Beginners luck

Gogmeister

Recommended Posts

Gogmeister Newbie

Gogmeister

Posted
Posted

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum, I live in England and this is my first post.

In April I was offered an opportunity to film in North Nevada, so in a hearts-beat I grasped the opportunity. This was a grueling 17 day shoot in and around Las Vegas and Reno. In between my work I started to acquire all the equipment I needed for my "jolly". I also managed to hook-up with Chris Ralph at Rye patch, to get a copy of his new book... and then received some great tips on prospecting. I got further training from Kevin Hoagland on the best way of setting up the 4500, where to detect and on what to look out for.

So how did I do?

The first chance to detect was an evening hunt for a couple of hours before sunset (when it got really cold)..... and in that time I managed to find my first nugget at only a few inches deep :D This is the rough looking one on the left and it weighed in a 2.6dwt.... not the prettiest, but my first ever!

The following day I returned for a mornings hunt, and immediately found a 5.2dwt nugget followed by one of 3.5dwt about 18 inches from the other. Both of these were about 10 inches deep.

The last nugget in the image (on the right) was found just before the end of the session, and was the deepest of all the nuggets, weighing 2.8 dwt, and falling to the commander 18" mono I'd borrowed from Kevin.

I managed a further few hours on Rye patch between filming, but didn't find anything that would register on my scales.

Special thanks to Doc for supplying the picks, scoops and doing a good deal on some headphones. Thanks to Kevin Hoagland for taking me under his wing, and looking after me. And finally to Chris Ralph and his dad, who showed me around Rye patch and shared his extensive knowledge freely with an overeager Brit.

Gordon Heritage

post-29458-127685551721_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
adam Newbie

adam

Posted
Posted

That is really amazing. With the wealth of knowledge from Kevin and Chris,you probably cut the learning curve by 2/3rds. I could not imagine all the great information you were provided.

Nice work on the nuggets....Luck? maybe , maybe not.. B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
actionjackson Newbie

actionjackson

Posted
Posted

I'm new hear and was wondering what settings they recommended for the 4500?

I'm leaving for Arizona tomorrow for a weeks outing and just bought a new 4500.

Thanks in advance,

J.R.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DOC Rookie

DOC

Posted
Posted

I was happy to help out. Glad you had some good luck and excellent training!

Doc

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum, I live in England and this is my first post.

In April I was offered an opportunity to film in North Nevada, so in a hearts-beat I grasped the opportunity. This was a grueling 17 day shoot in and around Las Vegas and Reno. In between my work I started to acquire all the equipment I needed for my "jolly". I also managed to hook-up with Chris Ralph at Rye patch, to get a copy of his new book... and then received some great tips on prospecting. I got further training from Kevin Hoagland on the best way of setting up the 4500, where to detect and on what to look out for.

So how did I do?

The first chance to detect was an evening hunt for a couple of hours before sunset (when it got really cold)..... and in that time I managed to find my first nugget at only a few inches deep :D This is the rough looking one on the left and it weighed in a 2.6dwt.... not the prettiest, but my first ever!

The following day I returned for a mornings hunt, and immediately found a 5.2dwt nugget followed by one of 3.5dwt about 18 inches from the other. Both of these were about 10 inches deep.

The last nugget in the image (on the right) was found just before the end of the session, and was the deepest of all the nuggets, weighing 2.8 dwt, and falling to the commander 18" mono I'd borrowed from Kevin.

I managed a further few hours on Rye patch between filming, but didn't find anything that would register on my scales.

Special thanks to Doc for supplying the picks, scoops and doing a good deal on some headphones. Thanks to Kevin Hoagland for taking me under his wing, and looking after me. And finally to Chris Ralph and his dad, who showed me around Rye patch and shared his extensive knowledge freely with an overeager Brit.

Gordon Heritage

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gogmeister Newbie

Gogmeister

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks everyone for your kind comments, I'm sure I'm going to enjoy visiting this forum.

Those are some nice nuggets! I will bet you really have the fever now.

Bunk

You're not kidding... I hope to return later this year and have convinced the wife that it will be a great holiday.

I'm new hear and was wondering what settings they recommended for the 4500?

I'm leaving for Arizona tomorrow for a weeks outing and just bought a new 4500.

Thanks in advance,

J.R.

I'm probably too late with this post if you've already left...

These settings bagged my first nugget;

Front End Cap

Coil/RX DD mode

Ground Balance Fixed

Soil/Timings Enhanced

Search Mode G (General)

Rear End Cap

Volume Limit 14

Ground Balance Type General

Special Sensitive Xtra

Motion Slow

RX Gain 10

Audio NORMAL

Audio Tone 50

Stabilizer 10

Signal 16

Target Volume 10

Response Normal

Tracking Medium

Iron Reject OFF

These settings were used with the 11" commander mono, which was great to get in and under the bushes.

WOWSA WOWSA WOWSA...... Great instructor and outfitter....... Very lucky person you are! Did ya hit it good on the craps tables too?

Unfortunately like most tourists that do Vegas, I found my wallet took a big hit in the casinos..... so I must of used up all my luck in the desert.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gogmeister Newbie

Gogmeister

Posted
  • Author
Posted

How ironic, people here in the US want to get over to your side of the pond to detect, and you come over here and rip it up. Congrats.

I've been detecting my side of the pond for 33 years, and there aren't many types of objects I haven't found. I've found Celtic and Roman coin hoards... hammered coins from all periods, from all the famous English king like John, Edward I, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.... I was even involved in the discovery of a pot containing 2Kg of 90% pure gold in the form of gold torcs and bracelets... but generally the normal finds are Roman bronze coins, and low denomination hammered coins. These are nice to find, but they don't excite me like they use to.

Nugget hunting is all new to me, and finally I'm getting the old buzz back into my detecting.

This is a painfully slow link to the British museum where you can see the gold torcs;

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/online_research_catalogues/search_object_details.aspx?objectId=827564&partId=1

post-29458-12772467431_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Reno Chris Newbie

Reno Chris

Posted
Posted

That was a fun visit, glad you were able to get some nice gold. I was out there for 4 days and the only one where the wind did not blow excessively was the day I was with you folks. Is any of that video we shot ready for viewing?

I hope your friend Gary got over his "airs" quickly.

Chris Ralph

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gogmeister Newbie

Gogmeister

Posted
  • Author
Posted

That was a fun visit, glad you were able to get some nice gold. I was out there for 4 days and the only one where the wind did not blow excessively was the day I was with you folks. Is any of that video we shot ready for viewing?

I hope your friend Gary got over his "airs" quickly.

Chris Ralph

Here's the first one and there will be more to follow :)

http://www.mlotv.com/view/774/arizona-2010-gold-nugget-finding-/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Reno Chris Newbie

Reno Chris

Posted
Posted

Certainly no apologies necessary!

Eating out all the time, eating rich food, etc. certainly has an affect on the system for all of us!

Glad to hear you are doing well.

The video is very well done and worth watching.

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites
~LARGO~ Newbie

~LARGO~

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

Enjoyed the post very much, as well as viewing your successes in the wilds of N. Nevada,

and in England, especially.

I don't think however, a trip to Rye Patch is complete, without a meeting with

the fellow who digs crystals... Crystal John.

~LARGO~

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing