Help with panning,

[Niko]

My funds are very limited, I'm on a meagre fixed income , but if I do something I prefer to wait, save up and buy the equipment that will do the job properly and is essential to my task.
I will spend the money on essential worthwhile equipment , I hope to avoid purchasing stuff I don't need .
I have done a little research but thanks to the internet being hijacked by Google most of my searches seem to be paid for advertising rather than what I am seeking .
Excuse the metaphors but ,
Id like to learn from those who walk the walk , who have the runs on the board, the prospectors , not the dribble the marketing reps came up with.
So ,.....
1. How important is a pin pointer?
2 Which method of sifting is your go to method and why?
IE. Panning , sluicing what do you consider essential fossicking prospecting equipment other than the detector.
It must change based on your target ground , if so , could you please explain to me
From your experience which method you prefer for each varied location you fossick and why
If these questions are too general and need their own thread,....
I am sorry, I will repost .
I want to absorb as much information as I can whilst I save my pennies to keep my enthusiasm alive and to establish a list of what I need to get started properly,. Then I will know exactly how much it is going to cost , I can budget accordingly , then i can go buy them without being led astray by fast talking sales people.
Hope I'm not frustrating you all with stupid questions

Thanks
Niko

 

[XLOOX]

1. No, totally unnessary.

2. Pan.
All the other stuff comes later. No-one drags a heavy sluice up & down unknown creeks whilst looking for gold. They find the gold bearing areas with a pan & if it looks worthwhile then maybe they come back with a sluice.

Find the gold first then worry about more efficient ways to recover it faster

All you need is :
a simple 200mm plastic gold pan pan
a sturdy Bunnings trowel - narrow steel blade
a heavy duty flat blade screw driver ( 2nd hand store)
a sturdy plastic brush like a dishpan brush
. If it has cost you more than $50 to get all that you have paid too much.

If your creek has no water then add a 20 litre plastic bucket and some 2litre soft drink containers of water.

Wander up the creeks in known gold country , scrape out the rock bar crevices down to their base and pan that.

You will figure the rest out without any help