Minelab Eureka gold tips, settings, questions

[roy cobb]

Thanks for the story Bob looking foward to getting out with mine soon in the gold fields so you have given me some hope and I have a 6" coil

 

[AU Fever]

Hi bob, good report on the 6" Goldseeker. Glad you are getting amongst some of the yellow out there.

I haven't had the chance to get out in the goldfields with mine as yet. But when I do, now I have a better idea of what to expect

Feel free to PM me if you want to head out together one day.

AU Fever

 

[bob]

Hi Au Fever
I'll persist with this small coil theory for a while and keep posting any worthwhile results. If I can get some consistency in finds or find a "patch" I'll get in touch with the idea of doing a day together. I think it would be good if there was a 'good' chance of finding some gold and not the usual trash. At the moment it is still very much more misses than hits but I'm hoping that's going to change now that I've had some success.

Cheers Bob.

 

[bob]

Six sessions for the month far. Three whole days and three half days. A good part of two of the full days were wasted because someone was in the spots that I had chosen and I did not have a plan B. I spent a lot of time driving instead of detecting. Mon. 16th was different, I really wanted to go detecting because I had a plan but there were chores to be done first. On my way to the shed to get started I noticed some puddles where the automatic watering system had malfunctioned and my wife called out to tell me the toilet wouldn't flush properly and the bath would not empty. Wow I hadn't started yet. I could see my detecting day disappearing fast. By the time I finished unblocking the sewerage, flushing and cleaning the sewerage pit, fixing the leaking watering system, mowing, edging and blowing and filling some gelcoat on a fibreglass project it was 3:50 p.m. I could still go. The spot I had chosen was forty minutes away I could be detecting by 5:00 p.m. and easily do two hours or so before roos became a problem on the drive home. An hour or so in I was doubting my wisdom as I hadn't pinged a target but then I got a soft signal. One piece of small shot. Moving on to the next mullock heap almost an identical soft signal. Scraping away the bigger surface rocks, the signal really strengthened up. More scraping no more than two cms the target was out. With the target in the scoop and a small bit of dust I was really hopeful. Yes! a small bit of gold. It later weighed in at 0.082 grams. Friday 20th managed another half day. Worked mullock heaps north of where I made the find and also the south but hardly pinged a target. Two small shot. Does the fact that there were few targets mean that the heaps have been thoroughly detected? Is the shallow woking 60kHz missing slightly larger deeper targets? Does anybody find larger deeper targets in mullock heaps? So many unanswered questions. The two shot were in obvious spots and clear targets; they should have been dug. Today, (22nd) a half day (morning) due to the heat. Continued working north to a planned cut off point. Two and a half hours for one shot it was the only target found. Back at the car after a cup of tea I contemplated quitting and going home. The heap where I found the 0.82 grammer was only fifty metres away. I decided to recheck the heap starting with the exact spot where I found my last little nugget. I scraped away the loose dirt from my previous digging and ran the detector over the small area. Using the flat side of the pick I was scraping away small layers and re detecting to see if I was missing anything deeper. After removing some six inches in a square metre area I conceded that I was wasting my time. But maybe I should redo the rest of the heap because I really noticed how much quieter the scraped level dirt was. So I used the side of the pick to scrape away the larger loose stone mostly hot ironstone for about a metre by a metre in front of me. Sweeping over the levelled area I got a soft shot like/gold like signal. Gentle scraping and the target was in the scoop. The very soft signal lead me to think it was shot but no another small piece of gold. A massive 0.062 grams.

More scraping of the heap revealed two small bits of mesh as well. These were missed the first time that I did the heap. Maybe the first gold find got me a bit excited and I was not as thorough as I could have been. Anyway it is good to be finally finding some small bits. I was using the 6" goldseeker. It's a noisy little beast but so far it has found three small ones for 2017.

Cheers Bob.

 

[Kwago]

G'day Bob,

Thanks for the encouraging posts. I'm very much a newbie with a stock-standard Eureka Gold and have been sitting on the sidelines and learning so much from posts like yours, AU Gold's, Loamer's and numerous others, for nearly a year now. Most helpful. While there are obviously much better detectors out there, I couldn't justify the expense just starting out and the Eureka seemed like a sound investment at the time.

With the recent purchase of a second-hand Forester, I took the Eureka out to get it dusty for the first time yesterday. To get the hang of the machine, and not looking for gold, I went to a state forest south of Ballarat and started poking around in an area at the side of a track which had been disturbed and found metal junk pretty quickly. This was good as I now know that the machine works at the most basic level. I then wandered off to potter around some old diggings nearby. No gold, but a couple of small pieces of metal and .22 calibre bullet buried about 7cms deep using the 20 kHz setting. And I'm happy with that!

Metal detecting is my new retirement hobby, and there is so much to learn, but I'm sure it could easily become a passion. And I can think of no better way to quietly and respectfully enjoy the bush while getting a very real sense of such an important part of our history.

Thanks again for the positive posts.

Cheers

Kwago

 

[AU Fever]

Thanks for the report Bob! Great to see your persistence is paying off.

AU Fever

 

[Allways Looking]

This was really great thanks some much

Here are a few notes that may help some get the best out their Eureka Gold.

They are a much maligned unit, as were the previous XT models, due to the introduction of the PI detectors. There was a lot of rather bad instructional hints and recommendations given out by dealers and detecting 'experts' who were more often than not mis-using the detectors and giving bad advise on the use of them on the goldfields.
It is no wonder that most people think these units only hit surface to a few inches deep, or cannot be run on hot ground.
Here are a few of those terrible pieces of theoretical nonsense:

* Having the threshold set low at a slight mosquito type buzz.

* Coil off the ground.

* Sensitivity lowered when not needed to be.

* Fast movement of coil when in motion of swing.

* The very idea that these VLF's are somehow not deepseeking detectors on mineralized ground.

Here's a few facts that a lot of those 'experts' never picked up on.

1. The threshold must be set at a high stable level on the ground being detected. The level of mineralization must not be able to waver the threshold! It must remain stable and un-wavering. No mosquito buzzing.

2. You must run these units with an Amplifier! ( they really should have been in-built at the design level by Minelab)
The internals of the machine must be heard. The tracking balance's change, as you swing, must be full in your hearing. If you cannot hear that internal balance change, running with the correct height of threshold in the ground you're on, how are you going to hear that ever important drop-out of threshold that a deep faint signal gives, or the very soft rise of threshold that a small shallower targets let's out that isn't quite strong enough to break through and give a clear easy signal.

3. The tracking balance on these units is the best produced by any manufacturer.
The only way to ground balance to get the tracking to kick in, is to slowly drop the coil to touch the ground, slowly raise it, back down again and let the tracking balance soak it up. As soon as it does it bites in hard and becomes one with the ground.
And that's where the coil has to stay, ever so slightly touching, riding over dirt and sand and rock with the touch of a spider web.
Speed of the coil swing should be used in direct correlation both on the ground you're in, and with the tracking speed used. You will hear how fast or slow to swing because you will hear how the internal tracking balance is processing and tracking through the ground.
Every time that coil comes off the ground to a few inches in height the tracking breaks and balance tries to re-set.

4. The sensitivity should always remain at it's fullest setting. The only time it should be turned down a touch is when over extremly bad ground. Ground that gets our PI's warbling and groaning.
And by running the threshold at the correct height, believe me, there isn't much ground you have to touch the sensitivity down in.
You drop that sensitivity level and you drop your depth in half!
Wether it's an inch or a two feet, depth is everything. Touch that sensitivity and you touch every signal in a bad way.

5. Coil to match frequency is important on these units.
Stock 10"x5" elliptical for 60khz only.
11" round for 20khz
15" Coiltek for 6.4khz
It is no coincidence that these coil sizes are made for the Eureka.

60khz is not a deep seeking frequency. It simply will not give depth. It tickles nicely into the ground for an inch or so. You can hear how deep it goes if you have those internals right up in your hearing. Use this frequency on the 11" round or 15" round and it dissapates badly.

20khz is the most responsive pound for pound. But beware ....that frequency is not a deepseeker either.

6.4khz. Ahhhh .... All controls set at their premium for the ground your on, and working with the 11" or 15" coil, this frequency is crystal clear and deadly!

Don't fool yourself with airtests, this frequency is just as dull in an airtest as the airtest itself is.
Or set targets placed into disturbed ground. Both these scenarios are only enjoyed by Vlf's of other brands that don't like to play in heavy ground.

This 6.4khz frequency loves giving you notice to metallic targets in undisturbed heavy ground. It's a gold getting sleeper.

6. Tone control on any threshold based unit is so important.
Change it to suit your hearing. Change it in certain ground. And change it to understand the differences in 'broadening' a response on a tight signal, and 'sharpening' up a response on a deep target.

 

[roy cobb]

Thanks thats s great read and helps a lot.

 

[Allways Looking]

I have been reading about a signal booster for my Eureka Gold detector, and I wonder if it is really needed ?
Can I please get thoughts or Ideas from you seasoned prospectors as to weather it is needed

 

[PabloP]

Mods, perhaps move this post to a more suitable topic category.

Rob P.

 

[Chriso1988]

That write up by argyle is good !

And thanks for the story bob , I've recently got the SDC was considering selling the Eureka and getting a more dedicated coin shooter but the EG is pretty good at cutting out bottle caps once you get the discrimination set nicely.
There not a bad little machine, I'll definitely be keeping mine for a bit longer

 

[bob]

Hi Chriso
I have my eye on an SDC after using one late last year but for the moment I am sticking with the Eureka. It would seem that every trip has a story behind it. I think that's what is really good about metal detecting. A fruitless day target wise can be made special by a close encounter with an emu and chicks, an echidna or some other native flora or fauna. I have been out quite a few times since my last post so I have a bit to tell. Due to the hot weather I have adopted a strategy of going for a morning or just a late afternoon. Packing the car, driving there and setting up takes about an hour then at the end walking back and driving home an hour this usually leaves a couple of hours in between actually detecting.
Jan 27th I went out to the mullock heap that had already produced two small nuggets on two separate occasions.(0.062 and 0.082). Either my search technique is poor or the erratic noisy 6" gold seeker isn't helping. My plan was to do the entire mullock heap again to see if I had missed anything. When I arrived I scraped back the loose dirt from my first two visits. Starting right where I found the 0.082 bit I got a signal. Sticking out of the ground was a black golf ball sized rock. I thought "Hot rock!" Gently I chipped it out with the point of the pick. The target signal was still there. Some scraping and chipping moved the target. Surprisingly the target was gold, 0.170 grams my biggest piece. How did I miss it the first and second time there? It was only 20 cm from my first find. Maybe levelling out the area and removing the lumpier rocks got me within range of the target.
Jan 31st I took a rake back to this mullock heap and spent an hour raking and chipping back a little at a time and then detecting over the heap. This tactic produced nothing. I was kind of testing to see if the 60kHz was missing anything due to lack of depth. I still had an hour left. Using my garmin E-trec I walked south to the furtherest point where I had previously detected. I was happy finding the three small nuggets but bothered by the fact that I found them on three separate visits to the same mullock heap. On arriving at my waypoint I could see familiar boot scrapes on the heap and decided to start there even though I had detected it before. Well what a surprise! I had barely started and I had a signal. It was lead shot. It was a very obvious signal. How did I miss this last time? Maybe it was fatigue? The last time that I was here was after a rather long day out. Half a metre along another quiet signal. Scrape, scrape another piece of shot not this time. Gold!. I couldn't believe it my smallest piece at 0.037grams. Another obvious target missed first time. Unbelievable!
Feb 10th was a short two hour session starting at the heap where I found the 0.037 gram bit. Looking at the heap I instantly saw that I could have done better searching this heap. Using the side of my pick I cleared away some sticks, leaves and lumpy rocks from above where I found the small nugget. A scan of the area revealed a target. A nice piece of lead shot. If there is one piece of shot then maybe there is more or even better a piece of gold. I scraped away a bit more rubble and leaf litter. Within 30 cm of the shot I got another signal just like the first maybe a little louder. In the scoop,I was down to dust and and a flat brown blob.I thought that it was an encrusted bit of lead. A bit of spit revealed some yellow but I've been tricked before by lead encrusted with yellow clay. More spit and sure enough gold, 0.167 grams. Gold from mullock heaps that I thought I had covered pretty well. The 6" gold seeker has done well finding six bits but it has been a wild noisy little beast and it seems it is getting worse each time I use it. The last two times out it has had periods where it would not balance and when it finally settled and I started to swing it would go off again. Changing to the 10x 5" I could run that at full sensitivity over the very same ground. Wiggling the wires seems to calm it but I can only run at three quarters sensitivity. If I bump the coil it can sound off and takes some time to settle to a steady threshold. I have contacted the place where I purchased the coil and they think it could be faulty. I am going to do a test on Monday and send it back if it plays up again.

The three little nuggets from heaps that I had already visited and failed to get first time. Top one 0.037, Left 0.170 and bottom 0.167. So after the initial drought to start my detecting hobby I am experiencing a little success. I obviously still have much to learn. The experiences I have just described show that. I have enjoyed detecting right from the start but it is even more exciting now that I have actually found gold. I weighed my shot the other day as well. Since late November I have found twenty eight grams of small lead shot. Since my outing with Jim that I described in a previous post I have pursued the shot with a passion and it has lead me to find gold. Well now I am up to date. Chriso you will be itching to get that SDC out to Halls Creek I really enjoyed the two sessions that I had with one late last year. Good luck. Probably a good idea to keep the Eureka as a spare. It has and can find you gold.

Cheers Bob

 

[grubstake]

Those nuggets may be small, Bob, but it's a great learning experience that will serve you well in the future and your above account made for fascinating reading - thank you for sharing it with us. :Y:

Is it possible that your dodgy 6" Goldseeker coil has ever been used in water? Early examples were not immersible, so if yours is one of those, that might account for its erratic behaviour. From memory, this 'weakness' was fixed after serial number 0125 or thereabouts - Coiltek should be able to clarify this for you if necessary.

 

[bob]

Hi Grubstake
I am pleased you enjoyed the post. Four years into this hobby I am definitely still learning. The 6" goldseeker coil is only two months old and has never been near water. I have had a similar problem twice before. About six months into this detector business I went across to Heathcote. I put the detector together and set off into the bush. I turned on the detector, set the threshold etc and began sweeping. The detector went absolutely off, repeatedly sounding. Resting the coil on the ground settled it, but as soon as I began to sweep the coil across the ground it happened again. I was sure the detector was broken. Back at the car I started to disassemble the detector to return home. I realised that the locking ring had not been done up. So I tightened it, turned on the detector and it was as good as ever. The second time was with the 11" coil. Two or three sessions prior to the breakdown I noticed that if I bumped the coil a bit the tone would alter as if the volume/on off switch was being turned down. resting the coil on the ground would restore the tone and things were fine. Then one day at Rushworth the detector started sounding off on a target but the response would not stop. Wiggling the coil wire settled it,but as soon as I waved it over a target it would continually sound off. I changed back to my 10x 5" and continued detecting for the day. This coil was out of warranty so there was no harm in having a look. I started at the plug that goes into the detector. There were four wires two insulated and two lacquered. One of the lacquered ones was hanging by a single thin wire. In new condition there was only ever about four strands connected. The others were cut when the outside black insulation was stripped. I re-stripped all the wires and re-soldered them and it was fine. With the 6" it seems as thought the problem maybe where the wires go into the coil. The last time out I didn't thoroughly test this idea I just swapped to the 10x5" which I could run at full sensitivity. When I swapped the coils back the 6" worked okay. The wire gets a bit of a wiggle in the changing process. It was getting very hot and I was keen to get home. I have contacted the place of purchase and they are happy to have the coil checked. It is going to be cool tomorrow so I am going to do some testing and we will see what happens from there. Thank you for your input.

Cheers Bob.

 

[Allways Looking]

I have a eureka gold and I added a booster and a 15 " coiltek.
But now I can not seem to get the threshold set correctly

 

[mbasko]

Have you tried the stock coil?

 

[Allways Looking]

I will be going back to stock coil tonight to see if that is the problem.
The reason I ask about 15"coil, is because I bought it second hand

 

[Allways Looking]

If the coil is bad, where can I send or take it to have it repaired ?
In Melbourne that is !!!

 

[mbasko]

If it is a bad coil it'd probably be best to contact Coiltek Manufacturing in SA (don't get confused with Coiltek Gold Centre they are seperate businesses although they may be able to help?) to talk to them re: repair. Could be something simple like the lead or plug causing the issue?
They've seemed fair to me in the past but I had a warranty claim. How old is the coil - they might honour the warranty if still in date?

http://www.coiltek.com.au/contact/

 

[condor22]

I had a Eureka, (before I saw the light and got a 5000 ) I had a coil go bad on me, first trip, it was the elliptical that went. All I got was a constant screaming tone. The detector and coil where both still under warranty. I was near Maryborough and there for a couple of more weeks, so the guys at Coiltek Gold Centre in Maryborough, lent me a coil and sent mine back to Minelab.

It came back about 5 days later fixed, it was a small short in the shielding of the plug. There was no cost for the fix, but I think from memory it cost $10-20 freight. (one way, to Minelab, they paid the freight back)

You should get a similar service from Coiltek Manufacturing, be interesting to see if you do.....