Garrett A2B Groundhog information and questions

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They were the first detector that garrett made that were supposed to be for Australian conditions. After that they come out with the ground hog.
I have seen the A2B sell for over $300 on eBay so $150 would be a good price considering condition.
I will have a look this afternoon and post links for some info on it this afternoon when I find them.

Greg
 
I have one of those mate, old school stuff but if you walk over a piece it will go off like a german band.
I have operating instructions in PDF format

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/doc/member-docs/232/1379460931_ads-deepseeker-groundhog.pdf

1379460969_20130812_124814.jpg
 
Ten Ounce - these were THE business in their day. Brought a tear to my old eye. And yes - they went off on gold.
 
Hi TenOunce, I have an A2B also, mine cost me $150 about a year ago, (wanted $300) & I have found coin with it on my local park, it works great, it was one of these that found one of the biggest nuggets in OZ, you can still get the manual from Garrett, I also have it in PDF format, if required, the only thing I don't have is headphones for it, & my wife said she could hear it beeping from 50metres away when it detected something,LOL
 
Some older prospectors used these for years right upto when the minelab SD models.
When I bought my deepseeker it was from a bloke that buys and restores older garrett detectors.
The parts for it might be hard to find now but if something breaks he might be able to find
What you need.
If tat happens PM me and I will give you his details if you want?
Greg
 
"AN AMATEUR prospector finally reveals precisely where he found Australia's second largest gold nugget.He told a friend of the dream, drew a picture, dated and signed it and, most importantly, had it witnessed - on September 12, 1980.Mr Hillier's vision was confirmed that same month, on September 26, while out fossicking for gold with his wife, Bep, in the Kingower State Forest (50km northwest of Bendigo).Thirty years on, Mr Hillier last week took The Weekly Times back to Kingower, to the site of the famous find. "It was like any other day," Mr Hillier recalled as he stood at the exact location. "The old Garrett detector was very susceptible to ground noise ... I was getting that and a squeak in the middle of it ... I dug on the squeak." More than 30cm below the surface he uncovered the tip of what would later be known as The Hand of Faith - the world's largest gold nugget discovered with a metal detector and the largest whole nugget still in existence today. The nugget was sold to the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, US for $US1 million." (at the gold price then - do the maths now!!). September 2010 news article.

Yep, old Kev used a Garrett. Found just off Ironbark Dam Road Kingower. There is a monument near the site, and yes, everyone I know has had a crack around there.
 
One can only dream of finding a nugget like that. Makes me think how many more like it would still be out there. My guess would be bugger all.
 
I used to have a Garrett ADS Groundhog 30 years ago. Found lots of coins, relics, jewellery etc. Had lot of fun back then. There used to be a club here with about 30 members. Lots of trips for coins, gold hunting, relics, competitions etc. The Groundhog lasted about 10 years and then a business took more time that I had to keep detecting. I let the Groundhog go in a Garage Sale about 5 years ago. But i just received an Ace 250 delivered yesterday. It's assembled and ready for use but there's about 3 days of rain coming up down here. Probably Sunday the Ace will get a run over some spots that used give coins and some new spots that are now around. With summer coming on we'll have some fun again with a detector.
Regards Rod.
 
Greglz86 said:
Some older prospectors used these for years right upto when the minelab SD models.
When I bought my deepseeker it was from a bloke that buys and restores older garrett detectors.
The parts for it might be hard to find now but if something breaks he might be able to find
What you need.
If tat happens PM me and I will give you his details if you want?
Greg
Click to expand...

G'day Gregiz86:
I am an old sod who used to spend a little time detecting around Dunolly 1978 - 82. I still have my first detector, a Compass Relic Magnum, also my Garrett ADS Deepseeker and (later) a couple of A2B Groundhogs. My interest has been re-awakened by a friend and an eager grandson, so I pulled them all out of storage the other day and tested them. All work fine, except for the ADS Deepseeker. It comes alive, but does not detect properly. Now I still have a couple of spare IC's for that, but I do not have a circuit diagram or any detailed knowledge of the circuitry. I do have some electronic experience, but rather than mess around myself I would rather have someone more expert with Garretts have a look at it and, if possible, restore it for me - just like the person you referred to in your post. Alternately, a copy of the repair/service manual and appropriate diagrams would be most welcome. I have several quite large coils for the ADS and I would like to get it going again. If I PM you (when I find out how to do that), could you give me that person's contact details or pass mine onto him - or the details of any qualified person who has a good record with the older garrets?

By the way, in my several weeks at Dunolly (mostly around Inkerman) I only found one nuggett - about 6 grams - and not with the detector. I accidently kicked it out from under a leaf with my boot and it sat there looking at me! Did anyone lose one around there? If so, send me a 'photo! :)
Regards
 
If you want a guy that has infinite experience and knowledge of garrett detectors, right back from day one, try Phil Stearnes of the Gold Mining Centre in Adelaide. Although no longer a Garrett distributor, he is a qualified electronics tech, charges very reasonable rates, and still carries out repairs on garrett detectors, I'm sure he will be of some help. (08 8396 7455). :)
 
My Dad found the 2nd 3rd and 4th pieces of gold with his A2B at Tibooburra in about 1985. I found the first with the Garret ADS Deep Seeker. My detector found a small 0.48 gram piece but dad's pieces were about 1/4 of that size each.
I couldn't get a peep out of the Deep Seeker even by rubbing those small pieces on the coil.
He found those nuggets right where I found my piece, all in a wheel track just behind the car.
We recon some poor fellow must have dropped them out of his pocket getting into his car. we tried in vein for 2 weeks but found nothing more.
The first thing to go in these old detectors (I have been told) are the capacitors and the potentiometers, If there is any problem they can be replaced, you may need a new coil also.
 
Picked this up from a mate at work....

1444888055_image.jpeg

1444888055_image.jpg


I can't get it to balance it just seems to go crazy no matter what.

I have pdf manual still can't get it to work properly.

Any experts out there willing to lend some advice / know a good repairer??

Tia!
 
My old deepseeker used to go a crazy aswell. From memory i had to hold.the VLF button on while i ground balanced it. Also, dont put the sensitivity all the way up probably about half way should be fine to start off.
Also make sure your not trying to ground balance on something metal or indoors. I know thats a given but thats all i can think of for now.
 
From memory they had a 10 ten turn pot I would put it in the centre they just get tight on the end the count back 5 turns lower the coil to the ground watching the needle if the needle goes up turn the GB the opposite way only go 1/2 turn at a time ,the threshold will stay at one level when the GB is right regards john :)
 

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