Rye Patch, Cross Checking A Few Undug Targets

[Condor]

I made a quick overnight trip to Rye Patch to do some more testing with the GPZ and 17" Concentric Coil.  My main goal is to familiarize myself with the Z combination for an upcoming trip to Australia.  This testing was merely for my own edification, not to prove any point about this Machine/Coil vs that Machine/Coil.   I dug the first 2 nuggets last night and it was getting dark so I didn't have time to do any cross checking.  This morning I marked 3 undug targets with the GPZ and 17" XCoil Concentric.  I then went over them with the GPZ XCoil 17x12 Spiral Wound.  That combination picked up 2 of the 3 targets.  I then went over all three with the GPX 6000, 14x9 Coiltek combination.  The 6000 heard 1 of the 3, but while detecting back to the truck it picked up 2 more targets.  I started over with the Z 17"CC and it picked up the 2 new targets no problem.  I then ran the Z 17x12 over the new targets.  It picked them up no problem, but on the way back to the truck the 17x12 picked up a faint noise in an old drywash hole.  I dug down to bedrock and found bits of charcoal and just general noise so I gave up on it.   

The 17" CC relocated the 1 missed target and I dug down a few inches thinking to use the 6000 as a pinpointer.  It still couldn't pick up the target.  I finally dug it out, a tiny piece of steel down about 6 inches.  

I then dug up the 4 targets which included the 2 remaining targets the 17"CC found and the 2 the 6000 found.  2 were bits of steel and 2 were small round nuggets.  Coincidently, the 2 gold targets were the ones found by the 6000, but verified by both coils on the Z.  

By then it was approaching 10:00 AM, and the NV desert still gets hot this time of year.  But, before I left I went back to the 17" CC combination and went over the drywash hole.  A clear tone somewhere in the bottom of that hole.  The unfortunate thing about the Concentric coil is the receive winding is about 8" round dead center.  You're waving 17" of coil with the equivalent of an 8" round receiver.  Nearly impossible to pinpoint in a foot deep hole.  I dug the hole out some more and tried the 6000 over it.  Very noisy, but a faint low tone in the sidewall of the hole.   I dug it out some more and finally got a booming target in the spoils.  Heartbreak, 1.5 inch piece of rusted steel.  

My random thoughts on this little experiment are this:  

1.  The XCoil 17" Concentric will not miss much, "IF" you have fairly flat ground and can consistently overlap your swings to insure you get that 8" receive winding over the targets.

2.  The XCoil 17x12 Spiral Wound coil is nearly as good and will ultimately cover more ground with a whole lot less effort.    

3.  The 6000 with 14x9 Coiltek is no slouch and could save the day if you're old and tired like me.  I would be hard pressed to swing the 17"CC all day.  The deepest nugget the 6000 found was down about 5 inches, very respectable for a sub/sub gram nugget.  

All this is very unscientific.  I'm at mercy of time and weather in the NV desert this time of year.  I did what I could with the equipment I had with me.  Rye Patch is a tough hunt in the best of circumstances, so finding 4 nuggets in about 6 hours of detecting is beating the odds.  I've had more than a few skunk days out there.   

 

[Condor]

[GotAU?]

Thanks for being so detailed. I am finding wire screen bits and boot tacks with my 6k and 10x5 pretty deep- about 6”. Same with the 14”DD.   It would be interesting to compare with a Zed with one of those concentrics. The soils were mild where I’ve used it so far, so that could have made it work like that.

[abenson]

Nice report! Thanks for taking the time to try different machines and coils over the targets.

[LuckyLundy]

Condor,

Great review, I know it’s warm out there and you earned your Dwt of Gold. For your effort.  Cooler days for that Country is a couple pages away in my Calendar.  See you then if not before!

Rick

[Dig It]

Nice Finds, gonna start my slow roll south from the Great State of AK. in a few days need temps to drop a bit.... 🥵

[phrunt]

It's good to see you pulling up some nuggets at Rye patch, that place intrigues me, some people find nuggets there others say its damn near impossible.  4 nuggets for 1.5 grams is very respectable for a short hunt like that with a lot of messing around testing and comparing different detectors and coils so you obviously did very well.

That 17" CC is probably the most popular X-coil in Australia by the looks of it, either the 17 or the 22" so on your Australia trip if you're heading to those wide open spaces of WA you'll likely do well with it there, your 17x12" spiral would be best suited to finding a spot with nuggets then the 17" CC to clean the area up, at least that's how I'd use them. 

I personally prefer the 15" CC for my needs, it's more sensitive to small gold than the 17" CC  and the 15" is also noticeably deeper on the small bits and I'm pretty sure it's lighter than the standard coil but I don't really notice small weight differences in the few hundreds of a gram range.  The Aussies on the other hand with the possibility of bigger bits deeper seem to favour larger sizes like that 17" and the 22" CC and rarely go for the smaller sizes.

[sleepyjim]

Ok not asking for your "Special Spot" but can anyone direct me to a smaller general area, never been and do not want to wonder the desert LOL, Help a new guy out PLEASE.

 

Appreciate your help.

 

This was a great detailed post, thank you Condor.

 

Jim

[strick]

17 minutes ago, sleepyjim said:

Ok not asking for your "Special Spot" but can anyone direct me to a smaller general area, never been and do not want to wonder the desert LOL, Help a new guy out PLEASE.

 

Appreciate your help.

 

This was a great detailed post, thank you Condor.

 

Jim

Book a training with Gerry and you can get your foot in the door at least that will get you started. 

strick 

[sleepyjim]

I already sent a msg to him.....

 

Jim