Hello

[cjam]

Hello,

Moved to Castlemaine a year ago. I've been using an SDC 2300, and finding small bits, and recently acquired a 5000. It's taken me a few trips out with the 5000 to get some confidence with it. Compared to the SDC the 5000 really picks up ground noise, and I've dug quite a few phantom targets! I believe I'm slowly getting the hang of the 5000 now, and I've actually managed to get a few targets into the scoop. No gold with it yet, though. I believe the 5000 is a really capable machine, but it does illustrate just how easy the 2300 is to use.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[EVIE/BEE]

Have you tried your DD coil on the 5000. Should limit the noise.

 

[Jaros]

Welcome to P.A. Chris.

 

[Deepseeker]

Welcome aboard Cjam. I've never used an SDC 2300, but I've found the GPX 5000 to be a steep learning curve for a beginner that's for sure. Like Evie/BEE said, give the DD coil a try until you get used to it. I sometimes run mine with a 20" NF Advantage Mono, but I still find it easier to settle the Threshold down to a nice hum by using a DD, combined with the sP01 enhancer. I mostly run an NF 25" DD X or a Detech SEF 21"x17" Inch and it's easier for a beginner I feel. I tried the 11" DD Commander that came with the 5000 only recently, and I was amazed at the depth I got with it. Give it a go and see what you think. :Y:

P.S. One thing I have learned with the 5000 is don't be too over-zealous with the Gain. There's no point digging halfway to China for Charcoal, Hot Rocks, Clay Domes or wet tree roots, and believe me I've done mostly that myself until recently. Spurious signals just waste your precious time & energy. You need to be covering as much ground as possible, and a DD coils search pattern will help you do that. You'll still dig junk, but that's all part of the game as I'm sure you've already found with the SDC.

 

[cjam]

Thanks for the tips!

I don't have a DD coil, the machine came supplied with a couple of mono coils, round and elliptical. I did buy a 15inch evo mono coil too, but I'm just getting the hang of the stock coils first.

The sales guy warned me off DD coils, btw, he said mono was the way to go!

I found that the 5000 initially gave the same target sound as the 2300, and it frustrated me a bit until I realised it was ground noise and hot rocks. I've got the routine down now of detecting in fixed, and ground balancing to the side of the target to see if it is real or not. It's a matter of learning the different sounds the 5000 makes.

I have enough confidence in the 5000 now to take it out, before that, I put it back in the boot in disgust a few times and took the 2300 out! A lot of the areas around Castlemaine and Chewton have been flogged to death, but there is still some small stuff out there at least.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[Benj308]

Hey Cjam. Like Deepseeker said dont use too much gain. I have a gpx 4500 with a 12x8 evo and I have found gold with the gain down as low as 4. I usually adjust as I go. If Im getting too many ground noises I turn it down if Im not getting any at all Ill turn it up for a while to see how it goes.

 

[cjam]

Thanks for the info!