THE SWITCH 2

Well here it is July 2003 and this will be a continuation of an article I wrote a few years back called "The Switch" (see articles and information). Thing is I have again moved up a notch in the world of detecting technology by purchasing Minelab's newest powerhouse of a gold nugget detector called the GP 3000. I will not be going into all the specifications in this article as that information is readily available at my site or at Minelab's site.

 As many of you already know my last switch was from a Gold Bug 2 (VLF) to a Minelab SD 2100 (PI) and the very first thing I noticed was that I was finding more gold and a lot of it (for me anyway). The new PI detector was a bit different than my trusty GB2 VLF style, but I got used to it in no time and I think listing for those targets through all the ground noise using the "Bug" really helped in listening for those faint sounds a PI will make on small or very deep targets.

 The GP Extreme came out right about the time I got my SD 2100 and at the time I didn't feel justified in scraping up 3000.00 more dollars for another detector (translated: The wife wouldn't let me). I did very well with that SD 2100 and after adding a 7.3 volt regulated power supply and an amp I began to call it my magic wand. I was going back to all the areas I had previously hunted and scoring big in many cases.

 Still however I was wondering if the GP owners had an advantage, but it was hard to tell without actually getting out and using one for a day or two. At this point I began to hear rumors of a new Minelab coming out in a year or so that would replace the GP Extreme and vowed to get the new unit if and when it became available. GP users that I knew were definitely finding smaller gold deeper and I really began to wonder about the bigger stuff. Was I actually missing a lot of gold that I would otherwise be adding to my poke?

 Just before the new GP 3000 was released here in the US a good friend we'll call Herk called me up (at the time we didn't really know each other) and asked if I would like to use his brand new GP Extreme for a couple days. Well after talking for a while I accepted his offer and the next day I had a GP Extreme to try out. I headed out to one of my local haunts and fired it up. Boy was I surprised and quite impressed with the GP Extreme and imeadiatly found gold with it! Herk even took me to a couple of his areas which were new to me and offered the GP to me to use after half the day, but the battery went dead right after I started to use it. What a great deal that was, I got to try out a GP Extreme and made a good friend to boot!

 The Extreme was much quieter and more stable than my SD 2100 and could hear smaller targets much deeper. Well that was the clincher and I called to make arraignments to get my hands on one of the very first GP 3000s to arrive. But about a month later (First Week Of June 2003) when the unit arrived and I got it out into the goldfields I was totally unprepared for how well this detector would function. I mean how much better than my magic wand could it be?

 I have had the new GP 3000 for almost 2 months and I am very happy with it! The threshold is much more stable than my SD 2100 and the target response is crisp and clear even with a faint signal! I am also finding many nuggets missed by my 2100 and other detectors in areas I have hunted in the past. I am now able to detect smaller gold at depths I would not have believed possible without seeing it for myself and the same is true for larger deep targets. The other interesting part is that there is a definite difference between the GP Extreme and the GP 3000 also!

 The interesting part is that mono coils work really well on the GP 3000 and run almost as quiet and stable as a DD did on my 2100. I am able to actually work some areas where in the past it was just to noisy to use a mono due to the ground just being to full of hot rocks and mineralization. This new unit also has several different settings allowing me to set it up for any conditions I may encounter when in the field. After I have used this unit for a longer period of time I will do a write up on the various settings and when I have found what to work best for me.

 Now working the previously worked areas is fun when you can squeak out some nice pieces that were missed, but I am excited by the fact that when the new season arrives and I can get out for more that just a few hours without being baked alive, I will know I'll be missing very little gold in the new areas that are waiting to be discovered while out prospecting for new patches.

 In closing I will say that this is without a doubt the single best investment I have made yet when it comes to gold nugget detectors and Minelab really has a winner here. I have no doubt that I will like this machine better and better as I get to know it. Not to mention the gold that is steadily going into my poke!

Copyright 2003 By William E Southern Jr