Stay tuned on this forum for the ultimate Gold Test

[LW Steve]

As the great Fisher F5 and Fisher F44 will be air tested on tiny gold items.

The great F5 is a detector with "older technology" and will need help from its awesome analog knobs in order to impress the F44

I did receive the 4" concentric coil from Europe and both the F5 and F44 will get to use it along with the 7" round concentric and the 8" round concentric among others...

Coils are of course interchangeable between both these detectors which is why I own both.

Sorry this will not be a video as I am camera shy

To be used for testing are 12 of my smallest gold rings (most are 18K), a tiny gold nugget and some misc. 14K items. (see photos)

I will weigh everything (except the detectors) before the bout begins.

It will be a few weeks before the testing is finished as I do have a job and I have to go metal detecting also.

I will tell you guys one thing at this time...

I put that tiny gold nugget on top of a cardboard box in my living room and the F44 and the 7" concentric coil detected it in all metal at 3"
and it also did I.D. the nugget at 20 to 25 (bouncing back & forth) (0 to 19 is iron and 20 to 29 is foil)
I think it is safe to say that there are not a lot of detectors on the market today that can do that.!

If anybody has any questions or comments then we can discuss...

This is going to be very interesting...

LW Steve

 

[still looking 52]

Sounds exciting, anxious to hear your test results. I own the F5 and I'm thinking it will be the winner. Thanks for taking your time to do the comparisons.

 

[Mike Hillis]

I bet the 4" concentric coil on the F5 will light that small stuff up in Disc mode with the threshold at +5 or higher. You can buy the new 4" coil from local vendors pretty cheap, less than 50 bucks.

Do you have any micro gold jewelry to test with? A little 4 prong 10K white gold earring post or something similar?

Good luck,

HH
Mike

 

[Snap On Man]

I certainly hope so. I just got took delivery last week of that old technology F5. I think Fisher will bring this detector back someday but with some updates!

 

[LW Steve]

I bet the 4" concentric coil on the F5 will light that small stuff up in Disc mode with the threshold at +5 or higher. You can buy the new 4" coil from local vendors pretty cheap, less than 50 bucks.

Do you have any micro gold jewelry to test with? A little 4 prong 10K white gold earring post or something similar?

Good luck,

HH
Mike

Hi Mike,

I've looked all over on the internet for several months for a 4" concentric coil for the F5 / F44 and have only seen two for sale.
The ones we see for sale on (EDIT) for the F4 / F2 will not fit the F5 / F44 or am I wrong?

I do have one tiny piece of mirco gold jewelry. I will see if I can find it as it is part of a clasp.

Per you Mike I will run the threshold at +6 on the F5 during the tests.

LW Steve

 

[LW Steve]

The ends of the 4" coils for the F4 / F2 look like this. (see photo)

And they will obviously not fit the F5 or F44. (buyer beware)

Like I said...
I looked all over the internet for several months trying to find a 4" concentric coil for the F44.
During that time I saw only two for sale on Fleabay. (one of which I bought from a guy in Europe)

Good Luck to anybody wanting a 4" concentric hockey puck for their F5 or F44.

The 4" hockey puck will make the gold test very interesting however.

BTW I don't own any DD coils for my Fisher detectors.
So there will be none in the gold air testing.
The soil we have around here in the Seattle area is not that mineralized.
It is somewhat acidic from all the fir trees however.

Concentric coils are more accurate as far as target ID goes and they will go deeper than DD coils.
And I can pinpoint a lot faster with a concentric coil.

HH

LW Steve

 

[LW Steve]

Why did Fisher stop making these 4" concentric coils?

I could give a Rats A$$ about all those 10" & 11" coils on the market these days.

The treasure is in the trash.!

LW Steve

 

[Mike Hillis]

You are correct, the F2/F4/Bounty Hunter coil will not work on the F11/F22/F44/F5. The advert is the correct coil. I don't think the dealer I bought mine from is a FindMall sponsor so I can't post his name here.

One of things I like about 1st Texas is their coil selection.

HH
Mike

 

[LW Steve]

I just checked and 10 of the 12 rings are 18K

Back in the 1990's we used CZ's to hunt bark chip playgrounds which as you know are a great place to find small gold jewelry.
The CZ's will not ID targets in all metal so we had to investigate all signals back then and it was tiresome.

Today I have the F44 which will ID tiny gold pieces in the 20 to 30 range.
And all the tiny iron pieces including bobby pins will ID anywhere from 1 to 19.

Sometimes tiny pieces of gold will ID at 18 or 19 (high iron) so F44 users beware.

All in all the F44 and the 7" concentric coil in all metal can clean out a bark chip playground in no time flat.!

HH

LW Steve

 

[Monte]

• Urban Coin Hunting, be it tot-lots, sand-filled play areas, or just the typical grassy parks, schools and yards.

• Typical Jewelry Hunting, both gold and silver, in all the better potential sites where jewelry loss frequently happens.

Naturally, coin-loss can share the same potential places as good jewelry, but near sunbathing, swimming, or athletic sites where we tend to concentrate on gold and silver, I like using either my Custom Discriminate mode or, as you referenced, the All Metal mode. I like the F44 so well for typical urban applications I am going to get another just to keep the 5" DD mounted full-time to complement my main-use F44 with the terrific 7" Concentric coil. The 5" DD is a handy coil for working slowly and methodically in and around and under brush, and some structures or near metal poles and fences.

I haven't found any FTP device that can match the Tek, T2 w/5" DD or especially the models I use for the really dense nail and other ferrous debris sites where I Relic Hunt that are very tough, but for C & J work in other places, the F44 and 7" are bumping a lot of detectors out of my outfit.

Monte

 

[LW Steve]

The testing is progressing very slowly...

Keep in mind that target ID is important here and that is why I'm going with 5 concentric coils in the test.

11" teardrop
10" teardrop
8" round
7" round
4" round

The threshold on the F5 will be +6
Due to possible EMI interference in my living room, the gain on both detectors will be set at 50% of the max.
For the F5 it will be 50
For the F44 it will be 10

Testing will be done in discrimination mode with everything accepted.
The F44 will use the artifact program. (this accepts all targets including iron)
Testing will also be done in all metal.

Once again target ID is very important in this test.
The detector and coil must work together to give the best results to the operator on the screen.

After watching that video on UTube of a guy dig up 30 rusty bottle caps that did ID as quarters
and he used an elliptical DD coil with the F19...
After watching that video I almost started my Cinco de Mayo Tequila celebration a little early.

To each their own but I will never buy another DD coil ever after watching that.

Tomorrow is F44 and 7" coil day and sunday is football day...

Cheers & HH

LW Steve

 

[LW Steve]

Here is an update on the contestants...

 

[LW Steve]

Update...

I did receive a new 5" DD coil for the F5 / F44 and I got it for only $89 so I could not turn it down.

I did a quick air test with the 5" DD and the 4" concentric using ring #12 on the F44

The 4" concentric had a detection area of the ring that was noticeably bigger than that of the 5" DD coil.
Meaning that the 5" DD will work better in the shallow trash than the 4" concentric.

The 4" concentric detected the ring at a further depth than that of the 5" DD ( I noticed maybe almost an inch aprox.)

The 5" DD and its ID accuracy was about two numbers higher than that of the 4" concentric.
Meaning the 4" concentric has more accurate ID than the 5" DD

Gold ring #12 hit harder and louder on the 4" concentric than on the 5" DD

I like both coils but if I could only have one then give me the 4" concentric.!

I found a place that still sells these 4" concentric coils ( Sku: 4COIL-FS ) for only $49 (PM message me)

Testing is going slow as I'm working 6 days a week and the Super Bowl is on sunday.

The weekend after that is the WA State Gold, Gem and Mineral Show in Monroe WA which I will be attending.

Then I have to find time to go metal detecting also...

Hang in there gang...

HH

LW Steve

 

[LW Steve]

Results for the 4" concentric coil on the F44

Disc Mode & All Metal
Artifact program for disc mode
Sensitivity was 12 of 20 (60%)

first number is ID
2nd number is repeat signal max depth

ring #1 ( 26-27 bounce ) ( 3" ) +++++ All Metal ( 26 -27 ) ( 3.75" )
ring #2 ( 29 ) ( 3.25" ) +++++++++++ All Metal ( 29 ) ( 4.25" )
ring #3 ( 25 ) ( 3" ) ++++++++++++ All Metal ( 25 ) ( 3.5" )
ring #4 ( 26-27 ) ( 3" ) +++++++++++ All Metal ( 26-27 ) ( 3.75" )
ring #5 ( 33-34 ) ( 3.5" ) ++++++++++ All Metal ( 33 ) ( 4.50" )
ring #6 ( 31 ) ( 3.75" ) +++++++++++ All Metal ( 31 ) ( 4.50" )
ring #7 ( 32 ) ( 3.5" ) ++++++++++++ All Metal ( 32 ) ( 4" )
ring #8 ( 24 ) ( 2.5" ) ++++++++++++ All Metal ( 24 ) ( 3.25" )
ring #9 ( 27-28 ) ( 3.5" ) ++++++++++ All Metal ( 27-28 ) ( 4" )
ring #10 ( 27 ) ( 3" ) ++++++++++++ All Metal ( 27 ) ( 4" )
ring #11 ( 28 ) (3.25" ) ++++++++++ All Metal ( 28 ) ( 3.75" )
ring #12 ( 23 ) ( 2.5" ) +++++++++++ All Metal ( 23 ) ( 3" )

Only 4 of the 12 rings bounced in disc mode.
The other 8 rings gave a steady number after each pass.

You notice how accurate the F44 was in target ID...
The disc mode ID numbers match the all metal ID numbers... to Fisher!

Next up is the F44 & 4" coil with the tiny misc. gold items

 

[LW Steve]

To visualize my test station as I'm too lazy to get out my camera...
I have two shoe boxes and the coil I'm using fits in between both boxes and the bottom of the coil is facing towards the ceiling.
The tiny pieces of gold are on a piece of paper and waved over the coil.
A ruler is held on one edge of the coil.
The chain section is not coiled and the clasp part is what is being detected.

The F44 and 4" coil has detected an imposter in this contest.
The big clasp was reading out as 42 - 43 in disc mode.
I quickly realized that this can't be. I closely examined the big clasp with my eye piece.
In very tiny numbers it is stamped .925 - - - So yes it is silver with gold plating.
It has been thrown out of the ball game (or gold game rather) by yours truly.
How is that for detective work by the F44 and 4" concentric hockey puck!


F44 and 4" concentric coil results for the misc. gold jewelry....


14K chain section clasp area - disc mode ( 19 - 21 ) ( .25" ) ++++++++ All Metal ( 19 - 20 ) ( .50" )
gold nugget - disc mode ( 20 - 23 ) ( .75" ) ++++++++++++++++++++ All Metal ( 22 - 24 ) ( 1" )
14K small clasp - disc mode ( 24 - 26 ) ( .75" ) +++++++++++++++++++++ All Metal ( 21 - 25 ) ( 1" )
14K tear drop charm - disc mode ( 21 - 24 ) ( .75" ) +++++++++++++++++ All Metal ( 22 - 25 ) ( 1" )
14K leaf charm - disc mode ( 21 - 23 ) ( .75" ) +++++++++++++++++++++ All Metal ( 22 - 25 ) ( 1" )

*** Note these tiny gold pieces can be detected out at further distances but you would not get repeating signals and ID numbers will not show up on the screen.

Next up.... the F5 and 4" concentric coil will get their chance

 

[LW Steve]

One comment about that last test that I did...

The 4" concentric coil was able to pick up the clasp area of the chain in "Disc Mode" with repeating signals at 1/4 of an inch.!

That to me is Amazing!

 

[Monte]

Steve,

'Thank You' for the heads-up on a source for the 4" Concentric coil. I ordered 2 of them, plus a spare lower rod, and figured I would add another F44 to my Detector Outfit. I'll keep a 7" Concentric [size=small](measures about 7¼")[/size] mounted on one unit full-time, then I'll pick-and-chose between the 5" DD and the 4" Concentric coils next week and pick the one that works better for my wants and needs. My Coin & Jewelry Hunting comes in 2nd to my Relic Hunting and I deal with a lot of densely ferrous-contaminated sites.

Hopefully they will all arrive on Monday and I'll do some side-by-side testing next week at a number of locations as well as bench testing just between the 5" DD and 4" Concentric coils. I'll mount one of each on my two Omega 8000's and then on my two F44's and that should give me the answers I have about which of the two smaller coils works best for my needs.

I still prefer the 7" Concentric as my primary-use coil on either the F44 or Omega 8000.

I am going to contact you, Steve, regarding your F44. I have a glitch in mine and when I get my new one next week I'll see if it has the same glitch before I contact FTP service department. I want to know if you've noticed this so I'll PM you later today about it to check out with your device.

Thanks for all your heads-up info on the gold jewelry testing, too.

Monte

 

[LW Steve]

Steve,

'Thank You' for the heads-up on a source for the 4" Concentric coil. I ordered 2 of them, plus a spare lower rod, and figured I would add another F44 to my Detector Outfit. I'll keep a 7" Concentric (measures about 7¼") mounted on one unit full-time, then I'll pick-and-chose between the 5" DD and the 4" Concentric coils next week and pick the one that works better for my wants and needs. My Coin & Jewelry Hunting comes in 2nd to my Relic Hunting and I deal with a lot of densely ferrous-contaminated sites.

Hopefully they will all arrive on Monday and I'll do some side-by-side testing next week at a number of locations as well as bench testing just between the 5" DD and 4" Concentric coils. I'll mount one of each on my two Omega 8000's and then on my two F44's and that should give me the answers I have about which of the two smaller coils works best for my needs.

I still prefer the 7" Concentric as my primary-use coil on either the F44 or Omega 8000.

I am going to contact you, Steve, regarding your F44. I have a glitch in mine and when I get my new one next week I'll see if it has the same glitch before I contact FTP service department. I want to know if you've noticed this so I'll PM you later today about it to check out with your device.

Thanks for all your heads-up info on the gold jewelry testing, too.

Monte

Monte,

You will like that 4" concentric coil as it can really pick up those tiny pieces of gold in disc mode.

By not using it in my trashy sites I have been walking over gold and not knowing it.

Hang in there with your F44...

LW Steve

 

[lytle78]

The 4” concentric in the flyer above in this thread is designated “4coil-FS”. It is still on the Fisher webpage here - also with a compatibility chart. A quick check with Fisher confirmed that it is available.

https://www.fisherlab.com/hobby/detector-searchcoils.htm

 

[LW Steve]

The 4” concentric in the flyer above in this thread is designated “4coil-FS”. It is still on the Fisher webpage here - also with a compatibility chart. A quick check with Fisher confirmed that it is available.

https://www.fisherlab.com/hobby/detector-searchcoils.htm

Not one dealer that supports this website has them in stock.

There is a First Texas warehouse in El Paso Texas that still has some for sale.

If Fisher starts making these 4" coils again...
You can be rest assured that they will cost more than $49.00 which is what they cost now.

Monte has 2 but don't tell him I have 3

HH with your NHL hockey pucks

LW Steve