Which detector/coil combo is best???

[MoonWalkThePlank]

If you wanted a machine/coil combination with which you could scan large areas efficiently, and then a machine/coil combination to go as deep and thorough as possible for your prime areas.

Would you use something like a GB2 with a large coil to cover more area, then switch to a GMT with 6'' coil to go deeper and do a more thorough search? Or would you just switch the coils on whichever detector you are using.

It seems like using a vlf with large coil would do a better job for scanning say a gulch where you THINK there is gold. Then, switching to a PI with smaller coil when you are somewhere like a mining camp where you KNOW there is gold would be best..

In other words I want the best performance for covering large areas and I want the best performance for depth. Would two machines such as a GMT and GB2 always do better than any single machine/coil combination ?

[AUDuke]

It doesn't make any sense to get a GBII and a GMT, there is not much difference in the performance between them. You can get a large and small coil for either of them. It makes more sense to get a PI and a VLF nugget detector with a small coil. The size of the gold and the mineralization in the ground you plan to hunt in determines what detector to get.

[Hoser John]

ALWAYS REMEMBER-THE EQUIPMENT IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE MAN OPERATING IT I love it when a kid with a $59 radio shack junk beats a expert with a $4500 unit-what a hoot-tons a au 2 u 2 -John

[MoonWalkThePlank]

Hey thanks for the replies. I now understand the difference between the P.I. and the VLF a little better. Would someone mind eplaining the purpose of different coil sizes.

For example is a 12'' coil only used to cover more area, and a smaller coil used just to go deeper? Or does a larger coil go deeper, but has less sensitivity to smaller gold?

[kiwi jw]

G'day Moon Walk, A larger coil will detect deeper on larger nuggets at depth but lack the sensertivity to tiny nuggets near the surface & certainly wont get tiny nuggets at depth due to their larger winding of the coil. A small coil is a lot more sensertive due to it smaller & tighter winding. So deadly on tiny gold near the surface but due to it being a small coil it doesnt punch into the ground very deep & hence wont pick up even a large target at depth. An eliptical shape coil has a very sensertive spot at its heel & toe due to the tighter coming together of the winding at these points. A mono coil is more sensertive than a DD & hence they can give hell in highly mineralized ground & a DD will handle it better. But in normal to low mineralised soil conditions a mono rules. Soil moisture & humidity can also play a big part in a coils behaviour on different days at the same location.
A small coil should be used where you know the overburden is not very deep or when detecting bedrock & any target is going to be insight of the coil. This will increase you chances of getting even the tiny bits if you use a small coil. If you use a big coil on bedrock or very shallow ground you risk the chance of missing those tiny bits all together. Increase coil size in relation with the depth of overburden to bed rock. The deeper the bedrock is the more chances you will not pick up the tiny bits that are at depth or on the bedrock with a large coil & the target will be out of sight of a small coil. If you suspect there is gold at depth then you need to scrape away the overburden to bring the target into sight of the coil. Especially if it is small gold & you can only get a reading on it with a small coil
Make sense
Happy golding

Kiwi JW

[Hoser John]

KIWI ROCKS-tons a au 2 u 2 -John