Link Technologies Minelab Interference Filter Unit

Anyone know about these filters?? Or had experience with them?  The text is from an advert on Ebay.


Link Technologies Minelab Interference Filter Unit.

These filters have been designed for the current range of Minelab SD GP GPX metal detectors.
This filter has been designed and manufactured by Link Technologies in Australia.
Link Technologies is located in Frankston Victoria Australia.

This filter is using the latest state of the art components to remove radio interference and improve
the detection of gold. This filter greatly reduces or in most cases eliminates the warble from all
radio wave sources of interference. These interference filters are designed to be used with Mono
type coils, filters for DD type coils can be supplied upon request.

These filters are supplied with the special litz constructed jumper cable, just connect and go.

History.. These filters were designed for prospectors who could not detect due to interference caused
by the over the horizon radar stations in the north of Australia and other parts of the World.
More information can be found on our website detectormods.com

Feed-back   from customers 18/12/2014  Just about everyone using one of these filters has obtained greater depth and sensitivity even if there seems to be no interference around, possible reasons are high frequency signals raising the noise floor of the input stage in the detector are being stopped by the filter from getting into the detector, there is an up and coming article in the Gold Gem and Treasure magazine from a customer showing a handful of nuggets that were obtained at greater depth while using the filter.  It has been well documented that EMI (electrical interference) will kill the performance of any detector if it can get in and affect the internal circuitry, this filter reduces the effects of this type of interference.

youtube.com/watch?v=oqnhEW7yWUk

Dogman,
I run one. Haven't got any complaints. Many times I've been out with others who have complained at different times of the day about spikes, unusual warbling and planes going overhead. I've just wondered what they were going on about as everything on my end was operating smoothly with no problems. And sometimes we've been within 50 metres when this happens. I have often felt that depth was slightly better as some of the stuff I've dug since I put it on, I could have sworn was shallower than what it was.

I haven't tried it out on any areas that were close to urbanisation, electric fences or power lines so can't comment on that side of things. I don't think it does anything for the mineralisation in soils so don't expect anything there either because I sometimes get just as frustrated as the others I go out with and end up playing with settings.

Overall, does it make my machine operate better ? I feel that, yes, it does (GPX5000). It's not an effect that will make you sit up and take notice, more like working in the background because once you put it on, it's like a "set and forget" type of thing (well, more like just hook it up). Would I take it off or leave home without it ? Answer is .... no.
Cheers
Sodd

Anyone else has used one or know anything else about them, that can add to The Sodd's diagnosis? I had a few EMI issues on the weekend and scratched my head wondering if this thing would've helped, so am curious to other members findings.

Hi Imadogman
I just ordered one the other day to try out as one of my detecting spots now has something operating close by that won't let me detect there anymore without getting interference on mono coils ie{ annoying warble with pings},When it arrives and I give it a try I will let you know how it goes.
Cheers Mark

Hi Mark,
Looking forward to your evaluation, since the ZED came out us 5000 users are looking for any options to tweek out a little more depth and sensitivity.

hey yeah, it whould be great to here how they go whouldnt mind trying one myself when running the 20" and 25" as they tend to give a yeep and fart every now and again cheers joe

Hey MS, any luck with the delivery of that unit and have you had a chance to test it out yet?

CostasDee wrote:Hey MS, any luck with the delivery of that unit and have you had a chance to test it out yet?

Hi Costa
It's been a week since I paid for the item and haven't received it yet , will post again when I get my hands on it and have given it a test run.
Cheers Mark

Any further news on this filter unit yet Mark?

The filter finally arrived today ,I haven't had a chance to test it out properly but did fire it up in the back yard for a quick test, I couldn't tell much of a difference between the filter being in circuit or not.
I also would have thought that there would have been an instruction sheet included and the terminals marked on the box , but nothing.
So I assume it doesn't matter which way it's connected up.
I Hopefully will get back out to my spot in the next few days so will let you know how it goes in the field.
Cheers Mark

Mark, if you look at the video at youtube.com/watch?v=oqnhEW7yWUk he put the short stubby lead from the top connector to the detector and the coil lead to the bottom. Also, I would have thought that there would be some sort of noticeable improvement in the EMI level, even if it is a very slight being in suburbia, it appears that way on his video...

Costa,
If you look at the video you will see that he is still quite a distance from suburbia and power lines. Looks like he is in some sort of quarry ?
I also powered it up in the backyard to test it out, the power lines would have been only about 50 feet away or slightly less. Whilst the detector was still unusable in a normal/fine gold etc modes (didn't try it in cancel as I don't use that in the field), there was a definite drop in warbling and carry-on etc. I would estimate probably about 20%, so IMHO it's not really going to help when it comes to being too close to power lines although it may get you closer to that detectable area which has troublesome power lines in the vicinity. I put the filter on and then off, and repeated numerous times until I was sure of the outcome, but translate this into an environment with no power lines nearby, where you only have to put up with the other stuff we get plagued with and perhaps this is why I haven't been troubled in the field whilst others have that I've been out with.

When I mentioned above that I haven't tried it out in any areas close to urbanisation, I mean't in a (serious) detecting sense.
Cheers
Sodd

Your summary of it Sodd gives it pretty much a green light and I thank you for experimenting and taking the time to write your review. It does sound good and I am considering ordering one, and it's not that I doubt anything you've written, but it would be great to get at least one more review from another users too.

Costa,
Like I said in my posts above, it's not the sort of unit that you're going to notice a "dramatic" improvement, you still have to tune your detector etc for different areas, ground and closeness to other operators etc. All the normal stuff still applies. There have been instances where I could have sworn that the gold was closer to the surface due to the signal, but I'm not going to say it gives extra depth because I can't prove that, and haven't taken the time to test that side of things out.

After the backyard test the day I got it, I put it on and then forgot all about it, didn't even give it a second thought after it was on as I never took it off. It was only when others on many occasions were complaining about things that after a while/a few outings, I "clicked" and realised that it must be doing something. Like I mentioned, it quietly does it's thing in the background. It lives under my box cover and is held there very securely and doesn't move .... I didn't bother with the velcro sticky part.
Cheers
Sodd.

Thanks Costa for the link ,I will be taking in for a test run tomorrow as I now have the morning off so will be interesting to give it a go .
Glad to hear you happy with it Sodd and if this unit stops the minor interference for general detecting I will be happy.
Cheers Mark

Used the new filter on the goldfields today for 6 hrs and didn't get the result i was looking for, yes I think there was a very slight improvement but not very much at all, also tried it on the way out at the bad spot I mentioned before and there was no difference between the filter being plugged in or not.
Please note my machine is a modified GP 3500 with extra timings and a front end gain and is comparable to a 4500 and was running an 8" mono coil.
Others may get better results on other detectors but for me it didn't do much
Cheers Mark

Thanks Mark for following that up and taking the time to write. That's a little disappointing but not totally unexpected, it would be great to get a couple more reports if anyone else has used them...

Cheers for the report Mark  possibly knowing the EMI you may of been gettin at your spot (old hills scratcher here) gives me a good idea
of what this filter needed to overcome to settle ya machine down, 270.000v cross country powerlines and Stock fences to name a few.
I tried the 8"Mono myself on my 4k back then and BOOM  5 minutes and my head was done in
I was best off with the CT Ai coils, i ran the 17x11 and the 11" Ai's, got some gooduns too.


Pete

CrazyPete wrote:Cheers for the report Mark  possibly knowing the EMI you may of been gettin at your spot (old hills scratcher here) gives me a good idea
of what this filter needed to overcome to settle ya machine down, 270.000v cross country powerlines and Stock fences to name a few.
Pete

Hi Pete and yes you know what I mean and you are right with what I'm trying to deal with, I thought I was far enough away from these possible sources but obviously not, a better option for me would have been a small anti interference coil .
Cheers Mark

Bump...

Anybody else that might have used this and that can give an opinion...

I purchased one of these before going out during the recent Easter break. Whilst the emi in the area (Gold fields around Georgetown Nth Qld) was not bad I used the filter and could maybe , probably at a pinch say that the detector (5000) was a little quieter. However..... I found that the coil lead became extra sensitive to being touched and every time some greenery or shrub touched the lead the detector gave a long slow whoop something similar to what my old 2000 used to do. It became so annoying I removed it. I went back and tried it occasionally over the week but gave up on it. I spoke to Woody about it as I would rather sort the issue out rather than just give up on it. He had not encountered this problem. He has suggested I earth out the two connector bodies on the unit and see what the result would be but I have not had a chance to get to a quiet are to try this yet.

Thanks for taking the time to respond mlee76. I recall having a very similar problem with a Coiltek switch box that I fitted to my SD2200d so as to be able to run the normal coil and a pinpointer without unscrewing the coil lead - every time I touched the switch box, it made a terrible sound. Problem was that it was in a position that it rubbed against me every few swings and it drove me crazy. The 2 coil connectors were earthed out together cause it was a metal box, and I even tried running a earth wire between the switch box and the detector case, but the problem was still there. In the end I gave up and bought a separate pinpointer and took the switch box off and all was solved. I hope that Woody's suggestion fixes your problem but if it doesn't then maybe he can exchange the unit you have with a new problem free one and then you can do the tests again and do another report...best of luck out there.