AlgoForce E1500

[Gold Catcher]

Just promise us that you never close this forum. The detector industry is relying on it....Thank you for all that you are doing Steve, really amazing.

GC

[jasong]

@PhaseTech Thanks for the answers to all those questions I asked. I have one more, feel free not to answer this though. 😄The US allows equipment that isn't FCC approved yet for things like "experimental use" or something similar. Are you allowed to sell to someone in the US for such experimental type use, or does the fact the item is exchanged for money void it from that classification?

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After sleeping, this is my take (probably not so different than what others like Steve and Chase have said in different ways too):

This discrim has to just be doing what experienced detectorists already learned to do by gauging targets via hi/low and low/hi crossover points. Otherwise we'd be seeing patents I think. Maybe just throwing a lot more signal processing power (algorithms hence: algoforce?) at that data. How well this translates to usable discrimination is a real question I think, that will bear some real testing.

Experienced detectorists generally learn how to do that on their own eventually so it remains to be seen what additional capability the actual discrim feature offers I think, during testing. It might end up being a feature that takes longer to use than just doing it by ear?

Either way, $1500 for a lightweight PI that can run existing monos is pretty cool and the company gets major props from me for just offering people what they want and need at prices people can actually afford and that aren't offensive. 

[Steve Herschbach]

1 hour ago, jasong said:

Thanks for the answers to all those questions I asked. I have one more, feel free not to answer this though. 😄The US allows equipment that isn't FCC approved yet for things like "experimental use" or something similar. Are you allowed to sell to someone in the US for such experimental type use, or does the fact the item is exchanged for money void it from that classification?

I will just say that I know of detector testing by all companies including U.S. companies prior to FCC certification because you can’t certify unrealized product and can’t make product without tests. But where the lines and limitations are to that I don’t know.

You know darn well people order detectors from overseas all the time and use them here even though they are not FCC certified. It’s not like the FCC has spies behind every tree and the detectors probably comply anyway. They just did not pay to be tested.

[phrunt]

Equipment Authorization – Importation | Federal Communications Commission (fcc.gov)

The radio frequency device is being imported in quantities of 4,000 or fewer units for testing and evaluation to determine compliance with the FCC Rules and Regulations, product development, or suitability for marketing. The devices will not be offered for sale or marketed.

• Prior to importation of a greater number of units, written approval must be obtained from the Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology, FCC (to request approval, see FAQ 8 below or KDB Publication 741304
• Distinctly different models of a device and separate generations of a particular model under development are considered to be separate devices

[phrunt]

My understanding is a dealer, someone testing the unit's viability in the market by getting one in hand or testing the product to see if it works well in the USA is fine without being FCC approved.  So, someone like Steve or Jason bringing one in to test it out looks fine as long as they're not marketing that they're going to sell them, or selling them without the certification, as neither of you would be selling them and would be more on the "testing" side of it, it looks fine.

[dig4gold]

2 hours ago, Gold Catcher said:

This really nails it, and this is perhaps not understood by some. For serious gold prospecting with a PI (let alone ZVT) there is no discrimination or target ID feature that would ever work with the current technology. Period. The Algoforce will not change this fact a bit. This is why neither the SDC, 6k nor the GPZ even offer this "feature", as they are designed for detecting gold. As Steve said, the only way to potentially do this is by ear. But it needs to be stressed that you really need to put in a few thousand hours fieldwork to get this "right". Many operators will not rely on this method and dig it all, me included. The only "discrimination" I do is the boot scratch method. Works pretty good, and it is free. For relic and coin hunting this is a different discussion, but also remember that gold prospecting and relic hunting are fundamentally different and require totally different techniques.

GC

Well said Gold Catcher. I too am a dig it all person with my gold detecting, & for the very reason Steve stated. While this can be very time consuming, & many times just for junk, I know all too well from experience what Steve said. I have dug many an ugly signal that had wire or trash written all over it only to my surprise it being gold. That is why I dig it all & just have to know what the signal was & the only way to be 100% sure is to dig the sod & have it in your hand. I don't even trust my ear. I have adopted the boot scrape or couple of light scrapes with the pick & if the signal has moved I put it down to a shallow or surface dwelling pellet & move on, but that is a judgment call on each occasion depending on a few factors . As has been said the mono coil will give that double blip too. My other form of reliable discrimination is the magnet on my pick.

D4G

 

 

 

 

[EL NINO77]

The target ID function may not be a bad thing on this Pi detector... I wonder how the Force 1500 will identify small lead pellets with the help of target ID, for example, and under what ID similarly small gold...

But in any case, it can be quite a useful function... even for coin and relic seekers...

I myself often dig for coins and relics first that are in a certain VDI range .. /VDI of coin targets that occur in the given terrain/...and during subsequent detections I lower the VDI limit to a certain range .. where, for example, pieces of small coins..

This is where this Target ID feature could come in really handy...

In any case, the Force1500 can be an interesting detection machine..... 

[PhaseTech]

On 1/27/2024 at 9:31 AM, phrunt said:

@PhaseTech Is there any particular powerbank you recommend? I was thinking of ordering this one

20,000 mAh Laptop Power Bank (cygnett.com)

 

I've been using a Companion Solar 16000 mAh, with built in flash light. It has a nice robust case as well. Just mount the solar panel facing upright when fitting it on the detector. You could probably find a smaller/lighter one but this one is the perfect weight as it helps to counterbalance some of the heavier coils. Same as the one in this image:

 

[phrunt]

Thanks, I've ordered two different power banks now so I've got a backup if I go flat or just to use as a USB power source for charging other stuff while I'm out there.  Both are genuine 20,000 mAh.  I have a couple of old solar ones kicking around somewhere but I doubt they'll have good capacity and were just cheapies even a few years ago when I bought them.

After speaking with Algoforce, I'm confident they'll do the trick nicely.   Being 20,000 mAh they should give me a couple of normal detecting days off each battery bank.  I'm thinking of getting a slimline 10,000 mAh for when I want a really light detector as these battery banks even good branded ones are amazingly cheap.

Below from Algoforce

The average current consumption of the detector is 700mA. Thus, even a 10,000mAh power bank will provide more than 12 hours of usage.

[afaitken]

Quote

There would be a few interesting discussions happening at Minelab at the moment.

 

If only they were about a 7000 successor!