False Signals

Hi, I recently bought a GPX 4500 after owning a SDC 2300 for approx 16 months with reasonable success. I've taken the 4500 out about 10x with couple of different sized coils and only found larger pellets, rusted bolts, nails etc. I've watched and read plenty on the settings and have it running smoothly but it not neccessarily may be optimal, as I'm still learning it and it's a big leap from the 2300. I have found that Im continually digging what sound like good legitimate targets but prove to be nothing, and I'm ground balancing continuously away from the signals. I can only assume they are hot rocks. I've also not dug these signals at times and ran the 2300 over the spots with no return whatsoever. Its confusing and frustrating and as a result am yet to trust the GPX. This is not ideal obviously because I understand it has excellent capabilities. I continue to find very small gold with 2300 and run the GPX in the same areas with no success. Im led to believe that if theres only sub .08gm gold out there the GPX may not pick it up. I just think I'm doing something fundamentally wrong and until I find gold with it I'll still have doubts when using it.

G’day Dunks50,

Welcome to the forum, next time you get a target with your 2300 and you want to check it with your 4500 first you will have to have the smallest mono Coil possible (11” or smaller) fitted and then set your 4500 to most sensitive settings possible. Then try the 4500 over the target, also the 2300 was designed for small shallow gold and the GPX’s were designed for the larger deeper gold. Anyway I wish you good luck with your detecting and hope this helps you out there.


Cheers.


Mike.

Thanks Mike, yes I understand the SDC2300 was designed for that and I've found several sub 1/100 gm bits with it. I'll do as you suggest which is find a decent sounding target with the 2300 then go over it with the Gpx on sensitive settings to get the best return signal. Would that be Enhanced, Sensitive Extra for example? Thanks for your response.

G'day Dunks, welcome to the forum.

If you are finding bits of lead at reasonable depth, tells me the 4500 is working well. Now as for the constant ground noise or falsing you are experiencing, could it be that you are operating/running the GPX 4500 in Normal mode or soil timings & not Enhance, (especially over variably changing high mineralized ground?)

Cheers Kon.

Hi Kon, thank you for your response and assistance. Yes, I had it on General, Normal, Fixed and Mono. I used the chart of DetectorProspector which indicated Normal was best on wide range of soil conditions and best depth on variety of target sizes esp with the DD Comd coil, which I've only used a couple of times. I'll switch to Enhance and take notes. Cheers

G'day Dunks

If you are using DD coils in Normal soil timings & are experiencing constant false ground signals, due to the variably changing high mineral ground content, then try using your detector with one of the "Special" timing modes best suited for the type of ground you intend on searching over. Enhance were designed more for the use/ground stabilization of mono coils over mineralized ground or variably changing mineralized ground conditions.
I always say it is the ground that decides what best timings to use over it & with what type/size coil, in order to maximise your chances of finding gold at depth & this can only be found by trial & error.

Cheers Kon.

Thanks Kon, great information and apologies if you're repeating yourself over and over on this site to newbs like me. Cheers

No apologies required when asking for info Dunks. If the information given, can assist or help newbies or experienced alike, is what we're all here for.

Cheers Kon.

Hi dunks welcome, real targets rarely disappear, [i say rarely just to cover myself],#1 ground balance next to target then sweep, if target  it fades ?? ground noise.
then  ground balance right over the target if it fades again more than likely ground noise,do a few scrapes repeat process if uncertain.
Some hot rocks /black carbon will persist giving you a response until you have dug them out, some hot rocks can be deep.
Just gotta dig em
Like kon said if you're getting pellets at depth you're on the right track.
good luck ,keep experimenting with your settings


cheers   moredeep

Thanks Md. Yes I have seen that before about ground balancing over the signal and it fading and gold won't track out when you balance over the target. So much info that I've read and watched that its all jumbled up in there somewhere. A matter of getting it in the right order now I suppose and perservere with the 4500. Cheers dunks

No worries dunks, I was fooled a couple of times today, nice positive signals didn't really fade on balancing
did a light scrape -ok signal another scrape ok signal then down about 100mm the signal has gone.
You bewdy it's out but where has it gone? you end up doubting yourself and think the gold has been flicked out and gone forever .
You check and double check the pile of dirt, then spread it out and check, check the hole again and nutting
It's all part of the fun I guess.


cheers moredeep

Haha, I hear ya. One thing you gotta have is patience, that's for sure. I just need to find my first bit with the 4500 then I'll have more faith. Cheers Dunks

Great info Dave and thanks very much. Enhance is definitely the key as Kon stated, as I was running in Normal. Having found hundreds and hundreds of pellets with my SDC 2300 that telltale return sound is definitely one I'm familiar with. I have the audio on quiet too so I will change that also and I really only use the 11" Commander coil that came with it. I did buy a 2nd hand 15"x 12" but figured I can't even use the 11 yet. Can you please explain "when the quick track button is released off to the side the tracking will be out of balance if the target is metal". How do I know it's "out of balance"? Do you mean release the quick trak off to the side then sweep again and I'll get a strong metallic signal back if it's in fact metal, otherwise it'll be tracked out?
I adjusted the audio tone down to the forties as I have tinnitus which is very high and find the lower tones better, but I will revisit the setting again. I did the tone reversal on the 2300 for the same reason.

Cheers Dunks

Thanks Dave for clearing that up for me. Yes, the coils are monos and I've only put the DD on once but would like to give it a bit more of a run if the conditions suit. I'm thinking of getting and evo coil or nugget finder down the track a bit once I'm better and more familiar with what I have.
Cheers Dunks

Hi again, been awhile since I posted the questions on the issue I was having with false signals. Think I've got around it reasonably well with the advice I received but still no good stuff with the 4500 and tiddlers with the 2300. Going to take me awhile to get to know the Gpx I reckon. Cheers

Good to hear Dunks. The more ground time one spends with their detector, the more one gets to gain from it & I wouldn't worry to much of actual gold finds, as much as understanding the type of ground you wish to cover. Its tough going out there for some of the best of us (not that I'm one of them). There are times when I feel I'm constantly flogging not ground, but a dead horse.

Cheers Kon.

At times I feel like I'd get more enjoyment out of flogging a dead horse kon
But one has to revert to ZEN at times and enjoy the simple things and wanderer around in ones own thoughts whilst out detecting,
followed by a cold crispy beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer



cheers moredeep

Haha. I hear you and agree wholeheartedly Kon. Thanks for the encouragement.

I couldn't agree more with you there moredeep. A good nip of that deep rich coloured amber fluid every now & again, sure does make one think
I tend to feel even more sorry for any newbie just starting out in this game & going by the old published Doug Stone books/maps looking for ground to detect over, only to find when they get there, the ground hasn't only been bedded down to bedrock, but beyond
Hang on, what am I laughing at, for I'm one of those that find such ground, thinking that few would have been there before me.