Is a VLF a waste of time?

[desert-rat]

ok im in the desert in south west Arizona and im looking at buying a detector. ive used a cheap MD that wouldn't ignore the black sand at all so im wondering if a PI is what I need. the gold here is pretty fine from what ive seen so can someone send me in the right direction im not looking to spend more than $1K.

 

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[galenrog]

What size is "pretty fine"?

I ask because most VLF detectors designed to detect gold are very good at what they do. Some are excellent at finding small, shallow nuggets as small as 1/10 gram. They will not, however, detect small gold that is best left to the sluice or the drywasher.

Several members will likely chime in with their favorite models, and why they like them. I am afraid I will be of no help with VLF gold machines due to my preference for the PI machines from Minelab.

 

[Jason in Enid]

There are some great VLF gold detectors. They aren't cheap. Cheap detectors suck at everything, if you want special abilities, you gotta pay for them.

 

[Terry Soloman]

ok im in the desert in south west Arizona and im looking at buying a detector. ive used a cheap MD that wouldn't ignore the black sand at all so im wondering if a PI is what I need. the gold here is pretty fine from what ive seen so can someone send me in the right direction im not looking to spend more than $1K.

I used the Tesoro Lobo Super Traq with great success in the Weaver and Bradshaws. Made in Prescott, with a lifetime warranty. PM me if you want more info.

 

[cactusman]

VLF detectors are some of the best small gold finding machines around. The keys are one, get a good one, and two, spend the time to learn it.

A PI detector is also an excellent choice for nugget shooting, as they handle highly mineralized soil extremely well, tend to ignore a lot of hot rocks, and get excellent depth. Their drawback is weight, power consumption, and they aren't as sensitive to tiny nuggets.

Most serious nugget shooters use both a PI and a VLF. They are no different than any other tool -- no one tool does everything great. I think of my PI machines as sledgehammers and my VLF machines as carpenter hammers -- they each have their use.

 

[Hoser John]

I covet VLF above all others. John

 

[desert-rat]

ok so after the input I got from yall im trying to decide on what to go with im really liking what im reading on the reviews for the Gold Racer so far. does anyone have any suggestions for a tech savy newbie?

 

[desert-rat]

by fine I mean the gold ive found with other methods is so small you can hardly see most of it. I know there is bigger pickers out there because people find them all the time by swingin

What size is "pretty fine"?

I ask because most VLF detectors designed to detect gold are very good at what they do. Some are excellent at finding small, shallow nuggets as small as 1/10 gram. They will not, however, detect small gold that is best left to the sluice or the drywasher.

Several members will likely chime in with their favorite models, and why they like them. I am afraid I will be of no help with VLF gold machines due to my preference for the PI machines from Minelab.

 

[motohed]

I would look at the Macro Gold Racer or the Notka Fors Gold Plus . People have been having good results with them . They are some of the newest detectors out for Gold in the VLF format . Fisher makes the Gold Bug , Gold Bug Pro , and Gold Bug 2 . I like the fact that the Makro Gold Racer will have wireless headphones coming out shortly . JMHO

 

[Terry Soloman]

Buy Arizona. That way you won't have to face east to ground balance five-times a day.

 

[foilfinder]

Something I have learned is that displays can be ruined by heat and intense sunlight.sounds like you're in an area where that should be considered, maybe they make shades for the display.

 

[desert-rat]

I guess your referring to the Tesoro's? I cant seem to find a whole lot on em. whats the learning curve like with em? also the ground balance comment please explain. I know I sound like im asking for the big chief tablet and crayon version so bare with me.

Buy Arizona. That way you won't have to face east to ground balance five-times a day.

 

[Jason in Enid]

by fine I mean the gold ive found with other methods is so small you can hardly see most of it. I know there is bigger pickers out there because people find them all the time by swingin

No detector ever made can see flour gold, a really good one can see bigger flakes but you are not going find anything that can see gold "so small you can hardly see most of it"

 

[Hoser John]

Which is why experienced folks take along a sluice when water is available. Simply drop a nice colored poker chip on all the good signals and DO NOT waste precious time playing nugget nugget where is the nugget. THEN simply scoop up the hit area into a bucket dozens at a time, classify with 1/4" screen and dump into a sluice. You will thusly process dozens and dozens of hits AND get all them righteous fines that also are found with them pickers. Educate and prosper as time wasted is never refound and your gold stash will grow much faster. I never minded finding gold by the oz be it 50 mesh or 1/4 ozrs. Lots of luck-John

 

[Hard Prospector]

Which is why experienced folks take along a sluice when water is available. Simply drop a nice colored poker chip on all the good signals and DO NOT waste precious time playing nugget nugget where is the nugget. THEN simply scoop up the hit area into a bucket dozens at a time, classify with 1/4" screen and dump into a sluice. You will thusly process dozens and dozens of hits AND get all them righteous fines that also are found with them pickers. Educate and prosper as time wasted is never refound and your gold stash will grow much faster. I never minded finding gold by the oz be it 50 mesh or 1/4 ozrs. Lots of luck-John

I do that very same process except run all material through a drywasher as water is precious for us desert rats (must be saved for drinking, cooking, coffee and washing feet) Coffee and taking care of feet is high priority.

 

[shadowulf]

The older grubbers near me echo John and HP's comments.

I asked a couple about trading in my F70 for a different machine. Both said as long as it beeps when you are over a piece, it's done it's part.
Both have higher frequency VLFs. Both have PI machines.
And both use some type of field processing (i.e. Drywasher, sluice, recirculator, panning ) once on to a good spot.

HH

 

[desert-rat]

I ordered a Makro Gold Racer it should be here for my day off Saturday. ive been watching youtube and reading on how to operate it in order to shorten the learning curve.

 

[Gold Itch]

If the ground is mineralized you would be better served with a mid frequency machine like the MXT's,, Makro Racer 2 or the Nokta Relic because a machine that runs high KHZ might be a little noisy, but to get a Rough Idea what is possible check this link out,

hope this helps, John

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/496958-goldmaster-v-sat.html

 

[gollum]

You want to get a machine that has a proven track record for finding gold. Just like the sayings "Gold is where you find it" and "The best place to look for gold is where it has already been found", unless you have a ton of spare cash to experiment with, go with a detector that has a proven track record for finding the kind of gold you are looking for. Don't concern yourself with brand names and models (but of course well known names and well proven models will tend to cost more). Ask around on the forums. You will get a ton of fanboys (and fangirls) touting whatever brand they got talked into carrying, but you will also get a lot of good advice. Every manufacturer makes detectors that you can prospect with. Some are VLF and some are PI, while others are multi-freq. Which one works best for you? It all depends. Depends on what size gold you want to find. Depends on what type of ground you will be detecting on. Depends on several factors.

Small Gold,

This seems to be your issue. For smaller gold, you want a detector that runs at a higher frequency. Higher frequencies will find smaller gold, but they do so at a price. While the higher frequencies will see smaller gold, they don't penetrate very deep. That said, higher frequencies find smaller gold that is shallow. There are VLF (Goldmaster, Gold Bug, Lobo Super Traq, XTerra 705, etc), Multi-Frequency (Minelab BBS and FBS, Fisher CZ20-CZ21, White's DFX, etc), and Pulse Induction (SDC2300, SD2000, GP7000, Garrett ATX, etc).

Larger Gold,

Much of the larger nuggets close to the surface have been found. THAT is why we love rain! Every downpour takes a couple of inches off the surface, giving us more new places to hunt. Since larger nuggets tend to run deeper, you will need either a lower frequency detector or Pulse Induction. Problem is that when you are using a detector designed to find deep larger nuggets (a'la Minelab SD-2000), they don't do very well for small stuff near the surface (why mine is modded). THAT is why they were selling the GPX5000 and SDC2300 as a set (before the 7000 came out).

So, all that said, for $1000, you should be able to get MOST of what you want in a gold machine. You won't get an SDC2300 or a GTX, but that $1000 will get you a Lobo Super Traq, Gold Bug, XTerra 705 (Gold Pack), Goldmaster (all good for small gold), with a good chunk of change left over for "accessories". I don't know how long you have been detecting, but if you are hunting in Az, you will need some things:

1. Snake Garters (or snake chaps); ANYWHERE in Az that you will find gold, you will also find buzztails. The closer to Southern California you get, the more chances you will have to meet Mr. Mojave Green Rattlesnake. Rattlesnakes have Hemotoxinous Venom. That means that after being bitten, the venom goes to work destroying every red blood cell it contacts (that is why you swell and turn black at the point of envenomation). Mojave Greens (on the other hand) have both Hemotoxinous and Neurotoxinous Venom. Neurotoxinous Venom acts on your CNS (Central Nervous System). It deadens the nervous system, so that your diaphragm can't contract to bring fresh air into your lungs, so you die of asphyxiation (only after all the pain of the hemotoxinous venom has worked you over).

2. Personal GPS, with Compass and TOPO Map; A personal GPS (I have several) is important for keeping track of where you are, and also for marking waypoints of finds and such. I have also found that when you are in the detecting groove, you can lose track of where you are. A personal GPS should always have a "Backtrack" feature to get you home. I recommend also keeping a GOOD Compass and TOPO Set because when you get into temps over 120, then the crystals in your LCD Screen will not form. Then, your screen looks like a big bruise. Not much good then. If you have a compass and map, you can still get home. Oh yeah, you should really have good land navigation skills if you are going top spend time in the desert and mountains.

3. Personal GPS LOCATOR; Something like the S.P.O.T, the DeLorme In Reach, or an EPIRB. These devices will send out a satellite or radio beacon and guide emergency rescue people to you. If you take a bad spill into a ravine (example) and break both legs, as long as you have an unobstructed view of the sky, you will be rescued in a few hours.

One more thing to keep in mind is working in the heat and water. I know when you get in the detecting groove, you tend to forget about some other things (like drinking water). You have to force yourself to stay hydrated. Working in a desert environment, the human body loses about 1-2 quarts of water per hour. That means that for an eight hour day (all away from the truck), you will need to carry AT LEAST four gallons of water (2 quarts per hour lost, times hours worked, divided by 4 quarts in a gallon = (2x8=16/4=4 gallons of water). Water weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon x 4 gallons = 33.36 pounds of weight to carry (just in water). Keep that in mind when wandering far from your vehicle.

Best of luck - Mike

 

[desert-rat]

Gollum thanks for the input. im going to give this thing a whirl if its not good ill sell it and try another. im pretty used to the snakes been outside my entire life used to hunt them quite a bit in the spring. as for water intake and heat im used to that as Ive been working in 140F in a plastic suit on 12 hr shifts for a while so I know what miserable is all about. those dang power plants are alittle warm this time of year. I feel like I drink an ocean of water every day and it still not enough. im thinking Ill probably go horse back most of the time to get to where I want to detect as I can make the steep country a lot quicker.