GPZ 7000 Software Update 2 - Ground Smoothing & Semi Auto Ground Balance

[Steve Herschbach]

GPZ 7000 Software Update 2

Get increased performance from your GPZ detector!

Minelab is pleased to announce the second software update to our GPZ 7000 detector. This FREE update incorporates a new Ground Smoothing function, a Semi-Auto ground balance setting and Chinese/Mongolian language options. This update is currently NOT COMPATIBLE with XChange 2 - see notes below.

Ground Smoothing

This function implements selectable noise filters that help deal with difficult ground, especially conductive soils. The new Ground Smoothing options provide several advantages:

• Reduces noise effects of salty soils
• Allows detecting in previously ‘off-limits’ locations
• Achieves maximum depth with both coils
• Maximises your ground coverage efficiency

“With the Locate Patch setting, it is now possible to use Normal Ground Type in very ‘hot’ laterite soil… this is exciting!”
Field Tester 1 – Kalgoorlie, WA

Semi-Auto

This update adds a Semi-Auto option to the Ground Balance Mode. Semi‑Auto gives you these great benefits:

• Additional control and flexibility for expert users
• Improved ground balance stability
• Another option to deal with tricky detecting conditions
• A specialist tool for expert prospectors

“In Semi-Auto mode the GPZ is noticeably quieter over the ground in all modes but especially in Normal Ground Type modes.”
Field Tester 3 – Clermont, QLD

For further details refer to the brochure here

You can download the software here

Read the Treasure Talk blog about Ground Smoothing here

Firmware Installation Guide

Important Notes:
1) Both the GPZ control box under the detector armrest AND the GPZ control pod user interface on top of the handle must be connected together and updated as a pair at the same time. Therefore, if sending your detector to a dealer or service centre, to carry out this update, do not send the control box alone.

2) This update is currently NOT COMPATIBLE with XChange 2 and therefore will make XChange 2 inoperable with the GPZ 7000 detector. Transfer and save Geotrails or Findpoints from your GPZ to XChange 2 before doing the upgrade. A new compatible version of XChange 2 will be available within the next few months, at which time full compatibility will be restored. Any data you have stored on XChange 2 will not be lost when you carry out the GPZ update and when this new version of XChange 2 becomes available.

3) When installing this upgrade, the detector will need to have the universal settings re-selected (e.g. language, weight) and the wireless module re-connected.

Basics - click for larger views:

[Steve Herschbach]

GPZ 7000 Ground Smoothing Options (Software Update 2)

July 03, 2017 03:34pm

Minelab Electronics

The GPZ 7000 has set a new benchmark for sensitivity over a very broad range of gold nuggets. However, a by-product of its exceptional sensitivity to gold nuggets is increased susceptibility to soil anomalies and unwanted interactions with the ground matrix. One such unwanted interaction is with the conductive (salt) elements of the ground.

Some soils have high amounts of alkali metal salts which make the soil conductive. Salt flats are extreme examples of this. Also, many otherwise benign soils can become conductive after a period of rain. As detectors become more sensitive to conductive targets of interest (i.e. gold), they also respond more aggressively to conductive soil.

As a detectorist, you can identify conductive soil if you know what to look and listen for. The first thing you’ll notice is that the detector will make long audible ‘groans’ as the coil is swept from side-to-side over the soil. These signals won’t be localised – they’ll be coming from large regions of low conductivity, and they’ll be deep, too. Even if you lift the coil in the air, far from the soil, at least two or three feet above the ground, you’ll still be able to hear these long audible ‘groans’.

When you encounter conductive soil, usually you’ll have to slow your sweep to tame the audible noises. With the new GPZ software upgrade  we’ve provided some extra settings to help deal with problematic soils, especially conductive soil. This enables you to take the GPZ 7000 to places which were previous “off-limits” and to reduce the impact of these soils.

This second GPZ 7000 upgrade implements a new Ground Smoothing function in the Detect Plus menu. This function has three settings: Off, Locate Patch and Salty Soil.

Off (Default)
The Off position is the original GPZ 7000 configuration you have already been using  This setting is optimal for seeking targets which tend to be found deep (e.g. greater than 600mm). The trade-off with Off is that it tends to be the most sensitive to soil anomalies, so you’ll achieve the best performance if you slow your coil swing speed to deal with the unwanted ground noises.

Locate Patch
The Locate Patch setting is a great all-rounder. This setting enables you to cover more ground faster. It smooths out unwanted ground noises, allowing you to keep a productive swing speed. With less ground noise it can also be easier to hear the fainter signals.
Mild alkali soils can still be detected in this setting.. The trade-off with Locate Patch is a slight sensitivity penalty (a few percent) for the deepest targets. However, for most targets you’ll find this setting strikes a balance between absolute detection depth and productivity.

Salty Soil
The Salty Soil setting is a specialty setting designed to allow the GPZ 7000 to operate in extreme alkali environments that would otherwise be impossible. It is important that this setting is used only when the soil requires it, as it can have a substantial impact on detection depth. Salty Soil removes the slow audible ‘groans’ from conductive soils and retains the faster responses from gold nuggets. As a result, Salty Soil will have a bit more ‘chatter’ than the Off and Locate Patch settings; and the slow broad signals from very deep targets will be more difficult to hear.

The Ground Smoothing settings can also be changed to suit the size of coil you are using – GPZ 14 or GPZ 19:

GPZ 14
The GPZ 14 has been designed for optimum overall sensitivity to a large range of gold nugget sizes. It’s great for deep buried large nuggets as well as shallower small nuggets. How you match the GPZ 14 with the Ground Smoothing settings depends upon how you use the GPZ 7000. If you’re after increased productivity, more ground coverage and a smoother detecting experience, the Locate Patch setting could best suit your needs. If you’re wanting to find ‘that one monster nugget’ at depth,  the Off setting gives you the best chance!

GPZ 19
The GPZ 19 offers a substantial boost in sensitivity to deep targets. The larger geometry also means that it’s more sensitive to conductive soil. The new Ground Smoothing function can used to help reduce the effect of conductive soils on the GPZ 19. However, it is important to remember that the GPZ 19 is all about depth. So, where possible, the GPZ 19 should matched with the Off setting for the greatest detection depth. However, you may find that Locate Patch gives a smoother detecting experience.

So, in summary, you now have a wider choice of coil size and ground noise filtering options to fine-tune detector performance for various conditions – from using the GPZ 14 and Salty Soil for conductive soils, through to the GPZ 19 and Ground Smoothing Off for less reactive ground and greatest depth.

This software upgrade, which also includes a Semi-Auto setting and additional language support, is available here (11.3 MB download)

Further information and instructions on how to install it are available here

Read more about the GPZ 7000 and coping with difficult ground here

Firmware Installation Guide

[Steve Herschbach]

From the update Full Color Brochure - click on images for larger versions

[Steve Herschbach]

To reiterate this note from the first post:

Important Notes:

1) Both the GPZ control box under the detector armrest AND the GPZ control pod user interface on top of the handle must be connected together and updated as a pair at the same time. Therefore, if sending your detector to a dealer or service centre, to carry out this update, do not send the control box alone.

2) This update is currently NOT COMPATIBLE with XChange 2 and therefore will make XChange 2 inoperable with the GPZ 7000 detector. Transfer and save Geotrails or Findpoints from your GPZ to XChange 2 before doing the upgrade. A new compatible version of XChange 2 will be available within the next few months, at which time full compatibility will be restored. Any data you have stored on XChange 2 will not be lost when you carry out the GPZ update and when this new version of XChange 2 becomes available.

3) When installing this upgrade, the detector will need to have the universal settings re-selected (e.g. language, weight) and the wireless module re-connected.

I have personally used this update and it works very well indeed. Unfortunately, I need my built in GPS and XChange 2 compatibility more than I need this update so I rolled back to the prior version (yes, you can do that - prior versions here). I want this update but will be holding off until XChange 2 compatibility is restored.

Firmware Installation Guide

[flakmagnet]

Thanks once again Steve for taking the time to provide details for us all. Do you happen to know if the update will work on Mac's? 

 

[Steve Herschbach]

The update is loaded by connecting your GPZ to a computer where it is accessed as if it is a thumb drive. Then the file is downloaded and copied to the GPZ. I believe this can be done from a Mac.

[flakmagnet]

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

[flakmagnet]

Ok, I downloaded the update to my Mac desk top. I plugged in the usb cable from the computer to the 7000. I powered up the 7000 and waited until I saw the 7000 hard disk icon on the computer desk top. Then I double clicked the 7000 hard drive icon and dragged the update onto the open hard drive. After it updated (a short time), I dragged the 7000 hard drive icon to the trash (this ejects it). Then I disconnected the usb cable and followed the prompts on the screen of the 7000.

It worked perfectly. 

[goldwright]

Yeah I just drag and dropped the update direct to the GPZ as if it was an external hard drive and it worked perfect.  I really like the look of locate patch mode as I usally tame the Z right down with audio smoothing and lowering sensitivity when I am hiking and prospecting but hopefully I can leave all my settings and just switch to locate patch.

[Steve Herschbach]

14 minutes ago, flakmagnet said:

Ok, I downloaded the update to my Mac desk top. I plugged in the usb cable from the computer to the 7000. I powered up the 7000 and waited until I saw the 7000 hard disk icon on the computer desk top. Then I double clicked the 7000 hard drive icon and dragged the update onto the open hard drive. After it updated (a short time), I dragged the 7000 hard drive icon to the trash (this ejects it). Then I disconnected the usb cable and followed the prompts on the screen of the 7000.

It worked perfectly. 

Excellent! I thought so based on the previous update but am glad you confirmed it - thanks!