New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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And so it begins........

Skiwi		Posted : Monday, 23 January 2012 8:48:44 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 22/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 6 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 10 times Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		Hi all, It seems I have been infected by the fossicking bug after a relative brought my son a detector for a present. :). "We" found about 20 old coins ranging in date from 1918 to the present day plus an interesting array of old buried "treasure" in the campground we were staying in over Xmas but he has convinced me it's not really on pinching his detector all the time so I guess I'm in the market for one for myself. We live in Central Otago so will be looking for one capable of both general detecting and gold. The one I like most so far after trawling the net for info is the F75, but I'm very open to persuasion, so if you have a favorite feel free to post here with your recommendations. Also, if some crusty old timer is willing to share some tips in exchange for maybe a lift and an extra pair of hands, it would be gratefully received. Cheers for now Skiwi Edited by user Monday, 23 January 2012 8:56:07 AM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

Guardian		Posted : Monday, 23 January 2012 10:38:06 AM(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)		If you have the $ then the F75 would be great, does have a lot of features and may be a lot to take in but at least you wont outgrow it. The Fisher Goldbug is a very nice feeling machine and is about $950 with the 5" and 11"dd coil I really liked the balance of the machine and felt like it would be easy to swing for hours. A prospecting machine you can use at the beach. I have the Garrett ATGOLD which I think is great slightly more sensitive (really not that much better) than the Goldbug, has 40 steps of iron discrimination, a feature called Iron audio and it is waterproof to 3metres. Downside it doesn't have a notch function and no good at the beach in the wet sand or salt water. The price over here is to high you're best to import yourself. Not the case with the Fishers - http://www.puiakisupply.co.nz/ Robert is the fella to talk to. It's one of those things every machine has the good and the not so good. I'm pretty sure most of the following replies will say "Go Goldbug!" Hope this helps.

Lammerlaw		Posted : Monday, 23 January 2012 10:39:57 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 24/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 579 time(s) in 396 post(s)		I have a Minelab Xtreme and the best day my son has had with it on the gold is 21 grammes and about 23 grammes and many somewhat lesser hauls. He has even discovered a hitherto undiscovered quartz reef with gold in it big enough to make all our detectors go off. After seeing the performance of the Goldbugs we bought one each and both of us have found gold with them including nuggets of over 6 grammes. Minelab are the best. Goldbugs are the bees knees. Guardian (Gregg) brought his Garrett around to compare it with the Goldbug and all I will say is 'Ouch' - I think that his Garrett may have cost less and its performance appears to be upward of 25 percent better including small nuggets and pieces of gold - its tone was crisp and precise and its range was greater. I am impressed with it and thinking of looking into Garrett. As it is I do have a Garrett Deepseeker but its old now. Crusty old timers? Aint none on here - lots of young folks on here - some young chronologically and some young at heart. Dont let the fact that the wee fella was given the detector for christmas - just confiscate it under the pretext that the radiation from it is deadly and it is unlawful for anyone under 21 years of age to own and operate them and he can have it back when hes 21. In the meantime come to an arrangement - you find, he digs, you share! He gets most of the finds and you keep the silver and gold - what could be fairer? He gets the majority of finds. Edited by user Monday, 23 January 2012 10:45:14 AM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

mineforgold.co.nz		Posted : Monday, 23 January 2012 12:19:09 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 14/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 299 Location: Nelson Thanks: 58 times Was thanked: 38 time(s) in 35 post(s)		If we put together a bulk order on the AT Gold I am in for one. Maybe we can negotiate enough discount to combat the welcome to NZ tariffs.
		Own: Lobo SuperTraq, Garrett ATPro, Minelab Excalibur
		WWW BLOG

Skiwi		Posted : Monday, 23 January 2012 10:13:23 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 22/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 6 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 10 times Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		Thanks for the replies, I went out this evening to a boat launching ramp at Alexandra and picked up about 50 items of rubbish, 10 of interest and none of value :) It highlighted to me the value of a detector that can identify what the likely target is as I spent a fair bit of times on my knees digging up rubbish. The cheapie detector I was using was problematic on the sand as it seemed to swing all over the place and "bounce" off the ferrous items and indicate as non non ferrous. I'm not sure if it was because of all the iron trash underneath or the minerals in the sand. I didn't mean to offend anyone with my "crusty old timer" remark, it was more to indicate the value I placed in experience that can only be accumulated over the years (it has been some time since anyone called me a "young fella" ;) Lammerlaw, would you recommend the Goldbug over the F75 for my region? I would expect to spend the majority of my time on fossicking, but would still like to seek gold 6-12 times per year. ....and we need a lol button for remarks like yours re "acquiring" the detector off my son :) Edited by user Monday, 23 January 2012 10:17:26 PM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

nzpoohbear40		Posted : Tuesday, 24 January 2012 8:14:53 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 14/07/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,482 Location: Matura Thanks: 26 times Was thanked: 384 time(s) in 329 post(s)		Hi skiwi....The goldbug is designed for gold but with the 11DD coil makes it a great coin relic machine...i have read plenty of reveiws on the F75 and aperantly it is very good on gold also..i myself have the goldbug and have found 15 silver rings,2 silver braclets,a silver necklace and one gold ring with it so far as well as plenty of silver coins and what we call normal coins...i.e 1 cent 2 cent 5 cent half penny's penny's and what not.. The goldbug comes with the 5 inch coil made for hunting gold in small places..i know the F75 is better at picking out 2 seperate signals within 4 inches of eachother as robert and i tested it out one day...he had his F75 and i had my goldbug..to me the signal sounded the same but on the 75 you could hear the two signals......BUT thats was befor i got my 3rd coil which is the new 10" coil for the gold bug...i now find it alot easyier to seperate 2 close signals. If you are only going for gold a few times a year then i would say go for the F75 as it is a great top end machine at a reasonable price..not everyone can aford a 10,000 minelab but if you are planing on doing alot of gold hunting then i would say go for the goldbug as that is what it is designed for and with the other coils turns into a great all rounder.
		Chris - Fisher Dealer http://www.puiakisupply.co.nz/

beachboynz		Posted : Tuesday, 31 January 2012 8:53:45 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 29/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 6 Location: Taupo NZ Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		Hi Skiwi I bought a Garrett AT PRO on advice from my brother who has been into detecting for a while now and think that it is a good all round machine although nowhere here to try it on gold prospecting.I imported it direct from the factory in America and landed at my door it cost $600 all up.I also got the American model rather than the international or European model which I was advised is far better for the conditions both here and in Australia.A lot of people in forums advised me against the international model and the only way to get an American model is to import it.

Skiwi		Posted : Tuesday, 31 January 2012 12:24:38 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 22/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 6 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 10 times Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		Hey beachboynz, thanks for the reply. I bit the bullet last weekend and got the F75 :) I have had one evening out on the lake edge so far and am very happy with the versatility of it. One I figure out how to add photos off my iPad I'll post a pic of my rather mundane finds Cheers Skiwi Edited by user Tuesday, 31 January 2012 3:05:50 PM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified