First day out with the GPX 5000

PMac77 · Jan 20, 2019

Well went to Inglewood for my first day detecting with the 5000, Had some troubles at first with the settings lots of hot rocks, but after a while I managed to get it settled, I learned a bit and have tonnes more to learn, for me thats part of the fun . Unfortunately no colour this trip but I managed to rid the bush of a .22 bullet, a few bits of rust, some very small fine pieces of wire, and a couple of tractor implement tynes. At least it's a start and kind of reassuring that I was getting something especially the .22 bullet. Can't wait for the next trip :Y:

Cheers,
Pete.

goldtruck59 · Jan 20, 2019

If you are starting to dig bullets you know what gold sounds like. Its similar in many respects

Time on the ground and learning your machines language and the gold will come

Good luck

GT

Ship of fools · Jan 20, 2019

I like to put a couple of small pieces of lead on the ground as test pieces.
Its a good starting point on new ground.
Matt T

old hand · Jan 20, 2019

Pete just use one coil until you formulize the detector regards john :Y:

Jaros · Jan 20, 2019

Great advice from the experts Pete. It's all a logarithmic learning curve. :Y: :goldnugget:

PMac77 · Jan 20, 2019

Ship of fools said:
I like to put a couple of small pieces of lead on the ground as test pieces.
Its a good starting point on new ground.
Matt T

good tip, thanks Ship.

PMac77 · Jan 20, 2019

old hand said:
Pete just use one coil until you formulize the detector regards john :Y:

Thanks Old Hand,
I've got the 11 Commander Mono and the 15x12 commander mono. Do you think the 11 inch is the best to begin with?

PMac77 · Jan 20, 2019

Jaros said:
Great advice from the experts Pete. It's all a logarithmic learning curve. :Y: :goldnugget:

Cheers Jaros,
The advice is all good for sure, and no doubt with each outing I'll learn more :Y:

Hookka · Jan 21, 2019

PMac77 said:
old hand said:

Pete just use one coil until you formulize the detector regards john :Y:

Click to expand...

Thanks Old Hand,
I've got the 11 Commander Mono and the 15x12 commander mono. Do you think the 11 inch is the best to begin with?

I'm curious too, everyone really seems to like the evos also and I'm wondering if I should just pull the trigger on one and start out with it from the beginning.

Tassie Daz · Jan 21, 2019

PM, I dont know how ur going with your settings, but when I got my 4500 it screamed at me the whole time and i couldnt shut it up. So I started talking to blokes about settings. As you can imagine i got heaps of advice.
So what I did was write all the settings down in a notebook and it goes with me when I go detecting. If I have grief with EMI or the ground i refer to said book. Helps greatly. One thing i was told was to seldom use tracking, but keep the machine on fixed and gb often. Might help.

Ben Digo · Jan 21, 2019

Yep, that's exactly what I do. Constantly ground balancing my 4500.

Jackthehound · Jan 21, 2019

Pmac77 stick with the 11" Commander mono coil for now as it is still a good coil. This will give you the chance to get used to your machine and settings for various ground conditions.

The GPX 5000 has so many various combinations with search modes and soil timings and settings it is a bit hard to get your head around it all at first especially if you keep chopping and changing (will lead to brain failure lol). It really is like doing an apprenticeship and after you have learnt the basics chop and change then with various coils, sizes, etc and see how you go.

Everyone has their own go to settings and no two are alike. Best of luck and enjoy

BHM14 · Jan 21, 2019

Tassie Daz said:
PM, I dont know how ur going with your settings, but when I got my 4500 it screamed at me the whole time and i couldnt shut it up. So I started talking to blokes about settings. As you can imagine i got heaps of advice.
So what I did was write all the settings down in a notebook and it goes with me when I go detecting. If I have grief with EMI or the ground i refer to said book. Helps greatly. One thing i was told was to seldom use tracking, but keep the machine on fixed and gb often. Might help.

I keep a notebook as well and keep a record of what seems to work well in different areas. With a 4500 and I guess with the 5000 as well, using the detector with the Ground Balance in tracking can cancel out a target. Keep it in fixed, ground balance often, and ground balance on the soil pile coming out of the hole, if you get a target.

PMac77 · Jan 21, 2019

Tassie Daz said:
PM, I dont know how ur going with your settings, but when I got my 4500 it screamed at me the whole time and i couldnt shut it up. So I started talking to blokes about settings. As you can imagine i got heaps of advice.
So what I did was write all the settings down in a notebook and it goes with me when I go detecting. If I have grief with EMI or the ground i refer to said book. Helps greatly. One thing i was told was to seldom use tracking, but keep the machine on fixed and gb often. Might help.

Pretty much doing the same mate, I figured out on the day I had to back off the rx gain about 8 from memory and switch the soil timing to Special, adjusted the Stabiliser a little and same as yourself I had the machine in fixed and GB'd often, I spoke to the guys at Miners Den Bendigo and they said I was on the right track. I'll stick with the Commander 11 inch until I learn what I'm doing then I'll give the 15x 12 mono a crack. :Y:

PMac77 · Jan 21, 2019

Jackthehound said:
Pmac77 stick with the 11" Commander mono coil for now as it is still a good coil. This will give you the chance to get used to your machine and settings for various ground conditions.

The GPX 5000 has so many various combinations with search modes and soil timings and settings it is a bit hard to get your head around it all at first especially if you keep chopping and changing (will lead to brain failure lol). It really is like doing an apprenticeship and after you have learnt the basics chop and change then with various coils, sizes, etc and see how you go.

Everyone has their own go to settings and no two are alike. Best of luck and enjoy

Thanks for the advice Jackthehound, I'll stick with the 11

shakergt · Jan 22, 2019

great detector Pete. I use the 5000 myself. If you are finding lead then you should pick up gold. Ground balance regularly and keep it low and slow. I would give you my settings but as I am in WA and detect the west Australian gold fields I am not sure how they would go in VIC. All the best

Brumble-Gum · Jan 22, 2019

Just remember more isn't always good with gain.
By ground balancing your detector has recognised what the surrounding mineralisation is and is looking for changes in this mineralisation. Too much gain is like turning high beam on in the fog, it hightlights everything and will not give a stable threshold.

PMac77 · Jan 23, 2019

shakergt said:
great detector Pete. I use the 5000 myself. If you are finding lead then you should pick up gold. Ground balance regularly and keep it low and slow. I would give you my settings but as I am in WA and detect the west Australian gold fields I am not sure how they would go in VIC. All the best

Thanks Shaker :Y:

Rambling rude · Feb 1, 2019

Hi PMac77,

Settings I use for 5000, pretty much stays the same for all the coils I use.
I turn down the RX gain if I use the bigger coils 14-18 inch.

Note: I use booster amp so target vol 3. Would be higher if I use head set.

Detector settings GPX 5000

Back light. Off
Vol limit. 2
GB type. Gen
Special. Fine gold
Motion. Slow
RX Gain. 9
Audio. Norm
A/tone. 44
Stabilizer. 10
T/Vol. 3
Response. Norm
Tracking. Med
Iron. Off

Front panel: Treshold appx 10 o'clock pos, Gen , Special, mono, fixed.

Hope these help

PJG · Feb 1, 2019

I dont know about the 5000 but with the 4500 I find that doing a ground balance specific helps when moving to a new area.

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