A
Anonymous
Guest
Well I have well over a hundred hours in using the GQ here in AZ. I average 12 hours out when we go hunting and that sometimes is twice a week.
In order to make an opinion that has some validity and repeatability I will restrict observations to that which can be consitently repeated in the field.
The most popular question I got was nugget detecting size...as in how small.
Basically I can get nuggets from 3.5 grains and up in size 100% of the time in almost any soil. Below that size it is highly variable. below 2 grains in size it is not repeatable enough to worth mentionaing...and 1 grain and under forget it.
I have tried 4 different coil setups....2 mono and 2 DD. The DD is absolutely needed to hunt with any expectations of long term fun. It is possible to hunt with the 11" mono....especially in iron sand in creeks beds....as this is where the unit shines. It will hunt these areas that VLF's just can't handle.
The ground that gives the unit fits is lighter colored soil.....either volcanic or just plain dirt....either one can be a pain. The reason is that although the ground is not always noisy the rocks that seam to be in this ground just react so much that one has to spend too much time analyzing them and kicking them aside.
this seems to be soil related and not rock related...put the same rock in highly mineralized black sand and bedrock...such as out desert creek beds...and the unit has far less issues.
The bottom line here is that to me...the unit is best described as a creek runner...and man it rocks at this. When i get out of the dry creeks and get up on the slopes is where poop happens. here is where I swap back to a VLF.
Concerning the Mods....the only one that is desperately needed for nugget shooting is the DD mod. The rest are nice but not needed for succes and fun. The 2 filter mod will help with hotrocks but does not help with the lighter soil issues. Again in lighter soil a DD helps immensely.
Some sort of ground balancing system is needed to bring the GQ to a level that would make it an every day nugget shooter for the vast majority of people. I have tried other PI's with a ground compensating sytem and the GQ could use something...most people will just have a hard time adapting to the current Gb setup.
Overall it is a very good machine but cannot be counted on to handle gold prospecting situations greater than 50% of the time. As a unit to compliment a VLF it is a great choice. But one cannot expect the versatility you would get in a GP extreme or newer SD series....again just due to the ground balancing problems.
I will say that once nuggets get to about a gram in size and up...I can keep up in depth with my friends GP extreme...if coil sizes remain the same of course.
Also the GQ does not suffer the interference issues the GP's do...the GQ is very quiet regarding outside elctrical noise...unles your hunting bud sneaks behind with his GP and an 18" coil...messes with your head.
So that is that from my side of the users opinion. No one says my opinion should be taken as anything more than just that...an opinion. However most should have an idea of what to expect from a GQ.
Scott
In order to make an opinion that has some validity and repeatability I will restrict observations to that which can be consitently repeated in the field.
The most popular question I got was nugget detecting size...as in how small.
Basically I can get nuggets from 3.5 grains and up in size 100% of the time in almost any soil. Below that size it is highly variable. below 2 grains in size it is not repeatable enough to worth mentionaing...and 1 grain and under forget it.
I have tried 4 different coil setups....2 mono and 2 DD. The DD is absolutely needed to hunt with any expectations of long term fun. It is possible to hunt with the 11" mono....especially in iron sand in creeks beds....as this is where the unit shines. It will hunt these areas that VLF's just can't handle.
The ground that gives the unit fits is lighter colored soil.....either volcanic or just plain dirt....either one can be a pain. The reason is that although the ground is not always noisy the rocks that seam to be in this ground just react so much that one has to spend too much time analyzing them and kicking them aside.
this seems to be soil related and not rock related...put the same rock in highly mineralized black sand and bedrock...such as out desert creek beds...and the unit has far less issues.
The bottom line here is that to me...the unit is best described as a creek runner...and man it rocks at this. When i get out of the dry creeks and get up on the slopes is where poop happens. here is where I swap back to a VLF.
Concerning the Mods....the only one that is desperately needed for nugget shooting is the DD mod. The rest are nice but not needed for succes and fun. The 2 filter mod will help with hotrocks but does not help with the lighter soil issues. Again in lighter soil a DD helps immensely.
Some sort of ground balancing system is needed to bring the GQ to a level that would make it an every day nugget shooter for the vast majority of people. I have tried other PI's with a ground compensating sytem and the GQ could use something...most people will just have a hard time adapting to the current Gb setup.
Overall it is a very good machine but cannot be counted on to handle gold prospecting situations greater than 50% of the time. As a unit to compliment a VLF it is a great choice. But one cannot expect the versatility you would get in a GP extreme or newer SD series....again just due to the ground balancing problems.
I will say that once nuggets get to about a gram in size and up...I can keep up in depth with my friends GP extreme...if coil sizes remain the same of course.
Also the GQ does not suffer the interference issues the GP's do...the GQ is very quiet regarding outside elctrical noise...unles your hunting bud sneaks behind with his GP and an 18" coil...messes with your head.
So that is that from my side of the users opinion. No one says my opinion should be taken as anything more than just that...an opinion. However most should have an idea of what to expect from a GQ.
Scott