Minelab GPX5000 - So much more to learn

[20x]

There is so much more to learn about the 5k, eg..
From memory on a test I did, (in particular settings) a 0.3 gram bit at 10 inches I can make it sound like a 1 grammer at 3 inches just by switching from fine gold to sensitive extra with the 17x13, if I drew a responce/depth curve the responce dips away massively beyond 10 inches.
Searching in sensitive extra either in fixed or tracking is an absolute nightmare so can only be used to amp up the responce of a deep wisper of a small nugget within the 10inch range..
To add..
Searching in super slow mo, the target can actually be up to a meter away from the original responce field, so my scrapes are sometimes massive. On top of that an aluminium can 2 metres away effects it, I have to sweep far and wide to determine if I'm hearing a deep wisper or the edge of a distant piece of junk..
Another reason why my custom fibre shaft is at full length of the coil cord to get it as far away from the metal of my external speakers that combined with the target in my spoon seems to create a recirculation of responce to the system..
And now that I've replaced a faulty patch lead its even worse..

 

[user 4485]

There is so much more to learn about the 5k, eg..
From memory on a test I did, (in particular settings) a 0.3 gram bit at 10 inches I can make it sound like a 1 grammer at 3 inches just by switching from fine gold to sensitive extra with the 17x13, if I drew a responce/depth curve the responce dips away massively beyond 10 inches.
Searching in sensitive extra either in fixed or tracking is an absolute nightmare so can only be used to amp up the responce of a deep wisper of a small nugget within the 10inch range..
To add..
Searching in super slow mo, the target can actually be up to a meter away from the original responce field, so my scrapes are sometimes massive. On top of that an aluminium can 2 metres away effects it, I have to sweep far and wide to determine if I'm hearing a deep wisper or the edge of a distant piece of junk..
Another reason why my custom fibre shaft is at full length of the coil cord to get it as far away from the metal of my external speakers that combined with the target in my spoon seems to create a recirculation of responce to the system..
And now that I've replaced a faulty patch lead its even worse..

Sensitive Extra is either for mild soils (mono) or use with DD coils. It's main claim to fame is a better response on small but deep targets, so that's no surprise. There have been areas I could use it with a mono coil to search, but not too many.
You could also just switch into Pinpoint mode?
Large targets can & do effect even small mono coils over good distances. This isn't new & shouldn't require scraping a large area unless you have the audio settings ramped too high or are struggling with pinpointing with a large coil?
Even the 6000 with a 12x8 on it sounds like it's onto a small target when sometimes a foot or so from a large target. That is why most times I will quickly sweep the general area to rule that out.
Speakers have always been an issue in close proximity to coils. They used to sell anti feedback speakers (or something similar) but not sure how effective they were.

Found:
Low Feedback speaker
https://www.minersden.com.au/low-feedback-external-speaker-for-gpx-series-metal

 

[20x]

Sensitive Extra is either for mild soils (mono) or use with DD coils. It's main claim to fame is a better response on small but deep targets, so that's no surprise. There have been areas I could use it with a mono coil to search, but not too many.
You could also just switch into Pinpoint mode?
Large targets can & do effect even small mono coils over good distances. This isn't new & shouldn't require scraping a large area unless you have the audio settings ramped too high or are struggling with pinpointing with a large coil?
Even the 6000 with a 12x8 on it sounds like it's onto a small target when sometimes a foot or so from a large target. That is why most times I will quickly sweep the general area to rule that out.
Speakers have always been an issue in close proximity to coils. They used to sell anti feedback speakers (or something similar) but not sure how effective they were.

Found:
Low Feedback speaker
https://www.minersden.com.au/low-feedback-external-speaker-for-gpx-series-metal

Confirms my results

 

[20x]

Confirms my results

How long have I been a member of this forum mate?

 

[Moneybox]

How long have I been a member of this forum mate?

About 6 months longer than me...

 

[EVIE/BEE]

Sensitive Extra is either for mild soils (mono) or use with DD coils. It's main claim to fame is a better response on small but deep targets, so that's no surprise. There have been areas I could use it with a mono coil to search, but not too many.
You could also just switch into Pinpoint mode?

Correct me mbasko if i'm wrong but pinpoint is a custom name you give to a personal mode selection.
Pinpoint is not a timing.

 

[user 4485]

Correct me mbasko if i'm wrong but pinpoint is a custom name you give to a personal mode selection.
Pinpoint is not a timing.

Custom mode that puts the detector into, what Minelab believe, are an ideal preset of settings for pinpointing.
Never said it was a timing?
Never found I needed it with the 5000.

 

[EVIE/BEE]

Thanks Matt.
You learn all the time in this business. I'll put off buying a 6000 for now. ha ha.

 

[Hawkear]

Would agree that there is heaps to learn about the 5000. Operators, including me, need to spend much more time more time understanding the effects that timings and audio controls and systems have on target signal recognition.
When I got my first 5000, I was guilty after finding a few bits of gold saying to myself that’s good enough and basically didn’t change much in the way of settings at all for a long time, so long as i continued to find gold.
After some spells with a 7000 and 2300 and with gold seemingly much harder to come by, I am paying a lot more attention to settings on my new 5000.
I now carry some graded weights from 0.1 to around 3 grams with me so I can experiment with settings whenever heading off for a longer prospecting trip.

 

[Northeast]

View attachment 11794

Having never used a 5000, I was interested in this little tid-bit above - It is perfect for those faint, hard to hear responses.

Has anyone ever just used it as a mode in general detecting if it helps with the faint ones? Or is it just not practical in mineralised ground or something? Or is just the audio amped right up? Or do we have no idea what changes happen to put the detector into pinpoint mode?

I wonder if PA member Phrunt (from New Zealand) might be able to use it in his mild ground?

Cheers, NE.

 

[user 4485]

Having never used a 5000, I was interested in this little tid-bit above - It is perfect for those faint, hard to hear responses.

Has anyone ever just used it as a mode in general detecting if it helps with the faint ones? Or is it just not practical in mineralised ground or something? Or is just the audio amped right up? Or do we have no idea what changes happen to put the detector into pinpoint mode?

I wonder if PA member Phrunt (from New Zealand) might be able to use it in his mild ground?

Cheers, NE.

Should have mentioned above that although the custom search modes are preset by Minelab, users can change them to suit themselves too.
That being said though the idea of the pinpoint mode isn't to use as a general detecting mode being preset with "amped" up settings.
You could of course adjust it (or use another custom mode) once you find your own happy medium of ground handling vs. signal volume/target response in your area. You could very likely end up back close to your usual settings though?
By design I'd assume pinpoint mode as is (without adjustment) would lift all signals including unwanted ground noise + hotrocks so wouldn't be practical for wider area detecting unless the ground was very benign. Might be ok in a small area patch going very slowly?

 

[EVIE/BEE]

I used it for a period a few yrs ago. The smallest pieces it picked up were several 0.1 gram at 3 inches max using a 10x5 inch mono.

 

[Northeast]

Should have mentioned above that although the custom search modes are preset by Minelab, users can change them to suit themselves too.
That being said though the idea of the pinpoint mode isn't to use as a general detecting mode being preset with "amped" up settings.
You could of course adjust it (or use another custom mode) once you find your own happy medium of ground handling vs. signal volume/target response in your area. You could very likely end up back close to your usual settings though?
By design I'd assume pinpoint mode as is (without adjustment) would lift all signals including unwanted ground noise + hotrocks so wouldn't be practical for wider area detecting unless the ground was very benign. Might be ok in a small area patch going very slowly?

Great answer, thanks mbasko

 

[MareebaMetal]

Recently bought a 5000 as my first ever detector, so much to learn. Still haven't found any gold with it , but have been experimenting playing around with different coils and settings and burying gold at different depths. cant wait till next year when I'll have time to go on some trips to give it a proper go and hopefully find some gold

 

[20x]

Signal responce..
With a 12 o'clock setting on the threshold..
With a signal peak at factory but the 'target volume' increased to around 16 it actually boosts the threshold big time on top of the loudest spo1 settings.
Again, not a good idea with headphones when you sweep a loud shallow junk target..
Ps..I've dedicated 2023 specifically to the 5k and thex17x13 evolution coil.
I run in fixed allways coz my settings don't like tracking at all.
I find the noiseyest ground and use that as a reference to balance on when determining a possible deep small target. Sometimes I switch from fine gold to sensitive extra but it so far has been a waste of time as it just amplifies the ground noise and is only useful in quiet ground to amplify a small eg 0.3g gold target down to 10 inches, below that the responce drops away big time.
And when I say using noise ground as a reference, I don't search in that, I use it as a point of reference to balance on only to to eliminate possible ground noise.

 

[20x]

I don't agree with the title of this video but let's go deeper..

 

[20x]

After you watch this video, name one possibility that could create an anomaly on the circuit board? (It's really simple)

 

[20x]

After you watch this video, name one possibility that could create an anomaly on the circuit board? (It's really simple)

Current 5000 vids are now rare.
In 2024 I will change that!

 

[sand surfer]

being a new 5000 owner later in the year when it cools down a bit i will be getting out more trying to work out how to use it
and i will be booking a full training day
any currant info would be good

 

[Moneybox]

I'm guilty of almost never changing my settings on the GPX4500. I found the highest settings for gain and stabilizer that gave me a steady threshold on enhanced with fixed tracking and rarely altered it for years. I guess I could have done better fiddling with the finer settings but I consistently fount more gold than others around me so I had no reason to play with it.

After the last couple of years swinging the GPX6000 and finding lots of tiny gold beyond the reach of the GPX4500 I'm not convinced that it's a better detector. In the coming year I'll be back with the GPX4500 to see if the GPX6000 failed to find the bigger targets or if they are not there anymore to be found. Since swapping to the GPX6000 I've not found anything over 10g and that used to be at least a weekly find on the GPX4500. The biggest difficulty is that I find it harder to carry the heavier detector for hours at a time.