Just Joined The Ranks Of The Metal Detectors For Gold

goldenmojo

Bronze Member
Dec 9, 2013
1,865
4,753
N. California
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Prospector-Sniper-Supermini Thanks Todd & Chris, Goldhog Multisluice Thanks Doc, My Land Matters Thanks Claydiggins, 6 Senses
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I was able to score a Whites Goldmaster VSAT yesterday for $60.00 on craigslist. Everything looked good but was missing the battery pack so was kind of a sight unseen purchase. Fortunately my buddy Aufisher has the same detector and knows how to use it. We loaded his battery pack in it and it screamed to life. Aufisher taught me how the controls work and looked the machine over and deemed it worthy. Now to start on the nugget finding trail. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Aufisher for all your help with this.

GM
 

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goldenmojo

goldenmojo

Bronze Member
Dec 9, 2013
1,865
4,753
N. California
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Prospector-Sniper-Supermini Thanks Todd & Chris, Goldhog Multisluice Thanks Doc, My Land Matters Thanks Claydiggins, 6 Senses
Primary Interest:
Prospecting

roadrunner

Bronze Member
Jan 28, 2012
1,230
520
Pinal Mountains,Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett Groundhog-2012-1st MD.
White's Goldmaster V/Sat-2nd-MD-2013
Tesoro Lobo-2015-3rd
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Practice with yours on a 22-24 Kt gold ring.
It should zip zip like the book.
Now try it with a 14-18kt gold ring or metal and you will see that the zip zip is gone, and it sounds like a piece of lead.
Now do it in the yard.
A lot of the gold in my area has silver or copper in it and does not sound like goild at all.
Sounds like lead. Which lead has the same metal characteristic of gold and is about as heavy.
\That is why I dug that piece of metal next to the toothpick.
Thought for sure it was somethiung good in dryed caliche.
 

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goldenmojo

goldenmojo

Bronze Member
Dec 9, 2013
1,865
4,753
N. California
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Prospector-Sniper-Supermini Thanks Todd & Chris, Goldhog Multisluice Thanks Doc, My Land Matters Thanks Claydiggins, 6 Senses
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Thanks I will try that as soon as I can pry one off of my wife's finger. I am taking it out tomorrow to a river and see what that produces while I am still a beginner and due some luck in that category. The gold we get here varies in fineness from river to river and I get pieces that are iron stained or dull like they have silver mix in them. What's your suggestion about head phones?
 

roadrunner

Bronze Member
Jan 28, 2012
1,230
520
Pinal Mountains,Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett Groundhog-2012-1st MD.
White's Goldmaster V/Sat-2nd-MD-2013
Tesoro Lobo-2015-3rd
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I only use headphones that have 1 speaker.
You could buy a pair and then just uncover 1 ear.
I use ones that have a low impedance. I cant tell on mine but I believe below 100.
I want to hear rattlesnakes, or other creatures of this earth that want to harm me before they harm me.
Or at least get a shot off before disaster strikes. LOL.

Here is an old salad fork I found in a wash.
Copper and then silver plated from around the 1850's as far as I have been able to tell.
Silver is all gone.
fork 2.jpg fork.jpg

It was not deep and trust me, it sounded off like I was standing next to a metal fence.
When a GM is close to a metal target of size, it will squeal as the coil is over loaded. And I mean loud.
Put a fork on the ground outside and move your coil towards it and see what happens.
 

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goldenmojo

goldenmojo

Bronze Member
Dec 9, 2013
1,865
4,753
N. California
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Prospector-Sniper-Supermini Thanks Todd & Chris, Goldhog Multisluice Thanks Doc, My Land Matters Thanks Claydiggins, 6 Senses
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Wow very nice silver take. I understand what you mean about the loud squealing as I have been practicing on all kinds of items outside in the yard. The neighbors think I am abusing something over here. I can't wait to get it out tomorrow and start my real world practicing. I am interested in how well it will do in above waterline crevicing. Hopefully I will have something worthwhile to post. Roadrunner thanks for all your help and watch out for that sun.....
 

roadrunner

Bronze Member
Jan 28, 2012
1,230
520
Pinal Mountains,Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett Groundhog-2012-1st MD.
White's Goldmaster V/Sat-2nd-MD-2013
Tesoro Lobo-2015-3rd
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Thanks and I try and stay out of the sun but I may have another solar install job.
On a roof so the sun is always going to be in my way.
 

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goldenmojo

goldenmojo

Bronze Member
Dec 9, 2013
1,865
4,753
N. California
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Prospector-Sniper-Supermini Thanks Todd & Chris, Goldhog Multisluice Thanks Doc, My Land Matters Thanks Claydiggins, 6 Senses
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Roofed for many years myself so I can appreciate that.
 

63bkpkr

Silver Member
Aug 9, 2007
4,069
4,617
Southern California
Detector(s) used
XLT, GMT, 6000D Coinmaster
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
goldenmojo,
I always take a sample target with me when I'm out prospecting/detecting. A piece of lead, or a piece of a nickel or a piece of gold glued to a poker chip. I make sure the machine can detect and I become familiar with the sound the machine makes over this target as any of these metals, especially the gold, will cause the machine to tell you you've got a good target as the machine does not have enough electronic separation to differentiate between the three metals.

Just keep working with the machine at home as well as outdoors and eventually you will learn the machine and come home with some gold you've found detecting. It took me a long time to finally find gold with my GMT and it is always a thrill to metal detect native gold!!..................63bkpkr
 

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goldenmojo

goldenmojo

Bronze Member
Dec 9, 2013
1,865
4,753
N. California
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Prospector-Sniper-Supermini Thanks Todd & Chris, Goldhog Multisluice Thanks Doc, My Land Matters Thanks Claydiggins, 6 Senses
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Thanks Herb I have been having fun with it so far. I got on the NF but I think I was running it way to hot. I am going to take a piece of gold with me next trip a zero the machine in on it for that ground and see how I do. Whats the prospecting news from Tejas?
 

63bkpkr

Silver Member
Aug 9, 2007
4,069
4,617
Southern California
Detector(s) used
XLT, GMT, 6000D Coinmaster
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well GM, down where I'm at (south of Houston) most of the prospecting is done for crayfish/crawfish and they do pretty good at it. I've not made it up/over to the Plano area yet and likely will not for awhile. Mostly I'm working on getting my mind comfortable with my new surroundings and work itself, I've a lot riding on this move so I need to make it work!

Bringing a test sample with you will be a big help as using it you will re-establish in your ears/mind what a good target sounds like/looks like on your machine. Having the target on a colorful 'something' (like a poker chip) makes it much harder to loose the sample. Being able to bury the sample target 'in' hot ground is also very helpful in learning what you are up to Out There. Also, using Lanny's suggestions for finding targets in what looks like 'solid rock' (it isn't as it has lots of cracks in it) was a true boon to me as I learned how to adjust my GMT to the situation and I have found gold at each solid bedrock area I've hunted at. The pieces have not been large but every bit adds up!!

Happy Swinging.......................63bkpkr
 

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goldenmojo

goldenmojo

Bronze Member
Dec 9, 2013
1,865
4,753
N. California
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Prospector-Sniper-Supermini Thanks Todd & Chris, Goldhog Multisluice Thanks Doc, My Land Matters Thanks Claydiggins, 6 Senses
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Gravelwasher Thanks for the welcome. Will have to get a large barrell for all the debris. I have been out 5 times and the lead and nails have been the most productive yet Got out today with it for a short while. Scored a square nail, two bullets, the end of a spent shotgun shell, multiple pieces of an iron bar and a penny that was scoured pretty good. Starting to zero in on the GB and the difference in the sounds. Now to research some sites to work.
 

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