Minelab X-terra 705 General Tips, Advice, Questions

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Hi, I just bought the xterra 705 gold pack and love it for beach hunting and relic hunting but I am not really comfortable looking for nuggets, I really want to have the best chance of finding some yellow, does anyone have any tips or advice??
Thanks,
Njj
 
NJJ said:
Hi, I just bought the xterra 705 gold pack and love it for beach hunting and relic hunting but I am not really comfortable looking for nuggets, I really want to have the best chance of finding some yellow, does anyone have any tips or advice??
Njj
Click to expand...

I suggest that you start by becoming very familiar with Minelab's 705 Gold Start field guide: http://www.minelab.com/__files/f/20357/4901-0101-2 Inst Sheet X-TERRA 705 Gold Start_WEB.pdf

Also download and carefully read Minelab's free book, Understanding Your X-Terra, available via the instructions here: http://www.minelab.com/aus/consumer/knowledge-base/news?article=43420

Lastly, Minelab's Treasure Talk articles have a wealth of info relevant to success with the X-Terra: http://www.minelab.com/aus/treasure-talk?keywords=x-terra
 
NJJ said:
Decky Dan, what do you mean mate???
Click to expand...
Hi NJJ,
I got the 705 gold pack after seeing all the minelab videos and promo's.
But the truth is yes it will find 1gram nuggets in your garden or in a air test, but it will not work in hi mineralised soils/gravels were gold is found..
When I got the machine I hated everyone that talked the machine down, I assumed it was words of an inexperienced user but then found out for myself by about 6 sets of batteries.
I did write a email to minelab about it and was shrugged off..
So guess who was buying a minelab pinpointer an is now buying a Deteknix instead? ME!!
 
Thanks DeckyDan, that's a bit of concern as that's why I bought it for (nugget hunting at Benigo)..

Grubstake thanks for the links, I will check them out.

Very disappointed,

NJJ
 
Your best bet of finding gold with an xterra 705 is:

1. Very mild ground: white pipeclay heaps, non mineralised bedrock, quartz dumps etc

2. High trash areas where PI operators usually do a b-line around. Run it in the prospecting mode with the iron reject half way.

If you are trying it in hotter ground, run it in tracking and take your time. Pump the coil regularly to make sure your ground balance is keeping up.

Stay away from red clays and high ironstone areas.

Nenad
 
DeckyDan said:
NJJ said:
Decky Dan, what do you mean mate???
Click to expand...
Hi NJJ,
I got the 705 gold pack after seeing all the minelab videos and promo's.
But the truth is yes it will find 1gram nuggets in your garden or in a air test, but it will not work in hi mineralised soils/gravels were gold is found..
When I got the machine I hated everyone that talked the machine down, I assumed it was words of an inexperienced user but then found out for myself by about 6 sets of batteries.
I did write a email to minelab about it and was shrugged off..
So guess who was buying a minelab pinpointer an is now buying a Deteknix instead? ME!!
Click to expand...

Mate, it's a bit sad that you've apparently had no success your with X-Terra prospecting, but it's even sadder that you feel your lack of results somehow qualifies you to tell others that the machine isn't up to the job. Especially when somebody with runs on the board like Steve Herschbach says, "This is the machine for somebody who really wants all the features a top end detector offers and still have a good prospecting detector." (http://www.detectorprospector.com/gold-prospecting-guides/steve-guide-gold-nugget-detectors.htm)

Your own statement that, "it will not work in hi mineralised soils/gravels were gold is found" shows how much you still have to learn about detector prospecting. The reality is that plenty of gold has been found in areas of low to moderate mineralisation and gold has even been found in places that are almost unmineralised. If a detector is difficult to work with (noisy) in highly mineralised ground, the search focus might need to shift to less mineralised areas, but a skilled electronic prospector can often find ways to make the machine work for him anyway. eg. reducing sensitivity setting; slower swing speed; increased coil elevation from ground, etc.
 
grubstake said:
DeckyDan said:
NJJ said:
Decky Dan, what do you mean mate???
Click to expand...
Hi NJJ,
I got the 705 gold pack after seeing all the minelab videos and promo's.
But the truth is yes it will find 1gram nuggets in your garden or in a air test, but it will not work in hi mineralised soils/gravels were gold is found..
When I got the machine I hated everyone that talked the machine down, I assumed it was words of an inexperienced user but then found out for myself by about 6 sets of batteries.
I did write a email to minelab about it and was shrugged off..
So guess who was buying a minelab pinpointer an is now buying a Deteknix instead? ME!!
Click to expand...

Mate, it's a bit sad that you've apparently had no success your with X-Terra prospecting, but it's even sadder that you feel your lack of results somehow qualifies you to tell others that the machine isn't up to the job. Especially when somebody with runs on the board like Steve Herschbach says, "This is the machine for somebody who really wants all the features a top end detector offers and still have a good prospecting detector." (http://www.detectorprospector.com/gold-prospecting-guides/steve-guide-gold-nugget-detectors.htm)

Your own statement that, "it will not work in hi mineralised soils/gravels were gold is found" shows how much you still have to learn about detector prospecting. The reality is that plenty of gold has been found in areas of low to moderate mineralisation and gold has even been found in places that are almost unmineralised. If a detector is difficult to work with (noisy) in highly mineralised ground, the search focus might need to shift to less mineralised areas, but a skilled electronic prospector can often find ways to make the machine work for him anyway. eg. reducing sensitivity setting; slower swing speed; increased coil elevation from ground, etc.
Click to expand...

Oh! Here we go.. I was trying to make a long story short to tell the truth to another victim of the minelab 705 gold ******** tale! Then there's always that one person that is really bord or is usually connected to the company in some form that has to try and make an *** of him self in public..
 
Thanks Phasetech, grubstake & DeckyDan.
I'm fairly new to this hoppy but I'm totally addicted to it..
Everyone's opinions & advice is really appreciated and its great help!!!

I'm planning on a trip to Bendigo soon, do you guys think it will be OK to use there?

Thanks,
NJJ
 
By all means have a go as we all do but if you get all clogged up with Id numbers bouncing around and you can't filter them out, jump on the pan..
Well that's my plan ;)
 
DeckyDan said:
By all means have a go as we all do but if you get all clogged up with Id numbers bouncing around and you can't filter them out, jump on the pan..
Well that's my plan ;)
Click to expand...

prospecting mode has no TIDs :)
 
rocketaroo said:
DeckyDan said:
By all means have a go as we all do but if you get all clogged up with Id numbers bouncing around and you can't filter them out, jump on the pan..
Well that's my plan ;)
Click to expand...

prospecting mode has no TIDs :)
Click to expand...
Yes but some use it as a last resort to clear the line :)
 
NJJ said:
I'm planning on a trip to Bendigo soon, do you guys think it will be OK to use there?NJJ
Click to expand...

I'm no Bendigo expert, that's for sure! A couple of hours driving in circles in the Whipstick Forest years ago, is my total local knowledge. :)

If you've got the time and money, a guided tour and detector lessons with a pro is a very good way to get started. eg. http://www.goldentriangletours.com.au/

There are probably others too - Miners Den/Bendigo Gold would doubtless know some local names and contact details.
 
Arrrggghhhhh just got my 705 about 2 weeks ago and I need to send it back to minelab.
Anyone else had this with theirs?
In preset modes it jumps to number 20 then counts down to -8 and then goes berserk like I'm holding the minus button down.
Works in am mode but sometimes when adjusting settings they just minus to the lowest and refuse to move until I turn the thing off and on.

Minelab where very good and just said send it in.

Have my sad face on but wife is happy as it looks like that painting might get done this weekend. Unless the wind Drops then I'll just go Fishin lol.

Still found some cool stuff but the damn $2 coin is avoiding me. I suspect someone is working the areas too. Might do some stalking while they fix my 705 and see if I can detect the Detectorist

Take care all

Clegy :cool:
 
Had a similar issue with my Sovereign and it ended up being a faulty capacitor... should be an easy fix for ML so I wouldn't worry too much - just a bummer that you are without a detector while it's being fixed
 

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