nuggethunting

Hello All, Last weekend I met up with 3 new Minelab customers (GPZ and GPX's) for an outing to conduct instructions and some detecting. The weather was perfect, probably 80's during the day, 50's at night. I spent some time instructing new customers, but was able to get a bit of time in on the GPZ 7000 with the new update. I ended up scoring 6.2 Grams of gold with the GPZ. Everyone had a great time, but not everyone was lucky enough to leave with nuggets this outing. Here is a shot of the 5 pieces I picked up.

Hey Tom, Ya, the EMI was bad Sunday. My partner got so frustrated with the GPX 5000, he stopped detecting. He said it was bonging and beeping the entire time. The GPZ is a bit more immune to EMI, as I heard my partners GPX and it was going nuts.

Hey Tom, Well the weather is starting to get nice. The "Owl" got blown out and is showing golden color (hear-say). Congrats on the find. All gold is good, little ones can lead you to many more nuggets (or more friends).

Hello All, A partner and I done some exploring Sunday morning on quads. This was my first outing with the new software updated loaded to the GPZ 7000. The first location we tried, the GPZ 7000 was really going nuts. I was really concerned the update screwed something up. I messed with it for about 15 minutes, but then realized after a friend said his GPX 5000 was so noisy, he couldn't hunt. There was some type of weird EMI going on. We ended up leaving this location and hunted several others. At the other locations the GPZ just purred along, pretty amazing. The unit seems more stable than before, but I did use the Ferrite Ring during the ground balance process. We ended up with 15 nuggets (9 of mine are displayed below). All found with the GPZ 7000. Nothing huge, but roughly 6 grams of gold out of a completely new area that shows future promise. It's out there .....

Hey Guys, Adam - Makes you wonder on the board if there is a way to can update it? I heard if you tape a coin to bottom of the searchcoil it increases sensitivity!

Hey Doc, Good suggestion. I heard they are pretty brittle and can break real easy. Some say the results so far with the Ferrite Ring don't seem to do much (mostly on US mineralization), while others mostly in OZ seem to see differences. I haven't seen anything that I have noticed using it here in Arizona, but I will still keep it with me just in case I hit some really bad ground.

Hey Guys, Bill Southern called yesterday and was having issues with the XChange program and uploading the download to the GPZ. I told him to read your post here and he was able to successfully get it done and verify it was complete. Sounds like there are issues with some people not able to get the detector to acknowledge the download, other downloads lock up at a certain percentage, others like myself took forever (15 minutes). When it doubt, check out Doc's post above and use that method.

Hey Fred and Doc, Ya, I got my completed also last night, the instructions on the PDF in my opinion were not really clear. It took me about 15 minutes overall to download (which was slow on my PC) and install to the GPZ. To verify you have successful updated the newest version, you can go through the "Quick" Green button feature to setup and verify the ground balance portion shows the Ferrite Tube being displayed to place on ground. You can also go to 2nd to last or last screen on the GPZ and verify the version of software. You don't have to "Reset" your settings, you could choose to keep "Current" settings with the new update. Just a FYI.

Hey Guys, Well I spent 20 minutes on the update, but finally got it loaded and verified I have the latest firmware version. The instructions on the PDF are quite confusing if you ask me. They don't tell you when to turn the detector on, they tell you to login into the program and you don't have to login, just open the program. Not the clearest instructions I have read before to be honest. The download was pretty slow on my PC, but I also realized I wasn't using my USB 2.0 port, but another slower version. Thanks God I didn't have any lockup issues like Doc during the download process. Will be interesting to see how the unit performs now.

Hey Alchemist, I think you are correct. I deleted it from the original post. I haven't done the update yet, so if anyone has any feedback please post it here. I'm hoping the new software update will make the GPZ better in some locations. There are still a few places even with the Ferrite Tube the GPZ makes noise. Thanks for adding the page with both versions of the firmware, Jan. 2015 and the latest Oct. 2015.

Minelab are pleased to announce the first software update to our GPZ 70000 detector. This free update incorporates a new Auto Ground Tracking Algorithm resulting in improved Auto Ground Balance functionality. This GPZ software update improves the detector’s ability to track to the ground, such that more of the audio you hear is from gold nuggets. Resulting in - More stable thresholdHigher sensitivityLess false ground signal interferencePrecision ground trackingMore gold found This update also maximises achievable detection depth in any given soil type by delivering improved tracking of the yellow ferrite when ground balancing. Updates can be done easily via Minelab’s XChange 2, or manually via a file transfer method when XChange 2 is not available (e.g. if using a Mac).There is no need to return your detector to a Minelab dealer. PDF Downloadable Attachment - GPZ 7000 Software Update Brochure.pdf If you have any questions, contact us at Rob's Detector Sales. Thanks!

Hey Boulder Dash, Well we all know how much drama the "Detector Wars" have caused in the past. You might actually be right, more drama sells, so it could make a good show. I still remember some of the forum threads on this subject. It would go from one guys saying a VLF sucks, then 20 minutes later there would be 20+ posts fighting over it. By the end of the night the thread would have thousands of hits/views.

Hey Old Tom, Most don't realize I work a full time, M-F job maintain the integrity of the Power Grid. I have been involved in building some of the largest Substations in Arizona, which supply power on Transmission lines from 500,000 volts down to Distribution level voltage at 12,000 Delta or 12,470 Wye. Having a stressful job like this along with a full-time business is not easy, but we do what we do! The old saying, the more you make, the more you spend somewhere! Hey, I had to pay for that $10,000 detector also.

Hello All, Steve H. posted this article over on his forum. I couldn't imagine having that type of gold stored up in one place and then to get stolen. Read the article by clicking here ---->> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-11/gold-nuggets-stolen-from-cowell-home/6844622

Hey Doc, You are correct, it's Sunday around 2:30pm and I'm only half way caught up if you want to call it that. Spend all day Saturday packing orders. By the end of the night, I should be in a good position. My wife said to enjoy and relax. All I could think about is all the shit that is stacking up at home and then chasing my Daughter from the pool, to the waterpark, to the beach and back. I did get to see some of the most beautiful underwater creatures snorkeling off Caribbean Reefs though. A Monster sized spotted stingray swam right under us and I never thought I was going to get my Daughter back in the water after that moment.

Hello All, We arrived back late last night and had a great time. I'm up early working on orders and returning a ton of calls I missed. I'm in the office if you need to reach me now at 623.362.1459 or text or call my cell at 602.909.9008. Will be working on orders most of the day along with a few customers stopping over. Having minor issues with the online store going down. I'm working on it and hope to have it back online around Noon today. Thanks!

Hey Grubstake, We are back and I'm packing orders right now ..... I'm so freaking tired. I was probably in the water 12-14 hours per day snorkeling and diving with the family and friends we met there. Just a FYI, some minor issues with the online store right now. I'm working on it. If you see it down, check back. I should have it back online today around Noon. Call me if you have questions.

Hey Tortuga, Copper nuggets really scream on metal detectors. Looks like a copper nugget/specimen, but there is always a chance it could have a dabble of gold also. I have found specimens, similar in look, that have small veins along with copper staining. It's common to find copper, silver and gold nuggets all in one location, such as a wash. I will have to show you some day a spot out there that you can dig huge copper pieces, some so damn larger you have to have a shovel and plan on digging at least 2-3 foot for them.

Hey Inthemountains, I changed your title to "best mode for GPZ." I have had best luck with faint, deep targets with a low threshold vs. high, but haven't cranked the other settings up with a high threshold. I have heard some really like these hot settings, but I have always ran a low threshold and can't seem to get used to a high or overcranked settings on the PI's or GPZ. A lot of combinations to play with for sure.

Hey Guys, No Detector Wars here, just some discussion on metal detectors. If you able to swing it, own both a PI and VLF. I think we all agree on this!

Hey Tortuga, The thought about all big nuggets are probably gone is not so true. Reason I state this is I have seen many big nuggets found over the last 20 years, most of them were not down in the gullies or washes, but rather away from the patch or other nuggets. A few years ago I seen a customer of mine find a real nice one. We went to a known gold area and worked for several days. I found several down in the gullies and benches, but he was pretty discouraged after purchasing a high dollar detector and no gold. He said he was going to hike some ridge tops, just to look around. Several hours later, I heard a loud screaming, it was him flagging me up on this ridge. Low and behold, he found a nice 2.5 ouncer on the top of this ridge. It was the most odd-ball spot, but there were remains of a old quartz outcropping. We worked the area, circling around the find for hours and never found another piece. I think some of the large ones, can still be hiding on the hilltops, or hundreds of yards from the known patches. Just my thoughts. There still are some large ones near the surface, so investigate all those screaming trash signals!!

Hello All, I made a comment on the thread from Steve H., survey about metal detectors. If you notice, I mentioned "in my opinion" I believe someone willing to spend the time and effort would benefit more from a good PI working old goldfields than a VLF. I have many reason why I believe this and we mentioned we are not included the price of the metal detector. We are talking technology and performance this time. In the quote above, I talked about how I would rather miss a dink than a larger chunk at depth. Trust me, I have toggled back in forth from a Fisher Goldbug 2 and PI, owning both most of the time. I'm pretty convinced with the new PI's and GPX 7000, that I'm not missing that many small nuggets. The ones I'm missing don't make it economic enough in a day to pick them up than continue in hopes of picking up another single piece that might make a dozen of those small ones. Sometimes it comes down to economics & time in the field (productivity). I can either crawl around on the bedrock and snipe 20 small ones in a day for "X" about of grains or grams, or cover more ground in hopes of larger pieces. I have always had better success in the second, moving on, trying to find another deeper one or covering more ground. That all being said, we go back to the original question I have. I think if you're working old goldfields, a person would have better success with a good PI vs. a VLF overall. I'm saying this from 20+ years of swinging a metal detector across the US and Mexico. I'm also saying this from watching the various gold forums the last 10 years and seeing what guys are finding. We can also toss the survey Steve just conducted on metal detectors. For example, if you have watched a handful of guys (probably more like 100's) visit the known goldfield of Rye Patch, Nevada, that place has been worked to depth. It's a huge goldfield, hundreds of thousands of gold nuggets have been found in region. Despite that, the area still produces handfuls of nuggets from guys working that goldfield. Most are using PI's, revisiting known nugget patches, dozen scrapes and other workings to find gold at depth. The SDC's (newer waterproof PI from Minelab) has done an amazing job at Rye Patch, kind of like a GB2 PI unit. I still remember visiting one of the scraps over 10 years ago, the guys that showed me said it has been killed. It was the size of a football field, if not larger. He pretty told me good luck, the Goldbugs have killed it. Within just an hour's time with the latest and greatest PI, I had over a dozen "chevron" nuggets for like 4 Grams of gold. All the nuggets were just a few inches beyond VLF detection range. These are just some of my personal views and opinions, but would love to hear what others have to say about the subject. I guess we can also add, what is "personal success" or being productive. Some are just happy with being in the outdoors, others love to find a nugget or a combination of them both!

Hey Steve, Overall, the survey really sums up what I have seen in the field for the most part. Hunting mostly in the Southwestern US for gold nuggets, most that I stumble onto around the major goldfields are using some series of the Minelab Pulse Induction metal detectors. I think if you take this survey again next year, the amount of GPX units will drastically increase, just going off what I'm seeing and selling currently. The number of calls and inquiries about VLF's has really declined in the last year or so. The overall demand for recreational and serious gold hunters seems to lean heavily towards PI's, mostly by Minelab. I think the reason the survey shows what guys are using successfully in the field, especially over old, worked US goldfields. When you toss out the "price tag" I would rather find a Gram nugget at depth, missed by VLF's, then a Grainer missed by a PI and picked up with a high freq. VLF. Overall, the PI's for the most part will gain much more in weight (nuggets at depth, small and large) over a VLF in my opinion over time.

Hey Tom, Here is one of the threads that show some of the nuggets still dirty. You will have to scan back a few pages on the forums to find the others. http://forums.nuggethunting.com/index.php?/topic/11628-should-i-clean-them-i-hate-cleaning-gold-nuggets/ Most nuggets, are going to be dirty. Some might be just covered in dirt, others caliche or other material they have been sitting in for years (hundreds if not thousands). I have found bright, shiny nuggets on bedrock after Winter and Monsoon rains. Anything that sounds off on my detector I will investigate. If it's an "unknown" I will take it home with me and investigate further. For the most part, rocks such as basalts/ironstones are pretty easy to ID and I just kick them out of the way. There is always a chance if you don't pick them up and examine, they could have some gold in them (ironstone at least). Hope this helps a bit,

Hey Grubstake, Thanks for your comments. You know I do this for all customers, not just my friends. Now if we can just get you to share some of your golden experiences!!