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GTI 1500.....Beach Detectors?
- Thread starter cc8137
- Start date
SteveP(NH)
New member
I've been using a GTI-1500 for several years and while I think it is a great coin shooter I have found that it isn't the greatest beach machine at least if you want to find gold. Sure you can find all the clad you want with it but unfortunately gold and salt water wetted sand look very similar to it and most other single frequency VLF machines. So when you turn on salt elimination you are also turning on gold elimination.
I got the best result with my 1500 by using the 10x14 DD coil with it, leaving salt elimination turned off and then backing off sensitivity.
However even running the machine in that configuration wasn't that great compared to some other machines I have since used. I had been using a Minelab Explorer XS which works great in wetted sand as it has a lot more depth and rings up gold loud and clear plus it still has target ID but the darn thing is so heavy it wears out my shoulder and I can't hunt for as long as I want.
I just picked up a used DetectorPro Headhunter PI which has amazing depth. I've only been out once with it so far but what I found it is has amazing depth - I hit a bobby pin at 14 inches and it rang up so loud and clear I think it would have picked it up if it had been several inches deeper. However the PI unit has no discrimination and no target ID so you have to just dig every beep. On the other hand all of the electronics are in the headphones and so the coil and rod are very light so I can swing them all day. Its also a battery pig as it goes through 2 9 volts every 8 or so hours.
I think I might sell my Explorer XS and that Headhunter PI (jury is still out on it) and try and pick up a used Garrett Infinium which uses the PI technology but does have some target ID and discrimination. However it might be too heavy for me too so I want to give that Headhunter PI a few more hunts before I make any decisions about what beach hunter to use.
So to sum up - you can use that 1500 at the salt water beaches but you'll be leaving some good targets behind if you do, at least that has been my experience.
I got the best result with my 1500 by using the 10x14 DD coil with it, leaving salt elimination turned off and then backing off sensitivity.
However even running the machine in that configuration wasn't that great compared to some other machines I have since used. I had been using a Minelab Explorer XS which works great in wetted sand as it has a lot more depth and rings up gold loud and clear plus it still has target ID but the darn thing is so heavy it wears out my shoulder and I can't hunt for as long as I want.
I just picked up a used DetectorPro Headhunter PI which has amazing depth. I've only been out once with it so far but what I found it is has amazing depth - I hit a bobby pin at 14 inches and it rang up so loud and clear I think it would have picked it up if it had been several inches deeper. However the PI unit has no discrimination and no target ID so you have to just dig every beep. On the other hand all of the electronics are in the headphones and so the coil and rod are very light so I can swing them all day. Its also a battery pig as it goes through 2 9 volts every 8 or so hours.
I think I might sell my Explorer XS and that Headhunter PI (jury is still out on it) and try and pick up a used Garrett Infinium which uses the PI technology but does have some target ID and discrimination. However it might be too heavy for me too so I want to give that Headhunter PI a few more hunts before I make any decisions about what beach hunter to use.
So to sum up - you can use that 1500 at the salt water beaches but you'll be leaving some good targets behind if you do, at least that has been my experience.
2 things you can do with the Infinium. 1) Mount the control box under the cuff. This counterweights the coil and, while still having to lug the works around, it like swinging a Whit'es detector. 2) Hip/chestmount the detector. It's as easy as that. Now all you ave to swing is the coil and control rod.
As an aside, how small of a target (low conductive gold) can you detect with the Explorer? When testing the Infinium, I could pick up a ~4grain (NOT GRAM) gold nugget with the stock DD coil. ..Willy.
As an aside, how small of a target (low conductive gold) can you detect with the Explorer? When testing the Infinium, I could pick up a ~4grain (NOT GRAM) gold nugget with the stock DD coil. ..Willy.
SteveP(NH)
New member
willy said:
Hey Willy,
thanks for the tips on the Infinium control box mounting. I'll definitely keep that in mind when considering getting one.
As far as the Explorer and gold - I've never taken it nugget hunting. I live in south east New Hampshire and so mostly just hunt around here and some in north east Massachusetts. The only place I know of where you can find any naturally occurring gold at all in New Hampshire is in the Ammonoosuc River in the White Mountains in northern New Hampshire - but its all dust so you have to pan it.
The only gold I find is ear rings and rings at the beaches, where we all hunt up here during the winter when the ground is all froze up. After a good Nor'Easter has stripped off some sand you can find 75 or more folks out with their machines in just 10 miles of beaches. Things get picked over pretty quick but I hit the beaches any ways as I can't stand going all winter without detecting.
Uncle Willy
New member
You can body mount te Infinium.
Bill
Bill
Uncle Willy
New member
Yours probably has the mineral chip.
Bill
Bill
Steve: I come down to NH and Maine to hit the beaches in the summer. I would like to come and join the fun in the winter, especially after a noreaster. Do you have any particular way to moniter the effect on the beaches when a storm has passed by? I have used the live beach cams for Florida, but I don't think there is anything similar for the Northeast. Thanks.
SteveP(NH)
New member
Bernie said:
Hey Bernie,
I find watching the local TV news and weather reports gives the best info. However here are a few links which are helpful too.
Hampton Beach web cam (live video) excellent way to watch the waves- http://www.hamptonbeach.org/webcam.cfm
North Beach web cam - http://66.241.217.16/webcam/thewall.jpg
NOAA Atlantic wave heights and period forecast model - http://www.stormsurf.com/page2/links/atlawam.shtml
There really isn't much other choice for detecting up here in winter since the ground is frozen hard as concrete so I mostly head out no matter what as long as it isn't snowing and I'm not working.
Steve
Steve: From the Beach Detecting forum: http://www.stormsurf.com/ is a great site for predicting detecting conditions. There's a tab just for wave intervals that, when combined with wind, current and wave height info, can make it easier to decide if a particular day off would be better served detecting or catching up on the honey do list. I know, I know...EVERY day is better served detecting than honey doing. But experience has shown me that too many detecting days without some bling for mamma makes for not much "daddy doing"...So I try to predict good conditions and jump then.