Garrett Gold Stinger-Nugget Hunting

[Sluicedog]

I've had a Garrett Gold Stinger for years. The revised Owners Manual(On-line) recommends that the ground balancing be adjusted slightly to positive for small nuggets. Has anybody made this change to their hunting technique and noticed better results?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Jim Hemmingway]

Hi SluiceDog,

I've always tried to maintain a slight positive GB setting, if ground mineralization and positive hot rocks permit it....and generally you can, but keep the detector in the autotune all-metal mode. Oddly enough, I can't say that it's helped out on small nuggets on site (since I search for much larger silver ores etc), but here at home, my tests in highly mineralized ground clearly indicate a better quality signal (sharper and louder) on a three to four grain size gold nugget several inches down.. by slightly adjusting to a positive GB. Absolutely no doubt. How much? Experiment by burying a suitable target close to the limit of detection with neutral GB, then gradually adjust positive and see what happens. Your limits will be defined by the ground mineralization levels, insofar as beyond a certain adjustment point, you simply won't be able to operate properly due to spurious ground signals encountered with slight differences in coil elevations above the ground surface. And beyond a certain point there is no justifiable return on the signal. So, don't adjust too much, to maintain a smooth operation.

While experimenting, also try reducing the ground balance and see what happens when you're too far into negative GB. It doesn't take much to lose a signal altogether if it's close to the detector's detection threshold (depth). These experiments illustrate the need to maintain proper ground balance; slightly negative GB to "quiet down" encountered small positive hot rocks is fine so long as you realize you are under balanced for the surrounding terrain, whereas slightly positive GB will enhance signals a bit, and could mean the difference between getting a faint signal, or not. It's second nature after a while, much easier to do than discuss, and can give you a small edge if properly done. Good luck.

Jim.

 

[Lanny in AB]

Nice tips on the Stinger--I had one for years--hunted with it with limited results, but I did find nuggets with it, and it was great for following gold in a vein. Other than that, it was always the dickens in awful ground, especially ground laced with hot rocks. It made me want to throw the dang thing in the canyon! However, after I learned some more of its vague sensitivities, I earned more respect for it. I eventually sold it at a bargain price to a youngster I'd tutored in the mystical arts of gold hunting, one with a very healthy case of gold fever, and guess what?

He went right out and found several nuggets with it: he was, however, hunting in mild ground, but I was still happy to see that old Stinger sniff out the gold. In fact, we even planted a nugget for him, and not only did he find that nugget, two feet away he found a wild nugget!!

I'm afraid I went over to the Minelab side a long, long time ago, and it would take something incredible to ever get me back to VLF's. Pulse machines just like severe ground a lot better. But, as I stated, vlf's will do the job in ground that's not crazy, and if you somehow find good ground with almost no mineralization, you'll have a party--as long as the hotrocks are residing someplace else.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[Sluicedog]

Jim- Thanks for the detailed info on the Stinger. I added a audio signal booster, which limits the load noises and really boosts the faint signals. I was an ad-on I bought years ago (run on one AA). I usually hunt with my 5'X10" oval coil. I going on a trip and I will be using my small 4" coil (space/wt on airlines). Have you had experience in the gold fields with the 4" coil for the stinger?-SD

 

[Jim Hemmingway]

Hi SluiceDog,

In a word....No. Never used the small coil, in fact for the type of searching I do up on Ontario's precambrium shield, I prefer to use the large 12" coil that was available years ago from Garrett, but no longer unfortunately. I search for much larger silver chunks and ores, except this year I'm considering going further away to try some gold hunting too.

Two questions: have you found the audio signal booster enhances depth on small (grain size) to larger pieces? Where can these be purchased?

Jim.

 

[Sluicedog]

Jim-I bought the 12" and 4" coil years ago for the Stinger. Yes the audio amplifier really helps. It was available years ago from Kellyco. Don't think you can get one now. It was called a "DepthMaster" add on. came with separate earphones(volume control) I believe White's bought the rights to it and put it in their GMT!

this is the US patent US4644290 for it if you want to build one yourself-SD

 

[oldestjim]

This thread is absolutely "right on." Very positive about using the "Scorpion." It is important to believe in whatever detector you use... Having a positive attitude and fully knowing all you can about the equipment will lead to success... To be enthusiastic and just "know" the next signal will be a nugget and not another sliver
of steel from a dozer blade, or a birdshot from a chukker hunter.

 

[Seamuss]

I've had a Garrett Gold Stinger for years. The revised Owners Manual(On-line) recommends that the ground balancing be adjusted slightly to positive for small nuggets. Has anybody made this change to their hunting technique and noticed better results?

I use a Garrett Scorpion myself and recently learned about keeping it at a slightly positive ground balance. Great improvement in nugget hunting. Now I'm hooked on my Scorpion.

What ever you learn to use, learn it well and it will never let you down.

 

[Sluicedog]

Taking my Stinger, I hope to revisit many of the areas known to have gold to rescan the river areas with the ground balance slightly positive. The areas might give me a nice surprise. I have a aftermarket sound enhancer which I really enjoyed. It boosts the faint signals while reducing the ear blasts on the earphones with the strong signals.