trying out the SDC2300

[Ronk]

Hi guys I decided to hire a sdc2300 for the weekend , my first impressions were I like how compact it is to travel with , I like how easy it is to put down and walk away from , not at all like my SD2100 with it's back pack and lead acid battery so that was good , we decided to try spot in Berringa where a mate of mine has found a bit of gold before with his GP3500 , I hopped out of the car grabbed the sdc and turned it on ,"Ready to go" i said Mate was still putting on his back carry stuff for the gp3500 .

we went up a bit from the cars and dug a hole placed a test slug in the hole and went on to detect it and we both did about the same and clarity was probably clearer on gp3500 , but this could be just me not setting the sdc right . Next we placed a very small sub 0.1grm in the same hole . and again we both found it quite easily , this is not a piece that my SD2100 can find at any depth

to be continued shortly

 

[Teemore]

Look forward to your next posting ..... the gold will be found once you tune your ears into the sometimes very subtle changes in tone/warble and, slow and steady usually helps.
Have found pieces so small they don't register on scales that go down to .01gm increments (and bigger ones of course) amazing that it can ping things of this size.
Good luck and happy hunting, T.

 

[nuggetino]

Looking forward to your report. Have fun out there

 

[Ronk]

thanks T

Well we are back from purveying a paddock for hay cutting , no good at all

any way back to the sdc so we both went on our ways detecting now it has been a while since we did any real detecting like 2002 so first thing i notice is the SDC2300 is heavier on the arm than the std minelab also it could do with a bungy strap , it is very quiet and I played around with sensitivity and threshold and ended up settling for 4 on the sensitivity after trying 5 which was maximum . the threshold was a bit strange and i ended up at setting 3 which seemed ok for me without headphones on .

now what did we find ? well not much junk out there and no gold today , but we did find small shotgun shot and a slug gun pellet all around 2 inches and a couple of crimps not sure what they were used for but i presume they crimped small wires ,after about 2 hours we needed a break and my mate finally wandered back to the cars and he had found a couple of 22 slugs and another pellet that looked so much like a nugget but when you scratch it is was lead too

After Lunch we went to dreamers hill over at happy valley , now my mate said he used to find about 3 grams there any time he went but not this time and we again found some tiny shot , I buried my small piece of gold again about 3 inches this time, and I was barely able to hear it and but it was there for sure, and so i am recovering it when wife wanders up to me , so she hears the sound and became interested , she says sounds good, and i am like yeh sounds good to me, so i clear the top layer and it gets way louder and i scratch some more and it really beeping now she is about to attack it with the pick and i say wait and move some dirt exposing the vial , GRRRRR angry wife for a second lol.

anyway no gold found for a days outing tomorrow we are going to Tarnagulla have found gold there with the 2100 before (2002 just before we went to WA ) .

Evaluation so far

well i do like it overall
pluses for me were easy to pack away and get ready to go
ignores hot rocks that mate found this didnt even think there was any hot rock there at all
definitely will find gold if i run over some where my 2100 wont find it

cons a bit heavy but i will get used to it i guess
hard to pinpoint with it , doesnt seem to find on the edge like my 2100 does

i would love this detector in WA

well that is it for day 1 hope i can report some gold tomorrow
cheers Ron

ps if you in Tarnagulla tomorrow and you see our nissan patrol with Foalguard signs on the door come and say hello

 

[Wally69]

I am enjoying you narrative Ronk, thanks

I agree with your comments on the weight and have purchased a Bungy for mine, it is definitely a game changer.

As Teemore says, I think the key to increasing success is to spot the barely audible tones. I am hoping to try and get my ears better tuned next time I go out.

Have you guys tried the headphones, do you think they make a difference on success?

 

[Ronk]

hi guys back home we are all worn out

glad to be home well as for the gold prospecting well actually we were after lead can find plenty of it really small and quite deep imo

but alas no gold ! so what are me thoughts about the sdc2300 today

not much has changed I have got over the weight problem so i think long term it would not be much of an issue , we spent a lot of time digging targets a magnet on the pick helps save some work for sure , I am absolutely blown away by it's ability to ignore hot rocks , we had hots rock attach to the magnet and the detector just ignores them amazing stuff

we got a split piece of 12 gauge shot at about 3 inches in clay and several other pieces of shot less than that ground was a bit noisier
at Tarnagulla than yesterday so i set the sensitivity back a couple of notches

Did the same in hole gold test and found my piece at 3 inches ok its about match head size

the only thing i would alter is make the head phones wireless , wife didn't like it without headphones but i prefer not being attached by anything

overall i love it and i want one , trying to go the WA next year would be nice to take one with me

cheers thanks for reading
Ron

 

[Ronk]

I am enjoying you narrative Ronk, thanks

I agree with your comments on the weight and have purchased a Bungy for mine, it is definitely a game changer.

As Teemore says, I think the key to increasing success is to spot the barely audible tones. I am hoping to try and get my ears better tuned next time I go out.

Have you guys tried the headphones, do you think they make a difference on success?

yes i agree headphones will allow for more subtle targets but when working with a friend it nice to have it on speaker

 

[Guest]

I have found that headphones are the only way to go for that subtle change in threshold tone.

The speaker is on the right hand side of the machine and faces away from me because I detect right handed. Also there is no volume adjustment and its pretty quiet or I m going deaf?

The weight is not an issue. I ve learnt to only extend the carbon fibre shaft not all the way and only as far as possible for the coil to be in front of you, helps with less leverage having the coil closer to you.

I bought a harness and bungee, used it for 2 hours then put it away.

Because it finds many, many targets you are constantly putting the detector down, digging etc which was a pain being connected to it by bungee cord. I rarely use the arm rest strap as well because no sooner you place your are through it, you get a signal and have to take it off again.

The weight it not and issue and you will build up the appropriate muscles over time without getting RSI.

Thanks for sharing Ronk.

 

[Guest]

I've recently been testing the B&Z booster + speaker & the Treasuremate II from Vktek Solutions on the SDC.
Both work well & are much better than the built in speaker. Both unfortunately are prone to damage/failure of the jack lead if not carefully placed. The one plus of the Treasuremate II over the B&Z is that the booster & speaker are contained in the one unit. The positive with both is the ability to adjust volume through a much greater range & achieve higher volumes even with a speaker vs. the standard SDC headphones.
The downside is you need an adapter lead & to purchase the booster unit of choice - not cheap.
There are several ways around the leads failing:
- B&Z booster new models now have a replaceable lead I.e socket into booster unit & seperate lead with jacks both ends. You can get longer leads &/or "curly" leads to suit that aren't expensive
- use of "curly" leads available at places like Jaycar to allow greater length/movement & reduce strain on joins like these http://m.jaycar.com.au/m_productRes...&keyform=KEYWORD#/m_productView.asp?ID=WA7046
- mounting booster &/or speaker on the detector

 

[Heatho]

I am enjoying you narrative Ronk, thanks

I agree with your comments on the weight and have purchased a Bungy for mine, it is definitely a game changer.

As Teemore says, I think the key to increasing success is to spot the barely audible tones. I am hoping to try and get my ears better tuned next time I go out.

Have you guys tried the headphones, do you think they make a difference on success?

I found 3 nugs without HP's and 1 with. I don't mind the inbuilt speaker, though it's no good in noisy conditions. HP's are much better for the subtle targets. I detect left handed though, so the speaker is placed nicely for me.

 

[Ronk]

just a quick note

my sd2100 we tried it out yesterday and it was absolutely useless , we couldnt tune out the ground at all and when we move it there is so much noise , minelab refuse to service it anyone got any ideas ?

 

[Redfin]

I use a booster as well, I find the clip strong enough to stay on the canvas cover [ may add a cable tie down the track].

I use the supplied speaker which sit just underneath my right ear, clipped to the strap of my Camelbak.

On windy days use the Koss TD 80's [which have a 2m curly cord]

 

[Guest]

just a quick note

my sd2100 we tried it out yesterday and it was absolutely useless , we couldnt tune out the ground at all and when we move it there is so much noise , minelab refuse to service it anyone got any ideas ?

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/profile.php?id=3034
You could try emailing Mechanic although I haven't seen him on the forums for awhile.