Introduction

[Deepseeker]

Hi everybody,

First post from me (Gary) AKA Deepseeker. Thanks for letting me join your forum, and although a newbie I feel like I kind of know many of you already.

For about six months now I've been reading so many of your posts, from people like Loamer, Nenad, and many others whose names escape me at the moment.

I've been reading for advice on detectors, coils, pin-pointers, Licenses, Maps, Geology, boots, picks, old mining areas and god knows what else! Thanks all of you for teaching me the differences & Pros/Cons of DD & Mono coils, VHF and PI, different detectors and much of the terminology and what it actually means.

After much research and taking all the advice on board, I've settled for a GPX 5000, and a Pro-Find 35 Pin-pointer. Hoping to get away some time in the next few weeks to try it all out.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[HarryHoudini]

Welcome, where are you located?

Good luck with your adventure.

Cheers HH

 

[Jaros]

Welcome to P.A. Gary. Good luck with the new gear.

 

[RM Outback]

G'day Deepseeker welcome to PA well done on your early research and purchases :Y: best of luck when you get out there. Get up your 10 post's and the members section will open up join in the meet ups if suitable there good fun with like minded people.

 

[Deepseeker]

Thanks for the welcome HoudiniHarry & Jaros.

I'm currently located in Echuca Victoria. My wife and I bought a business and moved up here about 15 months ago. Before that we lived just outside of Melbourne near Whittlesea in Vic. My "thing" then was Aquaponics but I had to dismantle it and leave it all behind when we moved up here as we only have a little garden here. I've always been fascinated with prospecting, and I had an old great uncle when I was a kid who used to take me fishing, and he took me gold panning a couple of times near Blackwood in Vic. I was only about 8 or 9 then, and I'm 55 years old now, but I always remember the great wonder of finding a place, working it and finally coming across some colour in your pan.

I've been looking for a new interest since moving up here, and some months back it occurred to me that I'm about 40 mins from Rushworth and about 1 1/2 hours or so from the GT. I did a search on prospecting and happened upon you guys. I think it may have been one of Loamers postings where he mentioned a guy named Lanny in AB. I clicked the link and man, there were nights where I got to bed way too late just reading how he worked a dry river bed or an old mining area and found his nuggets. It kind of reminded me of when I was a young guy and was fishing mad. I never really cared in the end whether I caught heaps of fish or not, the fun was in researching an area, learning how to read a river, sussing out where the habitat was, and seeing some beautiful countryside. Any fish was a bonus and vindication that you had done your homework.

I've watched some of Nenads and JP's youtube videos and I'm addicted to hearing those sounds when the detector goes over something- Even if I dug up an old rusty horse shoe I'd still get my jollies just digging down to that mystery ****y prize. Once again, if I land the big one it would just be an added bonus, and even the small stuff would keep me happy. One thing that has amazed me about this forum is how information is given so freely. Sure, nobody is about to tell you their favorite patch (just the same as i'd never tell anyone where the fishing's that good that you have to hide behind a tree just to bait your hook!), but nonetheless there is enough info to point anyone in the right direction.

I was in deep Sh#@t for a while there with the other half, my strategy being that it was easier to ask for forgiveness than it was for permission, so I just bought the GPX5000 and then told her about it after. They were dark, dark days and I kinda knew that any night soon I might wake up with the pick in my chest

Still she forgave me, and once I pointed out that if I ever found a nugget even one quarter of the size of the Hand of Faith that she could have as many shoes as Imelda Marcos it was all smoothed over. So, seeing how things were sweet between us again I bought a Commander 18" DD today. - I've made sure the pick is safely locked in the shed ]

Thanks again for the Welcome,
Gary

 

[RM Outback]

Your in luck I'm thinking pretty sure there's other members around Echuca. If you like we can organise a catch up around Rushworth when it suits.

 

[mudgee hunter]

Many a man has been in the dog house for buying one! Then when you take them out and they get a go....
you end up buying another one for them!
Work that out!

 

[Diggertrev]

Welcome, Gary.
Many a man has been down that road LOL.
good luck with the new gear hope you find a whopper

 

[Dignit]

Great Intro Gary aka Deepseeker.
You've certainly set yourself up with good gear. You won't be disappointed. You just have to walk over it and you'll find it with that gear.
All the best and happy hunting.
Cheers

 

[Deepseeker]

Thanks RM Outback, mudgee hunter, Diggertrev & Dignit.

The Rushworth meet-up would be good someday thanks RM Outback. I think for the foreseeable future though I may have to go it alone for a while, as I've already embarrassed myself once so far by briefly trying out the kit at the park when I first bought it. I'm still at that stage like when you're learning how to drive a car and you feel like you'll never have enough hands and feet and eyes to do everything at once. A Pro-Swing harness came with the detector also (I can't see how else I could carry the battery as it sits in a pouch, but I'm not too sure I like the idea of being trussed up like a paratrooper while I fossick either), and when I've got all the kit on and I'm tripping over my own feet with the thing making stupid noises even though I've read the manual twice and watched god knows how many YouTube Vids & I've gone blank and completely forgotten how to set it up, I'm sure I look like one of the 3 stooges doing some comedy routine with a Vacuum cleaner.

I know I'll get there eventually, I'd just like to retain some kind of dignity in the meantime in deep isolated forest somewhere until I get the hang of it.

 

[BigWave]

Great intro mate. You've really put some thought into this new hobby of yours - just as we have.
Welcome aboard PA :Y:

 

[RM Outback]

All good :Y: you sound like you fit in very well :lol: been there done that :lol:. Sounds like a meet up will give you confidence :Y: it's all apart of life and some are better than others but at the end of the day we all get there in our own way.

 

[Cow Cocky]

I'm about 25 minutes West of Echuca and usually head out at least once a week, usually anywhere between Inglewood, Rheola, Kingower, Tarnagulla etc etc
You're more than welcome to tag along. I generally prefer to go mid week as the bush seems to be a bit quieter, that said I'm pretty flexible depending on what's happening on the farm.

 

[pete165]

Welcome to the forum Gary. Looks like you have already done plenty of reading. Glad to have you aboard.

 

[Deepseeker]

Thanks Cow Cocky and Pete165,

Also thanks to the guy who emailed me to let me know of an alternative way of ditching the harness and using smaller batteries that velcro to the unit itself. Thanks for the heads-up on where to buy it too. My 18" Commander hasn't arrived yet, but from what I've read it's a heavy sucker and it looks like I may need the harness for that coil anyway whenever I use it. I plan on gradually adding to my coil collection as I go bit by bit, you know- Buy a nugget finder Evo, argue with the wife, let the air clear and make-up, buy a sadie, argue with wife, let the air clear and make-up, then buy a Detech 15", argue with the wife...... repeat process etc., etc. This process will probably take some months and of course is not without risk.

I like your avatar Pete165, is that Chief Sitting Bull?

 

[Mackka]

Welcome to our family mate.
Mackka