Minelab SD2200 tips, settings, questions

[Guest]

Better pic of the little SD2200D nuggets.

 

[Guest]

Bit of an update to my previous post I bought a 8" commander last week and did a few tests it will pick up a .1 gram no deeper than 1" on the gp3000
I might try the 10"x5" on a sd2000 running 7.3v
Anyone else got some input on sub grams on any PI minelab?

 

[Jim.]

Hi all,

Zuke, if you want to find sub grammers with a Minelab PI buy a 5000 (tounge slightly in cheek) don't target sub grammers with your 3000, get a decent size mono, and get a lightweight 7.2v battery set up(I'm sure the 3000 has an in built regulator)
Run the 3000 in Deep-Enhance keep it in Tracking mode, run your Threshold so you can just hear it. If you get a target (and you will) switch the Tracking off, retrieve the target, switch Tracking back on and away you go.

It's important to practice in the field (no air tests or sub gram coil rubbing please) it will only confuse the issue of trying to find a set up that works for you.The 3000 is a very capable machine and with practice they're deadly on the gold, big or small.

I have a tester in an old film cannister (probably a gram) that I throw in front of me to make sure everything working right. This is good for the soul when your having a quiet day.

Hope this helps, no offence intended

Jim & Kerrie

 

[Guest]

Thanks Jim
I'm very happy to be able to pick up a .1 with 8" commander on the 3000
Anything smaller ill use my GMT. A larger mono is in the works but not till next year
Iv seen the 5000 in action on sub gram but still a disappointment compared to the GMT
Iv got the light weight battery set up running now so with the 8" commander I can run most of the day and only need a belt pouch .

 

[Ballsup]

Hey, the one on the right looks like someone kneeling on a rock and praying - Or is that a detectorist peering into the hole he just dug? I can even see a face, weird LOL, great finds cheers

 

[Nugget]

I can see that too, maybe he's reading a book on a rock :lol:

 

[Guest]

It's captain cook reading his treasure map lol'

 

[rc62burke]

Bit of an update to my previous post I bought a 8" commander last week and did a few tests it will pick up a .1 gram no deeper than 1" on the gp3000
I might try the 10"x5" on a sd2000 running 7.3v
Anyone else got some input on sub grams on any PI minelab?

Hey Zuke
I think you should get better than that!!
I use an SD2200 with mono's with an audio booster, I get a .2 at 2" + with a sadie & the 8" should give you a little more depth.
Do you have a booster if not? get one it will be the single most important thing you can get.
cheers
Lee

 

[Guest]

Iv seen the sd2200 perform many times on small stuff they do run well' I'm still very impressed with the gp3000 I v got a coiltek ext booster speaker I'm sure it would pick up a .2 with the 8"mono no worries at 1.5"-2" but .1 has it dusted at 1"

 

[Redfin]

Well all done, my 22 is off to minelab for calibration & check the Alignment.
Also to check for all of the Engineering changes that were made over the production range, if not will be updated.
We are off for a 4 day trip on the 12th so hopefully it is back before then, or else I'll be chief cook, cruise director and pick bitch.

 

[Guest]

Redfin' have you tried the 5000 on sub gram?
If so what's the smallest you have found?

 

[Diggerdude]

Pick up 0.05g ones all the time with the 5k and 11"mono.

DD

 

[Redfin]

Mrs Redfin surprised me last week, picked up a.16 with the 15 x 12 Commander, but was only 4 inches down.

 

[Roscoe]

I hope you don't mind, but why you are on the subject of fine gold. I took the GPX5000 out to a quiet spot a few kilometres away. I set it up SM- general, Fine gold, motion-slow, fixed GB, rx gain-FP, Stabiliser-FP and all the other settings-FP, Did a Auto tune and then manually fine tune channels. Ok, I placed a small piece of flattened lead shot #7 i think? it would way at least .1 grams? I could not pick that piece up. I raised the gain and stabiliser and still would not pick it up using 11" mono coil. I even rubbed the piece on the side of the coil near windings, nothing. I then placed two pieces together and hammered them together and only then did i just receive a signal. I gave a piece to a friend and he could not pick it up with his 5000 or so. With all of this talk about the good old SD2200 picking up fine gold, what am i doing wrong? If i get a chance i will weigh the piece on my powder scales.

 

[Guest]

Not sure - don't know much about the 5000 settings but have seen a piece weighing less than 0.1 gram (wouldn't register on 0.1 & up scales) picked up with one so there must be something amiss. Do you use a booster? The 5000 that picked that up had a rooster booster on it which would have amplified the small signal significantly. I know you said it was a quite spot but what was the ground like? Did you play with your tones, gain, soil timings (special for fine gold I have read?) etc. Like I said I know little about the 5000 but if you do a search you should find plenty of info from experienced ops on settings for fine gold.

 

[loamer]

I can only think of using a smaller mono coil. I run a 4500 on mineralised ground and sometimes use audio type quiet with the gain and stab up as high as I can handle to lift the target signals. Thats because they can lose performance in quiet. What about the 5000 setting - 'boost audio' with the fine gold timing? Just seems odd as with the 4500 I can usually get some very small targets but if hunting for them (mullock heaps) I switch to the smaller 8" mono and have no problems. Having said all of that, I have most definitely seen 5000s pinging wee bits of gold, generally off mullock heaps. Here is a link to the Hallowell & Co table of shot weights I use: the aussie #7 is about 1.46 grains. My maths says its equal to: 1.46gr = 0.094606grams so the .1 is about right. One of the 5000 gurus may be able to give you a stear.

 

[Redfin]

The cook is not here atm, will ask her when she gets in

 

[loamer]

Nice find by Mrs Redfin. Got yabbies at Long Gully Dam Wanyarra and the unnnamed dam just to the south if you are stomping around there on your next trip. I kept an eye on the nets this time - lost the lot a few weeks ago. The Long Gully vicinity was kind to me for some bits and pieces so it just goes to show. I found the end of an old diggers clay pipe as well - just showing through the mullock.

 

[HeadsUp]

Pick up 0.05g ones all the time with the 5k and 11"mono.

DD

i am only just picking up 0.2 gram bits so i really want to know what the heck i am doing wrong .

or do i need to send this machine back for a warranty checkup ? :| :/

 

[Redfin]

That is a good size Dam the one to the south. Going up on the 12th for 4 days so will park there for one of them.

Heads Up, you may be doing nothing wrong, you still have to walk over them.
Go buy a few small lead sinkers at a fishing supply shop and do a few testers in the side of a wash away.