GPX 6000 - Tips, Tricks, Technical Questions

[kingswood]

2 minutes ago, Calmark said:

Kingswood, since I see you have other Minelab detectors, perhaps you'd do a little experiment for all of us using the new 6000 to scour your new patch and then hit it AFTER with other detectors.  Most reports are of the exact opposite.  People rush back to old patches with the newest technology like the 6000 and find what's missed.  I'd be very interested to see what your 6000 missed if anything when you go back with the "old" technology.  

100% will 🙂 I plan on chaining it with the 6000, then chaining back over it with the GPZ19" 🙂 That will be next weekend 🙂

[Calmark]

That sounds like a great plan.  I look forward to a report.  Best of luck and keep on those nuggets! 😀

 

[Gold Catcher]

5 hours ago, kingswood said:

Just to add, that the manual mentions increasing sensitivity until false signals occur when using the mono. From reading the manual, I still get the feeling that reducing the sensitivity with the mono to reduce the EMI would still punch deeper than the DD. I think..

That would be interesting to know. How much can the sensitivity on the 11 mono be lowered to still have an edge over the 14 DD under EMI conditions?

[kingswood]

7 minutes ago, Gold Catcher said:

That would be interesting to know. How much can the sensitivity on the 11 mono be lowered to still have an edge over the 14 DD under EMI conditions?

Well it pinged a 0.61g at about 10 inches with sensitivity on 6, and it was a pull you up kinda signal.

Dunno the answer...will experiment later 🙂

Is it a gain sensitivity setting??? If its like the zed, it is still sensitive on lower settings, just stops extra noise.

Steve might know....

[Gold Catcher]

27 minutes ago, kingswood said:

If its like the zed, it is still sensitive on lower settings, just stops extra noise.

Agreed. In HY/Normal the gain of the Z can be lowered substantially with not much impact on target signal strength (I sometimes go as low as 4...), although I then boost with Volume a bit. The 6000 also has Volume control, but it would be really good to know if this is just threshold volume or target strength Volume like on the Z. If the latter, then lower gain on the 6000 could equally be compensated by increasing the Volume a bit. But I doubt this is the case. It just might be the threshold Volume. 

[kingswood]

Interesting morning chaining....4 little bits....they are getting smaller as i move down....

Love this machine. Easy to use, easy to swing. EMI certainly effects it when you crank the sensitivity up. Managed to stay about half way today. Still screams on these small bits, but much less erratic threshold.

None of these were deep, but just down from these theres a patch of deep looking clay. The 19" will get put over that.

Back tomorrow to chain the top part of the patch!

 

 

[AussieMatt]

On 4/26/2021 at 9:43 PM, kingswood said:

Well it pinged a 0.61g at about 10 inches with sensitivity on 6, and it was a pull you up kinda signal.

Dunno the answer...will experiment later 🙂

Is it a gain sensitivity setting??? If its like the zed, it is still sensitive on lower settings, just stops extra noise.

Steve might know....

I think this post from JP should answer it:

https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/15854-gpx-6000-vs-gpz-7000-recommendation-for-us-prospectors/?do=findComment&comment=163003

[Northeast]

Spent a couple of days in the GT (Victoria, Aus) last Friday, Saturday and 2 hours Sunday morning.  

17 pieces on Friday over a small area that I covered pretty well with the QED and a Detech Ultra Sensing 11" coil about 12 months ago.  Many of these pieces banged hard and literally within 1 foot of where I'd found gold with the QED.  All fairly shallow targets - nothing deeper than 6 inches.  Was able to use Normal for 90% of the time.  

Saturday I went walking in a few different spots out in the Whipstick, just having a bit of a look and seeing if I could find a little patch.  Did get a few pieces but mostly specimens off small quartz reefs.  Difficult was the only real option for the ground in the Whipstick. 

Sunday was a quick wander with the 14" DD close to where I was staying and actually found a new spot, got 6 small bits and have something to go back and work on properly.  The 14" really does hit on small bits well but I'm sure the 11" will do better there next time. 

Learnings? 

I find the speaker perfectly fine but there was little wind and not much leaf litter underfoot to dull out the sound.  Ran on level 2 for the whole weekend.  Still going to work on a Bluetooth receiver and a speaker set-up and am watching what others are trialling to see what works before purchasing.  

The battery - hit low battery alarm on both of the big days.  Was on the ground both days about 7.30 a.m. and worked until 5.30 p.m. each day.  A few short breaks for water, apples, bananas, chick peas and sardines - tasty detectorist menu 🤣

Normal Vs Difficult - Occasional hot rocks and ground noise but a simple scrape, assess the noise, quick flick into Difficult and assess again and spent some time scraping/digging a little deeper to make sure of what I am listening to whilst I'm learning the 6000.  I'm sure it will not work on EVERY signal but I did notice an unusual occurrence.   Every target that ended up being an ACTUAL target was still able to be heard after flicking into Difficult, albeit sometimes a softer signal than it had been in Normal.  

Noise cancel - did get noisy at times but the noise cancel is so quick and settles it down well.  The DD of course, was very quiet.  

Auto and Auto Plus - Pretty much stayed in Auto Plus the whole time after reading JP's comments the other day.  Although, if EMI is giving you trouble then reducing to Manual 1 Sensitivity knocks out all of the noise and still hits on targets.  

Threshold - used it.  Didn't test no Threshold.  Believe it or not I actually enjoy listening to a Threshold.   And I can't trust no Threshold 🤪

Porous/wiry stuff - I think Gerry is going to be happy.  The GPX 6000 does indeed seem to hit on stuff that others may struggle on.   Many of the pieces in the first pic are either stupid small or are quite porous.  Many of them aren't solid pieces - they are quite light for their size.  The 3rd pic - the piece at the left end of the tweezers has some real wiry stuff in there and I think 'stuff all' gold would be a good description of gold content.  

 

Wrap-up - I'm loving the 6000 the more I use it    😀 

 

First pic - about 6 of these are from a different trip - was just showing the wife the totals. 

 

A little speci from the Whipstick. 

 

Couple of speccies.

[Gold Catcher]

55 minutes ago, Northeast said:

Threshold - used it.  Didn't test no Threshold.  Believe it or not I actually enjoy listening to a Threshold.   And I can't trust no Threshold

Thanks, Northeast. Great review! When you compare Normal vs. Difficult do you think you loose a lot of sensitivity in Difficult? You said you still heard the small stuff well, even with the 14DD/difficult? I don't mind hearing targets a bit softer as long as the threshold is stable. 

PS: Finally someone who likes listening to the threshold like me 🙂  Don't like it gone.

[Sheppo]

1 hour ago, Northeast said:

  A few short breaks for water, apples, bananas, chick peas and sardines - tasty detectorist menu 🤣

Sardines (especially the ones in tomato sauce) on hot toast with a sprinkling of pepper make for a fantastic filling and nutritious breakfast (no I’m not being sarcastic, I grew up on the stuff and love them, plus they have the benefits of eating fish) Also spread on crackers while out and about make for a good belly filler. Just don’t let the missus near you afterwards or she might gag.

 

Back on topic, that’s a great little write up @Northeast and full of great information once again.