Help on Gold Bug 2 Ground Balance

[Panman]

Just got a new GB2. I had a Whites GMT so I'm new to the manual ground balancing. I prospect in Bensen Canyon near Randsberg & Garlock in the Mojave desert. Was looking for settings that would be close to where I need to start at from others who use the GB2 there.

 

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[Goldwasher]

the settings will vary constantly. just the way it is.

Set the ground switch low setting first. no disc don't set the gain too high. Adjust the coarse gb knob fine tune with the fine knob.

You can adjust with your thumb as you hunt...pump..adjust hunt..pump hunt adjust..you'll get used to it.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Hint: If you hit bullets and boot tacks, you'll hit gold. Re-check your ground balance every 20-feet or so.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I use the detector with all the switches set to the middle. The volume and sensitivity is turned all the way up until there is a need to decrease.
Don't be afraid to use the audio boost mode once you start finding small nuggets. Really helps finding those 1-2 grain pieces. There are areas with hundreds of smaller pieces like that and the boost mode really helps.

Don't rely on the iron ID mode unless you have excavated and have a very strong signal. I use it more to commit myself to the target than I do to reject targets.
Old broken square nails will sound awesome at first, then they return a "scratchy/broken" signal in Iron ID Mode or become quiet as you get closer. Nuggets (even small ones) will do the opposite.

 

[Farma]

Panman
My brother and I are planning on going to Benson in January. I just joined the mining club in Tucson (Desert Gold Diggers) We have done a lot of metal detecting for coins, etc. but none looking for gold.

Not knowing where to go I figured joining a club would be a good way to get to know the area. Is there a lot of gold producing areas around Benson that are available to detect on?

 

[Panman]

Yes The Taft Prospectors and PCSC (Prospecting Club of So Cal) have claims there. Lots of gold. Pat Keene also takes a GPAA Club there about once a month. Gp tp the Keene Web site.

 

[cactusman]

Learn to ground balance often, to keep your machine in tune. It's very easy to do, and once you put in 80-100 hours on your machine you won't even think about it. Also take a piece of lead shot and glue it to a poker chip and take it into the field and practice finding it, in the ground where you are searching. If you get into some really nasty ground or a bunch of hot rocks, ground balance and adjust the sensitivity on your machine the best you can, then put the poker chip with the lead on it down in that area, and practice finding it some more. The tougher you make your practice the better your results will be on the real deal.

 

[arizau]

Panman
My brother and I are planning on going to Benson in January. I just joined the mining club in Tucson (Desert Gold Diggers) We have done a lot of metal detecting for coins, etc. but none looking for gold.

Not knowing where to go I figured joining a club would be a good way to get to know the area. Is there a lot of gold producing areas around Benson that are available to detect on?

You probably have the claims maps from DGD and they include at least two in the Greaterville district which is only about an hour drive from Benson. Much of the area is claimed by them and others but there is also other open area there that is not that has produced some nice gold but mostly by using traditional wet and dry methods. The elevation there is about 5 to 6,000' and will possibly have some snow so not the best of conditions for detecting. There may be some seasonal runoff water in some of the heads of arroyos to pan in though.

I suggest that you familiarize yourself with this website. Welcome to Land Matters. Click on maps, then mining claims, then Arizona. You can find the DGD claims as well as all others there and in the entire state and view them in topo and google earth aerial views. Much of google earth maps are from archived photos so roads and paths that are barely traceable now while walking them are clearly visible on the website shots...that is a major plus to help you explore. All of the claim info is current and is updated every other week.

Good luck.