New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Detecting Basics 101????

Sideshow		Posted : Friday, 8 February 2013 4:47:19 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 3/02/2013(UTC) Posts: 31 Location: Cromwell Thanks: 19 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 1 post(s)		Hi there all Just moved to Central Otago and was looking for awesome stuff to get into Tried gold panning and love it not found anything yet but still digging it! Then I seen a dude with a metal detector and thought WOW that's me So in I jumped purchased a detector Just waiting its arrival and was wondering if any one can share sum basics and the odd little tip pretty please???

andy		Posted : Friday, 8 February 2013 6:22:57 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 13/12/2012(UTC) Posts: 471 Location: ngongotaha rotorua Thanks: 70 times Was thanked: 88 time(s) in 72 post(s)		Fill in you're holes andhave fun lol
		ATpro ACE250 GC1010 teknetics Eurotek Pro

Guardian		Posted : Friday, 8 February 2013 11:18:41 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 30/10/2011(UTC) Posts: 716 Location: Dunedin Thanks: 42 times Was thanked: 222 time(s) in 185 post(s)		What type of machine did you get ? Read the manual maybe download it and read it before your machine arrives that way you wont just start playing around with the machine and hopefully when you get it you will have an idea about what is what, when the machine arrives read it again and see what does what.. Youtube is a great resource just remember what works for someone else may or may not work for you. If you just can't help yourself dig everything. Under the clothes line is a good place as it soon teaches you what different signals sound like as no doubt you will find some peg springs and with some luck a few coins. Remember gold is a different kettle of fish and I'm a newbie at that.

Sideshow		Posted : Saturday, 9 February 2013 8:54:17 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 3/02/2013(UTC) Posts: 31 Location: Cromwell Thanks: 19 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 1 post(s)		Originally Posted by: Guardian What type of machine did you get ? Read the manual maybe download it and read it before your machine arrives that way you wont just start playing around with the machine and hopefully when you get it you will have an idea about what is what, when the machine arrives read it again and see what does what.. Youtube is a great resource just remember what works for someone else may or may not work for you. If you just can't help yourself dig everything. Under the clothes line is a good place as it soon teaches you what different signals sound like as no doubt you will find some peg springs and with some luck a few coins. Remember gold is a different kettle of fish and I'm a newbie at that. I got a Gold bug Pro cool as ill start studying it ohhhh ill be digging everything alright Is gold a pretty hard one to find??? Edited by user Saturday, 9 February 2013 9:00:21 AM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

Shilo		Posted : Saturday, 9 February 2013 10:11:20 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 29/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 573 Location: Kawhia Thanks: 17 times Was thanked: 285 time(s) in 185 post(s)		Dig everything to start with. Gold (both native and jewellery) covers a large VDI range depending on its purity, size and the surrounding mineralisation etc. After digging everything for a while you will soon start to learn that "This VDI is most likely "......." type of metal". Most likely because there is never any certainty until its dug (especially for gold). Practising in your back yard is a good way to start, and once you have cleaned out the yard then start up a detecting garden. Bury your most likely targets at various depths around the section and practise on them with the detector. For example if hitting the gold fields I would bury some rusty iron, lead shot, silver coin and gold (put in a small plastic bottle so you can dig it up and retrieve it!). For hunting parks etc I would bury a selection of pre-decimals and old decimal coins, pulltabs, aluminium "canslaw" rusty iron, silver and a gold ring. Vary what ever settings you have on the detector and try them again so you learn how to fine tune the detector. By trying these items at various depths you will learn how they sound and will have a head start when you go out into the field.
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Sideshow		Posted : Saturday, 9 February 2013 10:19:30 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 3/02/2013(UTC) Posts: 31 Location: Cromwell Thanks: 19 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 1 post(s)		Originally Posted by: Shilo Dig everything to start with. Gold (both native and jewellery) covers a large VDI range depending on its purity, size and the surrounding mineralisation etc. After digging everything for a while you will soon start to learn that "This VDI is most likely "......." type of metal". Most likely because there is never any certainty until its dug (especially for gold). Practising in your back yard is a good way to start, and once you have cleaned out the yard then start up a detecting garden. Bury your most likely targets at various depths around the section and practise on them with the detector. For example if hitting the gold fields I would bury some rusty iron, lead shot, silver coin and gold (put in a small plastic bottle so you can dig it up and retrieve it!). For hunting parks etc I would bury a selection of pre-decimals and old decimal coins, pulltabs, aluminium "canslaw" rusty iron, silver and a gold ring. Vary what ever settings you have on the detector and try them again so you learn how to fine tune the detector. By trying these items at various depths you will learn how they sound and will have a head start when you go out into the field. Choice man great tips right there very very helpful thanks a bunch From what I've read and seen on here you guys have alota fun and sum awesome finds can't wait to see what's out there to be found....

Moonlight Picker		Posted : Saturday, 9 February 2013 10:30:18 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 30/01/2013(UTC) Posts: 48 Location: ashburton Thanks: 4 times Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		Hi Sideshow I've been doing same hunting with a metal detctor, you will found lots of pull tabs & steel. But if you like to found same gold, the best think to do is, grab same gold, a hot rock pull tab a coin a bit of steel and buss over them with the detctor & hear the diferent sounds. IT,S no easy But have fun Looking I do

NUGGY		Posted : Saturday, 9 February 2013 11:33:16 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 20/07/2012(UTC) Posts: 267 Location: greymouth Thanks: 85 times Was thanked: 76 time(s) in 58 post(s)		Best tip is research - research - research, first research/ learn prospecting so you know where to look, and where it is likely to be in any given spot. Then learn to use your detector well, you tube has some great videos, read books - especially the manual, talk to experienced people and spend time searching, and be happy with each of the 4000 bullets you find knowing that next bleep could be the one. Keep a diary of what you find settings you used and places you go etc, if you can. It will show you how you are progressing and illustrate where you have gone wrong. Plan on spending quite a few days digging crap before finding a tiny bit of gold. Then doing so again, until you find out some vital thing you are doing wrong, then you will really be on the way. Getting together with an experienced detectorist and learning from them is the best way to shorten the time until success comes your way. Good Luck NUGGY

Shilo		Posted : Saturday, 9 February 2013 1:00:06 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 29/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 573 Location: Kawhia Thanks: 17 times Was thanked: 285 time(s) in 185 post(s)		Originally Posted by: NUGGY Best tip is research - research - research, first research/ learn prospecting so you know where to look, and where it is likely to be in any given spot. Can't agree enough - researching locations is the key for any sort of detecting. Also learn to "think outside the square", if a place looks obvious then it has probably been hunted over and over again (you should still find something though). But if you come across some more obscure references to a location then it may still be untouched. By being imaginative in the research you will find these spots.
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