I joined this site just because they had this forum for Scorpion users!
I've had my scorp since 1993, and it was one of the first version 2 Scorpions with the 10 turn ground balance control.
I use it 95 percent for prospecting, in Arizona and Washington State.
Like many scorp users, I use it a lot for evaluating a matrix, finding black sand, high grading and the like. It is super for meteorites too.
I nugget shoot with it too, but honestly... now days if stuff is around the scorp can barely detect, I just bulk process with typical equipment (pan, sluce, drywash, gold rake..etc) Who wants to spend any serious time digging a hole to chase a milligram nugget? I am getting to the point that I have only so many deep holes left in me, and every time I have to bend down, my bones make a new 'creak'. I do use a Falcon to pinpoint and check moss, holes, strata of gravel left by ancient rivers, cracks in bedrock, etc., for microscopic gold, but usually all this is in service of finding pay streaks to bulk process with the usual equipment. Except when I am lazy, and only feel like sniping.
The Scorpion, like me, getting older... but it is still a very capable, versatile machine.
If only it would find gold nuggets levitating in the air at hand height... it would be perfect.
But the perfect is the enemy of the good I suppose, so realistically:
I really wish Garrett would add on a few features to the scorp, without taking any it has now away.
First, bring back all the original coils for the scorp. My 4 1/2" coil did NOT survive a boulder hit.
An option (and the coils) to switch between 15 and 40-70 Khz would be nice, but keep the 15 khz "groundhog", don't just make another Goldbug 2 or GMT/GMZ. Both 15khz and ~40+ Mhz freq's are necessary if you ask me.
A VCO option would be nice too, (I can pick up on pitch changes easier than volume changes now) as would notch discrimination, although that would be a benefit mostly in trash areas (more and more common) -and for coin/relic shooters. Actually, I usually do not use discrimination normally, except for the usual special tricks.
A graphic display is not high on my list, because I am usually too tuned into watching what I am doing, and letting the scorp whisper to me what the geology around me is doing. Also, having briefly used MXTs and GMTs.. I have a hard time seeing the display in bright sun. I have a hard time seeing period.
A real automatic ground balance system in all modes might be nice, but only if it could be totally switched out when necessary AND the manual ground balance is kept... and maybe improved. In any case, I want to retain the option to bias the ground balance.to my own taste and positive or negative as needed.
I have used Goldbugs and Goldbug 2s, and they really are fine machines, but do not fit my prospecting style, they run into ground trouble in many places I go -so the scorp is my go-to machine.
The scorp does 95 percent of the work, the Falcon makes up for (and exceeds) the talent the Goldbugs have that the scorp lacks in sniffing out the "small stuff", and in a better form-factor than a Goldbug.
Anyway, maybe everyone on this forum could get together and make a group letter to send to Garrett to coax them into doing a run of the discontinued coils and maybe even get them to update the Scorpion?? What does everyone think a Scorpion II should have?
I've had my scorp since 1993, and it was one of the first version 2 Scorpions with the 10 turn ground balance control.
I use it 95 percent for prospecting, in Arizona and Washington State.
Like many scorp users, I use it a lot for evaluating a matrix, finding black sand, high grading and the like. It is super for meteorites too.
I nugget shoot with it too, but honestly... now days if stuff is around the scorp can barely detect, I just bulk process with typical equipment (pan, sluce, drywash, gold rake..etc) Who wants to spend any serious time digging a hole to chase a milligram nugget? I am getting to the point that I have only so many deep holes left in me, and every time I have to bend down, my bones make a new 'creak'. I do use a Falcon to pinpoint and check moss, holes, strata of gravel left by ancient rivers, cracks in bedrock, etc., for microscopic gold, but usually all this is in service of finding pay streaks to bulk process with the usual equipment. Except when I am lazy, and only feel like sniping.
The Scorpion, like me, getting older... but it is still a very capable, versatile machine.
If only it would find gold nuggets levitating in the air at hand height... it would be perfect.
But the perfect is the enemy of the good I suppose, so realistically:
I really wish Garrett would add on a few features to the scorp, without taking any it has now away.
First, bring back all the original coils for the scorp. My 4 1/2" coil did NOT survive a boulder hit.
An option (and the coils) to switch between 15 and 40-70 Khz would be nice, but keep the 15 khz "groundhog", don't just make another Goldbug 2 or GMT/GMZ. Both 15khz and ~40+ Mhz freq's are necessary if you ask me.
A VCO option would be nice too, (I can pick up on pitch changes easier than volume changes now) as would notch discrimination, although that would be a benefit mostly in trash areas (more and more common) -and for coin/relic shooters. Actually, I usually do not use discrimination normally, except for the usual special tricks.
A graphic display is not high on my list, because I am usually too tuned into watching what I am doing, and letting the scorp whisper to me what the geology around me is doing. Also, having briefly used MXTs and GMTs.. I have a hard time seeing the display in bright sun. I have a hard time seeing period.
A real automatic ground balance system in all modes might be nice, but only if it could be totally switched out when necessary AND the manual ground balance is kept... and maybe improved. In any case, I want to retain the option to bias the ground balance.to my own taste and positive or negative as needed.
I have used Goldbugs and Goldbug 2s, and they really are fine machines, but do not fit my prospecting style, they run into ground trouble in many places I go -so the scorp is my go-to machine.
The scorp does 95 percent of the work, the Falcon makes up for (and exceeds) the talent the Goldbugs have that the scorp lacks in sniffing out the "small stuff", and in a better form-factor than a Goldbug.
Anyway, maybe everyone on this forum could get together and make a group letter to send to Garrett to coax them into doing a run of the discontinued coils and maybe even get them to update the Scorpion?? What does everyone think a Scorpion II should have?
