Gold Detectors and Gold Detecting...Seeking Advice from Forumites.

G'day Boo Boo.

As I said, I don't want to be that serious to just become a dedicated gold prospector, but mainly to do what you're doing, having fun along the way.

I can get the new Minelab Exterra 705 from the U S of A for under $800.00
From what I can understand (and that's not much) it's claimed to be a good all rounder.

Don't hurry home mate, it's still pretty wet here :-((

Fred.

Fred,

Minelab is made in Australia or was anyway. The Xterra is not really a fossicking machine, it is more for coins and relics.

I suggest you try to get hold of a second hand 3500. They are noisy compared to the newer 4000, 4500 and 5000 Minelabs, but they can still find plenty of gold. If you like it, have success and catch the gold bug badly, you can upgrade to a newer machine.

I started detecting for the same reason you are going to - another interest when I am out in the scrub. Unfortunately it has bitten me pretty hard and now it is the reason I go bush.

Good luck,

Willie.

Thanks Willie, I knew were into it, and I appreciate the info.

Fred.

link again www.goldprospectingaustralia.com.au

Mr Bung,
Are you doing a tour this winter ? I am doing the second Leonora and both Sandstone tours.
Willie.

yes Willie. 2 tours

will send email tonight

cheers

Thanks for that link WH....good stuff there.

Fred

Fred,
If you are still entertaining thoughts of picking up a nugget or two, here are some websites to get you started and also a magazine. - www.minelab.com.au
www.minersden.com.au
www.goldgemtreasure.com.au (Also the mag. Australian Gold,Gem & Treasure)
There are detectors ranging from the Minelab detectors made in South Australia - ( considered the best in the world - at last count, well in excess of twenty five different models ), through to Garrett Detectors and White's detectors made in the U.S.A., to Tesoro Detectors, then the First Texas Bounty Hunter range, which are a cheap option. ( Having not used the Bounty Hunter Range, I can't vouch for them.) There are also cheap models such as Jack Lange's Supersnoop, which is okay for the price.
It also depends how serious you want to be with this hobby, and also whether you would like to detect on beaches, parks, goldfields, creeks/streams in water, etc,etc, as different detectors are made especially for each form of detecting, also coils to go with the detector. It can get confusing Fred, but some detectors will perform most of these functions reasonably well, in a manner of speaking, but for under water you will probably need something like a Garrett Infinium.
There is so much to learn before you take the first sweep with your new/secondhand detector, but once learned it is not forgotten and your hobby can be a blessing in a number of ways. Firstly healthwise, it keeps you active, and the feeling of despair you get when after searching sometimes for days, even weeks in 50C heat for no return, and all of a sudden that strong deep mellow signal appears in your headphones. Within one split second you are all of a sudden alive and feeling like a ten year old kid with so much energy, and you dig and find this tiny little spec of gold, weighing no more than .3grams - not even a gram of gold, but, you are so overjoyed. (probably overdoing it a bit here) But you are now feeling alive again and renewed. Ask any prospector/detectorist, and I'm sure they will agree. Gotta go Fred, the Gold Fever has set in. Maybe see you out there mate, Lyndon.