Howdy

[Sprinter12]

Thanks for letting me join. have been going thru other posts trying to get an idea on what we should and shouldn't do. We are heading up near Sandstone for Easter total newbies to the game. I cant work at the moment due to these stupid restrictions being put on us so no use sitting on my ass at home. Got a couple of ATX's so any help would be welcome.

 

[Harald Hardrada]

Hi Sprinter,
Firstly welcome to PA. I hope that you enjoy your new hobby.

Secondly, and this is the bit you may not want to hear.

Sell those 2 ATXs on gumtree, marketplace or wherever. Throw them in the bin if no-one buys them.
Get a Minelab either a SDC2300, GPX 4500/5000,GPX 6000 or a GPZ 7000.
Maybe rent one?
This is not a brand loyalty thing or a Holden/Ford thing its just that they are the only detectors that will give you a fighting chance of finding any gold.

Don't worry, many have been down this path before.

 

[Moneybox]

Hi Sprinter,
Firstly welcome to PA. I hope that you enjoy your new hobby.

Secondly, and this is the bit you may not want to hear.

Sell those 2 ATXs on gumtree, marketplace or wherever. Throw them in the bin if no-one buys them.
Get a Minelab either a SDC2300, GPX 4500/5000,GPX 6000 or a GPZ 7000.
Maybe rent one?
This is not a brand loyalty thing or a Holden/Ford thing its just that they are the only detectors that will give you a fighting chance of finding any gold.

Don't worry, many have been down this path before.

Now this might be good advice to some extent but the ATX will find gold. We started out with an ATX and a Whites GMT and both found gold on our first trip away. We went for a week with a group where most but not all found gold but I got a 0.8g piece with the ATX and then followed it up with a 35g piece the following week before finding a 6g piece about a metre away the following day. The ATX went on to pay for its self before I sold it and bought a Minelab GPX4500 which is undoubtedly a better gold detector.

The main problem with the Garrett ATX is that it couldn't find anything under about 0.3g and these days there's not a lot of bigger bits left.

 

[Harald Hardrada]

Yep, 35 grammers are rare these days.

 

[Hawkear]

The problem today is the thrashing factor where you as a newbie are likely to be going over ground thrashed by other people most often with the latest detectors.
There is still gold to be found so don't necessarily be put off by that but the reality is that your chances will be increased substantially if you have a detector of at least equal capability to those who have covered the area before you.
Good gold detectors have a ready resale market in our goldfields states so again don't be put off by outlaying a bit more for something like a used 2300 or 5000. Resell after your detecting trip if you have to and you will get most of your outlay back.
The other thing would be accessing areas where you can legally detect. On our last trip west we took the time to get a number of section 40es, so I presume things are still the same and would suggest a bit of research and time put into that would help. From memory getting the 40es took some weeks but perhaps some of our WA members could assist with further info on the last issue.

 

[Harald Hardrada]

At least 3 weeks and now $99, but gives you 10 graticular blocks (10km2).

 

[Gold1hunter]

Hi Sprinter,
Firstly welcome to PA. I hope that you enjoy your new hobby.

Secondly, and this is the bit you may not want to hear.

Sell those 2 ATXs on gumtree, marketplace or wherever. Throw them in the bin if no-one buys them.
Get a Minelab either a SDC2300, GPX 4500/5000,GPX 6000 or a GPZ 7000.
Maybe rent one?
This is not a brand loyalty thing or a Holden/Ford thing its just that they are the only detectors that will give you a fighting chance of finding any gold.

Don't worry, many have been down this path before.

With you on this one, last winter in Forsythe an un-experienced prospector was using an Equinox 800 for several weeks for ZERO gold so he went home to Cairns to buy an Sdc2300 unfortunately in Cairns he bumped into a Garrett rep who convinced him to buy an ATX because it was "far superior to the Sdc2300" $4,500 later he came back to Forsythe ATX in hand with a big smile on his face 2 weeks later 1 sub grammer (almost sunbaker). He couldn't understand why he wasn't finding any, he asked a mate of mine (with gpz 7000) to go with him to an area he was sure gold would be. He detected a creek with ATX got to the head for ZERO gold, my mate was following up behind him with the 7000 and when they met at the head he had 16 grams. Passed his 7000 to the disheartened ATX owner for a try he got about 8 metres and pinged a sub grammer. ATX has now found a new home in his cupboard as he bought a Z 7000 with NF coil and found a couple of ounces in areas he'd been doing with the Equinox & the ATX before Temps got to HOT!
Throw the ATX out!

 

[Harald Hardrada]

Yep, I think Phil (Moneybox) could find gold with a stick he whittled from a tree, most however have struggled with the ATX big time.