STILL LEARNING THE SCORP

[KevinH]

Well It has been a while now since I received the Scorp. I did go out and use it where a young girl lost her gold ring at a soccer field. I did recover some items (3 Quarters, foil galore, nail, 2 dimes, 1 nickel, 3 penny's, copper connector and a silver small locket) its a great machine. No joke though is getting the time to learn it, 100 hours they recommend, I can see it.

I have set up a test bed in my yard (nail, coke tab, small silver ladies ring, small ladies gold ring, quarter, dime, penny, nickel), spaced about 18 inches apart, I do not have grass, looks just like the desert I am in. I disc out to just below "7". Nail is cut out, Tab still hits but soft and also does not hit all the time, All the coins plus gold & silver ring hits. They are buried approx 4". Right above Disc 7, Nail out, Tab out, small gold out. Coins and silver still hit, including the nickel.

Still trying to get used to the all metal mode. Before I venture into the desert looking for a gold nugget I want to at least have an idea on what I will need to do (ground balancing etc etc). The machine though is really powerful/sensitive. I tried a couple of pickers I have in a plastic bottle and it picked them up. Not loud but it did pick them up, when I waved them across the top/bottom of the coil, almost touching. Now these pickers are the size of a match head, maybe even smaller.

Additionally, since I am used to the 2500, there are the distinctive target sounds. The target sounds are similar to the 2500 if you really listen. You can almost tell what your digging. Then again I will not trust my ears for a while till I really know the machine, and will dig everything. Will be taking the machine out over the Thanksgiving Weekend in the desert and see how it performs. By then I should have a basic knowledge of ground balancing etc. I will post some pics later of my finds. Happy hunting to everyone.

 

[murfar1]

Best of luck to you in the desert and thanks for the very interesting post. I've only got about 35 hours with my Scorp and of course still learning it. I usually hunt in the A/M mode and then go to disc when I get a beep (using the default setting). If the signal disappears, I pass it up. I think using the A/M mode gives me a lot better idea of what the different tones are so I can compare them. My finds sound pretty similar to your's. No gold except a fake gold bracelet and fake gold charm from a charm bracelet. I'm sure if I walk over any gold, the Scorp will pick it up. I AM picking up a lot more nickels than I did with the 250 though which is good. I've played with the G/B a little but far from learning it. Actually I don't think I need it in this area as haven't noticed any falsies. Everytime I get a signal there's always a target down there good or bad. I might try jacking up the disc a little like you have as I always seem to get more than a fair share of pull tabs. From what you've said, that shouldn't disc out any of the good targets.

 

[KevinH]

Mufar1, thanks for the offer of luck. I am still doing allot of trial and error to really know the machine. The way I look at it, is the better I get the more I dig. Which could be a good thing, bad thing, or hopefully a wonderful thing when I get my first nugget. when i do take it out to the desert I will have along their trusty book for GB and hot rocks. It sounds good but again the learning curve. I have seen allot of people using the Mine lab whiz bang machine. They are always picking up a nugget. I can't see paying $5G's though for something that could also be picked up with the Scorp. The way i look at it is, the better i get the more I pick up. Who knows the ones they missed I may pick up. Time will tell. Additionally, if you have any pointers let me know. Currently I have about 30 hours using it. So the curve is there. Have a good day and good luck with your treasure hunting. Kevin

 

[murfar1]

I hear what you're saying about the 5G's Kevin and every write-up and appraisal I've ever read on the Scorpion by EXPERIENCED users still claim it's one of the best and underrated gold-getters out there. You've got the right machine and sounds like you're going to a place where gold is known to exist. Nothing to stop you now ! You might have read in the manual that Garrett recommends the A/M mode for gold but it also says people have had success using motion/disc also. That may be something you can play around with once you're out there if you're having doubts about getting the G/B right. But guess that's going to depend on the mineralization and how many falsies you're picking up and willing to deal with. But I'm not anyone to be giving out tips. Don't wanta steer you wrong. I'm just as new to the machine as you are.

I'll be looking forward to those pix of your nuggets though. But even if you come up empty, it'll still be a great trip and learning experience and better prepared for the next one. Shux you knows, you may come up with a half-pounder.

James

 

[KevinH]

I can tell you what if i do find a pounder all of garret will know about it. Keep in touch with your experiences too.

 

[John-Edmonton]

And it's good to learn a new detector. Use it often, to the point where you tell the machine with a good probability of what's under the coil, not the other way around.

 

[moondog2000]

I can tell you about the scorp out in the desert prospecting as that is what I do the most with my detectors. Go in all metal no dis. and dig all targets. the scorp seemed impossible to GB when I first got it but on the second day I had it mastered and now its just second nature. Once your balanced you will be aware of the sound of the mineral changing in the soil and usually all it takes is to lift your thumb up and turn the GB a quarter turn , press the retune button and your good to go. when you are in an area like Quartzsite and you have the fever you will master the scorp. Don't let hot rocks freak you out, you will master those also and it is simple, carry some test nuggets glued to poker chips as that is how you buy them say a couple different sizes and throw them on the ground every now and then and you will know what gold sounds sounds like and nothing else sounds like gold. A hot rock sounds different almost a dull kind of beep. some times the rock won't sound when you swing the coil back. you will soon notice most all hot rocks in the area look alike and you will soon be kicking them out of you way. sometimes you will look at the hot rock and it will look interesting, pick it up and take it back to camp to examine it. every time your out prospecting you should come home with a hand full of interesting rocks. that is how I found 3 meteorites as they will sound off and look like no other rock around. If a quartz rock sounds off pick it up as only 2 things will be found in quartz and that is gold or iron. the only other rock I have that has gold in it is ryolite but even then it has quartz nodules in it that must carry the gold. we crush the ryolite up and then pan the gold out, very hard work. you will dig many targets with the scorp like boot tacks,22brass,22bullets,iron nails, tin cans. you will marvel at the depth at which you find things like a boot tack at 10" a small piece of of a bullet jacket at a foot. they say you will need to dig a thousand targets before you find a nugget and that is true.I have not found a nugget yet and that is only because I have not passed over one yet.I also own a GMT and I have not found a nugget with it yet but I do get some real nice flakey gold with my drywasher so I'm happy. Its back to quartzsite this winter and dig more targets hopefully a big nugget