbers and keep it as it is because that must be a pretty good find locally, right? Mitchel

We can hunt in beach state parks in California. I think you can metal detect beach state parks in Florida and the east coast. I think you need a permit in New York City and some other city beaches. Mitchel

I think they would let you use a metal detector there. Hard to find a diamond with one! Hummmmm ... just remembered they were planting some jewelry so maybe they have changed the rules since we were there.

Try a week of looking for diamonds in Arkansas. http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/media/news-releases.aspx?id=2696 You can park your rig there and give the ATVs a rest. Mitchel

Here is a program I was never aware of until I got this email. https://www.doi.gov/blog/volunteer-national-public-lands-day

I haven't been able to get any nuggets in the last couple of weeks but I did get a couple of nice rings. The little ring is 14k with little diamonds in a heart shape. The yellow ring is a large topaz cocktail ring. It is 14k yellow and white gold with diamonds. The total weight is 10g. Mitchel

Very well done. Your chevron is quite a prize along with all the others. I spent a day at Rye Patch on Tuesday and have nothing to show for it. I left about 4 PM but I had spent the night there near the burn barrel when I got there about 2 AM from Wyoming and the total eclipse there. Mitchel

I did this with GPX coils and bought extra shafts so that I did not have to zip tie on two or three coils. I have more coils than shafts so some of them I would Velcro instead of zip tie. I've also secured the wire just before it goes into the battery to prevent movement. That seems to be a 'known' issue with a loose coil wire. Have the issues ever been more than that on the Monster? (I still don't own a Monster but I've used one.) Mitchel

I've evaluated the situation. We have seen nearly the last of Nurse Paul. He won't be hunting much up this way any more. It won't be worth his TIME or energy. Nothing will provide him with the excitement. He'll start saving for next year to go back to his nuggie busters. Mitchel

Norvic, What kind of chocolate did he promise you? I'll make sure you get it ... if he has eaten all of it! Mitchel

I hope we don't leave it to Paul to be the only one to tell us about his adventure. His memory is not quite the same as the mates he has been with so we want the REAL story in addition to his ... if possible. The yarn ... oh the YARN ... will any of us hear it all?

Chris, WTG If you go to the right places and put in the hours it still can be found. Good proof. Mitchel

That's what we need! More eye candy.

Falling a bit short of big expectations is part of the process I guess. That is not arrogance. It is part of the risk and reward. Don't be too disappointed but I know you want to keep the pressure on yourself to meet your budget marks. Just remember that 99.9% of us can't make such a plan because we don't have the knowledge or the area and those that do have 'mixed' results also. Some things you just can't control. Fantastic job no matter what. Mitchel

Thank you Norvic. I know what you mean of course being out in the field is such a great joy. How do you take or would you want to take that solitary experience 'away?' I don't think it would take that away but give us better detectors and entertainment. Race car drivers race and then return to their normal driving when not in competition. What I'm 'proposing' is an artificial event. A made up competition that would allow detectorists and manufacturers a format to display the considerable skills they have and the equipment that they use. I doubt that anyone reading on this forum would much be interested without knowing there would be a big prize (Darts paid the winner 350,000 lbs!!!) and you would have to be younger than most of us to get the proper coverages and sponsorships and survive the challenges. Maybe there are some physical barriers that would require physical agility as well. To use another cliche ... this is a very preliminary trial balloon for such an event. The largest event I attend has 400 or so detectorists in a scramble, finding coins and tokens. It is fun for some but not all like it. You pay $25 to get in and in about an hour if you are quick you can just about get your money back. Local businesses contribute prizes and services which are awarded by raffle and finding the right tokens. Metal detecting companies and dealers kick in detectors and products as well. Minelab had a National Metal Detecting Day event for a couple of years. It was a scramble style event. I won an eTrac at the second event in Santa Barbara. Skill in these events is necessary but not primary. I would like to promote skills and equipment to a much higher degree. It is done with other hobbies, pursuits and professions so why can't we have a few professional metal detectorists who are praised for being our elite? I can imagine planting targets to try and trick the detectorists and they would have figured out the puzzle. Something that we could all 'relate to' so to say so that we would be interested at some level at watching the competition. Without viewers, fans or public interest then it could never be a viable proposal or event. From the lack of reaction so far I'd say the idea is dead in the water or as they say dead on arrival but at least I got it out there! haha