Do you use a detector? Tell us about it!

I started buying a metal detector to have something to do during the part of the year when it’s too cold to be in the water and now it’s my favourite way to prospect.

I’ve ended up accumulating three:

  • A Garrett AT Gold which I use mostly for coin shooting
  • A Minelab GPX 4500 that I use for general purpose nugget-hunting
  • A Minelab SDC 2300 that I use in shallow deposits or when looking for small gold.

I love the 2300 because it’s just so easy to use, turn on and go. I dislike the fact that the speaker is next to useless when it’s loud outside, such as when working creeks, but with headphones it’s dynamite, and so portable.

3 Likes

Hard to beat the 2300 for ease of use, however it can get quite heavy by the end of a day. I am intrigued by the new Gold Extreme coils available for it now.
ANY:ONE at all has purchased or tried or had demonstrated one with these coils?
Really love to hear how it went.
Coiltek Gold in Maryborough, Vic have one there as a demo to try out. Anyone giong that-a-way?
Here’s a link to the web page. Modification of the detector is easy and reversible.
https://www.coiltek.com.au/coils/gold-extreme/

1 Like

Love detecting coins and relics . Have always had an interest in history and with a detector you dig up history . Had 9 detectors at one stage but have moved 2 on with some more to go . I reckon my wife would like to see the lot go ! She reckons i am filling the house with scrap , but one persons scrap is anothers treasure , and now my 10 yo is really keen so she’s on a losing streak .

4 Likes

My wife & I have 3 detectors, she has a Fisher F4 and a Minelab Etrac for relic hunting and I have a Minelab 2300 for the gold.
The Etrac is great for blanking out ferrous junk and has many settings that we are only barely aware of. The Fisher is a good entry level machine which we’ve found many coins with.
The SDC is compact, waterproof and simple to use which is great for hiking into the West coast scrub!
A lack of volume control, limited external speaker and coil options are bug bears as is limited depth (4-6", 100-150mm realistically).
But it’s strengths well outweigh it’s flaws and I rate it highly.

1 Like

I’ve got an AT Gold and an old Minelab X-Terra that I no longer use. The AT Gold is pretty much waterproof and has excellent headphones.
I’ve noticed SDC’s are used in commercial gold operations in WA and Victoria.
I came across a story about a find on the West Coast of WA.
https://www.kalminer.com.au/?news/wa/the-curious-mystery-of-a-600-year-old-buddha-buried-in-the-gascoyne-sand-ng-b881224874z

It’s a 600 year old bronze Buddha that created quite a stir when it was found. My theory it’s probably from early pearlers. It was buried for at least 100 years.

1 Like

My wife and I have 4 detectors, a GPZ7000 and GPX5000 witch we use in WA each year.
These machine have proved very productive for us over their handling the mineralised ground very well.
We also have an SDC2300 and a Gold Monster 1000 witch we mostly use here in Tassie. The SDC is compact robust and water proof making it excellent around the creeks. But I’ve found the Gold Monster also has its place here in the bush, it’s extremely light the coil is waterproof and it will find very small gold. Great on the bed rock in creeks. I fact it will find gold that the SDC will not detect!

3 Likes

I’ve had an equinox 800 for the last year or so and can’t fault it for coin and relic detecting but it’s a noisy thing in gold mode and I wouldn’t recommend it for gold detecting except in really junky areas where gram plus gold is a possibility. I’ve got an old QED PI machine that also drives me nuts. Very bump sensitive and hard to ground balance in wet or mineralized soil. However both machines have picked up plenty of shotgun pellets so maybe I’m just swinging them in the wrong spots. Don’t think I have the patience for gold detecting so I mostly chase coins and relics.

1 Like

I have been detecting a good few years now with the AT Pro now awaiting the XP ORX, it’s in the mail. I detect now with hubby Ed, he is my digger❤️ as I have had a recent TKR. Looking forward to finding some gold with this new tector and possibly meeting up at trip.

2 Likes

Hey Dave , i see Howard has released the latest version of the QED , Are you going to send it back and get it updated ? Latest version will also run concentric coils which opens up a far greater coil choice .

Mine’s an early model so it requires hardware as well to upgrade it. Think I’ll just wait until they come out with a tracking ground balance feature before I spend money on it. I don’t spend much time looking for gold anyway.

Apparently Howard is working on ground tracking at the moment . The latest units look pretty shmick compared to the early ones . It will be worth sending it in for a total upgrade eventually .

Hey everyone. I’m Jesse. Sounds like you’ve all been having fun. Hoping to come along in November and meet some folk. Don’t have a detector yet but am in the market for a budget gold finder with waterproof coil. Miguel suggested the Fisher gold bug. I wouldn’t want to spend much over 1k. Would definitely consider second hand too if someone wanted to let one go…

1 Like

Hi Jesse, good to hear you’re keen to find gold! Should be a fair turn out for the November field trip, a good opportunity to meet people and start learning.
All the best,
Andrew

I’ve got a Gold Monster GM1000 , very light, very sensitive.

1 Like

Hi Drystone, I thought the field trip was on October 26?
https://www.pmat.org.au/event/field-trip-to-weldborough-derby/

The Derby trip in October is to look for gemstones.

There is another trip in November to Bell Creek to look for gold.

Hi guys, I love reading about other users experience with detectors in Tassy. I’m near ulverstone and am about to purchase a new QED PL2 with the 11" coil. Hopefully it comes in time as I want to go on this bell bay gold prospecting trip. I haven’t got any experience in metal detecting and I’m a newbie that’s only done heaps of online research :slight_smile:

1 Like

Apparently the latest update on the PL2 gets it running nice and smooth. I’d suggest that you get a small coil as well for use in tassie, my QED runs really well with a nugget finder 8x6 and let’s face it, there’s lots more small gold round here than big nuggets!

Hi swaterhouse and dhawley, I (and others I’m sure would be keen to see the QED detectors in the flesh and in action:
I’ve heard some good things but never actually meet anyone who has one.
cheers,
Andrew

I got the QED PL2 today. Running 11" but got a 6" coil as well. Mucking around with it will take some getting used too this device. Aiming to come say hi and join in on the trips as well.

2 Likes