lightest, most useful Infinium coil?

[NE Digger]

90% of my diggin in the dirt is with the 8" mono, and 90% of my beach diggin is with the 10X14 mono.
both are pretty light, and work well where I usually dig. The only fault I've found with either is the 8" coils tendancy to false in saturated mineralized soil. I rarely if ever use the stock coil, and have often wondered why Garrett doesnt offer one of the monos as a stock coil instead, with the big DD as an accessory. I'd absolutely add a coil or two to my arsenal if I were purchasing an Infinium.

 

[KenGardner]

Hi all. I recently bought my Infinium and plan to use it for surf and beach hunting in Florida but also gold prospecting in Georgia and western USA. The stock 10x14 DD coil worked great at the beach for coins but did not do a good job of finding my test nuggets on the concrete driveway(no metal rebar). I read that the coils do not work good in air tests. I can afford one more coil right now and am looking at the 5x10 mono (Garrett web site says NOT for underwater) and 8 inch water proof coil. I have in the past used a Lobo to check the streams for black sand deposits. Since the gold in Georgia is tiny would the 5x10 be my best bet and can it be used in the shallow water to find black sand. I read above where one person used the 5x10 in chest deep water???? I am leaning towards the 8 inch coil but would like your opinions. Thanks, Ken

 

[bearkat4160]

Hey Ken,

I like the 8" mono best. it is the most sensitive of all the coils and can use it anywhere. Dont think that all the gold in Georgia is tiny. I used to live there and have found a 1/4 oz and a 1 gram nugget there with my GTI 2500. And know of others also who have found some nice ones. One person found a 3 gram nug with a GTA 550. I only recently used my Infinium for the first time back in Georgia, but didnt find any nuggets on this trip. But I found some nice CW relics.

I would go with the 8" mono, hard to beat that one. On my trip back to Ga. I brought the 8" and 10x14" mono with me and left the stock one back here in Oregon.

Big nuggets came out of Georgia, you just got to find them around all the population. I found the 1/4 oz nug in a neighborhood creek, which was in a neighborhood with $300-$400,000 houses within throwing distance of the creek. I knew there used to be a gold mine where the neighborhood is now. Good luck!

How big is your test nugget? Has to be around .6 gram for the stock coil to get it. The 8" mono will get em about down to the .4 mark.

By the way,the 10x5 coil is a DD coil, not a mono.

Alan

 

[KenGardner]

Thanks Alan. My test nuggets are .3 and .4 so that would explain why I wasn't hearing anythtng. I was using a Lobo ST and then a Minelab SD2100 and both saw the test nugget but then I had small mono coils on. The Minelab was nice but too much gear involved for areas I am usually in and I needed a double duty detector so I have water capability. I am taking your advice and ordering the 8 inch mono. I usually prospect around Dahlonega/ Cleveland area. You ever do anything around there? Ken

 

[bearkat4160]

Hey Ken,
Yeh Ive been up there to Dahlonega alot, and have found some gold with sluicing/dredging but not with a detector. but not from the lack of trying. I bought my 4" dredge at the Crisson mine. Now I have a 6" also.

The nuggets I found were south of there in Cherokee County.

Is that SD2100 alot more sensitive than the Infinium? I know it is, but Im not sure by how much. You might be able to get your nuggets with that 8" mono in air, it is on the edge of its capabilities, but it might fare better if there buried a bit. Like 2" and less. Let us know how it goes on those nuggies when you get that coil.

Good luck
Alan

 

[KenGardner]

Alan, the SD2100 was very sensitive especially with the 5x9 mono coil but with the battery back pack and 5 foot long shaft it was a pain to use on the beach and I hated to take it near the saltwater. I have only put in a few hours on the Infinium with the stock coil but I think with the 8 inch mono I'll see similar sensitivity. I could pickup black sand layers with the old detector which was good if looking for drywash spots but a pain if looking for small nuggets as it sounded the same very faint sound. I'm thinking the Infinium could find me some dredge spots if it can see those same black sand deposits. I will post my results after I can pay my dues with the new coil. Ken

 

[bearkat4160]

Hey Ken,
Interesting you picked up black sand with a PI machine. Ive never done it with the Infinium, I usually use a VLF for that. I suppose if the ground balance is set way off...you could pick up black sand. Maybe ground balance on a tree or something and lock it in, and see what happens. Let us know how that coil works out for you when ya get it.

Alan

 

[metalhead]

Yeah man, I don't think that Infinium is gonna be any good at locating areas of black sand deposits. It won't null out over 'em like a VLF unit will. Scorp works best for that. So does GTI and Master Hunter. Let us know how it works out, though.
Yeah, that 5"x10" is great for the shallow water/wading, but cannot be used for diving. Neither can that 3"x7". Other ones can.
Best of luck to ya! Happy Hunting!

 

[49roger]

Anyone out there using the 3x7 DD coil for hunting small nuggets? If so how much depth loss is there compared to the 8 inch mono or the 5x10 DD?
Also how much more sensitive to small nuggets is the 3x7 DD compared to the 5x10 DD or the 8 inch mono? Some of the ground here in Arizona has lots of black sand and hot rocks, so I'm trying to pick the best two coils for the situation. How does the Infinium compare to the gold bug 2 as far as detecting small nuggets, in medium and or high mineralization?

 

[bearkat4160]

Hey 49Roger,

All your answers on on the other Infinium forum in AUS. Heres the link: http://www.p 2 p - z o n e . com/infinium/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=0cd283354f1b1e0cc057c46d871d07f5

Without the spaces