Jump to content

Search the Community

Showing results for tags 'fisher detector'.

  • Search By Tags

    Type tags separated by commas.
  • Search By Author

Content Type


Forums

  • Metal Detecting & Gold Prospecting Forums
    • Meet & Greet
    • Detector Prospector Forum
    • Metal Detecting For Coins & Relics
    • Metal Detecting For Jewelry
    • Metal Detector Advice & Comparisons
    • Metal Detecting & Prospecting Classifieds
    • AlgoForce Metal Detectors
    • Compass, D-Tex, Tesoro, Etc.
    • First Texas - Bounty Hunter, Fisher & Teknetics
    • Garrett Metal Detectors
    • Minelab Metal Detectors
    • Nokta / Makro Metal Detectors
    • Quest Metal Detectors
    • Tarsacci Metal Detectors
    • White's Metal Detectors
    • XP Metal Detectors
    • Metal Detecting For Meteorites
    • Gold Panning, Sluicing, Dredging, Drywashing, Etc
    • Rocks, Minerals, Gems & Geology

Categories

  • Best of Forums
  • Gold Prospecting
  • Steve's Guides
  • Steve's Mining Journal
  • Steve's Reviews

Categories

  • Free Books
  • Bounty Hunter
  • Fisher Labs
  • Garrett Electronics
  • Keene Engineering
  • Minelab Electronics
  • Miscellaneous
  • Nokta/Makro
  • Teknetics
  • Tesoro Electronics
  • White's Electronics
  • XP Metal Detectors
  • Member Submissions - 3D Printer Files
  • Member Submissions - Metal Detector Settings

Find results in...

Find results that contain...


Date Created

  • Start

    End


Last Updated

  • Start

    End


Filter by number of...

Joined

  • Start

    End


Group


Website URL


Facebook


YouTube


Instagram


Twitter


Pinterest


LinkedIn


Skype


Location:


Interests:


Gear In Use:

  1. I would like to know which appropriate and best all purposes detectors and especially for depth , I live in north Africa, a lot of treasure.. Many civilizations were here: romans, vandals, Berbers, Byzantines...and much more, I will be waiting your answers guys.
  2. This question has been in the back of my mind for a while now. If nugget shooting in mild to moderate ground or even stretches of exposed bedrock in a desert wash, how would the 19kHz GB Pro w/stock 10" DD coil perform compared to the 13 kHz F75 w/ 6.5" or 10" concentric elliptical coils? I was going to PM Steve directly with my question but thought forum participation would be better. Thanks for the input,,,,Rob
  3. This offer expired some time back but is being opened up again through March 2016. It brings the F75 and T2 up to latest software version. Depending on the model a person currently owns the upgrades can add the following features: Boost Mode Cache Mode DST (Digital Shield Technology) FA (Fast Process) 4 levels of FE Tone Adjustable Audio Pitch LCD Serialization Warranties can also be extended for up to three years. Fisher F75 Upgrade http://www.fisherlab.com/hobby/upgrade.htm Teknetics T2 Upgrade http://www.tekneticst2.com/upgrade.htm
  4. Pretty fast shipping. The shipped it on the 12th and I picked it up at the post office on the 26th. 15 days from Russia to New Mexico, USA. Good looking coil. Not too heavy but it does add a little front end weight on the F75. I get a lot EMI in the house but the limited bench testing was good on the F75 LTD. I tried it on the F19 and F5, too. Works great on the F5. Works on the F19 too, but not as well as the F5 and F75. I'll post a review in a couple of weeks after I get some time on the ground with it. But from the quick bench testing I did last night I can already tell it will do what I bought it to do. HH Mike RIF Ranger 14" x 10" DD Coil
  5. I have been told the T2 is really just a F75 with different rod, paint and decals. Programs, performance and sensitivity supposed to be same machine and I'm referring to base models only (not special /limited edition models) The T2 is known internationally in distant gold fields as a great nugget shooter. The F75 state side for relics, coins and gold in trashy tailing piles. Are they really the same machine or perhaps "tweaked" just a bit different but kept on the down low by the folks at First Texas. Any insight into this would be appreciated.
  6. Hello Everybody, I posted this on Dankowski's forum. I thought others my find this information helpful so I'll put it up here :-) This saga all began in January 2015 with the purchase of a brand new (not upgraded) F75 LTD with DST. This first unit (11-14 model) was defective (the display was rattling around in the housing) and it had the "mama" pin point bug. After discussing with the dealer I purchased it from, we decided the best course would be to return it directly to Fisher. I contacted Fisher and they issued a return label no charge. Off it went. I asked that the new unit be completely calibrated and tested prior to shipping. Unit #2....This machine air tested quite well, 16" on a nickle in discrimination mode but weak in all metal mode. Really weak, like 13" max. On top of that, when used in dirt (actual detecting), the TID was extremely erratic. Called Fisher again. They sent me another return label at no cost. Once again I asked that the unit be fully calibrated and tested prior to shipping. I was assured it would be, like before. Unit #3....This one arrived, (same #2 unit I had sent in) with a note saying the coil was bad. No mention of calibrating or testing. The TID was now stable but the all metal mode was still anemic. Nothing had changed there. Back on the phone to Fisher. They sent me another return label. Once again I asked that the replacement unit be fully calibrated and tested. Once again I was assured it would be. At this point Tom was advertising one of his calibrated F75 LTD's. I bought it. At least now I could go detecting and know I was using a unit that would do what it was supposed to do. When this one arrived I did a quick air test on a nickle. over 16" in discrimination, BP, sensitivity 99, disc zero (just like all the other tests). All metal is close to 18" in air test. I'm smiling now!!!!! Unit #4 from Fisher arrives....OK, I'm thinking finally can get down to business. Surely this one would be proper. Man was I disappointed. This unit actually air tested worse then the last one both in discrimination mode and in all metal mode. Unbelievable!!!! Back to the emails and phone calls to Fisher. I also did a side by side air test and in the ground test between the Tom certified unit and the one from Fisher. I recorded the side by side air test results on a piece of poster board. Took a picture of it and emailed it to Fisher showing them the difference. At this moment I thought....since I have two machines sitting here, why not try swapping coils. So....I did another air test after swapping coils (11x9 is used in all tests) What do you know.....now the machine from Fisher air tests almost identical to the Tom certified unit. I sent Fisher another email explaining what I had done. Saying it may just be a coil problem. They responded saying that they would send me another complete unit but they were worried that I wouldn't be happy with anything they sent since I had a Dankowski F75 LOL. I said give me a good unit that I can have a clear conscience selling. Unit #5.....Well, Fisher finally got it right. This unit air tests every bit as good as Tom's calibrated unit, maybe even a shade deeper. It took a lot of time and persistence but they made it right. I will add that everyone I worked with at Fisher was really helpful and the service was great. They just really need to work on batch consistency and QC. The F75 is a beast. This fifth machine is for sale here Brand new F75 LTD If your looking for one that works like it should....look no further. I went through hell to get it, almost hate to part with it. I can't use two of them though. I would sell the Tom calibrated unit but it has been used....this one has only been air tested and made a quick pass over my test garden. I guess the moral of this story is if you don't think your detector is doing what it should. Ask why!!! Thank you to everyone that contributes to these forums. If I hadn't read what these machines were capable of I would have never known I had a sub par machine. Kenny
  7. I have now put enough time on all these units to at least reach a basic conclusion in my own mind. And that is that they are far more alike than different. Trying to get clear differences to appear in actual field use in highly mineralized ground is a true exercise in hair splitting. A couple detectors that can be added to the title list are the Teknetics T2 and G2 models. First Texas owns Fisher and Teknetics. The T2 is the predecessor of the F75. They are not exactly the same detector (they do not share coils) but almost identical in performance. The G2 really is just a Gold Bug Pro in different clothes. 13 kHz - Fisher F75 and Teknetics T2 15 kHz - Nokta FORS Gold and FORS CoRe 19 kHz - Fisher Gold Bug Pro, F19, Teknetics G2 In actual use the frequency just about says it all. The lower frequency F75 and T2 are just a tad less sensitive to very small low conductors, like a small gold nugget. The 15 kHz FORS is almost an exact match to the Gold Bug Pro/F19/G2 for sensitivity to small low conductors and so despite the bigger frequency gap I would say the FORS models come closer to the higher 19 kHz models than the lower 13 kHz models. I have to say it all just boils very much down to the feature list, and again, they line up pretty well. The less expensive Gold Bug Pro and G2 have a more limited feature set than the F19. The F75 has the most options for tones and settings at the highest price on the list. The Nokta units at their new lower price are a real good value. For me when it came down to actual performance the Gold Bug Pro/ F19 were so close to the FORS models I let the two Fishers go and kept the Nokta. Basically just to get the automatic ground tracking which can be very useful in variable ground but also the three tone option, which is nice for coin detecting. I also like the way the Nokta units balance better with larger coils. All I can tell anyone at this point if you want a detector to use for nugget detecting and also for other purposes, the Gold Bug Pro/F19/G2/FORS Gold and FORS CoRe are so close in actual field use that it will all come down to the operator and ground variations. I think the machines are a toss up from a performance perspective and so just line up the feature list and go with whatever floats your boat. I think for sheer value at this time the Nokta FORS models are tough to beat. The T2 and F75 give up a slight edge on small low conductors. What this means is that all the previously mentioned models are better for smaller gold nuggets. The trade off is the T2 and F75 are better all around detectors for general purpose use, gaining in coin and other high end conductors some slight advantage simply because the machines are not quite so sparky on tiny non-ferrous trash. In moderate to low mineral ground conditions the T2 and F75 have a clear depth advantage on high conductive coins but in very mineralized ground the advantage is nearly non-existent. In my case at least I feel like there is a 90% overlap between my latest version F75 and the two FORS models. If I head out the door right this second to go hunt coins I am more likely to grab the F75 as I like the extra tone schemes. There is the 3H mode that gives a high tone beep on all normal coins but also takes US nickels, which usually reads as a mid tone, and puts it up in the high tone range also. This is a great cherry picking mode. The standard 4 tone mode is great for cherry picking jewelry digging the low mid tones. I like the big screen and the backlight, etc. So I am also keeping my F75. But if I was heading out the door chasing gold nuggets right now in a really trashy location and not wanting to use a PI, I would grab the FORS instead. It pulls low conductors like small gold nuggets out of the ground better than the F75. Not by a huge margin, but enough to matter to me. And that is where it will stay for now. I am waiting to get my hands on the new Makro Racer models this summer, and using the F75 and FORS plus Racer units all summer. Then proceeding to phase two of the weeding process. I am trying very hard to get my detector collection down to just a couple PI detectors and a couple VLF detectors. It is down to that stage of the game however where it just needs a lot more in field use to let things sort out for me. What I can leave you with for sure right now however is that these are all very good detectors that are ridiculously close in performance. You really just can't go wrong with any of them. Mid frequency VLF technology has matured to the point where it is almost impossible for anyone to really stand out from a performance standpoint. Nearly all the performance debates I see on the internet about these models boils down to differences in ground mineralization more than the machines themselves. Just find one that feels right on your arm and sounds good to your ear and get to work! This is very much a work in progress and so as I get a chance to use the large coils or hunt under different ground conditions if I come up with anything if interest I will add it here. There is a related thread on VDI numbers and tones at https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/526-fors-gold-f75-v3i-tone-and-vdi-tidbits/. For detailed information on each model plus the latest prices visit Steve's Guide to Gold Nugget Detectors
  8. I got my hands on a prototype of the new Fisher F75 and was very impressed with the improved EMI (ElectroMagnetic Interference) resistance more than anything. I also liked the new ferrous tones option that allows the operator to set the volume of the ferrous tone lower than the tone from non-ferrous targets. This makes the non-ferrous targets stand out better and is less fatiguing to listen to. The new FA fast mode is something I do not need as much as some people. It is intended to improve separation of adjacent items while detecting. For me I had sold my previous F75 for no other reason than EMI issues and let it go in favor of my Gold Bug Pro, which is exactly the opposite when it comes to EMI. The big attraction for me in the new F75 is the EMI resistance. I had to send the prototype back but was told I would see a production unit eventually. I must have been last on the list because it kept not showing up. Questions raised in the meantime really got me to wondering about things, so while I was waiting I found a deal on a never used 2013 F75Ltd version 7.0A. I figured it would give me a baseline for comparisons to the new unit when and if it ever arrived. Recent posts also got me wondering about the new Fisher F19, and on an impulse I picked up one of those also in like new condition. So I am sitting around playing with these two detectors when my new 2015 F75Ltd2 shows up a few days ago. Only one problem. The ground is frozen here. Now, I would love to say I went out and tested the heck out of these three detectors, head to head, under stringent test conditions, witnessed, verified, and on video. Given the circumstances it seems almost criminal not to. The reality is however that I am about burned out on the whole Fisher upgrade saga and just wanted to make a personal decision and move on. I do not feel like waiting around for the ground to thaw. The F19 is a sweet little detector and does hit tiny low conductors better than the F75. The new F75 seems just marginally better than the 2013 F75 in that regard but still not as good as the F19. Since I have other machines that trump them all for small gold I decided what really mattered to me was larger item performance and overall features so the F19 got kicked to the curb. My only real issue at that point was trying to determine if there was anything about the old F75 versus new F75 that would make me hesitant to upgrade. Again, I wish I could give you some kind of in depth report but I think I have learned my lesson reporting on machines where I have got one for free (sort of). The extra effort is kind of wasted so all that really matters is satisfying myself. I bench tested as best I could and the simple take away for me once again is the new F75 is remarkably more stable and interference free at higher gain levels than the old F75. I noted no significant loss of depth in all metal mode or anything else to cause me concern. I may very well have missed something, not saying I did not but it does look like I got a properly functioning F75Ltd2. I have decided I am happy with the new detector and that it is time to move on. I am getting pretty busy with getting ready for the prospecting season and in fact am headed to BLM right now to spend the day on claims research. So for what it is worth it is new F75Ltd2 for me. If anyone is interested in like a like new F19 or F75Ltd they are both for sale at http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/classifieds/ The F19 I am including my 5" and 11" DD coils from my Gold Bug Pro that I held onto just in case the F19 ended up being the keeper. They can go now also. It really for anyone interested comes down to Fisher F19 vs Fisher F75Ltd2. From a prospecting perspective it is a no-brainer. The F19 is everything a Fisher Gold Bug Pro is along with some extra features like a backlight some people may like. It would be a bit better than a Gold Bug Pro at getting nuggets out of a pile of nails. The key issue is the F19 comes with the coil the Gold Bug Pro should come with but does not - the 5" x 10" DD coil. To get a Gold Bug Pro with that coil will cost you almost as much as just getting the F19 anyway, so I would tend to push people towards the F19 over the Gold Bug Pro for that very reason alone. I also for gold prospecting would recommend the Gold Bug Pro or F19 over the F75. These two models are slightly hotter on little gold nuggets than the F75 and for quite a bit less money do everything a gold prospector might want. So why am I going with the F75 myself? The reality for me is I have other detectors I will use if I am chasing small gold nuggets. They would be the Fisher Gold Bug 2 for low mineral ground and Minelab SDC 2300 for high mineral ground. Having these two detectors makes my having the F19 or Gold Bug Pro overly redundant. What I am more interested in is a good VLF for looking for larger gold nuggets in trashy tailings and cobble piles using a larger coil. The F75 is slightly better suited for this task than the F19 or Gold Bug Pro but more importantly for me it is also a good urban coin and jewelry detector, especially with the new resistance to electrical interference. It used to be the big weakness in the F75 was urban use, and all of the sudden that is now a strong point for the machine. I am glad to have put that all aside as the whole F75 thing has been dragging on for far longer than it should have. As seems to be usual for Fisher these days they need a bit of time to sort things out when they release a new model or even an upgrade to an old model. At this point it is probably safe for anyone wanting a new F75Ltd2 to get one or if they have an older model and want to have it upgraded I also think things seem to be sorted out on that end also. Those who are interested in upgrades can get details at http://www.fisherlab.com/hobby/upgrade.htm
  9. Snow on the ground so time for a little bench testing. Fisher F75 SE version 7.0A (2013) with 5" round DD coil, Nokta FORS Gold with 5" semi-round DD coil, and White's V3i with 4" x 6" DD coil. The table shows VDI numbers on some standard items. The little allen wrench is like a small nail - a ferrous item. The BIC ballpoint is my standard simulated small nugget. The ring is my 14K plain gold band, around 7 grams. The VDI range on the Nokta runs from 1 - 99 with 40 and under generally ferrous. The F75 runs from 1 - 99 with 15 and under generally ferrous. The White's V3i runs from -95 to +95 with negative numbers generally ferrous. I say generally because in all three cases gold can run well into the ferrous range. Like by 10 - 20 VDI numbers into it! A few big lessons. The Nokta FORS VDI 1 - 99 range is skewed with high conductors bunched on the high end of the scale with most of the scale devoted to ferrous and low conductive items. This is ideal for relic hunters and prospectors. Silver coin hunters however usually prefer the scale to devote more room on the high end to possibly get a better handle on what is silver and what is not. The ferrous range of the Nokta actually runs all the way down into the ferrous ground range itself which is why there are 40 numbers devoted to it. The ID Mask setting defaults to 10 and if set lower allows ground signals to sound off. Since non-ferrous starts at 40 and I arbitrarily end low conductors at zinc penny on the upper end you have 40 - 82 or a spread of 42 points for low conductors. This really is no more than an average spread due to the large ferrous range. What I was happy to see is the simulated nugget (BIC ballpoint) nailing at 44 as a non-ferrous target. Contrast this to the F75 1 - 99 range. There are only 15 points in the ferrous range with the extreme low end represented on the Nokta scale truncated roughly in the middle. However, this leaves 16 up to 62 at zinc penny for a low conductor spread of 46 or slightly better than that on the Nokta FORS and leaves room for a little better definition for high conductive coins also. There is a ten point VDI spread between a dime and a quarter versus only 3 points on the Nokta. What disturbs me on this particular F75 is that having tried multiple coils I am getting the same result on the simulated nugget test. It wants to nail at a solid 1 which is well under the ferrous 8 reading for the allen wrench. This is not shocking but it is not good either. I can get the ballpoint to break in at 16 occasionally but it should be there hard and solid, not rarely. I had Keith Southern test his updated F75 and it seems to do better. I need to test this again when and if I ever get an upgraded F75 but it does confirm my suspicion that at least some Fisher units are not properly aligned at this critical break point. The White's V3i slays both of them with White's standard spread of 190 VDI points with half that devoted to ground and ferrous. A full 95 points is devoted to non-ferrous, giving a nice spread across the whole range. The V3i is a three frequency unit and the 22.5 kHz frequency employed allows it to easily nail the ballpoint test with a solid VDI of 3. White's even allows the 22.5 kHz frequency to use a native VDI range that skews and expands the low conductive range that delivers a VDI of 10 on the ballpoint, a very nice cushion between it and a ferrous reading. you have from 1 all the way up to 55 for zinc penny slightly beating both the Nokta and F75 for VDI resolution on low conductors and still room left for very good definition in the high conductor range. These detectors can employ a dual tone mode that delivers a low tone on ferrous targets and a higher tone on non-ferrous targets. The break point on the Nokta and F75 is preset at the factory VDI breaks of 13 and 40. The V3i you can customize not only the VDI break point but the tones. The F75 dual tone mode is pretty straight forward, with the volume being weaker or louder depending on the strength of the signal. In other words, a modulated audio. The Nokta Boost or DI2 mode uses a VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) audio where both volume and tone increases with signal strength. Anyone that uses a Fisher Gold Bug is familiar with VCO audio. It is rather unique and some people like it, others do not. Again, the V3i allows the tones to be customized any way you want, with either VCO, modulated, or even unmodulated options. Things get more interesting in Nokta DI3 or F75 three tone options. The low tone break for ferrous is the same but a third higher tone is added. On the Nokta zinc pennies and higher or from 80 on up delivers the third high tone. On the F75 it breaks above zinc penny so those pennies fall into the middle tone low conductive range. Zinc penny is also where Indian head pennies and some other old coins can fall. If you hunt strictly by ear and dig high tones only you are going to pretty much dig all coins but nickels. With the F75 it is geared more towards silver hunters so zinc pennies, Indian heads and possibly other coins would get passed up as low conductors. But wait! The F75 also has a four tone option that puts that zinc range into into own fourth tone - problem fixed. You can chose a tone option that focuses more on silver only or one that breaks out that penny range. Jewelry Hunter would probably prefer the 3 tone mode and dig just mid-tones. The bottom line is the Fisher has more tone options for the coin hunters than what the FORS offers. Of note is that the Nokta DI2 dual tone mode uses VCO audio, but the DI3 three tone option defaults to a more normal modulated audio. DI3 favors a faster sweep speed than DI2 which benefits from going slower. A generality would be that DI2 is more powerful but DI3 better behaved. The V3i again is unchallenged. You can actually go so far as to independently set a separate tone for every single VDI number, and the tones can be any from 191 tone options. You can make low conductors high tone if you want. Absolutely nothing on the market compares to the V3i for audio and visual customization options. Well, this all seems pretty easy, right? Just get the V3i and get on with business. Sadly, these are air tests. You might ask, for instance, which detector did best for "depth" in these air tests, as if there actually is such a thing. I only pay passing attention to that but the F75 seemed to be doing very well in that regard. Here is the problem with this entire lesson and all my typing. When you put things in the ground all these nice air tests rapidly decay and fall apart. In very mild ground or on very shallow targets detectors can be amazing. In my ground unfortunately VDI numbers start breaking down at around 3-4 inches! What you discover is that if you get too focused on cherry picking VDI numbers good finds deplete rapidly. Almost all accessible public areas have been detected for decades. So the easy accurate VDI results have already all been cherry picked away. The best finds these days often come from digging targets that were passed up precisely because they did not give a perfect response. In my opinion, these days we have to cast a wider net and be willing to dig more trash to make those exceptional finds. What that means is huge numbers of VDI numbers and tones although flashy and fun often is no better than just using a simple two or three tone method and going for it. Styles differ vastly and because really this is about enjoying ourselves there is no right or wrong way to do things - as long as you are enjoying yourself. For me, something simple like the Nokta DI3 tone option for digging all high conductor possible coin signals actually works pretty well in actual practice. If I want coins except nickels just dig high tones and have fun. The F75 allows a special mode that kicks nickels into the high tone range so you can do the same thing and get the nickels also if you choose. The V3i by now you should know the story - set it up any way you want. Still, tests like these are very valuable to me in setting the baseline for performance in the field from which I can work to discover how much things vary and hopefully why. The theoretical goal if finding a machine that adheres as closely to bench testing results as possible in the field. Sometimes you get textbook results, but then at another location everything goes haywire. But unless you know where you are starting from you will have no idea what is going on. I will sum this up for now by saying that the Nokta FORS is a machine that appeals to simplicity and leans towards relic hinting and prospecting. That is not to say you can't do well coin detecting with it, it is just that it is not set up with coin detecting specifically in mind. The F75 nicely straddles the middle for all detecting purposes. The V3i is in theory the perfect detector but the reality is huge numbers of people have discovered more options does not always mean better detecting, and it is not unusual at all for people to abandon the V3i in favor of simpler machines. Unless you spend a vast amount of time with a V3i it is hard to feel like you have mastered the machine. The V3i appeals to my inner detector nerd but it is usually the case where in the field I prefer simpler machines myself. Still, I made the V3i part of all this just to see how it really does do if given a fair chance and at least when bench testing it is impressive to see all the bells and whistles in action. This is all just stuff I am finding out for myself. I have no real reason in reporting it to you other than just to be sharing some info that is taking at least a little effort to collect. It helps me digest it better trying to put it clearly in a form you can better understand. Hopefully it will help someone in their own choice in a detector. As you may be figuring out if you have not already, there are no best VLF detectors, just lots of really different VLF detectors. They all actually do a good job finding stuff but it is in how they go about it that differs so much. It is mostly a case of finding out what style and type of detector works best for you.
  10. The Fisher CZ-21 is one of the best VLF underwater detectors on the market and can double as a good dry land detector. Waterproof to 250 feet, it is the real deal when it comes to diving and built like a tank. It is the only serious competition to the Minelab Excalibur with the main difference between the two the basic physical design and control layout. Performance is too close to call. I personally prefer the CZ-21 due to the easy hip mount capability, more distinct tone scheme, and true all metal mode. You can get it in 8" or 10.5" coil sizes but the coil is hardwired so be sure and get what you want. Big coils are better on the beach but if you are also thinking parks and such on dry land the 8" is the better option. There is a huge price increase coming that will put what you see it currently for sale at as not too far over the new dealer cost! I literally almost just bought one myself just now but veered away before hitting the buy button because - well, you know it - I have too many detectors already anyway. Still, it is almost an investment at this price as used prices are going to take a big jump also. Anyway, just a head's up for forum members in case anyone was on the fence about the CZ-21.
  11. This coil is identical to that on the Fisher Gold Bug 2 but a little heavier since it is a DD coil. It was introduced last year with very little fanfare and most dealers do not even seem to know it exists. Yet it would be a great nugget hunting coil for these detectors, less prone to hanging up on sticks and a bit narrower profile. I have a shiny new one sitting in front of me to try on my F75 up against the F19, which has the same coil stock. This one feels heavier though - epoxy filled? I will weigh them both when my F19 shows up.
  12. This should be interesting. The reality these days is that when it comes to nugget detecting I am very much a pulse induction kind of guy. I also go out of my way to point out the problems with using VLF detectors and discrimination while nugget detecting. Yet at the same time I have very much been a proponent of using VLF detectors and discrimination where it may offer some sort of advantage. Ganes Creek, Alaska was the best example of a location with large nuggets and tons of ferrous junk to contend with. A good discriminating VLF detector made sense there and the vast majority of the gold found at Ganes Creek was found with VLF detectors. I am seeing similar situations here down south, especially in California. Places where 150 years of mining has left ferrous trash galore. What I am looking for is a way to narrow things down a bit in some situations. The idea in some places with unknown potential is to scout first with the VLF, and then, if any gold is found, to switch to a PI and hammer the spot. There are the big cobble piles, that may have a big cobble shot full of gold, but which are more likely to contain a rusted can. A big coil on a VLF could be handy for scouting those. Finally, I want to do some honest blue sky prospecting where I put myself in gold country but not specifically on a proven location and go looking for a patch. A lot of this would be in logging country and steel wire and other ferrous trash can be common. I can deal with the bullets but may want to weed out the ferrous. I ended up by chance with a Nokta FORS Gold that came with a 13.5" x 15.5" DD coil. This machine has a great two tone mode where all targets signal, but ferrous with a low tone, and non-ferrous with a high tone. My preferred mode for scouting trashy terrain. I hear all targets so nothing gets passed without thought. I may investigate some ferrous signals further if I am suspicious. I have a new Fisher F75SE coming, a model without the latest updates. I may end up also with an updated version but got tired of waiting on that so bought this one to use for now. It also gives me a baseline to compare to should I ever lay hands on a newer unit. Or one I can upgrade later if I wish. To compare apples and apples I have a new DeTech 12" x 15" DD coil on the way for the F75 to use versus the Nokta with similar coil. I have a friend who did very well at Ganes Creek in the 22.5 kHz dedicated frequency prospecting mode, and his main claim was that it had killer discrimination. So just to make life interesting I have another DeTech 12" x 15" DD coil on the way to use on the V3i versus the other two detectors. Finally, I will toss my CTX 3030 with 13" x 17" coil in on this little competition though it is a slightly different coil. Close enough though and should be interesting. There is already a huge thread going on the CTX and gold at http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/361-minelab-ctx-3030-for-gold-nuggets/ I honestly look at this as more a shootout between the F75 and the Nokta more because I see them more as get down and play in the mud prospecting detectors. The CTX and V3i are more my in town units. But maybe that is just a perception thing on my part and since I own both anyway - why not? Looked at another way these do represent some company flagship units, say what else you may about them. Maybe there will be surprises and no matter what, I have a lot to learn here. And that, my friends, I do enjoy! OK, now the bad news. I am not much for contrived testing so I will need favorable weather to get these detectors out of town into real field conditions to give this all a try. And I do not want to rush to judgement in any case. Eventually it will all sort out and I will report along the way if anything of interest develops. Until then, you will have to be patient. Again, lest anyone think I am believing this all to be some kind of magic gold getting idea, it is not at all. I will be using a PI detector for most of my nugget detecting in 2015 and basically digging everything I come across. This is actually part of my weeding down detectors process with the main goal being to let either the F75 or FORS Gold go away. I have other reasons for keeping the CTX and V3i so they are just going along for the ride and the potential for extra knowledge. When I go out this summer I want to be packing both a PI and a VLF. The intent is to use the PI and have the VLF more for backup or for getting into a real trashy location. This shootout will determine just what VLF gets to go with me this summer. The photo below shows all four coils side by side with weights as weighed on my postal scale with scuff covers. The dimensions are width by length at longest point with the third dimension being the length of the actual middle DD overlap working area. The two DeTech coils are 12.75" in this regard versus 14.25" for the Nokta and 15.5" for the CTX 3030. This would be the nominal length to shoot for on each coil sweep if you figure no overlap (which would not be wise). The Nokta is the lightest coil so in theory combining weight with area covered it has the best overall specs as regards area covered for weight handled. The angle of the picture and coil placing tends to make the Nokta coil look smaller than the DeTech coils but it is in fact slightly larger. Last funny note. I would normally complain about putting coils this size on VLF detectors because in the past it made them nose heavy and had me whining about the weight. However, world class lead weight PI detectors have made it so I have gotten used to using machines far heavier than these beasts, even with their larger coils. Go figure.
  13. Some time ago I received a prototype version of one of my favorite detectors, the Fisher F75. I had an old story that needed telling and combined that with a mini-review of the prototype at http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/357-fisher-f75-strikes-gold-twice-in-a-row/ The new version offered more resistance to electrical interference, a new Fast mode for working trashy locations, and some additional audio options, also intended to help in places where ferrous trash is abundant. Fisher did what seemed like a good thing at the time and offered existing owners the opportunity to upgrade their detector at http://www.fisherlab.com/hobby/upgrade.htm The Teknetics T2 immediately preceded the F75 and both are very similar detectors. A similar upgrade program exists for the T2 at http://www.tekneticst2.com/upgrade.htm All well and good but First Texas (parent company of Fisher and Teknetics) was swamped with upgrade units, and now that they are in customer hands issues are coming to light. There is an issue where if you employ one of the new audio modes it causes some strange side effects in the pinpoint mode. Never saw that since I never use pinpoint. There are a couple reports about ground balance issues with large coils but the coils are aftermarket so that is doubtful. Biggest issue seems to be some perceived weakness in the all metal mode compared to units not upgraded, possibly related to the Digital Shielding never being fully disengaged. There are two modes available, one with the filter for electrical interference (Digital Shielding Technology, or DST) engaged, and one mode that was supposed to revert the machine back to original non-shielded mode. It appears however the filter is engaged at a basic level, and turning it off only really turns it down. I had disposed of my previous F75 before getting the prototype and so could not compare to it, and the version I had only ran the single DST engaged mode, so no way to compare on and off or to an older version A lot of the commentary is based on "seems like" and "I remember" so hard info is difficult to come by. I returned the prototype and was told I would be getting a factory production unit at a later date, but so far it has never arrived. That pretty much makes me a bystander to the whole thing. If a person loved the all metal operation and electrical interference was not an issue, than holding off before an upgrade or just not doing it at all would be wise. The big question is what if you really, really want the new features that are being offered? In all honesty, being quick to get any First Texas new detector model or upgrade is really not a good idea if this sort of stuff will bother you. Issues on initial release has become the norm with them and revisions are very common. Rather than being first kid on the block, a couple month waiting period would be wise if you want to lower the odds of having a problem. The reality is no matter how the pre-release testing is done, hundreds of users in the field with different coils, ground, targets, and operating practices almost always find something. That being the case the only real choice a person has is to be quick but be patient with issues, or just wait. From my perspective nothing has changed. My old F75 was useless where I wanted to hunt and I sold it. The new version fixed the problem, and now I want one again. Due to everything I just said though I am in no hurry to get one as I am content to let the dust settle myself.
  14. I am a big fan of the Fisher F75 from a different perspective than most. I am a prospector and have done very well finding gold nuggets with the F75. The very powerful all metal mode combined with the simultaneous on screen target id numbers have allowed me to quickly and efficiently hunt trashy tailing piles in search of large gold nuggets. The light weight and superb balance make the F75 a pleasure to use for long hours in rough terrain. It also was my detector of choice for my one and only trip to the UK that I have done so far, and it served me well there. I spent a month in 2013 metal detecting on Jack Wade Creek near Chicken, Alaska. I kept my great results there quiet pending a return trip there in 2014. That trip has now been made but that is another story already told in detail on my website. Now I can finally reveal the details of the 2013 expedition. I started out early one morning with my big gun pulse induction metal detector, but got onto a tailing pile that had ferrous trash scattered down one side, and I was just not in the mood for it that morning. I went back to my truck and got out my trusty F75. I run the F75 in all metal because it has instant target response; there are no worries about recovery times in all metal. The coil picks up every variation not only in targets but in the ground allowing me to monitor what is going on at all times. Knowing what the ground is doing is important in keeping the ground balance properly adjusted for maximum results. The key thing I like about the F75 in all metal however is that the meter always runs in discrimination mode and places a nice, large target number on screen while in all metal. The audio alerts me to a potential target, which I then analyze more carefully while watching the target numbers. All metal goes deeper than discrimination modes, so no on screen number means a very deep target beyond discrimination range. This alone makes running in all metal desired when prospecting because running in discrimination mode would miss all those extra deep signals. In all metal I dig them until a target number shows up. Deep targets or small targets in mineralized ground will often read ferrous, so I watch the numbers and if they even once jump to non-ferrous, I dig. Only targets that give a 100% strong ferrous reading over multiple sweeps can be safely passed. Though I will throw in my caveat that no discrimination system is 100% accurate and there is always a risk of passing a good target. When in doubt, dig it out! I do often employ pulse induction detectors and do very often just dig everything. I advocate that when time and conditions allow. The reality is this is not always practical for many reasons. Maybe it is just limited time and overwhelming amounts of junk. Better to increase the odds by using discrimination than bogging down digging 100 nails in a small area. In my case it often boils down to fatigue or flat out not being in the mood to dig junk. So it was on this particular morning, and therefore my F75 came out and I got to work sorting through the trash working my way up the side of the tailing pile. I crested the top and got a strong reading and looked down. There was a shallow dig hole with leaves in it, obviously from some hunter there in prior years. I figured the guy had recovered a trash item and kicked it back in the hole so I cussed him quietly under my breath. I hate it when people do that! Then the target numbers caught my eye. They were all over the place. A crumpled piece of flat steel might give numbers like that though. Still, I was curious and figured I would retrieve the trash this person left in the field. I gave the old dig hole a big scoop, and out pops a big gold nugget!! I seem to have a talent for finding ugly gold nuggets, and this one was perhaps the ugliest I have ever found. It looked more like a rock burnt in a fire than a gold nugget when I dug it up, though the glint of gold is unmistakable. This gold however was very pale and in fact later analysis revealed it to be roughly half gold and half silver and other metals. It is a little known fact that gold alloys tend to have very poor conductivity ratings. Gold is very conductive, and silver is a superb conductor. You would think adding silver to gold would improve the conductivity, but in fact just the opposite happens, and the conductivity lowers dramatically. Gold/silver alloys are closer to lead in conductivity than that of the pure component metals, explaining why bullets read identically to most gold nuggets. This ugly nugget is a detectorists worst nightmare, because the 50-50 alloy mix and rock content give it a much lower conductivity reading than would be the norm. I surmise what happened is this earlier operator got a poor signal and gave a dig to get the coil closer to the target. The signal did not improve, as would be expected with most gold nuggets, so the operator decided it was trash and moved on. The rest of the hill being covered with junk no doubt contributed to this decision. It was my insistence on investigating everything except 100% ferrous readings that made the difference. The readings on this target were not solid as one would expect from a pretty strong signal but all over the place. Most people would say that indicates a trash target but I have seen many gold nuggets do the same thing in mineralized ground. The result is I dug a shallow 2.33 ounce gold nugget that somebody else walked away from. Sadly for them one more scoop would have revealed the nugget for what it was. Hopefully this is a reminder to the reader that far too often detectorists look for excuses not to dig. How many good finds get left behind because we do not want to take that extra minute or two to dig a target? This nugget is far from a premium find, but I have already sold it for over twice the cost of a new Fisher F75. That detector was a real money maker for me as that was far from the only gold I ever found with it. Unfortunately I say was. I made a huge change in my life in 2013 and moved from Alaska to Reno, Nevada. The move resulted in a desire for me to weed down my detector collection. I was pretty excited to do some coin detecting in Nevada where the potential finds were much better than those possible around Anchorage, Alaska. Almost all my detecting with the F75 had previously taken place in rural locations far from possible electrical magnetic interference. In Reno, EMI raised its ugly head. I found much to my dismay that the F75 did not like my new location, and in fact when turned on to hunt the yard at my new home I could not get it to settle down at all. No matter what I did the machine chirped and beeped and numbers flew all over the screen. Unfortunately I experienced what many urban hunters have found out – the F75 is a very sensitive high gain detector that does not get along well with electrical interference. I ended up selling my F75 in 2013 for this sole reason. Fast forward to the fall of 2014. I am contacted by the good folks at Fisher wanting to know if I am interested in trying out a new version of the F75 they are preparing for market. I of course say sure as I am always game to go metal detecting with different units. A new F75 is sent my way along with a list of the possible improvements. One immediately gets my attention – improved resistance to electrical interference. All the focus was on a new mode or “process”, as Fisher likes to call them. The new FA process is intended to better pull non-ferrous items out of trashy or mineralized ground. It does indeed work as advertised as I found out in an accidental situation I came across. I went to a local park and did a simple hunt for non-ferrous targets, comparing the DE default mode to the new FA fast mode. I did not really care what I found as long as it was non-ferrous. I should note the ground here is very difficult, reading 1 on the Fe meter, the second highest reading you can obtain. Hunting in this park is very much like nugget detecting, and the best detectors get very limited depth and highly inaccurate target numbers as a result of the high mineralization. One spot really summed it all up for me. I found three targets I could cover in a single wide swing that all read as ferrous in DE mode, but when I switched to FA mode all three switched to non-ferrous. FA mode is very fast with short, machine gun type reports in the audio. I was running in two tone mode, with ferrous giving low tones and non-ferrous high tones. In DE mode I could sweep and get three low tones in a row. Simply switch to FA mode and now there were three high tone reports in a row. This was an extremely dramatic result seen in person. In this case all three targets proved to be nothing more than aluminum targets, but they could just as well have been small hammered coins in the UK or small gold nuggets in Alaska. I hate to oversell things and I have to note that the difference in going to FA mode is not going to be earth shaking. Most targets read the same in DE and FA modes. But FA provides a tipping point, a little push that takes targets previously ignored and lights them up. By shortening the audio response on targets it also attenuates responses to a degree and so depth and signals on the tiniest targets may be impacted. Depth however is not useful if a target is misidentified or ignored completely due to target masking from nearby objects. FA mode is another tool in the toolbox that can help produce targets in specific situations previously overlooked by others. The new F75 also expands on the available audio options in ways many people will appreciate. These additions and the new FA mode will tend to get all the attention, but for me they pale in comparison to the new ability of the F75 to engage and disengage the new Digital Shielding Technology (DST). The version of the F75 I received had DST engaged at all times, and the difference in my ability to use the F75 at my home was as dramatic as it gets. My previous F75 was basically non-functional. My new F75 ran just fine, with only minimal EMI discernible at higher gain levels. I noted no downside to this. Given the situation, how could there be? Other field testers however were concerned that in low EMI situations perhaps there was an edge lost by having DST engaged, and so Fisher decided to add the ability to engage or disengage the feature as desired. It does not get any better than that. Use it if you need it; leave it off if you do not. All I know is this. What difference is there between a detector you can use and one you cannot use? All the difference in the world, and in my opinion I struck gold a second time with the F75 seeing it run with the new Digital Shielding Technology. That one feature alone means I can use the F75 in urban areas where I could not use it before, and vastly improves the reasons for my owning the detector once again. I am very confident a great many people will agree with me when they get a chance to try out the new, improved F75. Everything else in my opinion is just icing on the cake.
  15. While out on the Sawtooth adventure, Dee tried a GB Pro 5" coil on her F-75. Guess what.... it worked! Steve, any comments about that?
×
×
  • Create New...