New Scorp compared to older Scorp

[Mad-Medic]

Hello, Well this is my first post so I would like to say a little about myself as well as ask a couple question. I am a retired Firefighter/Medic, Tactical Medic, Air-Search and Rescue USAF aux. ( well forced retirement due to moving to California) I live in Northern California now but am originally from Kentucky (Tenn. Valley area). Well my first question is I started detecting back in the mid 80's yep I am OLD... I had a friend that always let me use his orginal scorp. it had the coax GB controls. Now how does the new compare to the old scorps. I have been considering another possible detector as well maybe the Infinium however I have no experience with the PI type detectors. Any input would be a help. Lastly my next question is since I live up in NorCal close to Mendicino Forest (I want to due nugget hunting) is there anyone from the forum thats in my area or someone that has hunted the elusive shinny stuff that can offer some advise on where would be a good start in that area or maybe would like to team hunt sometime?

Thanks
Ron

 

[John-Edmonton]

http://www.findmall.com/list.php?62

"The Infinium does have some discrimination characteristics. It's not like an accumulative type or notch found on VLF type detectors. In fact, the Infinium is entirely different then any other type of detector. What the Infinium can do as far as discrimination is concerned, is give a tone HIGH-LOW for iron, aluminum and gold. It also gives off a LOW-HIGH signal for silver, copper and again iron. So iron and other junk is always the wild card in both types of signals, as it is a Pulse Induction type of detector. However, the Infinium also comes with an iron check, which again helps with getting a better probability of what type (iron or not?) target it is. Now the Infinium has a bit of a learning curve, and if you are new to metal detecting and lack basic theory on how the machines operate, don't buy one. It will be a lesson in frustration for you.

Now having said that, other little techniques are on your learning curve to be discovered. For instance, the smoothness/roughness of the tone gives a hint as to whether it is an iron rusted target or not. The "Sustain" length of time that the Infinium gives after reading a target gives you a hint as to its size. The Infinium gives a double bleep on bobby pins and wire. So......if you only want to dig gold, only dig the HIGH-LOW signals. That removes a lot of signals that you can leave in the ground. Also, use the iron check, which even cuts out more targets. If you want to dig mostly coins, including old deep silver, dig only the LOW-HIGH signals. Again....use the iron check.

Is the Infinium the holy grail of detectors? No it isn't. It's a PI and loves iron, like all PI's. Iron can not be discriminated out like a VLF detector. But it goes DEEP! It must be ground balanced and a proper frequency must be picked for maxamum performance. I have pulled rings out at over 14 inches with a nice strong signal. It is one of (if not the) deepest machines available. It was designed to get gold in some of the highest mineralized soils in the world. It works in all salt water/beach environments and is water proof too.

Is it a good coin shooter? Perhaps, but only in areas where there are few targets. It's not practical for park environments, as it picks up all metals, even those that your VLF will miss. I have had some success using it in the woods, digging only the LOW-HIGH signals. It should also perform well at relic hunting too.

Where it worked best for me was in hunted out beaches where most of the targets had been removed. The best beach hunters dig ALL targets. The Infinium isn't for everyone, and is not a do it all detector. But if you give it the time it deserves to learn it properly, and use it in its proper environment, it is a killer. I have my best gold ring year ever in 15 years using this machine."

 

[Mad-Medic]

Hello, Thanks for a very good description of the Infinium. I am going to think very hard about getting one. It would mainly be used as a nugget shooter in Northern California and Nevada. I think I will most likely get both a VLF like the Scorpion and save up and get an Infinium. Have to sell off one of my firearms first to be able get the infinium.....lol

Thanks
Ron

 

[metalhead]

Welcome to the forum!This is a wonderful community and a great place to share info!
The current Scorpion has a ten turn ground balance knob as opposed to the older style coaxial which was a sixteen turn outer knob which moved the inner knob around once, or you could just click the inner knob around to make greater ground adjustments faster. Other than that everything is the same. It's the exact same circuit. I have one of each, an older and a newer model.
As far as places to prospect in your area, you have an almost unlimited amount of gold bearing acerage in your general vicinity. I was lookin' on the geocommunicator.gov website map and there are a few placer and lode claims right there in the Mendocino NF. I'd check with the ranger station to make sure it's alright to prospect there. We (wifey & me) have a couple hundred acres of gold claims in the Stanislaus NF right near Yosemite NP. Now, you know, you can't(by law)bring a metal detector into a National Park. It's a felony. You can do some gold panning. etc. National Forests are okay to metal detect in. Always make sure. You need to submit a "Notice of Intent" to area ranger station to let them know when, where and how you will be prospecting in the NF. If I were you, I would check to see if there are any gold prospecting/treasure hunting clubs in your area and join. Alot of them have gold claims and will allow members to prospect and keep whatever gold they find. The GPAA(Gold Prospectors Association of America)is a really good group. We have been members for a number of years. It's like fifty bucks a year to be a member and they have gold claims all over the country that members are allowed to prospect in and keep whatever gold they find. You can also camp in (most) of the claims(no hook ups). They put out a claims guide annually that has descriptions of their gold claims as well as topo maps and directions/member reports, etc.
Best of luck to ya!Happy Hunting!

P.S.
Make sure you don't do any claim jumping. It's a crime and a good way to get yourself shot.

 

[James02]

Welcome to the forum, Metalheads suggestions are right on. Another group in the area is the East Bay Prospectors, they have a meeting on Wednesday and two outings this weekend.

http://eastbaygpaa.webs.com/

 

[Mad-Medic]

Hello, Thanks for the good advise. I had already planned to gather all the info I could about any possible claims up there. I only plan to detect on NF land, other than my local parks and such. Has anybody ever detected along the sacramento river? I am talking about fishing areas and beaches. I wish there was some clubs closer to me. I am about an hour south of Redding.

Thanks
Ron

 

[bearkat4160]

The 1872 Mining law of the USA is your permit to prospect in the NF unless the area has been withdrawn from mineral entry. Most has not. Dont let the USFS tell you different.

I talked to a ranger the other day and they were harrassing me about mining in the NF. They said they dont have any authority about recreational mining. I said..I'm a not recreatinonal miner. I do this for a living. They said "good answer".

End of conversation, I went back to mining.

Alan