Looks like I'm an F70 owner

[shadowulf]

While trying to find a detector on fleabay, I through a bid on a demo f70, and won.

So, I need some info on what works and what doesn't.
Headphones: How well do CalRads work on the f70?
Being I will be in the desert, can "earbud type" of headphones work well?

Coils: I plan on doing a little nugget hunting with the f70. What coils will do best? Will the 4x6 be up to it or should I look at the 5" more seriously?
On the large coils, how does the 5x10 DD compare to the stock 10" conc?

Probes/pinpointers: should I just find a propointer or go for the sunray probe? I have a terrible history of dropping/leaving things behind. I figure the sunray might help with that.

And any tips for learning the machine would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[WV62]

Can't answer all your questions but I can for sure tell you that the little 6" elliptical will be most sensitivity to any small gold, but it is not know for a lot depth.

Now for gold a little on the larger sizes I would stay with the 10" concentric, I tested both the 11"DD and 10" concentric on gold jewelry and the 10" was the clear winner.

I ran a F75 for about 3 years and in the hot weather I use ear buds, but it required 1/8" to 1/4" adapter. If you go that way get a good adapter.

Ron in WV

 

[mudpuppy]

Well this ought to be interesting! You stay in touch and let us know in case we ever get the chance to swing for nuggets...did you see that big 1.4 oz nugget just posted today up on the CTX site? Pretty sure the F70 would have grabbed that one! I dont have any coil answers for you, but I think some fellows set up to find things like small split shots or some small lead bb's? Its an easy rig to get hunting with, though there are a lot of parameters a guy can fool with, I would assume you will be hunting in Allmetal (AT) disc is 0, single tone...for starters?
Mud

 

[shadowulf]

As for nugget hunting. I think I'll go with the old "medium to small DD and AT" method until someone tells me different. Should I use a "gold detector"? Yes, but the F70 is what I have until I can get one.

I already know most of my hunting will be C&J, and maybe some relic hunting if I go somewhere that its legal ( in this state, touch a relic= go to jail). But I bring up gold hunting because I live and work near some of the better nugget-hunting in the west. And Fisher Labs seems to think that the F70 can do it. So I'll try it.

I have gone through many of REVIER's, NASA-Tom's and your posts about the F70/75. I will be looking at more until the F70 arrives.
Then the real fun begins.

I already have read that F70 can be chirpy and sometimes frustrating to learn. I'm okay with that. What I was hoping for was a little guidance to what work and what doesn't.

 

[shadowulf]

I found my answers for gold hunting from some articles and postings by Dave J and Steve Herschbach.
Looks like a couple DD coils will be on my wish list.

Steve's settings on his F75se can probably be mimicked on the F70. He used what sounds to be a basic setup and relied more on experience and thorough technique.
He used Discrim in a certain situation that sounds similar to a few places I plan to hunt. I hope that delta pitch will work well for my old ears.
Also, if the AT on the F70 acts the same as the F75se, I could be chasing other MDers though old mine dumps.
Hopefully, picking up what they left behind.

I'm going to try some tweaks to the GB using the frequency shift.
According to the manual, the GB should be redone after using the frequency shift. The GB may be shifted off "optimal".
If it turns out to be somewhat consistent and controlable, in the right situation, it might be helpful.


I'm getting kinda excited. I may have stumble into a machine that fits my needs better than what I was looking for.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

..... and maybe some relic hunting if I go somewhere that its legal ( in this state, touch a relic= go to jail).

What state "in the west" are you referring to? And where did you get this information that you can't find a "relic" ? Do you have a source or link that says such a thing?

A quick look at any west state's md'ing "finds" forums will show that we are finding "relics" all the time.. And not just on private land, but on various forms of public land (barring, of course, obvious historic sensitive monuments). So pray-tell, where are you getting your information?

 

[shadowulf]

NEVADA STATE ANTIQUITIES LAW OF 1959
♦ Requires a permit for archaeological investigations on State land.
♦ Permits can only be issued to qualified archaeologists.
♦ The Director of the State of Nevada Museums is responsible for administering the law.
♦ Enforcement of the law is conducted by the Division of State Parks, the Nevada Highway Patrol, Sheriffs and other peace officers

And being that 85% of the state is federal land

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES PROTECTION ACT OF 1979 (ARPA)
♦ Protects sites on Federal land.
♦ Strengthens the American Antiquities Act of 1906
♦ Defines archaeological/cultural resources as any material remains of past human life or activities that are at least 100 years old and of archaeological interest.
♦ Requires Federal permits for their excavation and/or removal. ♦ Requires confidentiality of site locations.
♦ Encourages cooperation with other parties to improve protection and preservation.
♦ Established felony violations for any disturbance resulting in over $500 in damage. Includes disturbing sites and collecting artifacts/arrowheads.
♦ First time offenders can be fined up to $100,000 and imprisoned for up to one year.
♦ Second time felony offenders can be fined up to $250,000 and imprisoned for up to 5 years.
♦ Section 7 of ARPA enables Federal or Indian authorities to prosecute violators using civil fines, either in conjunction with or independent of any criminal prosecution
♦ Section 8 (b) of the statute allows the court or civil authority to use forfeiture of vehicles and equipment used in the violation of the statute as another means of punishment against convicted violators. (See Appendix V for a case study of the violation of historic preservation law pertaining to archaeological resources)

There's more if you would like me to post them.
Now granted, they can't be everywhere. And Nevada is the 7th largest state in the country. But all it takes is one goody two shoed tree hugging freak with a cellphone to make for a bad day.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Shadowulf, a few points of clarification here: The first part you've posted would only apply to state lands. And I might point out to you that ....... so too does every single state invariably have some form of "cultural heritage" wording. But that in actual practice, as long as you're not snooping around obvious historic monuments ....... well .. For example: so too does CA have such verbage. But you can hunt state of CA beaches till you're blue in the face, and no one cares. I guess not enough people have gone asking questions, or seeking clarification. (and yes, we find old coins. At least when mother nature is eroding down to older sand during storms )

And as for the federal stuff (arpa), it has often been argued that arpa specifically exempts bullets and coins. Now I know that can be debated, because if you read in context, a purist archie can interpret that as meaning coins or bullets ....... that aren't in an archaeological context. Doh! Nonetheless, the exemption is there. And when you think of it shadowulf, even if you take a litteral reading of it, and worry that perhaps archies are lurking behind every tree waiting to pounce: That as long as what you're finding isn't old (50 yrs. or whatever criteria someone thinks that is), then you haven't violated this anyways! So presto, you're not finding anything old, ARE YOU ? (didn't you loose your wedding ring there last week?). Or if you're really worried, then put the coins older than 1964 back in the hole. I mean seriously, were you planning on going at high noon wearing neon orange in big crowds? The last I saw, it was as you said: Nevada is humongous empty nothingness. With scores of little abandoned places way back in the middle of nowhere. If you can cite an example of someone who touched a relic and then "went to jail", I'd like to hear it. My hunch is, that any stories of such a thing happening, are either someone who can't take a warning, or someone snooping around obvious sensitive protected monuments, or night-sneaking something sacred, etc....

But for the middle of nowhere? And nothing you've cited touches county lands, city lands, or private lands, which rarely have anything that addresses this. Nor does what you're saying have anything to do with private lands.

 

[shadowulf]

links to detecting laws in Nevada

And as for "county land" , that is under the local juridiction.

Sorry, I'm wrong. I've just been rockhounding, fossil collecting and taking geologic field trips in this state since I moved from California. Which was 20 odd years ago.

And do you know what lands are "culturally sensitive"?
We have mountains here that the local tribal councils consider sacred. But the B.I.A. doesn't recognize.

You wanted to know why I said "touch a relic=goto jail". Maybe because I've been there. I do this as a hobby. A way to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Not to be harassed by state and federal agencies. I deal with the BLM on occassion. They sometimes act like they have more power than they probably do. Do you wish to spend your free time time fighting a complaint, or would you rather go somewhere and detect. I'm more for detecting.

That being said. I also plan on joining a club or two to help protect the areas that are still legal to hunt in. And hopefully open more areas that are questionable now.

 

[shadowulf]

I'm still kicking around the idea of a sunray probe. Anyone have any experiance, good or bad, they would care to share?

And I've read some about the NEL coils. They DO interest me. The Sharpshooter(9.5"x5.5") and the Hunter(12.5"x8.5") hit a good size for nuggets and a useful sized DD coil for open areas. Any input on how they work for the F75/F70 would be appreciated.

 

[shadowulf]

The F70 arriveed in great shape. It the first 10 minutes of running it through its paces, it came up with a '79 penny. So its apparently working fine. I still have to update my local permit. But close to there is one of the older parks here. I may have a run at later today.