flakmagnet Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 One line of questioning that often comes up in the forums I follow is when people ask for a list of the settings being used by detectorists in a particular area. But the real question is WHY are those settings being used. What are the specific conditions that necessitated the setting adjustments and how do those adjustments interact with each other and effect the overall tuning of the machine. This is one of the reasons why people like JP and you are such valuable teachers for all of us. You are able to talk about how the different settings affect the overall tuning of the detector (technical knowledge), and why those choices are being made in the first place (prospecting knowledge). Unless an operator begins to understand that approach, they will be not learn to make their own decisions about how to use the settings to best advantage. That seems to be where the prospecting knowledge and the techical understanding of the detector come together to become the 80% so many of us reference. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn90403 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 On 3/8/2015 at 8:29 AM, Steve Herschbach said: The 80/20 thing is based on many years of watching detectorists with similar equipment at Ganes Creek and Moore Creek, Alaska so there is actual field observation to back it up. At my Moore Creek mine almost everyone used the latest Minelab gear. The novices were lucky to find any gold in a week, the experts found gold every day. That is not an exaggeration. I will post a compilation of results which we recorded weekly for several years plus some I have from Ganes Creek to illustrate when I have time. It is not that better equipment does not matter. Where equipment matters is when you eliminate the novices and only deal with experts. If I am in a hunt with a number of guys that really know their stuff, I will if possible use better gear than they have. However, that does not always mean what you think. Sometimes that means breaking out the Gold Bug 2 when everyone else is running a PI. That again is where the skill and knowledge thing kicks in. Operator skill being equal better detectors do matter. But the difference between what an expert prospector/detectorist can do versus the run of the mill types is stunning. I have seen it in action way too often to have any doubt at all in that matter. So Steve, this brings up the question which may be due for a separate thread which would be 'Who would you least like to 'follow' in a hunt?' By this I mean ... who would least likely miss something on a field, a patch or hunt? Who 'knows their stuff' best within your hunting group or within the industry. Kind of like a 'detect off' of operators. This would be one of my scenarios: I am given a choice between two one acre fields to detect. The fields are 'equal' from a geologic standpoint with small placer gold. One field has previously been detected by a novice and another field has been detected by an 'expert.' I want to find as much gold as possible. Which field do I choose? Now let's say the fields have both been detected by experts and I am told the name of the experts (JP and SH ). Which field do I choose? Now let's say it is your choice to follow a certain operator on a field. Who are the operators you would like to follow least to get their 'crumbs?' So fellow prospectors ... who are the operators that consistently use their equipment at the highest level ... just like the expert marksmen or fishermen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Herschbach Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 It depends. If hunting in Australia, follow me. If Ganes Creek, Alaska, follow JP. Do not underestimate the home team advantage! JP has forgot more about PI than I know. VLF in tailing piles I reckon I might be a bit quicker on the draw than JP. Same applies most everywhere. The locals always have an advantage in knowing the ground and target conditions, whether it is coins, relics, beach hunting, or gold. I am not really super efficient. It is doubtful my detector is always tuned for maximum performance. I have probably left more gold in the ground in the last 40 years than many people will find. I just try to make up for it with hard work and long hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn90403 Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Let me be a little more 'positive' in my approach to finding about the best operators in our industry. We've heard about some of them but many we have not. Who is the best of all of the people I know? Who is the best in each of the clubs? Who are the best of the present and past by both deed and reputation? What are they doing or did they do that I am not doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flakmagnet Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Half kidding here, but the best operators are most likely out there using the 7000 instead of writing about it. JP, Steve and Chris have had a fair amount of experience with the 7000 and, most importantly, are involved with the detecting community to a degree that is rare. That being said, there is some good info. beginning to trickle out in the various forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Watkins Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I can understand what your saying about people and new technology steve, my thinking is say my neighbor won the lottery he has tried to find gold recently with say a ATX but didnt have any help or training but he was in gold ground and never found anything so now he thinks the new 7000 he heard about is the ticket, he's thinking smart now invest in 4 7000s for the two klds wife and himself , this will pay off now he thinks. He has invested their money wisely, only spent with the extras $38.000 after getting all the gear he needs to compliment his investment. Then he buys their own gold claim for $382,000 because he got some inside information no one else heard about yet, he's set up now. Long story short they have a very miserable time at it for 6 months, they found 1.5 oz.gold in their new venture they have spent now most of their lottery money and sell out for pennies on the dollar. What im getting at it is no different than most of us without the real knowledge to begin with to take on something your really not familiar with to this extreme without the many many days of experience to say the least. Kinda like me winning the lottery and buying a nascar to win with, just not gonna happen.. I have seen guys want to get into gold in a big way with no knowledge whatsoever and im sure you guys have to, it is the person that will make or break himself with whatever he is using and the way he is going about it for sure. I know what your saying steve. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norvic Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I think JP will remember being introduced to some gold as a young fellow, he had a SD and this old codger a VLF, he run rings around me, regardless that I`d had 10 years or so start. I don`t expect it would be any different now even if we were both armed with the same detectors. Comes down always to the persons ability, attitude and experience. Learning how to use a detector and getting gold with one do not necessarily go together. But it has been a exciting detecting gold rush, and a new detector always adds a little extra. Perhaps we should give a new detector 25% rather than 20% while it has it`s gloss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldquest Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 For what I read looks like that nobody believes in luck, what about 70% ability, knowledge, skill, 20% the machine and 10% luck, you can be as knowledgeable as you want, have the best metal detector but if you don't have at least a bit of luck in your side, you will be keeping researching, upgrading metal detectors and watching others find gold. This is only my opinion. Cheers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickUK Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 For what I read looks like that nobody believes in luck, what about 70% ability, knowledge, skill, 20% the machine and 10% luck, you can be as knowledgeable as you want, have the best metal detector but if you don't have at least a bit of luck in your side, you will be keeping researching, upgrading metal detectors and watching others find gold. This is only my opinion. Cheers I did mention the luck aspect in my earlier post on this thread,luck does have a big part to play with detecting :D But you are correct no one else seems to have mentioned it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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