MINELAB F1A4 ex military metal detectors - tips, settings, questions

[Colin&Lee]

Couple of questions for you detecting gurus

I've noticed a few of these popping up on Ebay are they PI? and would they find gold? or are they just a collectors thing?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MINELAB-...71250211836?pt=AU_Gadgets&hash=item3f27c5c3fc

Cheers

C&L

 

[Guest]

Minelab F1A4

Wave shape: Pulse
Polarity: Unipolar (magnetic field reverses direction on each pulse)
Domain: Time (receiving circuit measures the returned signal at specific time points on the wave)
Send/receive coil: Single (circular 21cm)
Mode: Dynamic (must be moved to get a signal)
Sensitivity adjustment: Fixed
Ground compensation: Automatic (allows the detector to learn the soil properties)
Software access: Yes (can update software via RS232 port)
Target Signal: Audio
Weight: 3.1kg with control box fitted to shaft
Speaker/headphones: Yes, internal/Yes
Batteries: LR20 ("D" size) x 4
Price: $1969 Euro when new
-a reset feature if the background noise increases
-noise cancel function so that detectors can adjust to the surrounding electromagnetic field including the work of nearby detectors
-different audible signals for the detector status as well as for target classification
-continuous confidence tone

http://www.gichd.org/fileadmin/pdf/LIMA/Interim_Final_Moz160108_web_optimized.pdf
Test/report: Page 75

"The exceptional behaviour of the Minelab detectors is due to their good soil compensation and also because of the design philosophy adopted, which is to optimise for equal performance in all conditions rather than to achieve the best possible performance in any given conditions"

Good on landmines. Gold??? - may be worth testing if you got one cheap enough?
http://www.minelab.com/__files/f/4501/F1A4 Product Manual.pdf

At current eBay prices I would be opting for an SD series detector for a few more dollars.

 

[Redfin]

There was a heap on GraysOnline a month or so ago for $29.

 

[Guest]

:lol: Probably the ones on eBay now for $799
Wonder why the military or whoever had them (originally) didn't just donate them to a third world war zone country - much better used there you would think & good publicity for Australia?

 

[Colin&Lee]

I agree totally why not donate them to charity

C&L

 

[OZDigger]

Does anyone have any experiance with the MINELAB F1A4 GOLD / METAL DETECTOR M O D I F I E D (Level One or Two) currently advertised on Ebay.

 

[BrisJoe]

Just wondering if anybody has had any experience with these models..

I'm a bit sketchy on the Jack Lange things as a few people say his stuff is cheap and nasty and other swear by him.
But to state in the ad that "modified by a guy who dosen't advertise his servies" sets of 1 or 2 alarm bells.

Would just be looking at the setup as a starting point as it will take a lot longer to save the money for a 5000

http://goldhunterdetectors.com.au/d...inelab-detectors/minelab-f1a4-gold-level-two/

 

[Guest]

Second hand minelab 2100 or 2200 for about $1000 I wouldn't risk modified crap as you cannot trade up or get your money back.

 

[Cuckoowaif]

Hi Everyone ,
I found , on eBay , some Mine lab mine detectors ....

• http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Minelab-...6958?pt=AU_Gadgets&hash=item2a388eeb9e&_uhb=1[/*]

Are they any good ? My thinking is , that if they are so good for ordinance specialists - then they are probably pretty damn effective ...
Steve.

 

[Roscoe]

Steve, I saw an advertisement of jack lange some were on a modified version of those detectors. I don't know if anyone on this forum has one of them. If they have one it would be interesting see how they go.

 

[Guest]

Forget the hype.

Forget trying to save a few bucks.

Buy something proven.

Have a look at the gp3500 these can be purchased

At around or less than $2000.

Had mine modified by ismael for $275
and includes a Smooth timing switch
and extra sensitive switch.

Add the little ripper wireless battery
System and my setup works like a
Dream.

 

[Guest]

I'll have a 2100 up for sale on this site in about a months time
With a few coils wireless headphones in excelent cond.
$1500 proven gold finder, just need to finish off a area in the next few weeks
And I'm confidant I'll find enough to upgrade .
Buy something you know works!

 

[peakin]

Hi all.
Im new to this, i haven't used a forum before. im also new to prospecting.
My question is are the minelab f1a4 detectors any good for gold detecting? im not talking about the modified ones for $2200.
The one i'm looking at has had the coil and headphone plugs modified to take other coils and headphones.
my brother uses a gpx5000 i haven't got the money to buy a gpx. i have about $1000 to spend.
the bloke i spoke to selling the f!a4 tells me it is equivalent to a sd2200, as i'm a newbie i wouldn't have a clue.
i know they are a PI detector so are they worth it or should i go with something else.
i've also been looking at the garrett ATGOLD would this be a better choice for me than the f1a4?
I would be using the detector in victoria and iv herd the ground is very noisy here so stay away from VLF detectors.
or can i buy the f1a4 for around $800 and get the modification done cheaper instead of paying $2200 for one already modified.
any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cuckoowaif]

Hi Peak in ,
I have an ex military f1a4 on order at the moment , I'm itching to get my hands on it .....
My research told me that it is a robust unit that can easily be modified , only reason they don't have the same features as a GPx is to make them SIMPLE to use - and reliable . Imagine sweeping for explosives with the wrong settings on your machine .
One guy I pm'ed told me that he was so impressed with his first one , he bought a second one straight up .... says that they are an effective bit of kit - finds gold for him !
Steve .

 

[Roscoe]

Sorry fella's, I just don't seem to think this machine would be good at detecting Gold. I think searching for Gold and finding land mines would be a totally different ball game. I would say the timings on these would be biased towards deep ferrous metals and this is why some people selling them would modify them first before selling them. Hey, I might be totally wrong about that, i have no land mine searching experience.

 

[peakin]

yeah cuckoowaif, thats what im looking at the ex military mine detector, the bloke i spoke to told me there designed to pick up the very small screws that hold a plastic landmine together. they look like they can be knocked around a bit.
the one you have on order is it a mod1 or mod2? im sure somewhere there could be some information on how to do the modification yourself even if its a bit of stuffing around would be worth it to save a grand. or even if i could find someone who is switched on with electronics that i could pay to do the modification.
like roscoe said its not designed to detect gold but is got all the running gear there if it could be changed with a few tweaks might be onto something and saving thousands.

 

[trashmagnet]

peakin
woody in frankstin is the one doing the mods for jack lang so try him for your mods on these machines

 

[Guest]

If you need advice modding machines i recommend
and have Used Ismael Jones. The guy is simply a
genious. My advice is simple. Save your money and
head out when you Want and hire a 4500 until you
start finding gold. Hire is available in Dunolly
And Maryborough.

If you double your budget you may find a gp3500 for
$1800 like i have and spend $275 for modding and you
Have a great machine. If you need Ismaels number just
Message me.

Good luck with what you decide.

 

[Cuckoowaif]

Hi again peakin ,
The one I've ordered is straight up .... no mods at all .
I'll see how I go with it out of the box . I reckon it'll do the job , maybe change the coil and speaker setups .
I might even play around with the datalogging output that this machine is capable of . It's still all about learning for me ....
Steve .

 

[Guest]

You can grab sd2000 for $500 on eBay with a bit of cleaning up, few coils & a new batt you can have a great starter kit for under a grand.
Sd2100 around a $1000 same thing new battery and off ya go
Sd2200 under $1600 2 on eBay ATM why would you bother taking a risk
With something that might do the job?
Iv got a sd2100 I kept it over my gp3000 because it ran quieter with monos (where I currently hunt)
I'm ready to up grade now to the latest and greatest so will sell the sd2100 soon
Knowing whoever buys it will find gold (as long as it gets used)
Put an extra $200 towards it' you have more chance of getting it back with gold!