Question for Reg,Bill and Eric

[Anonymous]

Gentlemen,
I was wondering if the identity of iron could be found out by sweeping the frequency control of the Goldquest from one end to the other?
If you were to set a small nugget a foot away from a nail and were to change the frequency from one end to the other, wouldn't you be able to distinguish the gold from the iron?
I've never owned a PI, just VLF detector so pardon me for my igorance.
Thanks much. Reg, I know you've been swinging your Goldquest in AZ for nuggets, what's been your experience?
Randy Seden

 

[Anonymous]

Randy,
One can with the Goldquest SS use reverse discrimination, and tell gold jewelry from iron. The deeper the target the more reliable the ID becomes. I have found that on surface targets the iron tends to overload the unit sometimes making ID

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Randy,
I have added a switch that allows me to quickly change the delay from a minimum setting to a maximum setting that I use very frequently, so I seldom adjust the frequency (delay) control.
Now, with that in mind, I can say that using the delay as a means of discrimination on a PI isn't perfect, but it sure is better than nothing.
What I have found is, normally a small to medium size gold nugget will not cause a signal when the delay is maximum. However, there are exceptions. For example, I have one 1/4 oz nugget that will give me a response, but it is a much weaker signal. My other test nuggets ranging from a few grain to almost 1/2 oz, will not produce a signal with the delay at maximum.
On the flip side, small iron objects such as a small piece of wire like that used in a steel cable, a rusty shoe tack, or even a piece of an old tin can may not cause an audio response with the delay at maximum.
Larger pieces of iron such as nails, washers, nuts, bolts, etc normally will give off a reasonably strong to very strong response regardless of where the delay is set.
So, overall, having owned and used several different VLF gold detectors, I think the accuracy of the discrimination on the PI is comparable.
In a nutshell, I do rely on this form of discrimination on the PI quite a bit. Normally, I will dig all targets anyway. The exceptions are when I am in a junk infested area, or extremely tired at the end of the day. Even then, if I notice that the response of the target is still audible with the delay at maximum, but the signal level is down considerably, I will dig the target.
I hope this helps.
Reg