Vista Gold Field Test

Thanks for the "hard" work Tom. Much appreciated (and I'm sure you enjoyed it, hence the "").

What I take from this superficially, at least as a coin hunter, is that the ground mineralization is making a large difference with regards to depth. In Tom's neutral Florida ground the Gold does not get the same depth as in Keith's Terribly bad ground!!! That is a pretty big difference, and all the more shocking given the 25kHz frequency but technology has changed and advancements have clearly been made.

I'd love to see a test in moderate ground (like my ground here in Germany. I see Martin has bad ground though). My bet is that the Smart or even one of their lower frequency machines would do better, as I think another poster mentioned regarding the Relic.

Those extra tones of the GMP seem like it would make all the difference to us coin hunters, especially at sites not hunted out. And don't forget the GMP II with the lower frequency...

Albert

First, I have hardly answered anyone's questions yet.......... as I am merely in the 'documenting' phase.

..........Even though the 'name' ie .... Vista "Gold" or "Gold" Maxx Power (GMP)............ is to implicate they are 'prospecting' units ........... I'm quite certain the intended market was much wider/more broad. In furtherance....... the GMP with its 'coin' tone ( a 3rd tone -high tone- ) makes the unit substantially more marketable as a general purpose unit. In fact, the GMP (and by a large differentiable margin) is the most superior 'old coins' hunter/unit in carpets of nails........ to date. The extra tone available on the GMP (for old coins) quantifies the extra cost....... if you are not a 'exclusive relic hunter'. Due to lack of time....... I have yet to share new discoveries..... in regards to the GMP in a coin hunting capacity.
I am not a prospector........... do not have 'prospecting' areas; however/yet......... I'm in the midst of testing the Vista Gold in a prospect hunting application.......... thanks to forum members of whom supplied me with a 'test-standard' gold nugget.

I took the day off of work yesterday (Thursday) so as to dedicate a 'max depth discovery' day with the Vista Gold. In a nutshell: In low mineralization dirt.......... the Vista Gold is nearly identical in depth performance to the GMP...... in the real-world.
Next.... was to expose the Vista Gold (in a very controlled environment for data validity) to mineralized dirt. This is an area whereby the F75/Explorer/Sov/CZ will ID a clad dime as 'iron' at a depth of 6". Again, the Vista Gold performed nearly identical to the GMP in this fairly bad dirt. Both the GMP and Vista Gold would barely ID a low conductive nickel (and a high conductive clad dime) as 'non-ferrous' at a depth of 9". This may not sound like much........... but this is a tremdous leap in technology.......... whereby no other detector..... regardless of brand..... will do such. This is to include the CTX-3030. ((( I've been asked multiple times ))).

I still (strongly) feel the Vista Gold is a cloaked GMP........ like-item technology.

More to follow............ out of time.

No GMP sales yet in the US, correct?

Just finished 'micro-jewelry' hunting & testing with the Vista Gold. It is not a micro-jewelry hunter. One of the many tests performed: Using a test-standard single post gold earring..... and the Vista Gold will detect the target at less than 1".... with a very broken signal...... to include nearly touching the coil with the test target. Many other micro-jewelry targets were also tested. The GMP has more than twice the performance on micro-jewelry than the Vista Gold...... with just as much electronic stability. Dry sand hunting at a local beach verified bench-test resultant. Interesting how the lower freq GMP is more capable on micro-jewelry.
However; on a 1-gram gold nugget....... the Vista Gold and the GMP are nearly exactly the same performance. Placing the 1-gram sample nugget in a bed of magnetic black dirt...... and the GMP and Vista Gold present nearly identical performance resultant. GMP poses a slightly smoother audio reporting characteristic (of the target.... and the hot dirt); yet, hardly noticeable.

It is my understanding that the wireless headphones for the GMP preclude the unit from selling in the U.S. ,,,,, I prefer to use hardwire headphones.

More Vista Gold testing to commence; Sanford next.
Eric?

Some people have said different yet I have never found the Gold to be no hotter than a 18kHz machine on small gold or even small target's...

I find the Tejon to be the best on the super small earing's and things in my area without going to a dedicated gold hunter...and it's on 17.6 I think....The DEUS and GMP are little behind a HOT Tejon ..tesoros love gold anyway and the Tejon really jumps on the micro stuff well in my dirt...Sometimes too well...its the only machine I can dig buckshot consistantly with ...

I find it to run very stable in iron and that was my concern at first my though process was the 25kHz was going to wreak havoc in nail ridden site's..

I think to get the great reactivity on a pure analog machine required the 25kHz if that makes sense...

I know the GMP is along analog lines but it has alot more digital processing in it than the gold seems to...

The GMP headphone freq is on a freq not allocated here in the U.S. for wireless headphone type scenarios so it wont comply so it cant import...a simple freq change to comply would solve that ...but maybe that u.s. freq is not right for the euro zone?

good info on the Micro Tom...

Whats your F75 do on the Micro gold taregt's?

Keith

Hello. Today I purchased a Vista GOLD.
Pardon me Tom, but this video shows otherwise....to what you said below about performance on micro jewelry.

I'm a show me guy. This is a short, sweet video - it's plain as day - on a single 14k stud earring the Vista GOLD is well over 2"+ in sand. The others I threw in for sh-ts and giggles...

Gold stud test from 2/9.........[www.youtube.com]

Gold nugget .31 gram.....go to 7 minutes...[www.youtube.com]

1 Grain (.07 gram) nugget (now this is micro)...[www.youtube.com]



NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just finished 'micro-jewelry' hunting & testing with the Vista Gold. It is not a micro-jewelry
> hunter. One of the many tests performed: Using a test-standard single post gold earring..... and
> the Vista Gold will detect the target at less than 1".... with a very broken signal...... to include
> nearly touching the coil with the test target.
> Many other micro-jewelry targets were also tested.
> The GMP has more than twice the performance on micro-jewelry than the Vista Gold...... with just
> as much electronic stability. Dry sand hunting at a local beach verified bench-test resultant.
> Interesting how the lower freq GMP is more capable on micro-jewelry.
> However; on a 1-gram gold nugget....... the Vista Gold and the GMP are nearly exactly the same
> performance. Placing the 1-gram sample nugget in a bed of magnetic black dirt...... and the GMP and
> Vista Gold present nearly identical performance resultant. GMP poses a slightly smoother audio
> reporting characteristic (of the target.... and the hot dirt); yet, hardly noticeable.

Loves to detect...if your a prospector, there are better vlf's out there for that purpose. Will it hit good on gold...of course it will.Heck, I knew a guy who used a xlt and know of another who uses a modified Whites idx. I live in the motherload, and prospect a lot. With the exception of a few localized areas, most of the gold we are looking for with vlf is small...subgrain to half gram or so. The one thing the gold is missing that most nuggetshooters would want is a threshold. Next, the coil that I have (8x11 eliptical I believe) is not the best to prospect...look at gold bugs and Gmt...dolid more narrow eliptical or small round...can get into crevices etc. I havent had a chance to compare my gb pro to the vista gold on small grain size pieces yet, I will when I get yhe chance, but my initial thoughts after using the gold relic hunting 8hours the other day, I doubt I will give up the gb pro for nuggetshooting. With that said, I was impressed with the vista, and it doesnt take much time to become comfortable/confident with it. If you hunt relicsI think youll enjoy it. Just my thoughts-Ray

Yes I feel the DTVG is geared for GOLD artifact's like small roman size coins and such.... Fro us relics hunters it loves to jump on cuff size buttons better than any machine I have seen even at depth ...So thats the area its really aiming at..
The GMPs and the DTVG will force you to find more goodies in iron or you wont run it long otherwise...you gotta want to explore to get the most out of them..

I do wish on the GMP the 2 tone mode would of been low/high instead of low/medium....I am more of a black and white hunter yes no is all I want...
The DEUS takes care of that though...

On Micro though,,,,,,,, I think on the first DTVG video I did I metion it does not seem to be exceptionally hot on micro target's in my dirt..

Keith

The Vista Gold and the F75 SE (in boost process) are about the same performance on micro-jewelry.

love2detect.......... you sure are 'exceptionally sensitive' to my findings.

Hey Tom did you check the smaller 5" coil on the micro....


I was thinking I should of sent you the 11 Inch round down to test...it has bad cable but in your dirt it may get the extra inch or 2?

its the stock coil and soes get more depth...but you Knw my way of thinking...I love tight ellipticals for separation...yet it separates well enough...I just like tight elliptical's....LOL!!

I could send it to you in the morning if you think it worthwhile...Just dont stick it in brsuh areas ..grass is allright though pretty smooth like that...

Keith



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2013 03:30AM by Keith Southern.

Hey Keith, you have a Minelab 5000 you need me to test in NoCal..for like the next 9months? Jk

NASA Tom wrote: "love2detect.......... you sure are 'exceptionally sensitive' to my findings."

Got that right.....

Keith....... I did 'attempt' to test the 5" coil on micro-jewelry...... and had about the same performance; however, my lack of confidence in the coil wire has me doubting validity of findings. I had the coil wire heavily taped to the stem with minimal strain-relief. Due to my lack of confidence in this type of cable...... I will 'pass' on the larger coil for testing. Thanks for the offer.

Wish I had a 5000 Ray....

It is on my wish list....

But man have to turn loose of too many toys to get it...

but it might be the ultimate for the funky ground...

waiting on some Whispered coming's in the P.I. department that might make things more affordable..

Only time will tell though...

Keith

Yes Sir Tom!

I find the coil wire too annoying for any real solid info to be gained...

Keith

NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
This may not sound like much........... but this is a
> tremdous leap in technology.......... whereby no
> other detector..... regardless of brand..... will
> do such.

------------

Tom,

Those are strong words. I've hunted in several parts of the US, including the iron belt of northern Virginia, the foothills of Northeast and Southeast, TN, and the areas of northern Georgia down to Atlanta. It SURE takes a different kind of machine to handle those soil types; PI machines do extremely well in it. I just about guarantee that a Whites TDI or Minelab GPX could blast your 9" nickel and dime at your mineralized soil site. And I'm fairly certain the Blisstool could do it as well. My GPX was the most incredible machine I've ever used for raw depth. At its lowest of gain settings and timings, I could get a strong low tone signal (low tone = high conductive target) on a silver dime in red dirt at 9 inches....a feat that most all VLF machines I've used, will register as iron IF they "see" it at all...most do not see it at all.

Just got my long man lower rod installed on my Vista Gold last night. I did have to use and aluminum shim to make it nice and tight. Thanks for the suggestions on that guys. Went out to an old area that both sides camped at in the Civil War and the Revolutionary War today. I had not found anything good at this site the last few times I had been. Only had two hours to hunt before it got dark. Lots of iron on this site. The Gold not only did great at giving iron and good target signals, but on several digs I recovered a good target and an iron target. I came out with one eagle button, one decorative button with 13 stars, the back half of a two piece button, several small caliber shell casings, two small caliber bullets, one buckshot, several small pieces of old cut brass, one partial snake emblem made of brass ( really wish it had all been there), and a brass compact case with a design of someone sitting and reading something, very dark green patina on the case. It has some letters on the case, but can not make it all out. Needs more cleaning. Unfortunately it was hit by a plow and crushed partially To say that I was more than impressed with this machine in my local dirt and heavy iron would be a major understatement. Separation of good targets and bad was second to none for any machine that I have used except maybe my G2, and it (the G2) can not get near the depth on targets in my hunting sites. I am going to be hunting an old Civil War site near Richmond, Va. tomorrow and another private property site near Bentonville, N.C. on Sunday. All different types of soil. I will let you know how it does. Todays site was heavy read clay and lots of iron....Stuart

Tom thanks for each test you are performing as well as Keiths. The response on the multiple frequency machines was just wishful thinking but I appreciate your response to it. I did like Keiths ideas on the Goldbug upgrades. Any chance for that to happen?

Hi Tom...not sensitive at all...

I'm an auditor for my local town. I'm a show me kinda guy.

Our town attorney has a saying he uses a lot: "Let the document speak for itself....."

You can see how that relates to what we do.

Thanks for testing all the machines you test...


NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Vista Gold and the F75 SE (in boost process)
> are about the same performance on micro-jewelry.
>
> love2detect.......... you sure are 'exceptionally
> sensitive' to my findings.

Gold Bug upgrades? = Somewhere between possible-to-probable.

PI in severe mineralization. Yes. Absolutely. However; excessive/prohibitive discrimination hindrance.

Tom -- Interesting observation on the discrimination hindrance. It just opened my mind to things I hadn't really paid attention to before. I've tried a bunch of machines over the years trying to find the ones that work good in those heavily mineralized areas...and my list is very small on those that have accomplished the feat. One thing ALL of them have in common that can do great as far as depth is concerned....is that they aren't good at discrimination. Particularly iron. The pulse machines are exceptional at depth in bad ground but lack discrimination capabilities...the GPX can somewhat null on iron to a degree but not that great at its full depth capacity. The Blisstool is great in bad ground for depth...but the same can be said for it as far as discrimination goes...mediocre at best. The Shadow X5 was also a great contender for decent depth here...but everybody had troubles with digging deep iron with it.

The opposite can be said for machines that are noted for their discrimination capabilities....those that do well in discriminating iron, typically aren't able to detect and correctly report a non ferrous object at more than 4-5 inches or so in this soil. It is even worse in the iron belt of VA....in which a non ferrous object simply covered by loose dirt in your dirt pile will report as iron.

Deep Machines dig deep iron Daniel...Sad but true...


Yet the newer machine's coming onto the market that just decide iron or not ...2 tone ..Are starting to show better I.D. on whether it's iron or not a deeper depth than normal...Yet DEEP larger iron is still dug ...

Keith



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2013 11:36PM by Keith Southern.

With the Deus/GMP...... I never dug a deep nail..... except for deliberate tuition.
With the Vista Gold....... the only deep nails I dug...... were the ones in my 'forced learning-curve' (of which there was not a learning curve.... due to GMP parallel/similarities)............ yet, I knew were deep nails....... so as to verify my (at that time) strong speculation. Whilst hunting with ANY new unit....... it is always good to dig a few hundred 'speculated' deep nails.......... for positive verification (and audio nuance learning-curve tuition).

Sakes alive....I've dug my share. My problem is this, and it makes no matter what unit I'm using: If I get a hi tone, or even a partial hi tone, and it's deep (as far as I can tell)...I'm digging that thang!!!! You know.....just in case it is a good target disguised by a flake of rust. My rare earth magnet, and using it at a site I hunt alot, schooled me much on the presence of them. They don't 'sound off', even with a grunt. But they seem to be like an iron curtain.
I wish that the R&D guys at whichever manufacturer would include rust flakes in their criteria of obstacles to overcome. They likely do.

Certian dirts around here will make a nail sound awesome Kevin..especially the square nails made of pure iron...the ones that do not rust just have that red color to them ...those are the 1820-1860 type nail's,,,those thing's on certian machine's get quite sparky.....especially the f75 will sound of quite well...high gains machines light them up!!

get some of those on a spot that is hunted to death and you will start chasing them for day's LOL!! they give those faint high rings like deep good target's...

Keith

Thanks for the useful information on micro jewelry hunting, Tom. That's obviously what I had in mind when I heard reports and watched videos on the VG. Your results are....at best.....disappointing to those of us who were thinking about pulling the trigger on a newer technology higher-freq detectors soon. I was watching this thread with just that type of hunting in mind. Most of the time, it's the (Troy) X3 or the F75 in all metal which do an admirable job, albeit somewhat a compromise.
Question for you - if your Goldbug 2 was out of the picture, given the difficulty of getting a GMP in the states (I'm more concerned about support than ordering), what you be your recommendations for the very type of micro jewelry hunting mentioned given the current crop of machines available. TIA.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2013 03:27PM by Gary in Daytona.

Hello Gary,
For dry sand detecting...I'd recommend you watch some video and decide for yourself - like I did and just bought the Vista Gold...

[www.youtube.com]

Have a good day. Wish I was in Florida........


Gary in Daytona Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the useful information on micro jewelry
> hunting, Tom. That's obviously what I had in mind
> when I heard reports and watched videos on the VG.
> Your results are....at best.....disappointing to
> those of us who were thinking about pulling the
> trigger on a newer technology higher-freq
> detectors soon. I was watching this thread with
> just that type of hunting in mind. Most of the
> time, it's the (Troy) X3 or the F75 in all metal
> which do an admirable job, albeit somewhat a
> compromise.
> Question for you - if your Goldbug 2 was out of
> the picture, given the difficulty of getting a GMP
> in the states (I'm more concerned about support
> than ordering), what you be your recommendations
> for the very type of micro jewelry hunting
> mentioned given the current crop of machines
> available. TIA.

love2detect...: Wouldn't place a whole lot of emphasis on these videos... Similar as one might on air tests. But you have a great detector there.

Understand these tests are to demonstrate the unmasking capabilities of the detectors but variables come into play. The objects are on top of the ground. Ground mineralization, depth, objects heights, etc.. come into play. What is REAL WORLD? And REAL WORLD test results.

Not knocking any manufacturer at all .. But... a MAJOR variable is coil design/size. DT has in my opinion a superior coil as demonstrated in these tests. If one was able to put that same coil (design/size) on the XP (either Deus or GMP) I'd bet the resultant would be the same. These tests are biased in my opinion.

Be sure and pay attention to what Tom says..... I believe this thread is meant for Vista Gold Field Test that he started...

Love to detect...your talking microjewrly and the vista barely hits on the one grain...not impressive for that use...plus the guy making the videos is the same guy trying to sell the vista.

When I hunt the beaches that I hunt , I'm looking for rings , bracelets , basically larger gold ......If I find earings or fine linked chains , that works too , but would much rather find th larger rings ..... When I found a small backing or whatever you call the thing that holds a post earing , hunting in a Park yesterday , I was pretty darn impressed with the Vista Gold !!.....There were other tiny objects that rang out loud and clear too that were not Gold , but tiny just the same and they were ringing out at 4-6" down !!...... This earing piece was only about the size of a BB !!.....Thing detector is gonna make me have to go out and buy a new pair of glasses !!.....How much smaller do you guys want a machine to be able to hunt ? ........ I did not even have the boost feature on !!........ Again too , finding both targets ringing out when I found a rusty nail about 3" or so away from a quarter and at different elevations was what made me smile even more !!..... YMMV , but I'm happy with my machine .....and the telling synth tones it produces ....Went back to the park today, and still very much overwhelmed with the tiney targets that I was finding ....I am now in tune with the sizing of these targets , but I am still learning this machine , and I want to confirm my guesswork with the actual dig .....I did dig an older penny that had a nice tone to it ......I knew right away it was a coin .....Still have to get use to sizing the coins ......All in good time ...It's nice to have a machine that sizes objects in a detailed way .....Soon I will know the coin by the sound of the size of it , rather than having to rely on a meter ...... I'm still wondering how they made this detector to deal with masking as well as it does ......?????.....Jim

One thing I have yet to figure out is how a machine can do better in highly mineralized soil than it can do in low mineralized soil ..... It's always worked the opposite for me ..... I'm gonna have to do some traveling to find that one out ........Thanks, Jim