Hello, from David in Sydney

[gedanate]

Hi Folks,

I am so glad to have found this forum. I am an utter newcomer to the hobby/obsession of fossicking/prospecting. I have vaguely wondered about it in the past but now I have purchased a pre-loved Minelab Xterra 705 off fleabay, and I have quickly scanned through the manual. I probably absorbed/understood about one-tenth of the info it is trying to tell me, so I turned to Google and found you lot. That's wonderful.

One of my other interests is camping, so I kinda hope to be able to combine the two interests in the future. I live in the north-western greater Sydney area, not far from Castle Hill.

I am 67 years old and sometimes I'm a slow learner as well. I need to get out with the gizmo to get familiar with it. The detector came with two heads, a larger concentric cirlcle coil, and a smaller oval one. Which is for gold fossicking and which is for hunting coins and stuff on the beach or in parks I have no idea as of yet. So it's baby steps for me at the moment.

I shall try to be like a sponge and absorb. I have always believed in the karma of "passing it forward". So later, when I have anything useful to share, I will be happy to do so.

'Nuff for now. I have to get ready to go out.

David in Sydney
(aka gedanate)

 

[the duck]

Welcome to a very addictive hobby you have picked a good machine for coins and relics hope you find heaps and remember to always fill in your holes
Good luck

 

[GaryO]

Welcome aboard Dave . Your detector is a dual use machine , which means it can be used for parks a d beaches etc and by changing the program it can be used to detect gold in mineralised soil. The oval coil is used to find smaller targets such as small nuggets and jewelry ..where as the other coil is able to penetrate deeper on larger targets while not as sensitive on small stuff.

 

[gedanate]

Thanks for the welcome, Duck and GaryO.

I'll be re-reading the Xterra manual again and watching some Youtube videos as well. So much to learn!

And GaryO, special thanks for identifying which of the two coils is which! I looked for it in the manual, but maybe I missed it.

Gotta run again, Gotta pink slip my liddle van today!

Cheers 4 Now,

DavidH

P.S. I'll look for (or take a new) piccie, and shrink the thing for an avatar soon! Shrunken heads, ha!

 

[dwt]

Checkout SAbogan's YouTube clips mate, they're top stuff for nutting out the Xterra's

 

[gedanate]

Thanks, DWT

Much appreciated.

Just dashing out the door now...

Cheers,

DavidH

 

[Jaros]

Hi David, welcome. You have picked the right place to follow your new hobby--good luck with the gold hunt.
Jaros.

 

[gedanate]

Thanks for the welcome, Jaros.

You have a great bunch of people here.

Interesting, too. I see several people here (including you, Jaros) have bought that Aldi detector. I had considered buying one when I saw it for sale a week or two ago, but I decided it would probably turn out to be junk. Looks like I was wrong, eh? Such is life!

I think it will be a long time before I see any gold in my hand, but hope springs eternal.

In the meantime I have to learn heaps.

Thank you and all the other guys for this truly excellent resource!

Cheers,

DavidH

 

[Dagsy]

Hi David,
If you are interested in meeting likewise people and participating in group prospecting outings, the Prospectors' Home Club is relatively close to where you live. It meets the 1st Tuesday of the month (next meeting this Tuesday 3/3/15) at 7:30pm.

The address is:
Paramatta Band Clubhouse
Jubilee Lane
Paramatta

It's off Marion St (just look for all the 4WDs). I should be there this Tuesday so look me up (the name's Damian).

Regards
Dagsy

 

[gedanate]

Thank you very, VERY much, Dagsy!

I have put it in my diary, I have found it on the map.

I shall be there. I am really looking forward to it.

Cheers,

DavidH

 

[Guest]

G'day Dave,

I'm also a NEWBY like yourself. I live out near Penrith, not far from you. Maybe we could meet up from time to time and learn together?

Cheers

 

[gedanate]

Hi Treasuredown,

I wish you'd made contact a week ago, because I went to a meeting of the Prospectors' Home Club in Parramatta on Tuesday. They have meetings on the first Tuesday of each month (except January) from 7:30pm to 9:30pm the Harry Todd Band Hall, Jubilee Lane, Harris Park. They are very active with club trips and camping in fossicking areas. But yes, we should be able to make a face to face meeting... perhaps at Parramatta?

I will send you a PM.

Cheers,

DavidH