GPX 5000 Easy or Complex?

I've had my 5K for a year or so and love it....but do I understand it fully?, I'm not so sure...actually I am sure..I Don't!
What with all the knobs and settings there are to twiddle with i believe my lack of understanding must be holding me back. I know the different functions are described well enough in the manual and JPs DVDs are also very helpful, but that 'on the spot' response to a given problem is evading me because I haven't as yet developed a good enough 'feel' for the machine to know whether to turn 'that this way' ,or 'this that way'....either of which may make the problem go away but what else have I lost along the way in terms of sensitivity/detectability.

I am not really asking any specific questions here as I know the answers will come with time and practice (I should live so long!) and I could probably benefit from attending a GPX workshop, which is in itself problematic as I am not aware of anyone in the Top End that is running courses (anyone know???)

maybe a 'GPX for Dummies' might help!! (JP   ?)

G'day Crocko,

I am not quite sure what you are trying to say here, but if you are saying that you have not found anything with the 5000. If in doubt just set everything to FP it will still find gold.   

Cheers

Mike.   

Fair comment...I'm not sure what Im trying to say either!...I am finding sub grammers down to 100mm in some places with little trouble and your point is taken re FPs and I do occasionally reset to that point when I get to far away from them...I'm not suggesting there is a problem with equipment.

To be specific I have an EL which has some significant hornfelsing adjacent to a substantial granite contact. There is some very interesting looking country along this contact but the magnetism is causing me great confusion with false signals/hot rocks taken up so much time. Ground balancing every three or four paces helps but apparent 'sweet' signals which weaken as you dig are frustrating the bejeebers out of me. Coils used are the packaged 11" commanders (mono/DD), a 22" round Coiltek Mono and an NF 14"x9" mono which I tend to use as a starter. There is a lot of quartz/Laterite with Dolorite outcropping and bucket loads of magnetite in the area. Out of frustration more than anything I tend to muck around with the settings to keep me moving, but no longer have confidence in the machine due to concerns re "dumbing down" potential.

G'day Crocko,

Ok I see your dilemma now, sounds like maybe DD type ground or sensitive smooth, but I would guess you have been there and tried these. Without being there and trying the detector on that ground I am only guessing really. Maybe there is someone here that may have more experience on that type of ground could help you out more than I. Good luck with it and yes Where is J.P. When you need him.    Sorry I am not very helpful on this one.

Cheers.

Mike.   

Hi Croko
I don't have a GPX.
Is this a constant problem or does it change with the time of day or time of year, I think it could have something to do with the thermal capacity of the ground you are working ie; Granite absorbing radiant heat from the sun & intensifying the magnetic affect or affect of mineralisation, try detecting early morning before daylight up to a point when the rocks get hot & see if this makes a difference it would be good to here what you think??

Most of my detecting has been between 0700 and 1100 and then from 1600 til dusk so I will try your pre dawn suggestion across some of the really hot (in both senses) ground. I know a few guys up this way who only detect at night over the full moon phase...that wont work for me as there are loads of buffalo on this EL..not to mention nocturnal joe blakes!

I will also experiment more with sensitive smooth and my DD although I'm hoping to get things working on the mono's

Just to clear up a bit of confusion, Fine Gold, Enhance and Smooth are best used with mono coils. If the ground is too hot for FG try Enhance and if still too hot go too Smooth. The further up the mineralisation scale the less depth you'll get. Don't get too hung up on increasing the Gain. Around FP mark has been good for me. Rack it up a notch or two when possible or down if needed. I use a mono for almost everything, even on salt lakes lol. Very rarely do I encounter hot ground that Fine Gold or Enhance can't handle. Bigger coils are noisier and I have found the 14x9 NF noisier than the standard Commander 11" that came with the detector. If I'm chasing small deep bits I always change over to the Commander.

Some places can be a nuisance with ghost signals - seems to be minerals of some kind? When they're really bad I ignore them until I hit on gold, then dig everything including the iffy signals.

DD coils can handle hot ground reasonably well but you do not get the same depth as monos. Use Normal timings with DD and if not too hot try Sensitive Extra . I have used Enhance with a DD in worst case. If ground is variable and as you say you need to ground balance every few steps (doesn't sound right, you shouldn't need to do this) try using Tracking instead of Fixed. Recommend that you don't use Tracking with Smooth timings (Fine Gold, Enhance and Smooth) - too much information will be lost, although some do with good success.

Thanks for your detailed reply Neb. I'll print out everyone's suggestions and take them out bush after the wet and see how I go.
I dont suppose it matters if I don't understand the why's and wherefor's.....just so long as I come up with some settings that work for that country and help me find gold.