Testing 16" Round Nugget Finder Mono (GPX5000)

[Syndyne]

G'day guys,

@Diggerdude & Heatho: Cheers guys! Tried all timings once again and went right back to Sensitive Extra with the Rx Gain at 14. From the first lot of tests it was the only timing (other than Normal) that would push deep past the 10" mark on that sized nugget for me in this scenario. Keeping in mind I haven't tried Salt Gold or Coin & Relic as they probably aren't ideal for the more mineralised gold country. A Booster is a good idea but I haven't got one as yet, though I wouldn't say no to testing one out!

@Jon: Cheers! I understand the open hole response vs virgin ground issue also (as previously mentioned above). I thoroughly tested the ground beforehand, both with the hole open and filled in with no target present and had no audible responses -not to say that it wouldn't be effecting the overall signal response on the target as I had noticed minor depth gains on most small targets like lead shot over my original learners tests with the 11" Commander while detecting at Stuart Town. I just figured it was an easy way for me to test, learn and experiment as I'm roughly four or five hours drive to the nearest NSW gold areas.

Just as an addition; I had tested my Garrett Infinium out here countless times since 2005 with very similar results as far as getting a slight depth gain while in the goldfields on various targets. Completely different machines though. These GPX's can probably do wonders when you understand the finer points of adjustment to suit the ground conditions.

The variables in depth, sensitivity, targets, ground variation, EMI and even different coils/machines would be pretty vast but it's very interesting to do and I'm actually learning a lot every time I head out.

The ideal scenario would be to get several machines and operators out here and just compare a few different things while running the same coil. Even throw a few 4500's into the mix as I know they can be almost on par with a 5000 when set up correctly by an experienced operator.

I'll keep on testing...
Kindest regards,
Shauno.

 

[Heatho]

Cool results Shauno, will definately try Sensitive Extra next time I'm out in the
fields. Did you try Sharp at all? Just referrered back to the manual, sharp detects
deeper than Sens Ext, but it says Sens Ext gives the best response on a small
deep target. So it seems your results show that.

Fine Gold must really be best for the tiniest pieces in really shallow ground.

I've done lots of different settigs on the beaches, anything but Coin/Relic
leaves me digging up tiny bits of foil and other minute junk, C/R seems
to miss most of this stuff. But even on a beach can be difficult to GB if
black sand is present, also a certain red clay will give a signal too.

Can't wait till the weather is better so keen to get out and test different
settings in more difficult ground conditions and hopefully get some gold.

 

[Syndyne]

Thanks Heatho!

I might give the other missing timings a run during the next test day and let you know how I get on. If anything it will be simply out of curiosity given the lesser overall sensitivity of the larger coil. I was quite surprised I could run it with minimal interference in Normal. It was slightly more prone to EMI and ground noise though. You could deal with it but it wouldn't be optimal for gold in mineralised ground when you have far superior timings at the flick of a switch.

I'm trying to locate a decent lump of lead (or even a sinker) in the five or six ounce range to test down around the two to three foot mark -provided I can dig down through the ground without the need of a jackhammer or hydraulic machinery

Fine Gold is definitely a stand alone timing for tiny pieces on these machines in harsh ground. Couple it with a medium to small coil from the 14" size downwards and plenty of patience and it makes for an amazing combination. It's like having the shallow sensitivity capabilities of a decent VLF at times.

I'm right with you there as far as the waiting for the warmer weather goes! I was invited to do a detecting trip down into Victoria next week but I'm feeling the cold here enough and we're still averaging around the 18c mark. :lol:

Kindest regards,
Shauno.

 

[Heatho]

Yeah, has'nt been over 15 here all week, might do a beach detect
later this week but... we'll see. Can understand why you ditched the
Vic trip.

When I was at Ophir I dug lots of pretty deep, very small .22 projectiles,
they were very old too, not the modern type, probably just over a
gram. Most were about 300mm down, was using Wal's settings he
suggested.
Was Deep search mode, Fine/gold Timing with Rx gain boosted a bit
and stabiliser backed off slighly with 11" commander mono. Was
very sensitive, very stable and decent depth I thought.

I want to get back to Ophir actually, I'm sure there is still decent gold
to be had there. I found a sinker in the middle of the bush there.
Still can't work that one out, was heaps away from the creek.

Keen to see how the other Search modes and Timings go with that coill,
pretty keen to get one also. Yeah don't like you're chances of getting 3
feet into that ground where you are with a shovel and pick.

 

[BumbleB]

Hey Wal
You mentioned that you run an 18" NF- I am looking at getting one later this week- any tips or particular settings?
How does it go on the smaller stuff?
I'm having Fri & Sat up at Clermont to give it the first run. Been getting a bit a smaller stuff with the 11' Commander Mono, so I'm hopping the bigger ones are sitting there a bit deeper.

 

[WalnLiz]

G'day BB,

I don't run a NF18", I run a ML 18" over WA. Locally i mainly run a NF 17x11. The settings for both are pretty well the same depending on about 50 different variables.

In high mineralization areas i would start with these settings and then work from there depending on the soil type.

Front End...Gb- fixed.....Coil rx-mono....soil- enhance.....SM- General....threshold 1 o'clock.

Menu settings.....Stabilizer 9....motion-Slow....Audio-Deep....Gain12 - 14......Special- Fine gold.....Signal-18....Response-normal....Tone-65....GB Speed Medium.....Volume limit-13.....Target Volume-9

These are my "General" start to an area and nearly every different location you go to will require some tweaking to get the best settings, hope this helps.

Cheers Wal.

 

[BumbleB]

Thanks Wal I will start with that & see how I go.

 

[Lbg dreamer]

G'day BB,

I don't run a NF18", I run a ML 18" over WA. Locally i mainly run a NF 17x11. The settings for both are pretty well the same depending on about 50 different variables.

In high mineralization areas i would start with these settings and then work from there depending on the soil type.

Front End...Gb- fixed.....Coil rx-mono....soil- enhance.....SM- General....threshold 1 o'clock.

Menu settings.....Stabilizer 9....motion-Slow....Audio-Deep....Gain12 - 14......Special- Fine gold.....Signal-18....Response-normal....Tone-65....GB Speed Medium.....Volume limit-13.....Target Volume-9

These are my "General" start to an area and nearly every different location you go to will require some tweaking to get the best settings, hope this helps.

Cheers Wal.

Hi wal
It's good to see someone taking advantage of the underestimated enhance on their 5000
When I use them it's normal or enhance
I don't like the fine gold much

 

[WalnLiz]

G'day Lbg,

Run fine gold around here a bit with the deeper small nugs, when there's some big ones in the area i prefer sens extra. Hope you're still getting out on the gold mate,

Cheers Wal.

 

[pilbarachad]

Awesome posts and research there syndyne. I just got my self a 5000 a few weeks ago and have been pretty much just running it in fine gold and sens smooth to get the small shallow stuff, i was just thinking today about hitting a deeper area i know with a bigger coil and wasnt sure what settings to use. I guess now i know spec sens extra is the way to go if i cant run normal.

Love your work

 

[Redfin]

Thanks Shaun.
a question from Mrs Redfin.

So the below timings were used for both tests or just the first one? If used for both did it come up best for both tests?

Timings: Special- Sensitive Extra. Audio: Deep & General. All else in [FP]. = Clear bright signal and good target response all round

Thanks
Ron

 

[Syndyne]

G'day Ron,

I just had to go back and look at my initial tests as it's been a while since that post! Yes, the second test was two inches shallower and easily heard. They were twelve inches depth on the first test and ten on the second just to see where the depth threshold was throughout various settings. Nice bright signal on both. Sensitive Extra seemed to work wonders with the 16" NF on these tests for my 5000.

I would always recommend giving a few test runs out in the field somewhere with various coils/settings if possible. I never got to do the Minelab training day and I live several hours away from the nearest goldfields so this is how I went about learning it personally in a hands-on kind of way. It really helped me work things out from a total GPX novices standpoint. I went on to pick up the tiny 0.14gm nugget at Stuart Town so testing like this helped me out tremendously.

I've done more 'extreme' tests since then using two 1ounce silver coins buried tightly together (I don't really have anything else to test with in that size range) in very mineralised ground that the 5000 really struggles to GB in. This was more for my own curiosity than anything.

I buried those down to the twenty+ inch mark and had, well, interesting results.
My 16" NF only just heard the target in Sens. Extra -though I'm certain an experienced operator would still pick it up. I was using the speaker for these tests so maybe headphones would give you an auditory increase. I use the speaker in the field so I test that way also.

My 14x7" NF gave me nothing even while going right through the gamut of settings. This didn't surprise me so much as I know these coils excel around the foot+ mark on small targets. Just couldn't get it to ping for me down around twenty inches in that ground. It was a harsh test though.

What gave me the most interest is that the little 8x6" NF could still hear the target even over the poor GB chattering. I don't know what it is with those 8x6" coils, whether the inductance/voltage of the coil is right in the sweet spot, but they just seem to still punch down a good way for their small size.

Definitely looking forward to getting into the Vic. goldfields with the 16" in the next few weeks!

All the best,
Shauno.

 

[Redfin]

Thanks Shauno,
Reason for the question is she is thinking of adding a nugget finder to the collection.
Our only NF is a Sadie.
Last trip we did some testing during the hotter part of the day.
I drilled some 1/2" holes into the side of an old timers trench at various depths ( very minerlised Dunolly ground)
and had various lead weights attached to 3/8" dowell.

Sadie suprised us both, hearing a 2 grammer down to 12"

By far the best performer on the GPX5000 was a very old green 24" mono, but keen ears were needed amongst the chatter.

We are going up there again this Thursday for 4 days and I have an indefinite lend (ill health of a freind) of a 5000 fitted with a Nugget Finder 17'' x 11'' Advantage Mono - Elliptical,
so looking forward to swinging that and giving the 2200 a rest

 

[Syndyne]

No problems at all Ron.

Wal also uses the 17x11 NF so his setting above (and mentioned elsewhere here on the forums) would be highly recommended to use/test. I'm sure it'll be a real beauty to swing! You get a little spoiled with the weight (or lack there of) with the 8x6's. Swinging the 16" for some time gives the old shoulder and back a good workout and I'm sure the 24" would too. That's a pretty decent coil size!

All the best with the GPX! I'm sure you'll get a real kick out of it. Let us know how you get on with it, what you think etc.

Kindest regards,
Shauno.

 

[Redfin]

Just for your info the old green 24" mono was as light as a feather.
Will take a pic or two later in the week.

 

[daalkodetector]

Hi to all, new to the forum and detecting and was really glad to see this post come back up, great help to us newbies. It does raise a bunch of questions for me that hopefully someone can help me out with, such as (running 5000, usually with a NF 14x9 Elliptical, sometimes older green coloured 16" round NF, sometimes 16x12? Elliptical Coiltek, all monos. Nearly always in Whipstick), should I have the front panel set on Deep? I have been attempting to gain depth and so far have not been able to improve my finds, (my brother has similar set up and always runs general, fine gold). I think (hope) my ear is ok to hear the signals (with the 4000 and 4500 I have found .05 & .07 little tiny pieces). I was told to try and keep the threshold low, around 11 o'clock if possible, but I notice most run about 1 or 2 o'clock? Any suggestions that I should try, thinking that maybe the best thing is to just put aside a few hours and run a series of tests (as suggested in the side of a wash), is that generally the best for someone new to really get to know the capabilities and sounds of your own machine? Any hints gratefully accepted.

 

[Syndyne]

G'day daalkodetector,

The Deep audio setting seems to be a favoured one by a lot of 5000 operators. Off the top of my head, I just cant recall if it's a tonal difference hi/low to low/hi, or if it actually brings out and boosts the deeper/lower target responses? Maybe even both? One of the more experienced operators here might be able to help out with that.

I wouldn't even hesitate to try a multitude of settings in a favourable area. It's all a fun and interesting learning process. Each coil would require some subtle changes in settings to push it's performance to optimum levels. This is where testing and noting results can really pay off and save a heap of time in the future.

The reason I run my threshold at 2 o'clock is because I use the external speaker. If you're using headphones then that would change as it would most likely be too loud. Got to look after that hearing so those faint targets don't escape!

Just as a baseline test, try running the 5000 in similar settings to those you were using on the 4500 to find the tiny bits and then compare those results to Fine Gold, Sens. Extra or Enhance and see what the improvement is. Could be a good day out!

All the best,
Shauno.

 

[daalkodetector]

Thanks for the reply Shauno, I will do as you suggested with the baseline tests. We reset all our machines back to standard factory settings and so are trying to work from there. We all have boosters as well. Being new I just do not know enough details (as you said about the tonal difference) about this machine (or detecting in general) and so am doing as much and reading as much as I can to find out more. I keep trying to gain depth with settings and coils but tend to run into trouble with the mineralised ground in the Whipstick at Bendigo being very noisy. I think I will have to actually get clinical and test in proper order and write the results down on set test pieces so that then I can run back through the results of all the different settings, coils etc. Your results were very interesting and I appreciate you taking the time to answer. Regards, Ray

 

[Redfin]

If you haven't already done so watch the Seat Project and Unwrapping the GPX500 (in that order) by JP.
We have watched both well over a dozen times and still pick up new info, or something all of a sudden makes sense.

 

[ando68]

first time out with the 16"nf on my 5000 and walked 10 metres, got a reasonably quiet signal in heavily mineralized ground . dug up a 4.32 gram nugget at 14 inches.
Very impressed with the coil.