Nugget Finder 30" x 7" Patch Pro - best settings???

I was wondering if anyone could help,
I have recently bought one of these coils for my GPX-4500 and was wondering if anyone has tried this combination.

I live up in the Pilbara and the soils here are highly mineralised.
I was also wondering if changing the motion settings to fast would be beneficial when trying to find new areas.

Any assistance here will be appreciated.

Regards
Simon

Gday Simon

I have used my 4500 with the 30x7 patch pro coil, although it was only for a couple of hours on my last trip, so I can only give you a brief idea on it.

For the time I used it I left my detector in enhance and the motion as slow, as the test was a bit brief I did not really get the chance to fiddle about too much with the settings, even at this setting I realised soon enough that the coil does give quite a crisp signal even when swung fairly fast.

I have found with other coils that increasing the motion speed will also increase the amount of feedback from the ground and can interfere with your ability to hear some signals, so I guess it will be trial and error on the ground you are working on, as this coil is quite sensitive and already touchy then you will have to try and find the right mix of settings, it may only be a case of lowering the gain a bit that will help, but by doing this you may lose some sensitivity and therefor miss small indicator targets.

Due to the size of the coil, you get an enormous amount of ground coverage, so I myself would not be as worried about swinging the coil as fast as you can but rather I would be much more concerned about getting the machine to run as quietly as possible with the highest sensitivity I can get, so that I do not miss that all important indicator (first piece) that will make you aware of gold being in that spot.

cheers

stayyerAU

Gday

Well I gave the patch pro another run a couple of days ago, after pinging a 5.8 grammer on the downslope from some old scrapes, lots of bare ground to cover so I thought it would help cover it more quickly, first blood to the patch pro a nice solid little 2.9 grammer, not very deep about 6/8 inches, excellent signal, running in enhanced with the gain at about 10.

Re covered the area with the 14" ad vantage mono but not another squeek, I think this coil has its place and in particular making short work of covering open areas, hopefully next time I might get on to a patch with it, its ungainly in scrubby and rocky spots but on open ground I dont think it will miss much.

cheers

stayyerAU

stayyerAU,

Thanks for your comments and experience with the coil.
I too have managed to get out on a couple of trips now and have used this coil.

I was scanning over some old workings a couple of hours outside Paraburdoo and pinged a bit just over 2 grams. Lovely signal, target was down between 4 - 6inches.
Now I know how the coil reacts, it is very easy to pinpoint with it. Unfortunately when you originally get the signal you have a large area to narrow down.
I run the same settings as when using my favourite coil - the Coiltek 14" x 9" mono, which makes life easy. This coil is easy to ground ballance and it runs quietly in the mineralised soils where we detect.

Because the coil is so narrow you get a very obvious raising and lowering target sound off.
Once you localise the signal you can pinpoint it within a couple if inches. I found that the front half of the coil was more sensitive than the rear.

I found my first virgin patch and got myself 5 bits to the tune of about 2 grams some of which were buirred under a fair bit of rock.
On the next outing for the coil I worked slowly over a well worked patch on the side of a hill by a wash. I came out with 6 bits, the smallest being 0.16 grams that was down just over 6 inches!!!

I think that I really like this coil but it is pretty unweildy when the rocks and undergrowth get tight.
It is light for the ground covered and can't wait to get out again in a couple of weeks time.

I have discovered that the low and slow method pays dividends. I am glad to have seen what low and slow actually looks like from one of my mates.
After prospecting for just over a year it's amazing what you don't know and what you can pick up from fellow prospectors that have been in the game for longer than you.

Regards
Simon

Gday Simon

This is definately a learning hobby thats for sure, been at it since the eighties and still learn something new every trip, every place you go to has it secrets, different ground and conditions.

Taking your time, low and slow, is definately the way to go if you want to improve your chances of getting the gold, if you are patch hunting you have to slightly speed up your swing if you want to cover the ground, but using the patch pro you can still go relatively slow and still cover a massive amount of ground.

Your right about it being awkward in rocky and scrubby areas, I have found the same thing and it becomes hard work just keeping the coil level let alone close to the ground, a smaller coil is always better in these types of conditions anyway.

Long slopes and vast flats are the place for this coil and I wouldnt be surprised if a few patches are found this season due to this coil, I have been trying it on areas where I have found the odd piece here and there just to see if I can work out a direction of travel.

Anyway good luck with it on your next trip, hopefully you will get a good patch with it.

cheers

stayyerAU

Sounds interesting guys...... I also just brought the 30x7 and use a 4500 , so what you are saying is good info.

Are either or both of you able to write up some settings here as I am interested to see what yours and then mine seem to like (given the location will change these of course).....
And maybe comparison to the setting you use with other coils...... I also use a Nugget finder 14 x 7 elep mono a lot as well..... and it will be interesting to see just how different the setup will be.

Cheers Harb

Harb,

I'll be honest, the settings you use for the 14x7 should be a perfect match for the 30x7 as the width of the coil is identicle.

Remember to slow your sweep a little but the coverage will be excellent.

Good luck

Simon

Thanks Simon, Its always good to see what others are doing
I really like the 14x7 , so I am hopping the 30 is just as good to use.

Harb

Don't wish to highjack this threat but I have a question that relates to the topic.
Do those who use this size coil find it necessary to use a longer lower shaft?
Cheers spinna

I do Spinner...... I like to keep the coil as far away from me as possible.

Thank you Harb.
Cheers spinna

I'll be honest, I use the standard lower arm normally. I just bought the Coiltek upper and a longer lower arm but have not given the longer lower a go yet. Works fine for me with the standard lower arm and I'm 5' 10".

Hi Skaufman,
yeah I recon the standard length would work fine.
The reason I use the longer ones for the bigger coils is so I can do a much smoother accurate sweep with less tilting and hight changes as I go..... just seems for me anyway, to make the swing better.

Thanks for the responses. Much appreciated. Will stick with standard size for the time being as I am only a short arse.
Cheers Ken spinna
(p.s. pick up my 30x7 SOLID on Tuesday)

Let us know how you go

That will better 24х12 NF or 30х7 NF?
Respectfully yours.

the 24" x 12" would go considerably deeper and nearly cover as much ground but would not be as sensitive and I think would be more succeptable to EMI as it is larger.
I quite like the 30" x 7" but probably should have followed others advice, especially JP's and gone for an 18" round.

I bought the 16" NF round and the 30" x 7".

Hey, hindsight is great...

I've been having my best luck recently with the lowly 11" round mono that came with the 5000!

Simon

Thank you for answer.
Respectfully yours.