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  1. How about offering the Nox 800 with the 11'' coil plus the 6'' coil for $999 plus with a pin pointer as a winter special in the USA.With all the money the government is given out it would be a good time to do it.
  2. When going on a hunt do you take 2 different gold detectors or stick just to the big guns? This last season with Covid and all, I was more fortunate to be out in the field. On one of my trips to Oregon a Staff Member and I were eager to swing our GPZ's over some ground that held gold. After about 2 hours of digging iron bits and old lead bullets, I decided the extra depth of the 7000 (overkill) was not proficient for this sites and hiked back to the truck to get the NOX... and what a smart decision it was. Lighter, faster, better target ID (I like the way it - NOX talks to me) and when I hiked back down the hill to the exact same piece of ground my ZED was having issues, the 1st target I dug was gold. Knowing capabilities of my detectors and when to make change is very important. But as I meet so many folks that want to be nugget hunters, I see a good % of them are only taking 1 detector for a trip. I realize if you have a Big Gun then maybe some of you feel it's best for all gold and or hunts and the little VLF types have no use. Most folks (not all) started out with VLF technology detectors and then evolve to a PI or ZED, but do you keep the VLF at home? Why do so many people I run into in the field only have 1 unit with them? This pretty yellow piece is probably the last nugget found in Oregon with my EQ800 and I'm most certain it would not be in my collection if I only had the 7000 on that trip. Knowing when to make a change is very important and sometimes rewarding. Are you a 1 and done hunter or prefer to take #2 as a back up to the plan.
  3. Sage advice for nugget shooters from the late, great Jim Straight! I always get excited when I come across the old drywasher tailing piles (dryblower heaps) of long abandoned mining claims in the desert. The efficiency of gold recovery using this dry separation method depends on many factors, including the moisture content of the material, its degree of consolidation, the angle of the riffle box and amount of air flow and vibration. Even if all of these conditions are optimal, recovery is never 100% and some gold inevitably ends up in the tailing piles. So, slow and methodical searching of these areas with the gold detector most always guarantees a few bits being added to the poke. Depending on when these placers were mined, the tailings can be hard to recognize, so carefully observing your surroundings while out in the field for these tell-tale clues to productive areas can really pay off. While the coarse tailings have been detected for large nuggets long ago in most instances, the fine piles were left unchecked and can still contain numerous sub-gram nuggets for the keen detector operator. But that's only half of the fun, because searching the virgin ground surrounding these old workings can yield more and larger nuggets, and maybe even an undiscovered nugget patch. Some sub-gram gold recovered from the tailings:
  4. Coming from Tesoros I have picked up a NOX 600. I am use to setting threshold to a barely audible hum. Then setting discrimination. The quieter the threshold hum, the better discrimination works. Or so it seems. So what exactly then does setting threshold do on the NOX? According to the manual; it is used to notch out an item, like a nickel or penny. Can someone please explain the differences. And also explain that if I set the threshold on the NOX to a barely noticed hum what are the consequences? Thanks Terry
  5. I am curious to hear from other 800 users on this one. I have detected many different sites in three different towns. Most are old public places with a good bit of activity throughout the years. My issue is this: almost without exception, when I am hunting, there is an overwhelming amount of target signals coming through on almost every swing and it is frustrating to try and discern a good solid repeatable target to dig. I have ground balanced and kept the sensitivity down enough to cut out any EMI as needed. I run in park 1 typically. Also, when I have the horseshoe on, I have a hard time finding a clean spot to ground balance due to iron signals. I can't believe I am really getting that many target signals, so it concerns me I may have an issue. As a side note, this does not happen at the beach (salt water) when I detect there-it runs smoothly. One more thing: I have noticed since I have had my 800 (since August) that when I pinpoint, I sometimes have to reset by getting out of pinpoint mode and back in for it to work. Sorry for rambling, but any suggestions are appreciated!
  6. Hello! I’d like to hear from some folks experienced with the GPX detector sounds. There is a lot of talk out there of how much quieter these model detectors are over their predecessors, but I am not so sure. I have found that hot rocks my old detector would scream on are ignored, though as for noise, there is a lot of it. I’ll do my best to describe what I hear in a relatable way, a bit deeper than the general listening to little harmonicas in the headphones. To begin, I can absolutely discern a nugget response. I am lucky enough at this point to have found nuggets every day detecting with this detector since I’ve owned it. But questions, they have arose and I hope that by sharing my curiosity and (hopefully) receiving feedback, I may learn to use this machine more effectively and shine more light into the world for other GPX operators. I thoroughly believe the ground I have been hunting is quite hot, maybe even on the severe side. I have not been able to run my detector very quietly at all. Don’t be too harsh on me for saying this, but I have not tried running it in Sens Ex yet. Fine Gold is finding me nuggets fairly easily with a Gain of about 8, Stab about 10, Tracking fast, and Motion medium. I tried out Enhance once and it didn’t seem to make a difference, so I stuck with what’s been finding me nuggets (3 trips-14 nuggets). The noises, I’m looking for some confirmation or identification if you can deduce my rough descriptions. First I suppose I will start with the threshold. This sound I believe is very obvious to pick out, to identify it I simply adjust the threshold up until it’s loud and obvious, then I turn it down until it’s hidden and then back up until it’s quiet yet something I’m able to focus on. Now sometimes this very faint drone will go blank for moments, but so far I have not found an instance of it being repeatable. What’s happening? Other times it seems like some sort of audio boost kicks in without any changes in volume or pitch, almost like just another layer of the same sound is being superimposed over the threshold and noise, also no instances yet of repeatability. What’s this? Second, I’ll ask about ground noise/ground balance. I seem to be getting quite a bit of noise from the detector which I am assuming is, the infamous ground noise. I’d describe this noise as a chatter and all the likes of little burps and chirps that are not repeatable. Now I assume I could quiet all this down via settings, but again, I’m finding nuggets so I’m willing to endure for now even with the awareness I may be missing nuggets at the same time. But I think my big curiosity with this is the fact that sometimes it seems like I can’t ground balance. I even am careful to gb over multiple spots in case I was trying to gb over a target, but it just won’t smooth out. Though it seems to smooth out once I start going even though it wouldn’t during gb. Is this common at any level? I made a sorry attempt at a specific balance once, but I was finding nuggets still, so I haven’t really been diligent about pulling off a good Sgb. Now my last noise question is about EMI. I can identify when I’m getting false bump and vegetation signals, but what I’m thinking of as EMI can be really bothersome and seemingly malicious! Is EMI the totally false booming signals that sound like a target but are not repeatable and also don’t really match up with my sweep speed? I’ve tried playing with some manual adjustment after doing a tune, because sometimes this noise that I’m thinking is EMI is so bad that I’ll do an auto tune every five minutes or so. I wouldn’t really think the area I was in would have so much EMI. Maybe the Sun has been a bit more excited lately??? I know I’ve just asked a lot and I have even more questions than this, but if anybody would be willing to even partially help out. I’d be very grateful. I’m very interested in the way that the GPX settings work and what’s actually going on even deeper than what’s described in the manual. So if there is any literature out there with some more depth into this machine, I’m asking to be guided. I absolutely love the GPX and I want to get a couple aftermarket coils for it now that I’ve seen how it is with the stock coils and reading about how much more of a performance boost some of the coils out there can give it. Thank you!!!
  7. I have been using a Garrwtr 350 but have come up something I dont understand. I get a signal and a a depth of 6 to 8 in. there times i have dug a hole 10 in deep and the machine is still telling me something is there at 6 to 8 in dead cent in a 10.in hole! I have re swung and did both pinpoint techniques with the center of the hole still where it is. if there is nothing but air at 6 to 8 in, what is the machine telling me?
  8. I went to my local fresh water beach witch I have been to countless times. I got a very strong hit on my TDI BH gb off, I chased and came up with a 3 1/2 inch hair pin. A few feet away I got the same hit I pinpointed it took 1 shallow scoop it was still there I took a deeper 2nd scoop deeper than I thought the target was, still there and centered in the hole with the X on it. If this was a surface coin I would have got it. I have a good hunch that this another hair pin, so I took a shallow scoop to the left of my hole and there it was a large hair pin lying there. The pin was 6 to 8 inches off to the side of where I was pinpointing it. I have been detecting since the late 70s so not new at it. Y do long narrow targets detect off to the side not on top of them ???
  9. I bought a Nokta Makro Pulse Dive, but I won't snorkel, I need to buy goggles and snorkel, what else? I have no experience, but I am willing to work hard to learn, only by using Pulse Dive can I avoid crowds, and that is, what kind of bag to use in the water to reduce drag to collect!
  10. Are there a lot of entrepreneurs in the prospecting/detectorist community? There seem to be similarities in the personality traits: curiosity, independence, hopes of hitting it big, good at doing research, sense of adventure , etc, etc. I'm a startup guy myself - been doing software and web development for the past decade and a half, worked on startups in areas like security, telecom, health, social media, etc. Honestly - most of the projects have been kind of boring. A prospecting-related startup could be a lot of fun - and might be a good excuse to do more camping and exploring. Off the top of my head, I'd think that a hot area might be utilizing machine learning and and other data science techniques to aid in hobbyist prospecting (and integrate this data with GIS and other applications). As a newcomer to the field, it would be educational to hear about the pain points that could be addressed in the form of a new product or service. Anyone else around here kicking some ideas around in their head? I'm always open to brainstorming/collaborating.
  11. I get to share many more stories, photos and sometimes videos of amazing gold discoveries than the average person, mostly do to the fact I sell metal detectors and my customers are usually happy to share their Success stories. On occasion I get to see some finds that I can never show or share as the finder has asked that of me. Boy has there been some crazy amounts of gold being recovered with detectors still. Sure wish I could tell you all but I'd then piss off some of those who take me for my word and I'd prefer not to lose that friendship. My question is, what do you folks do when you find something substantial? Is it best to keep amongst your few inner circle or is it ok to let everyone know? Yes I want to share MD'ing finds as I sell detectors for a living, but also, I have personally been walked over for giving out to much info. I try to walk a fine line and keep everyone happy, if it's possible. I myself have been fortunate and found a few trophies and even caught a couple on video, but after viewing the video, realized the video could cause a mini gold rush. Do you share and tell all or keep most of your finds to yourself? I really don't think there is a right/wrong answer? Thanks for your input.
  12. big seeded hunt coming up in 2 weeks in central indiana and all I have is my old Headhunter Diver water machine. Thick mowed grass hunt. Should I get something with a small coil like an old Tesoro Compadre or Ace 250 or? Will I need my Garett Propointer or just eyeballs to pinpoint? And I do have tennis elbow right now, what to do about that as well? Wear a compression band around elbow and forearm? I know my Garrett Propointer sometimes picks up interference from the Garrett Ace 250 which would be bad news in a speed hunt. Any tips on competition hunting appreciated. Do I need headphones, full earcups or the little foam ones? Thanks. -Tom V.
  13. We all know why so let’s not go there. Here are a few ideas of prospecting and metal detecting related activities you can do at home. 1. Research. This is the key to all truly successful prospecting and metal detecting. You need good locations to do well, and they are getting harder to find every year. Time spent researching is never time wasted. 2. Take those detectors apart and give them the best cleaning ever. Make them look brand new! Are there spare parts you don’t have and maybe should have? Extra coil bolt and washers for instance. Think about this while cleaning the detector and get them ordered. 3. Check all those old batteries and discard the ones that need to go away. If you have detectors that have been sitting for too long, take the batteries out if they are going to keep sitting. Charge everything up that can be charged. 4. Time to clean house. Get that stuff you are never really ever going to use again up for sale or give it away. 5. Go though all those finds and get them in order. Maybe some need to go in the trash. The best may need a display case. Good time to take photos and post a story! 6. You know those bench test experiments you always meant to do but never get around to? Time for that and maybe a test garden or test tub to answer some of those questions for yourself that have been nagging you. 7. Change the oil in that ATV or generator. Service all your support gear and vehicles. Please add your own suggestions to the list......
  14. Hello everybody, I have 2 questions today. First, I would like to inform me if there is any trick to understand the mineralization of the ground that you are about to search with your metal detector in the fields and in the woods. Second, I am a minelab safari owner, (I am interesting about coins and jewelry mostly) and except the stock coil (11’’), I also have the Mars MD sniper coil (10’’X 6’’). What would you recommend for bigger coil? Consider that except fields and woods, I do a lot a lot a lot of beach metal detecting. I want something deeper but not losing in target separation and if it is possible the less effect of ground mineralization and iron masking. I was thinking about mars md tiger (13’’x 10’’), mars md discovery (13’x13’’), nel tornado (13’’x12’’) and nel thunder (14.5’’x10.5’’). I am waiting for your recommendations. Thanks.
  15. Hey All, I posted my one an only post in May and I was looking at potentially buying an ORX or a 800 NOX. My uses would be roughly 2/3 gold 1/3 everything else. Here in Canada the prices are about $100 Can different. I was leaning toward the ORX due to its higher frequency response light weight and simplicity of use. But then life and COVID and closed US Canada border stepped in and I have procrastinated in buying one or the other. Trouble is this has given me more time to think about it. The apparently note I said apparently overwhelmingly underwhelming use of ORX in the goldfields has given me pause. The continued development of NOX 800 has given me pause. Thinking harder about what I want to do has given me pause. For example an ORX in a riverbed (say the kettle in BC/WA) in the water (not deep) some - is this a good idea? Why has the ORX not apparently been well accepted? Lack of water proof? Lack of tweaking controls? Expense of additional coils? Does the NOX 800 absolutely do everything the ORX does plus more flexibility? What? Now I'm wondering if a two detector set up might be better say gold kruzer and vanquish 540 together about $300 more than NOX - certainly affordable. A gold machine and a more versatile than the kruzer from what I can tell machine in the vanquish. Man these choices are confusing... -Ed-
  16. Hello every one i am honored to be a member in this forums and i am a beginner in this field . i want to know if any one have this machine Pulse Star 2 pro and has review on it . i am looking for treasures and relics . do you suggests to buy Pulse Star 2 pro or GPX 5000 for my search . http://www.tb-electronic.de/start/index2.html
  17. I’m seeking some wisdom in taking the next step in my prospecting journey. Up to this point, most of the gold I’ve found has been in riverbeds or washes. I’m not quite sure how to move from them into the hillsides. Here’s a current scenario, perhaps as a template to discuss. Recently, I’ve found a little desert wash with a fair amount of small, detectable gold. It’s within a broader area generally known for old-time dry washing. I can find no signs of old workings in this relatively short wash. Nevertheless, there are a few, very recent spots where someone has vacuumed and drywashed small portions of the bedrock. When I come across something like this, I typically test things out to see if someone else has been both onto and missing anything. Indeed, things were both found and missed. Over the course of several trips, I detected 55 small nuggets concentrated along the shallow bedrock. Pictured here are the results from my last trip. Twenty seven pieces detected in one half-day. I found that even an inch or two of overburden was masking many of the signals. So, out came the rake and up came the signals. As I mentioned, this particular wash is small and shallow. Perhaps, it is 1-3 feet wide with a lot of of exposed bedrock. The overburden is anywhere from none to 1 foot deep. In only a few places, at the turns, do the banks accumulate up to 2 feet deep. I have yet to find detectable gold in any of the surrounding washes. This leads me to wonder if there is a hillside source for these little nuglets. I’ve tracked them to the point at which they peter out moving upstream. I’ve been thinking this may or may not be the starting point since eons of erosion could have taken them in either direction before the current topography set in place with such a shallow grade. My overarching question is how do you approach moving from washes into the hillsides in search of a possible source? Do you loam the hillsides before electronic surveillance? Or, vice versa? Do you set off detecting the area in a systematic fashion? Do you only detect at reefs or contact zones? How deep do you typically find desert hillside gold? Any tips, or advice, or preferences are points of valuable reference for me and would be sincerely appreciated.
  18. I would like to introduce to you my new favorite hand digger. After about three weeks of detecting, I have come to love this new digger I have come across. It's small, light weight (about 10 1/2 oz.) and super strong. The handle design is not your typical T handle, It is reversed and angled for better leverage while digging. Great for some of us with bad hands and It's made from heat treated Chromoly steel. The edges are serrated and the tip is perfectly designed and sharp. The handle has a bed liner type grip and 3/4 inch tubing. The blade is 2 1/4 inches wide and 6 inches long. The overall length is about 12 1/2 inches at its longest measurement. This guy has figured out what diggers are supposed to be. I added a custom paint job and paracord /carabiner clip, The paint job is holding up better than I thought and In my opinion this is one of the best diggers I have ever used. Well where do you get one????? Lucky for you members here, It's made Here in the USA by one of our great members Kac. He makes them on a limited basis and Quantity so be aware that there are only so many to be had at a given time. Kac will give you all the details on pricing and shipping if you PM him.
  19. Ok I was just curious and I have been trying to find out without any luck so I am going to ask this question here...... Who owns the long John Latham magazine and lost treasure magazine copy rights? What if I wrote a little article about metal detecting research or whatever and wanted to use an old article or story for a reference that was in one of these old magazines that are no longer in print.....how would I go about getting permission to use the old articles or the rights to use them?? Anyone know anything about this kind of stuff??
  20. Photo from both ends What do you do with this stuff from years of detecting. All the gold and silver & diamond jewelry was sent to a refinery and provided me a few thousand dollars spending money, Have a lot more jewelry that is not displayed as there isn't any more room. Hundreds and hundreds of keys and tokens. this is just some of my finds over the years. March box cars, civil war relics from VA. Guess I just leave it and let the kids sort it out.
  21. Hi - I have a mint Coinmaster 1 TRDX machine that I got at a yard sale. It has all of the components and fired right up with fresh batteries. I was just tying to find out when it is from exactly but can't seem to find it online. It has a Date of GG. It's a fun machine to use as it brings back old memories as a kid in the 1970's out finding stuff with a similar machine my buddy had. Thank you in advance for your time, Dino
  22. For several years now I have been dragging my buddy to new places that I thought would be good spots to detect. We both have darn little to show for all our effort. To make up for it, I got a well known nugget detectorist to take us into the field for some lessons. Here are three important take-aways from that trip: 1) High hills in old burn areas are great places to identify new nugget fields. 2) He showed us such an area where there were a great many very small-scale mining features that were invisible In Google Earth, yet the burn made them quite visible from a hilltop. Our guide said that based on his detecting experience, there were many more overlooked gold pieces to find here and in similar areas. 3) It can be easy to recognize the presence of hidden pockets in old burns by the discolored downhill soil these pockets shed. He said this was a common occurrence, and even if they have been mined historically, there were still gold pieces to be found in these places, but again I couldn't see a thing on Google Earth. He's a great guy, he's very knowledgeable, and he's expensive. I don't have his permission to list his name here, but he may added it at some time. EDIT: He said I can use his name. It's Ray Mills of Redding, California. His online name is AUTrinity.
  23. my grandkids broke one of the battery door push pin connectors to my amigo II, does anyone know where I could find a replacement one? It appears to be exactly like the one on my old whites goldmaster II. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank's to all that reply.
  24. Looking for recommendations on a reliable backpacker model for small nugget/hardrock detecting. likely will be charging it on portable solar for extended hikes. I'll be in remote country over scree fields, rocks, peaks and creeks far from wheeled and motor transportation. I have the Mine lab 5000, but it is a bit to heavy for my adventurous soul. the 5k works great around home country.
  25. Here we go again, when autumn approaches, the evaluation of the most suitable vehicle means to prepare anything to face the peace of the beaches that will gradually begins empty ... Unfortunately for me, no more dinghy this year and considering the terrible weight of all the ballast I'm forced to bring downthere, plus another tool I'm planning in these hours, this time I'm in real troubles. At least 150kg, to be carried by hand and never on my back again, possibly. I tried to build two different trolleys with solid wheels, but with all the weight, I only managed to sink into the first meters of sand and to get into the water it was a nightmare. if any of you use special wheels or have built a personal cart and want to share pictures to get an idea for a project, that would be really great ...
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