GTAx 1000 for Nugget shooting

[rockyredbaron]

I have a GTAx 1000 - Does anyone know if it will find gold nuggets..has anyone had any luck with this using the 1000 ? If so, what settings did you use

 

[willy]

It will find them, but not the small ones or at any great depth. The GB is preset on it, which hampers it in tough soil. Also, I believe that there's no all metal mode (zero disc. & pinpoint don't count). ..Willy.

 

[John-Edmonton]

It's probably more sensitive to the tiny nuggets.

 

[rockyredbaron]

What if I were to find a small nugget, discrimate out all metals, then scan the nugget and push the "accept" so it would pick up all of the same type...would that allow me to find other gold nuggets regardless of size..I know depth would factor in to it.

 

[DavHut]

...is surely not recommended by the maker. It just is not a machine for that. Oh sure, you can find any metal with it, including gold. But the average nugget found is S-M-A-L-L, grain size, and the 1000 just isnt for that. Not to mention the bad soils found in the locales where nuggets turn up

It has no true ALL METAL mode, you cant tune out ground effects and it doesnt have the gain for such things. It would be way too unstable if it did.

However if its all you got, then so be it, Crank er up and dig anything that sets it off. Then notch-accept that range, as you suggest. Hey, maybe you'll hit a biggun and all your worries will vanish...or you could get a used SGS or Diablo and get serious.

Good hounding

David

 

[willy]

A buddy of mine has a GTAX 750 which, I believe, is the 1000 rebadged (maybe improved too?). We did some testing a few years ago with the stock coil and a number of nuggets that could be picked up easily with the Tesoro Golden Sabre (original old metal box style with preset GB) in AM mode could not be seen by the 750. Tested both the GTI 2000 & QXT on some of the same stuff and they both showed greater sensitivity. The GTI & the QXT were about even in AM mode, but the QXT outstripped the GTI in disc. What it comes down to is that, while I could use either the GTI or QXT for prospecting in AM mode, I'd juSSSSt barely be able to do so. This is even with the greater observed sensitivity to small low conductors that both detectors display over the 750. One thing I niticed, which may help with coins/rings (but not for prospecting), is that the disc. mode of the GTI seems to have some noise reduction built in. This probably carries over to thier other machines. Therefor, in zero disc. mode (not true AM) it would still be the equivalent of having a bit of built in disc. What got me thinking about this is when I turned off the noise reduction function (in disc. mode) on the QXT. The signal immediately became stronger on both the 3 grain nugget & a fine necklace I was using for testing. Unfortunately, there's no such option with the garrett detector(s). I think that even with the small coil the 750/1000 would not have the sensitivity to small stuff that someone hunting for nuggets generally wants. ..Willy.

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah I field tested the Diablo when it first came out. That little sucker will find gold. But finding a used one is practically impossible. Don't know why Tesoro stopped making that one.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

The hot soil surrounding the nuggets is your enemy. Unless you have manual ground balance to smooth this problem out your chances are slim and you need a higher gain, or detecting frequency, to successfully find small nuggets.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

True.

Bill

 

[DavHut]

Is possible if you have patience. Log in an Ebay search for Tesoro Diablo and post on the classifieds that you are looking for one - sumpin would shake loose, Im sure.

Id say that for occasional nuggetshooting, where the detector would hang on the wall most of the time, that machine couldnt be neat - nor for more serious use either.

david

 

[rockyredbaron]

What about the Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II...for nugget hunting.

 

[DavHut]

Pretty much the same line of thinking as before here - it aint designed as a nugget getter. It will find all metals, true... and will likely drive you nuts with every bit of iron within 5 ft, while you're at it.

Being that its a pulse unit, it will also very likely not be sensitive to those tiny grains. Being as its designed for the water's edge/underwater environment, it's also quite loud and not well suited for the razor edged threshold needed in nugget hunting. Sure it will go deep on a salt beach, but it will drive you nuts anywhere else, I should think - and not do a good job on small gold nuggets. Lets face a fact: Most gold found with a detector is small.

Sure, you see the pics of whopper nuggets and dream thats only what youre gonna find, right? Hey, wake up!!! Youre dreaming!
Not to mention that free gold is often found under extreme conditions and in trash infested locales that would drive a PI unit bonkers - not to mention the user.

While it is surely fun to get guys like me worked up - and obligingly chatty on the subject - one has to wonder:
"Why don't you just get a nugget detector?

There is a well used Garret Gold Stinger, a Diablo, a Lobo AND a White's on ebay right now. Both the SGS and the Lobo can also do GP duty for you as coin shooters and such; as I recall that was one of your criteria. In fact, the Lobo is a favorite in England, where detecting can be tough - and plenty of loot is found with it.

Would you attempt to do surgery with a pipe wrench? Of course not, you'd get the right tool for the job, a scalpel. Same here - nuggetshooting is a higly specialized pursuit and to be successful at it you need the right tools.

 

[willy]

that's one of the things it's designed for. It will give the high dollar Minelab SD PI's a run for thier money and, in some situations, perform way better. It's also not too much more than a Seahunter MK II. ..Willy.