Where to start. - What do you need?

A little over whelming. I have read so much about where someone who is quite keen gold detecting should start. My wife and I have extensive bush experience but no experience detecting and while our budget is not capped there in conflicting advice on what a beginner should purchase and how much they should spend. Additionally there is conflicting reports on which brand and/or model detector is best for gold prospecting with the trend being that when someone bags a machine it is simply that they have not learned to use it correctly. As I said it is a little over whelming but this site seems to be the most constructive regarding useful info so I'm all ears.

G'day Lambo. Welcome to the Forum.

My advice to any newbie gold detectorist, "Try hiring one before buying one". Join a metal detecting/prospecting club or book yourselves in for a few days tuition with an experienced reputable or well known prospecting/detector hire group,where the tuition is normally one on one and see if this game suits you,before outlaying a whole lot of bucks only to give the game away in a very short time if you find that its not for you.The most user friendly,metal detector,currently available on the market,designed specifically for detecting gold nuggets on a variety of soil conditions,is the Minelab GPX 5000,followed by the GPX 4500.

Cheers kon61.

100% Lambo,

The advice that Kon61 has given is the best bit of feedback you have received..

IMHO for you a Gold prospecting tour would be on the top of my list..

Cheers
A

Cheers crew,
Great idea, was not aware this was possible. Anyone offering those services in North Queensland to your knowledge.

Sorry just got your recommendation....cheers once again

Gday mate. Welcome to the forum. I agree that hiring a detector is the way to go. It will give you a feel as to whats involved and also a good way to see if detecting is for you. Gold search in dunolly bored out detectors and tony mills is a very knowlegdable bloke. You van also hire from maryboroughat coiltek. If you decide that detecting is for you then id look at a minelab sd 2200d. They ate a bit easier to get your head around to use and are still a very good machine. I have one myself and have picked up 35 grams with it this year and im only a beginner. You can purchase them through coiltek in maryborough when they have them in stock. They will cost you 1700 and you get all the gear to start you off and you get 3 months warranty and a full training day.. Great machine to get you going. Hope this helps. Cheers.

Thanx Deez appreciate the advice

Hi All
Deez that's good advice but the only problem here is that Lambo is at the other end of the country Cairns FNQ.

Hi Lambo
Call into Miners Den in Cairns have a chat to George Mayer the owner, I am in Townsville & am a member of the Townsville Metal Dtecting Club, the only club in the north, we have field trips planned for each month & we do have access to hire detectors.
PM me with your email & I can give you more info.
cheers
Lee

100% Lambo wrote:A little over whelming. I have read so much about where someone who is quite keen gold detecting should start. My wife and I have extensive bush experience but no experience detecting and while our budget is not capped there in conflicting advice on what a beginner should purchase and how much they should spend. Additionally there is conflicting reports on which brand and/or model detector is best for gold prospecting with the trend being that when someone bags a machine it is simply that they have not learned to use it correctly. As I said it is a little over whelming but this site seems to be the most constructive regarding useful info so I'm all ears.

Gday

All the advice you have been given so far is sound, hiring detectors would make a lot of sense as at least if you and your wife dont find detecting to your liking then at least you have not overly committed yourselves and the gear easily returned.

Apart from detectors there are of course many other things that you might want as well, they fit into two catagories, the first being the items that I feel are "must have" items, such as a gps, uhf radios,spare batteries and leads, then there are the "would like" items, such as extra coils, add on accessories, and other bits and pieces, most people build up on these as they go and as they find out what best suits them.

Getting on to a detecting training day will be very beneficial to help you make sense of it all, joining a detecting club is also a good way to go as you will meet like minded people, and be able to get some help along the way, as clubs have both male and female members you will find that your wife wont feel left out as you can have the social side of it as well.

cheers

stayyerAU