New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

The forum has moved to community.paydirt.co.nz, see you there!

This forum is now an archive to preserve the knowledge and finds posted here.

Oliver123		Posted : Sunday, 10 August 2014 1:13:06 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 11/10/2012(UTC) Posts: 77 Location: christchurch Thanks: 32 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)		Hey im looking to upgrade my goldbugse coil from the 5" which i find a little small. can anyone give me an idea which of the 11'' or the 10'' coils are better for nugget hunting and beech coming? Cheers

overdog		Posted : Sunday, 10 August 2014 5:32:54 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 2/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 418 Location: nelson Thanks: 69 times Was thanked: 82 time(s) in 68 post(s)		Hi Oliver-your 5 is deadly on small gold but is a bit small when faced with a half acre of bedrock! Never gave the 11 much of a nudge on gold but on the beach it was pretty good-discrimination was spot on but the bug really dosent like wet/black sand. Just got myself a 10 and yet to get out and go hard with it on the gold but air testing it seems to be very nearly as sensitive as the 5 on small stuff but does go a bit deeper. Trinityau on one of the American forums absolutely swears by the 10 and he has put a LOT of hours in on the goldbug so knows his stuff. Don't see any reason why the 10 shouldn't be just as good as the 11 on the beach/park so if you had to pick one to do gold and general detecting I'd go for the 10. Hope that helps!

Oliver123		Posted : Sunday, 10 August 2014 6:47:52 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 11/10/2012(UTC) Posts: 77 Location: christchurch Thanks: 32 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)		Thanks Overdog

gavin		Posted : Wednesday, 3 September 2014 6:35:46 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Sorry for the late reply... I've got both a 5" and 10" coil for my Goldbug Pro. I got a little frustrated with the 10" for nugget detecting as it seems a bit too sensitive, the slightest bump on a rock giving off a false signal. I thought I might have a faulty coil but searching online I found some post on an American forum where someone else reported the same frustrations with constant false signals. Sorry, lost the link now. The 5" coil is a hell of a lot more forgiving for nugget detecting. I only ever swap to the 10" now if I go coin detecting as no problems in discriminate mode regarding false signals. Hope that helps a little. If you have already got yourself a 10" I'd like to hear if you experience the same thing with bumping and false signals. Best of luck out there!
		WWW

overdog		Posted : Wednesday, 3 September 2014 7:03:46 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 2/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 418 Location: nelson Thanks: 69 times Was thanked: 82 time(s) in 68 post(s)		Hi Gav-went out for a swing a bit back with the 10-sadly no gold but lots of shot and bits of wire rope,I reckon the 10 is very nearly as sensitive as the 5 and you can get into crevices better. Didn't get any false signals even when I accidentally gave the coil a good knock but what I did notice was you have to ground balance a fair bit more than with the 5,no idea why. Using a coil cover,might provide a bit of a cushion? What settings do you run? Edited by user Wednesday, 3 September 2014 7:05:04 PM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

kiwijw		Posted : Wednesday, 3 September 2014 7:33:08 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		Hi Gavin, I would say there is a problem with your 10" coil as it does sound like it is touch sensitive. Good luck out there JW :)

gavin		Posted : Thursday, 4 September 2014 12:07:00 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Interesting... anyone in Chch with a 10" I can compare mine with to see if it is the coil?
		WWW

5AMP		Posted : Thursday, 4 September 2014 9:54:46 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 3/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 57 Location: wellington Thanks: 105 times Was thanked: 16 time(s) in 11 post(s)		Hi Gavin , I have both coils for my Goldbug. I have found no difference in response between them though both sometimes false signal if I hit a rock. Both are amazingly sensitive. In a quiet spot in the garden I put a flake of gold a quarter the size of a small pin head and with no weight that registers on my elctronic scales, in a plastic container ,and both coils detected it clearly both in All metal and in discriminate mode and even produced a reading of 40 in disc. I have found that quite a fast swing is needed for best results.

gavin		Posted : Thursday, 4 September 2014 4:19:26 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Originally Posted by: 5AMP Hi Gavin , I have both coils for my Goldbug. I have found no difference in response between them though both sometimes false signal if I hit a rock. Both are amazingly sensitive. In a quiet spot in the garden I put a flake of gold a quarter the size of a small pin head and with no weight that registers on my elctronic scales, in a plastic container ,and both coils detected it clearly both in All metal and in discriminate mode and even produced a reading of 40 in disc. I have found that quite a fast swing is needed for best results. Cheers 5AMP. Sensitivity for both of my coils is excellent. In fact they pick up gold so tiny if it's touching the coil (from dirt while digging out larger target) that I sometimes have trouble tracking it down in the dirt! My 5" never seems to give me a false signal from knocks on rocks, but my 10" is far too easy to set off with a knock that I gave up trying to use it for gold. I'll hopefully be getting out on another mission soon so I'll have to give the 10" another go. Maybe I should film it so people can remark if it's normal or not compared to theirs.
		WWW

kiwijw		Posted : Friday, 5 September 2014 7:34:57 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		Hi Gavin, Yer your 10" sounds like it is very touch sensitive. Shouldnt be like that. You should be able to scrub the ground & the odd "soft" knock & bump without upsetting it. Touch sensitive coils are very frustrating & makes detecting difficult when those very faint signals that you are straining to hear could be & usualy are gold, or shot gun pellets,....not so when your coil is continualy telling you lies. GGGGRRRRRrrrr. If you have a skid plate on, take it off & make sure there is no water, moisture, dust or dirt in between it & the bottom of the coil. When you have cleaned it up & put the skid plate back on, put some electrical tape around the edge of the skid plate & the coil (if this hasnt been done) to seal it of from contaminations getting in there. You will see in the pic that I need to redue this coil. Good luck out there. JW :)

gavin		Posted : Sunday, 7 September 2014 8:41:34 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Cheers JW - I put the skid plate on when brand new and tapped it up immediately. Had only had a few sessions over grass before taking it bush on gold mission so unfortunately isn't something as simple as that :( I did get away this weekend but didn't get a chance to swap the coils over as was a bit too far from the truck and didn't want to carry to much stuff with me while bush bashing.
		WWW

kiwijw		Posted : Sunday, 7 September 2014 10:53:23 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		Hi Gav, Did you get any gold?? I struggled.....but found 4 little bits for a grand total of .8 of a gram. Smallest was just .08 of a gram. Good luck out there JW :)

gavin		Posted : Monday, 8 September 2014 7:26:02 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Originally Posted by: kiwijw Hi Gav, Did you get any gold?? I struggled.....but found 4 little bits for a grand total of .8 of a gram. Smallest was just .08 of a gram. Good luck out there JW :) I pleased to say I did better than usual with a haul of 5 grams. Was well earned though through bush bashing and breaking cold water ;) Just posted a new thread on Show & Tell.
		WWW

5AMP		Posted : Monday, 8 September 2014 9:19:07 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 3/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 57 Location: wellington Thanks: 105 times Was thanked: 16 time(s) in 11 post(s)		Hi Gavin, which coil did you use to find the 5 gms if you were detecting with the Gold bug? Nice find

gavin		Posted : Monday, 8 September 2014 2:13:59 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Originally Posted by: 5AMP Hi Gavin, which coil did you use to find the 5 gms if you were detecting with the Gold bug? Nice find Just the wee 5" coil. All gold was sitting on / in bedrock just a cm or so deep at most. Even found a flake on moss that must have been flicked up recently I guess as it was just sitting there.
		WWW