SDC 2300--

First topic message reminder :

I have a couple of SDC 2300 coming within a week for anyone to have a go with--that's right u can try befor u buy or bag the machine..

I personally have seen and played with the machine last Nov and its not a bad machine irrespective of the asking price..

its an easy machine to pack up and store however u have to be careful with the assembly and the packing up of the machine.

rechargeable batteries are a must..

so I will keep u tuned if in Ktown if u want to have a go..

theres a couple of people with their name down already--u must b in ktown to pick it up.

regards
oneday

with the noise--did u hit the little button on the left on the handle for the machine to tune itself in?

this usually eliminates a lot of your problems..

Good to see it finds gold be it small at the moment--

hopefully will take it to a couple of areas were there is bigger gold in the next couple of weeks.

regards
oneday

Probably could have used the auto tune a bit more and may have got better results. Actually, the second bit I got was straight after I did a tune. Takes a while
to get your head around any new machine no matter how simple to use.

What also may interest you guys, if you haven't picked up on it yet,is some interesting feedback on the SDC on Gold Detecting and Prospecting forum.Looks to be generally positive results,with old flogged patches yielding more small nuggets to the SDC.

this new detector sounds deadly on the fly shite and obviously anything within 8-10 inch's in depth, I'm finding the feedback very interesting considering I do not own a detector.
now I'm thinking do i need a gpx5000 ? whenever I've hired a 5k I've always ran it in fine gold with the 11inch mono and only found small gold 0.25-1.6g's and no deeper then around the 8 inch in depth on flogged out ground. and by the sounds  SDC has that covered and reading a advertisement in the GG and treasure mag JP was quoted as saying 0.04g piece under a 3inch thick tree limb and 4inch in clay, 7inch approx in depth. that small that deep is unreal performance. but do we need to be digging 25 targets to pull a gram worth of gold ??. yes gold regardless off how small is better then coming home with no rattlers in the jar but I think the real winners here will be OPSM, spec savers etc.  
now if you owned a older machine that has good depth will you be wanting to upgrade to a 4800 or 5000 now, I would think not.
I'm thinking now a good 4500 with all the fruit and a SDC will cover anything the 45 don't catch, yes will cost me a grand or 2 more then a 5k with the fruit but you get 2 detectors and all the fly shite the 5k isn't catching.
I hope reeds get them in as a hire detector before my next trip late august as I'm taking out a couple 1st timers and they can following me around behind the 5k.
I've also noticed a few ATX's for sale in the quokka and on gumtree in the last few weeks!!! hmmmm

Good post Jase  

Hearing ya there Cloggsie.
Was this guy in the vid working an iron rich patch like wee seem to get everywhere in WA? Who knows...
Horses for courses,
it seems some people who can put up with the extra ground noise like to push their machines hard to not miss anything, You on the other hand are one of them quiet detector types,
Me, I just jag stuff when I'm about to give up and decide to empty my fridge instead.

Here are some ML tables that show how Threshold, Stabilizer and Audio type affect signal response and volume.

If you set your Stab too high (low numbers) or set threshold too high, you could be out of audible range of a nugget signal. Also this shows how the gain is added to a received signal after threshold and the stab setting.

Nugget - Quiet Audio
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Nugget - Normal Audio
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Nugget - Deep Audio
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Nugget - Boost Audio
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Bet you are really confused now...

Thanks Nuggeee!
Clear as mud   

one thing I have noticed and that is if u recharge your batteries via the 12v charger --the batteries get very hot unlike the 240v charger..

keep an eye on it if in your car with flammable material in the close vicinity..

regards
oneday

I tend to agree with you aussie18, a gpx4500 and sdc2300 should cover most of the bases, I detect with others who use 5000's and for the most part they do not get more bits than I do with my 4500, in fact I tend to get more than they do every trip.

A lot of the bits I get are very small with the 4500 using an 8" and 11" mono, so the size in not the issue, I am just thinking that instead of changing coils I could use a 2300 initially and then go over the spot with the 4500 with larger coils as needed, also carrying a 2300 on the bike as well as the 4500 would be easy as well.

As far as the Garrett atx's go personally I wouldn't ever consider it (from what I have seen) as even mildly comparable to the 4500 in performance, sure they will get gold but not as consistently as the minelab's do, there's a reason that there are machines for sale already, give it a few months and there will also be more sdc 2300's for sale as well, already saw one for sale on gumtree, for the most part I think the sdc2300 is a purpose made machine and will fit in to the arsenal for hunting indicators and cleaning up patches, but then again I would not be considering one of those either for my main machine, but rather to compliment the 4500.

Bet it wont be long before the new top end minelab pi is on the market.

au-fever

I reckon a new RDU 1A will come on the market next year but before u sell yah detector be prepared to fork out some serious cash..

that's my opinion only..

geez don't u get peed off when u pay $65k for a new 4be then they tell u that u have to keep putting fuel in it--change the tyres every40k ks and pay $670 just to keep it in rego then u will get punctures that need to repaired..

putting up with a detector that falls over and a arm rest that is designed to fold up that is somewhat awkward to some I reckon the detector is far ahead of the running costs of the 4be.

Its horses for courses.

I use the 2300 every weekend and it gets easier and easier and I haven't used my GPX for about 4 weeks.

regards
oneday

I agree Ray, this machine is revolutionary, for the amount of deep gold there is, the 2300 is going to be the first choice, because most of us are happy to find fly specks haha!

I think a lot of people don't realise that this detector will find u a patch--unfortunately u have to go look for it were hopefully no else has gone--

a lot of people have got hold of the local book and are hammering those spots--I just hope no one whinges coz they find small gold.

u wonder why the same bloke doesn't write a book on the Ashburton--maybe coz he spends most of his time there finding gold for himself. funny that

regards
oneday

Hey leave the Ashburton alone Haha!
I'VE GOT A FEW SPOTS i WANT TO CHECK OUT AGAIN with the new technology since the Garret A2B Groundhog haha

There are still plenty of patches out there to find all over the state and it does not matter what technology your swinging. You won't find them in any book or map and that's why there still there you have to go off grid and look for them it's called prospecting for a reason. This new technology is great for people that don't want to go looking and just enjoy visiting the same spots year in year out. Gold is gold and most people are just happy to have a rattle in there jar and the 23 will do that at all the old spots.

Waypoint.

Agreed Waypoint
These patches were shown to me in the mid eighties by an old fella when I was in Paraburdoo and I doubt if anyone knows about them
Trouble is, I didn't have GPS in those days, so will have to try Google Earth, but a trip is definitely on the cards!  

Waypoint wrote:There are still plenty of patches out there to find all over the state and it does not matter what technology your swinging. You won't find them in any book or map and that's why there still there you have to go off grid and look for them it's called prospecting for a reason. This new technology is great for people that don't want to go looking and just enjoy visiting the same spots year in year out. Gold is gold and most people are just happy to have a rattle in there jar and the 23 will do that at all the old spots.

Waypoint.

I agree with what you are saying, there are certainly more lucrative patches to be found if you actually prospect and are not just trying to suck up tiddlers from 30 year old scrapings, particularly in lesser frequented and known areas, all too often we drive by little worked areas in order to get somewhere else, but having said that in all these places you have to find an indicator nugget to alert you to gold being present in that area.

Some people are quite happy to have a lightweight and easy to use machine that they can get a few shallow pieces off old scrapes and workings so the 2300 would be well suited for that, but I do feel that it has further use and only time will tell I guess.

Almost all the old known patches that are still worked today were been found with machines like the garret groundhog, whites, gold bug etc. so I hear what you are saying that you don't need the top of the range machine but I reckon that if the sdc2300 is as sensitive to small gold as its been touted to be then this may be just the machine to get the indicators, many of the patches I have found over the years have been with small coils, mainly the 8" mono, snooping about in rocky rubbly ground, and another advantage is the portability of it as well because if its easy to carry and easy to just untangle and use unlike having to don the harness and plug in etc then you would be more likely to stop and have a quick look at something interesting than drive past and think to yourself that you will have a look next time.

How many times have you done exactly that, thought that you would have a look next time and then when you do decide to stop and look you find the place littered with dig holes, if it looks interesting to you then it will look interesting to someone else, difference is you have to be the one to stop first or you can miss out.

The setup I currently use when I am on the bike is, I have a Reeds wireless battery system which is attached to the 4500 control box, the wireless link is on the harness, the harness I can wear while on the bike, the detector can fit fully extended with the small coil in the crate and support frame, so basically I can stop, switch on the machine and be swinging in a few minutes, its hassle free really but I think the upside of the 2300 is that I can also carry it on the bike and use it for a quick look as it runs the small coil and then leave the 4500 set up with a larger coil, cover all bases that way and you can initially work a patch you find on the spot rather than have to come back.

au-fever

G'day Au,
Were on the same page mate, I to have my bike set up to wear my harness on the bike and all day basically. This is why I like the camelbak delta 5 so much. Your right on about the small indicator nuggets so for me the 5000 and 17in elip is a great patch hunter sensitive enough for the sub gram bit at a good depth. In saying that I recently pull up at a spot I had driven past twice on the way to a camp spot and nailed an 8g'r about 1in deep 10m from the car and right beside a well used track    only down side was an emu must have shat it out, it had no friends. I also agree the 23 will have uses we can not even dream of yet and like all new platforms it will continue to get better with every new generation. The time I have spent using one I was quit impressed with it, it does what they said it will do. The only concerns I have with calling it a patch hunter is the coil size or lack of it as when covering new ground it's all about coverage and that really only applies to large areas of WA, for searching in creek beds and rock bars it will be a killer.

Waypoint.

G'day Waypoint

Yes ground coverage is the key, but as I said many of the patches I have found have been on rocky rubbly hillsides and scrubby hard to detect spots, my guess is that's exactly why the gold was still there, the most productive spots have been on the sort of ground that you would overlook or walk over in favour of a better looking bit of ground further on, sometimes our experience and what we perceive as an area that has the "right look" will in fact steer us away from a more productive area, as it looks bland and sterile with little or no colour (quartz/ironstone etc.) on the ground or features that will attract our attention.

This is the exact reason I believe that new chums will walk on to good gold, simply because they do not have any pre conceived ideas as more experienced operators.

I wouldn't call the 2300 a patch hunter either and I would not really even consider it as a stand alone detector, but using it from the perspective of being able to sniff out the really tiny indicators in really tight conditions to get on to the first piece, and then hammering it over with the 4500/5000 or whatever with a bigger coil, for that use in mind it would fit in, and as it can fold down enough to be also carried on the bike as well, then you can cover all the bases, lets face it these days you need every advantage you can get.

I do want to get one but I don't like the price, what I want to see though is more feedback and hear some first hand user experience rather than advertising hype and hearsay, some of the pieces I get with the 4500 a really tiny so small is not a problem in that respect, but if the 2300 can do it on a more consistent basis then that will increase the odds then of course then you would have to be in favour of that.

au-fever

I regularly use the 2300--every weekend that is and a few more things that I have found are

if u find a target I usually retract the first section of the shaft back in and this I find easier when trying to identify the target.

doing this the detector hasn't fallen over or whatever. I was wearing headphones.

swung the machine for about 3 hours straight this sat arvo and found it was getting weighty but after picking up tyres all morning I was use to it however it is a darn sight easier with the harness attached.

Hope sally has a lot of luck with her new 2300 should be a dream to swing especially with a disability so will have to wait 4 weeks for her to return from Nullagine.

The machine needs to be tuned every time out bush and this generally quieten the machine however I usually wind up the settings to about 2 paces up from the normal green setting.

definitely need a belt and pick holder for my pick as I am not a fan of holding the pick over my shoulder.

mate if u r happy with the 45 then don't worry about the minesweeper.

as far as price goes well that's horses for courses. U certainly get what u pay for. it has a fixed 8" coil however I do suggest that if anyone is going to use it on a regular basis then another set of rechargeable batteries is a must.

unfortunately there are none in Karratha.

regards
oneday

yep codgers running around over some of the old haunts comparing the 5000 with it as well , hopefully some pics & an unbiased report , albo.

goldstriijk , ashburton is all yours mate ..... Rocklea as well , too hard , too far , not much either .... albo.

I agree Albo, have been there, but these spots aren't there and I have pulled gold out of there and the other guy was getting half golf ball size from the edges of large dry blowing heaps
I tried to go back there once, but there had been a cyclone come through and the landscape on the river surrounds had changed completely, couldn't see any indications, trees missing etc.
Probably, to have any chance I would have to see if I can find some history or take a punt with Google Earth
Have you ever tried MilliMilli, near Tom Price? Only spent half an hour there with the A2B and got a 3grammer

geez don't know about that ALBO--those Onslow boys are doing alright at the Ashburton from all reports at work..

but they r nice and close for a weekender..

regards
oneday

good Ray I new a police aid aborig  copper that went to onslow from Meeka .I reckon hed be into  it over there ,loved his prospecting , anyway just give me a pm on where the gold is & il see ya mate   , albo.
& goldstriigt , nup no milli milli for me , at the time Rocklea was the place , it was 1 year after Burnnie & is girl found the 300 oz patch 22 km west of the station , only bits around , good creek for swims but .

Great reading all the comments on the 2300
It's certainly , already , finding many small nuggets

What I'm interested in ( sorry if it has already been asked )
Will it clearly pick up say 3 grammers at 12"
????
How big a piece would it pick up ??

How deep will it pick up a 10g + piece ?

Ant