Minelab GPX5000 tips, settings and questions

[trashmagnet]

hi mate
the 24x12 ufo will run fine on your 5000. old coiltek coils of any size that were made for the sd,and gp will run fine on the gpx.
I have a few older coils I put on now and then when the situation calls for it.
the 24x12 is great for open areas.
the only problem I have with the 24x12 coiltek ufo is where the stem connects, the coil only has one fin/lug where the bolt goes through and is hard to keep firm which allows the coil to wobble up and down abit. that is why I use the nuggetfinder 24x12 as it has two lugs (one each side) and the stem will hold the coil better.
hope that makes sense
regards trashy

 

[Diggerdude]

I find the 24x12 a bit awkward , and remember that you will probably get deeper with a 14" round, the 24x12 is mainly for open country to cover more ground. But it will work fine on a 5k.
I haven't taken my Minelab 18" round mono of in months, my fav coil at the moment. Picked up a 0.07g with it a couple week back and have got hundreds of other nuggets.

DD

 

[Roscoe]

Thanks fellows, have you changed the upper and lower shaft to a carbon shaft? I think i read that they recommend doing this? Do i need to do this? The 12 x 24 coil i have someone previously has made a extra side bracket for reinforcing the one bolt system. What would you recommend as the best start out timing for the 5000 using that coil? I got the coil given to me buy a mate, so i thought i would use it as i have a lot of open country to cover and i heard they are sensitive to the fine stuff as well. Diggerdude, that's a small piece for such a large coil, I watched a blog video of JP using an 18" mono and he was picking up some small gold with that big as well, thanks roscoe.

 

[trashmagnet]

hi roscoe
I have changed the upper shaft but not because of the 24x12 I did it because of the 24"
round mono, it will only give you some noise if the coil and stem don't move together, but it will affect sensitivity with upper metal shafts.
it's like taping a coin on the coil, you won't get a signal unless the coin moves but it will affect sensitivity because the machine can see it.
bit like when two detectors get close together, the detectors are losing sensitivity before you hear any interference
as for settings for the 24x12 it will depend on where you are, some place's I run in normal some I have to go back to finegold, in very nasty ground you may even have to go back to enhance or smooth, that's without even mentioning the other timings or adjustments within each timing, so you need to go by ground conditions and what type of gold is in the area.
what works for me might be wrong for your area.
regards trashy

 

[Roscoe]

Thanks trashmagnet, I will lengthen the standard shaft a much as i can and try some buried test nuggets and see how it response. I will also try some different timings, rx gain, stabiliser control etc. and see what effect that has also. One thing is, its good to know i can make use of this coil.

 

[loamer]

hi roscoe
I have changed the upper shaft but not because of the 24x12 I did it because of the 24"
round mono, it will only give you some noise if the coil and stem don't move together, but it will affect sensitivity with upper metal shafts.
it's like taping a coin on the coil, you won't get a signal unless the coin moves but it will affect sensitivity because the machine can see it.
bit like when two detectors get close together, the detectors are losing sensitivity before you hear any interference
as for settings for the 24x12 it will depend on where you are, some place's I run in normal some I have to go back to finegold, in very nasty ground you may even have to go back to enhance or smooth, that's without even mentioning the other timings or adjustments within each timing, so you need to go by ground conditions and what type of gold is in the area.
what works for me might be wrong for your area.
regards trashy

very good advice and well explained. thanks Tmagnet!

 

[Roscoe]

Well Its official, i have bought me mates GPX5000. I will still keep the GMT, i think the two will complement each other.

 

[loamer]

Nice work Roscoe. I'm sure you will be happy in the long run.

 

[Roscoe]

Should be good loamer, weather permitting will take her out for a spin next weekend.

 

[mozzie1957]

A couple of my favoured area are very 'noisy' and the only way I've found, so far, to reduce the racket is to run the DD in cancel mod.
Toying with the idea of purchasing an anti-interference coil for the 5k. Or would I be wasting my time and money?
Is anyone able to tell me the difference in performance between an anti-interference coil and a DD running in cancel? Both 11". Thanks

 

[Heatho]

Was wondering the same thing today myself Mozzie.

 

[mozzie1957]

Doesn't anyone have any gossip 'bout AI coils, apart from the advertising blurb?

 

[madtuna]

Firstly, can I ask what is it you feel is causing the noise? EMI, salt, mineralization etc??

 

[mozzie1957]

EMI. Working in close to power.

 

[madtuna]

Ah okay.
Over on the salt lakes I've had better results with a DD than with an AI coil. EMI is a different matter though. Cancel is usually the go but sacrificing depth.
I gather you're running the DD in Normal, and have tried dropping the gain and upping the Stabilizer?

I'd beg borrow and steal an AI coil if you possibly can before forking out your hard earned coin for one

 

[mozzie1957]

Okay, thanks for the info. Appreciate it.

 

[Willo]

In contemplating my next trip, I am inevitably revisiting the issue of my settings.

One thing I have been thinking about is the threshold. I use headphones - how loud do people have the threshold turned up, I had heard it should sound about as loud as mosquito but I reckon I have had it turned up a bit louder - any thoughts?

Willo

 

[WalnLiz]

I run mine just audible Ian but adjust the tone lower than a mozzie. Would hate to have a Mozzie buzzing in my ears all day mate, Always wear head phones myself. Send me a PM and come over for a coffee one arvo, and we can compare settings for different regions if you like, ( I run a bit different than most in some areas ).

Cheers Wal.

 

[Heatho]

I adjust mine till there is no chatter in the threshold to start, then adjust gain if needed depending on coil/conditions, ground balance, then re-adjust threshold to a comfy level with no chatter and then set the stabiliser to just under where chatter starts and GB again.

If you set the threshold too high the small targets will be masked by a wall of noise and also you'll end up with listening fatigue. I still have not detected any nuggets but put that down to inexperience in locating the right ground for gold, you are way ahead there Willo as you always seem to get some.

I think as long as the GPX is running smooth it's going to find gold if your technique is good and your coil goes over a decent nugget regardless of most settings (if set near or on FP and timings chosen correctly).

Setting up a GPX is a bit like setting up an audio recording chain to me. There is always a sweet spot for all the magic boxes in the chain, set them right for the type of content and you get music, set them wrong and you get noise, distortion, false triggering of thresholds and all sorts of nasty stuff, just like on the GPX.
It all comes down to correct gain staging through the different processing devices.

To me best spot for the threshold is where it is just above the point where it smooths out.

 

[nuggetino]

Excellent points made. If it makes you feel any better I've had my gpx4500 for 9 months and found 3 grams total. Naturally like any over ambitious beginner I expected to top the 500 gram nugget found at jupiter creek in my first week out and find a new mega patch that would bring the gold rush back to SA but those dreams faded pretty fast lol. Thing is I still love it as much as the day I bought my detector despite the fact I know I may never recuperate the cost. If you're trying to work out whether the hobbie is for you or not then perhaps you could borrow a detector or buy a used gpx model? If you don't like it you can always sell your used gpx for the price you paid.
Thing is If I didn't have such a blast wandering around in the bush (I'm a very keen outdoors man) and were to rely solely on a good return for my investment then I'd probably have been disappointed. Having said that I still have hope I will find more of the yellow in the near future as SA isn't exactly the golden state.