My Thoughts On The X Coil

[Andyy]

4 hours ago, flakmagnet said:

Well Andyy, that may be true but it doesn't change the fact that, in essence, the SDC becomes a 3700 dollar smaller coil. That's an extravagance most of us cannot afford.

Hey Flak, please don't get me wrong.  I agree in part with you and hope I did not ruffle your feathers.  My main opinion on this is that the SDC and GPZ are an unbeatable combo.  Like everyone else, I would just like to know how much closer the 10" coil gets us to the SDC.  I have seen what an SDC can do, for sure.   I do believe the ZED technology would beat the SDC if there were an 8" coil.  But 10" Xcoil on a ZED, I am not sure.  I just want to get closer.

And quality is a great concern of mine, as well.  I just hope that when the one Russian carved everything out and wrapped the wire for my 10" Xcoil, that he was having a good day. 

The point about .. why pay a lot of money to get smaller and smaller gold? is definitely valid.  The small coil is expensive and will take a while to pay off.  I have been out twice and still would need about 9 more trips to come close.  (at my current rate) But since when are we into prospecting for the money?   My goal is only to more often have a glimmer of gold in my hands to show my family... maybe with the hope that I look a little less crazy at the end of the day.  

Andyy

[flakmagnet]

11 hours ago, Andyy said:

hope I did not ruffle your feathers. 

Hi Andyy,

Don't worry about ruffling feathers, that's not in the equation. I have no doubt the SDC is fantastic at what it does - I am saying it seems silly to buy a whole other detector if one had the choice of that, or buying a smaller coil for the GPZ, that's all...

[Jin]

2 hours ago, Andyy said:

But since when are we into prospecting for the money?   My goal is only to more often have a glimmer of gold in my hands to show my family... maybe with the hope that I look a little less crazy at the end of the day.  

Im hearing you. My family thinks ive gone mad. Especially after each trip where i dont find gold and say im selling my gear. But a day later im on the forums and doing more research frothing at the mouth ready for the next trip.

[Northeast]

7 hours ago, Jin said:

where i dont find gold and say im selling my gear.

I’ve been there a few times in the last 12 months  ?

[Rob Allison]

Hey Guys,

   I agree, the SDC 2300 and GPZ 7000 is a powerful combo, but I think it comes down to your invest cost.  I'm sure most of the customers out there would love to have a combo of $12,000 in detectors.   Most of the average prospectors out there might not even be able to budget the SDC 2300 @ $3,750.  A matter of fact, I know this for a fact, as I talk with customers daily that would love to own just an entry level PI. 

I ended up selling my SDC 2300 as I felt like I could only use one detector at a time and didn't want a $4,000 detector just sitting around most of the time depreciating in value. 

The smarter solution might be a good Pulse Induction detector (Minelab SD, GP, GPX unit, White's TDI, Garrett ATX) and a high end VLF detector for your shallow ground or clean up. 

I'm not trying to take any steam or attention from the Russian "X-coils" for the Minelab GPZ 7000.  I would be very interested in one of these coils, if it was proven and didn't require any type of modification or adapter. 

I have very little hope anymore of Minelab making a smaller GPZ coil ......

[Norvic]

Well I got the 11"" Coiltek coil for the SDC at roughly same time I got the 10"X coil for the Z, gave them both a days run each, could not differentiate in performance, although I lean a wee towards the 10"X for depth, trouble is the son left his 12"X coil and that hit the spot big time, thus I don`t see  either the 11"SDC or 10"XZ seeing a lot of work. The 12"X and the 15"X will see plenty of work, as they suit the ground I work. Without knowing the ground someone works I`d recommend the 12"X if they were going for just one and had a Z, will complement the standard 14"ML and give them a much more versatile Z. In cost well the 15" &12"X in the short time I`ve had them have  well & truly paid for these recent coil purchases, but detect gold is almost all I do in our winters.

I suspect as you do Rob we will not see a smaller ML GPZ coil...…..but maybe a solution to the patch lead is coming.

[Mop]

On 7/19/2019 at 3:47 PM, Jin said:

Im hearing you. My family thinks ive gone mad. Especially after each trip where i dont find gold and say im selling my gear. But a day later im on the forums and doing more research frothing at the mouth ready for the next trip.

Being new to the hobby I was fortunate to pick the brain of a 30 year prospector, right of the bat he said he sometimes goes months without any gold, sure he could go to known spots and get some, but he is always looking for new ground.

It sort of calibrated my head a bit not to get discouraged after all those kms walking on the hunt and every so often it pays off with a new patch.

[Norvic]

13 hours ago, Mop said:

Being new to the hobby I was fortunate to pick the brain of a 30 year prospector, right of the bat he said he sometimes goes months without any gold, sure he could go to known spots and get some, but he is always looking for new ground.

It sort of calibrated my head a bit not to get discouraged after all those kms walking on the hunt and every so often it pays off with a new patch.

Got to agree patch huntings the go, sometimes it is amazing where you find a virgin patch, most unlikely places that all research in the world would not assist you in finding, no visible "signs" whether going by surface rocks or vegetation types that sometimes in the past helped you find patches, miles from any old workings. Requires many hours of swinging and discipline that stops you from following the thinking that over there might be better, firstly finish where you are then go over there. A geologist mate tells me, geos can tell you why you found it in that particular place after some examination but can`t tell you where until you`ve found it. Luck it is not, is pure stubborn persistent footwork.

[Jin]

1 hour ago, Norvic said:

Got to agree patch huntings the go

Thats the problem for me. Many miles from the goldfields and a lot of my time is spent well away from diggings looking for patches. Come home many times with no gold. I only get out about once every month for 2 days detecting atm. Once you've found a few nice patches looking for crumbs in surfaced areas or mullock heaps just doesn't excite anymore.