Minelab SDC2300 information and questions

Has anyone every heard the little tick when a jet flies over? I can often hear it before I can hear the jet itself.

Tend to agree with the above - you really need to tune your ears in, and look for the quietest channel. - I don't have an external speaker, but certainly the built in speaker is not good enough to wear, so ear phones for me for now.

For those using an external, obviously it depends on the user, and you probably would give away the speaker if it isn't any good, but do you find you might be missing some of those real subtle sounds when not wearing headphones?

Jwal, I was using a guitar amp with Nenads lead, I now prefer the Gog headphones still with his lead of course. My hearing is no good so headphones are more suited for me. I'm now running the wireless on the 23 and with the GoGs everything seems to be ok, accept of course the balancing bit re the start of this post but I'm going to work on it next time out.

jwal said:

Has anyone every heard the little tick when a jet flies over? I can often hear it before I can hear the jet itself.

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For sure! We detect right under a main flight path and some days are a nightmare, even with the SDC. Usually caused by the pinging of radar and tower comms. There was a bit of nasty EMI on our last trip through May and I also noticed a few Vic. guys on the Show and Tell thread saying the EMI was also fairly severe. This was a result of a particularly bad Earth facing solar CME. The KP index was peaked with severe FRB (fast radio burst) interference. I follow a few of the Solar monitors on Twitter and have an app that also warns of incoming CME/FRB and the associated Aurora. I check it regularly so I know what I'm coming up against during the day. Something I recommend looking into.

OT: Definitely agree with all of the above comments. I started out running 3 using the speaker on the SDC (high EMI area), then had to drop to 2 (also with three lights on threshold volume) once I started using good quality headphones. Still gets pretty noisy at times in the threshold itself, but those nicer, deeper 8"-10" targets are still clearly audible through the general warbling. We all have our preferred settings that work well.

As far as start-up of the SDC goes, I generally hold it up at hip height after turning it on and just rotate slowly to locate the worst of the noise, face that direction then hit the auto tune and let it do it's thing. Once it's done lower the coil and do the exact pumping GB method that Scrounger suggested above. There are some days where it just gets noisy due to different atmospheric and terrestrial influences so you just repeat the steps if needed. Fairly common way to do it for most P.I. machines.

If you want to see how super smooth the SDC can run, wait until the sun has set completely and go for a wander. I was blown away on my first night detect!

Cheers,
Shauno.

Syndyne are you still running on 2 and getting good results?

Certainly.

I ran on 3 for a while when they were released, just using the speaker and the supplied Koss UR30 headphones. Had some good success, though for the last three trips I've run on 2 with good quality Sennheiser headphones with far better results, particularly on the deeper, quieter nugs.

As mentioned above, we swing in a high EMI area so I'm limited to running on 2 with this set-up. Any more than that and it's easy to get a headache from listening through all the threshold noise after a few hours. Most of our finds are shallow too (within the first foot), so not much need to ramp it up so much.

I think most here would agree that if you can run on 3, 4 or 5 smoothly with minimal chatter then that would be giving optimal response/depth.

Takes a little while to get used to it's quirks even though it's a relatively simple machine.

My father is just a few months shy of 80yrs of age and he enjoys using the 2 setting/headphone combo also -to the point where he bagged quite a few nugs (including the biggest) last trip. I'm moving on to the GPZ now so he'll be on the SDC full time this trip and I'm keen to see how he gets on.

Cheers,
Shauno.

Many thanks Syndyne,plenty of EMI here too. I'm going to have a crack at running low down, I don't think I'm missing many targets(pellets) but I'm going to try yours and the other tips I've received on here including some night work, I'll advise.

No worries at all.

Hope you have some good luck with it! Let that coil lightly skim the ground to get max. depth and you'll do well if you're already picking up the small lead shot (a ridiculous amount of that out there!).

All the best,
Shauno.

Heres my set up, I got a phasetec adaptor lead, a tiny bluetooth transmitter off fleabay $11 delivered and a set of bluetooth headphones for $50 from Groupon, crystal clear sound



cheers,
Paul

Interesting set up Paul. Looks like a solution to the ever-present problems with the SDC phones. Have you been in the field with it?

I love the SDC however have two main gripes:

How simple would it have been for Minelab to fix a small swivel base to the SDC to stop it flipping every time you put it down. I know an aftermarket cover can fix this but it should not be that way given what you pay for the SDC.

Secondly, the issue you seem to have covered (at cost) is the that totally ridiculous headphone jack and lead length. Nothing more frustrating than trying to scoop your target with your legs tangled around the headphone cord (while your SDC tips over and heads down the gully)

Will be interested in the performance of your mods.

Cheers

Hi Pig Iron,
I've not had it in the field yet due to an injury.
I got a cover for my SDC to protect the Authenticity sticker which Minelab in their great judgement decided to put it on the bottom of the detector The cover comes with a stand which is removable, so has 2 uses.

Heres a pic of how it looks when I'll be using it.



Nice and tidy I think.
cheers,
Paul
ps. I have no idea why my pics turn sideways when I post them on here :|

Phase techs lead and wireless set up is brilliant for the SDC. No wires or anything in the way,use any headphones you like, good sound and virtually no delay. A few dollars but in my opinion, certainly worth it. Can be quickly swapped onto a 45 or 5 if needed.

Phase techs lead and wireless set up is brilliant for the SDC. No wires or anything in the way,use any headphones you like, good sound and virtually no delay. A few dollars but in my opinion, certainly worth it. Can be quickly swapped onto a 45 or 5 if needed.

As far as tipping over, DD leather in Bendigo took care of that with the SDC cover and the fitted foot can be removed and works perfectly.
Hope these suggestions can help.

Thanks Leroy - Just purchased the DD Leather fix. Or at least the kids did for father's day. I might have to foot the bill for the cordless hahaha.

Let me know how it sounds when you run it Paul. I'd be keen to modify.

paul_mac1 said:

Hi Pig Iron,
I've not had it in the field yet due to an injury.
I got a cover for my SDC to protect the Authenticity sticker which Minelab in their great judgement decided to put it on the bottom of the detector The cover comes with a stand which is removable, so has 2 uses.

Heres a pic of how it looks when I'll be using it.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2417/1472029356_1472029269660.jpg

Nice and tidy I think.
cheers,
Paul
ps. I have no idea why my pics turn sideways when I post them on here :|

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Thanks for the info mate.

Just going to get on and buy one of those DD padded covers with the inbuilt stand, about $80 from ebay by the look of it. I thought it was just me that had the problem with the thing flipping over when I lay it down.

The little set up with blue tooth will also be great, bloody headphone cable always gets in my way, so that set up looks great. Did you get your phasetech lead from Phase Tech website directly, about $108??? Any cheaper options anyone know of?

paul_mac1 said:

Heres my set up, I got a phasetec adaptor lead, a tiny bluetooth transmitter off fleabay $11 delivered and a set of bluetooth headphones for $50 from Groupon, crystal clear sound

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2417/1472027881_1472027803222.jpg

cheers,
Paul

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jwal said:

Thanks for the info mate.

Just going to get on and buy one of those DD padded covers with the inbuilt stand, about $80 from ebay by the look of it. I thought it was just me that had the problem with the thing flipping over when I lay it down.

The little set up with blue tooth will also be great, bloody headphone cable always gets in my way, so that set up looks great. Did you get your phasetech lead from Phase Tech website directly, about $108??? Any cheaper options anyone know of?

paul_mac1 said:

Heres my set up, I got a phasetec adaptor lead, a tiny bluetooth transmitter off fleabay $11 delivered and a set of bluetooth headphones for $50 from Groupon, crystal clear sound

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2417/1472027881_1472027803222.jpg

cheers,
Paul

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just checkout his website I'm sure it was cheaper from that just google double d leather products.
Heres a link $70 http://doubledleather.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=18&product_id=123

I got mine from Coiltek in Maryborough, was last one at the time but they deal with them, same price.

Ok will do, I'll do a review of it.

Pig Iron said:

Let me know how it sounds when you run it Paul. I'd be keen to modify.

paul_mac1 said:

Hi Pig Iron,
I've not had it in the field yet due to an injury.
I got a cover for my SDC to protect the Authenticity sticker which Minelab in their great judgement decided to put it on the bottom of the detector The cover comes with a stand which is removable, so has 2 uses.

Heres a pic of how it looks when I'll be using it.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2417/1472029356_1472029269660.jpg

Nice and tidy I think.
cheers,
Paul
ps. I have no idea why my pics turn sideways when I post them on here :|

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I read somewhere people were complaining about the C size batteries and the 2300 machine turning off at times.
Yeap I had the same problem initially with 3 different battery brand names with my 2300. Slight movement of the narrower diameter batteries breaks contact on the anode nipple.

Problem is EASILY solved however!! Just use a piece of removable card wedged in between the batteries to stop them moving about in the compartment!

I have never had a 'turn off" since.

Obviously the compartment has been designed slightly over sized than average to take the largest of the slightly varied diameter C size batteries that are on the market. The average normal size battery can slightly wobble about.

An expression " Oils aint Oil" ..sometimes

Happy searching!!