nuggethunting

Hello Randy, Congrats on getting a GPX-4000. No biggie that you didn't get it from me. I've never met Gerry personally, but heard a lot of good things about him. I've had handfuls of guys purchase products from me that purchased their Minelab from Gerry. All of them had great things to say about him and his training. Training is a very important part of a big Minelab purchase, especially for anyone that has never used them. Wishing you all the best here in Arizona. Rob Allison

Hello Uncle Ron, There is no doubt, that is one beautiful find! I really find it hard to believe there is nothing left around there. The wash might be shallow and small, but I would examine the hillsides right above that find. That nugget didn't travel very far and I'm sure there are some veins crossing the hillsides in that nearby area that produced that gold nugget. That might be the only find that made it to the creek, if so, you're going to find one hell of a patch. Examine the nearby area for the same type of quartz that is found on your nugget. Don't give up yet, Rob Allison

Hello Lon, Congrats on yet another gold nugget find! I've been out of town for about a week in Show Low and was battling some type of head cold for the last three days. Haven't been out for a week or so ... How deep was the nugget? Did you find it with a smaller coil? Talk with you later, Rob Allison

Hello Dig Deep, Sounds more like an interference problem. When the coil is flat on the ground, you shouldn't get much interference since there is shielding on top of the searchcoil. However, the minute you lift the searchcoil off the ground to hunt side banks and such, you will get a lot more interference. The searchcoil is like an antenna, and you will receive a lot more interference when you bring it of the ground. Normally, the bigger the coil the more interference you will receive. You can also get Wee-Woo's and Static Spikes if the coil is just flat. Typically the static spikes are discharges. In dry, arid regions like the Southwest you will get much more of these. The searchcoil is sliding across the ground building up friction and then will eventually discharge giving you those loud signal spikes. Some have used "anti-static" sprays to help elliminate the static build-up. While others have grounded themselves to the detector and then to the ground elliminating any difference in potential between the coil, detector, user and ground potential. Take care, Rob Allison

Hello Rod and others, Been out of town for a week, so trying to catch up on the forums. I think that would be a great idea. This would give me a chance to try out my new drywasher in a few spots. I would just send him the concentrates so he could pan them down. I know there would be some decent color. Let me know what you guys come up with. Rob Allison

Hello Chuck and Steve, Probably would never just give up the Minelab dealership for another manufacture, but could be interested in selling other products. Over the years I've heard about all these detectors that are going to work through the trashy areas and pluck out all the big gold nuggets. It's always worth a good laugh watching the user trying to justify the machine is not picking up iron anymore. Heck, I seen one user that spent over an hour digging a target that a detector stated was a "good" target, not iron. Low and behold it was a huge old rusted can at about 3 foot deep! Over the years I've seen demo's of dealers trying to show consumers how a certain detector can find gold under trash or even elliminate the trash completely. However, they don't like it when you come up and toss down about 20 other pieces of iron around the gold nuggets. It's very easy to conduct a demo with one piece of trash and one gold nugget, but things change big time when you're talking about hundreds of pieces of trash and various sizes. Will be interesting to see about the Nemesis. Rob Allison

Hello Chuck, Well I thought Reg might have one at Rich Hill last weekend, as many were interested in seeing one in action. Hopefully Steve H. will get one in time for Moore Creek and we can see how it runs there. The mineralization is very minimal there, so I would rather see how it performs over moderate to high mineralized ground condtions. Take care, Rob Allison

Hello Tony, I think it comes down to preference more than what is better. All three manufactures make great searchcoils. There has been debate over the years about the Litz wire, but I've yet to see any difference in performance from a coil with Litz vs. a coil without Litz wire. Coiltek was originally formed when one of Minelab's searchcoil engineers left and formed Coiltek with another partner. There was a huge business for aftermarket searchoils on Minelab metal detectors, so Coiltek was formed. Coiltek was the first aftermarket searchcoil manufacture, and since I was a Minelab dealer I became one of the first US dealers for Coiltek under Doc. I've had chances to sell other coils, but stuck with Coiltek since day one. Coiltek & Doc have back all their products 110%, so it was a great choice on my part to stick with them. All three manufactures give you a good selection of coils to choose from. I think it would be ones best interests to own one of each. I personally have a NF20-inch for very deep areas, the new Coiltek 18.5 & 14-inch for moderate depths and the Coiltek Platypus & Joey for smaller, shallow gold nuggets. Coiltek also offers some completely waterproof searchcoils for people to snipe creeks, rivers or even use them on the beach to get more depth over conventional metal detectors. Take care, Rob Allison

Hello JP, Congrats on the new gold additions! I'm not doing to bad with my GPX-4500 either. Still trying to find the best settings for deep, sizeable gold nuggets. Take care, Rob Allison

Hey Tony, My guess is 4.45 Grams. Great looking nuggets and Thanks for the contest! Rob Allison

Hello Guys, 5150 - I'm so limited on free time right now it's fun just getting out and at least finding one nugget. I know I've hammered this spot many times, so I'm excited to get the new GPX-4500 over some other spots. Uncle Ron - I actually just got a used SD2100 in that is for sale. However, during the meantime I'm going to conduct some tests with it against the new GPX-4500. Dakota Slim - Yes, the nugget is from Rich Hill and from the 24k claims. The last couple of trips I've found almost 13 Dwt's of deeper nuggets with the GPX-4500. Wish I had more free time to spend out there and other spots. Matt - I've never seen any differences from using DD vs. the Mono mode, but do it more because I have faith in what a few others have told me. From time to time I will flip it back and forth, but never seen any real advantages from one to another. Makes me wonder if it really matters .... Take care, Rob Allison

Hello Karl, I've lately been using the new Coiltek 18.5-inch Elliptical Goldstalker Mono Searchcoil. This coil is a real sleeper for deep gold nuggets, especially on the GPX-4000 or GPX-4500. Friend went up around the San Domingo placers this weekend and nailed a nice 4 Dwter at depth along with several smaller ones the first time with the new coil. The new Coiltek Goldstalkers Searchcoils are really making a name for themselves! Take care, Rob Allison

Hello Tony, If Chris shows you a hot spot, maybe you can stick around there! There are dozens of places not too far from Prescott. There are many placers around Prescott and Prescott Valley, but uncertain what is/isnt under claim right now. If you head down the hill you will hit Poland Junction, Mayer and other spots going towards Black Canyon City. If you head down 89A, you will go through many placer/lode locations all the way towards Wickenburg and even over towards Morristown. You might want to stick around the higher country as some of the temps are in the mid 90's now. Wishing you the best of luck with the new GPX-4500. Rob Allison

Hello Chuck, I wish I had more free time to write articles. I'm the first to admit, I'm not the best writer, but have many stories I could share if anyone was interested in writting something for a magazine. I also have tons of pictures someone could use. Over the years many have asked if I was going to write a book or make an instructional DVD. Maybe sometime if I get more free time .... Take care, Rob Allison

Hello Gus, Great before and after shot. One beautiful gold nugget you have there. I've found a couple of specimens that have some ugly host rock or even rotten looking quartz, so I might try some of that solution on mine in the future. I'm in the same boat, working a lot of hours right now. Wish I could get out more and play with the new GPX-4500. Wishing you the best out there, Rob Allison

Hello Reno Chris, Looking forward to reading that article written by JP. I should receive my ICMJ within the next day or so. Take care, Rob Allison

Hello Goldman, Some nuggets were found on the claims and pushes this weekend. I didn't seen anything of any size, but several nuggets in the 1 - 1.5 Dwt range. I believe that was the last push until October of this year. Take care, Rob Allison

Hello Bob, Was wondering how you might have done over there. That area at one time was so rich that several close friends were sweeping their tracks in to make sure no one ever found the spot. Many 1+ ounce nuggets were found there. I've heard of one 7 ouncer, but seen several 1 & 2 ouncers with very nice character. Talk with you later, Rob Allison

Hello All, Not much of a story to tell besides I found this 3.5 Dwt gold nugget in an old hammered out patch. Worked Saturday and Sunday on some old spots, but only managed to find one decent nuggets and 5-6 iron rubbish targets at depth (missed). Was playing around with various settings on the GPX-4500, but found the gold nugget in "Deep/Enhance/DD, Deep Audio, 8 Stabilizer, 10 RX Gain." Nugget was approx. 12-inches and on edge in a bedrock crevice. Take care, Rob Allison

Hello Mike, I don't have your address and CC info on this new system. Please give me a call at (623) 362-1459. I can get it out tomorrow if you give me a call tonight. P.S. Rumor is Trev @ Coiltek is working on some different shapes and configurations along with some other stuff. Talk with you later, Rob Allison

Hello Don, 5150 and others, Here is the forum link that will show you the pictures of the new Goldstalker Prospecting picks. ---> GoldStalker Prospecting Picks, Click Here <--- Take care, Rob Allison

Hello JP, You're a freakin gold animal! Congrats on the new finds with the GPX-4500. I spent this weekend working some old spots with the GPX-4500 & 18.5-inch Elliptical, but only ended up with one nugget. I guess it could have been worse, I could have gotten skunked. I ended up hitting a nice 3.5 (5 Grammer) in an old patch that I missed prior. The area has been worked very hard and the max depth in the area might only be two foot. I think the bigger nuggets (ounce plus) have been picked clean many years ago. Thanks for sharing your finds. Rob Allison

Hello Steve, Mike ane JP pretty much answered that question. The new GPX-4500 battery is similar to the 4000, but with an added audio amplifier. Hope this helps, Rob Allison

Hello Grubstake, Thanks for the plug. I took several of them out to the 24K claims this weekend and sold several. The new Goldstalker picks are practically unbreakable! They do have a lifetime warranty and are made right here in the good ol' USA! Tell Matt to give us the specs on the new picks. Type of metal, type of handle .... Take care, Rob Allison

Hello Guys, In my opinion the claims are some of the best in Arizona, but the pushes are getting much leaner compared to last season. When I left I believe there was about 8 nuggets found on the pushes. Most of them were small, several were around a Dwt in size. Several nuggets were found off the pushes. Travis found a nice 1.55 Dwter. I found a nice 3.5 Dwter also. Take care, Rob Allison