Hi, totally green novice from Michigan

[AJ Peacock]

Hi all,

I travel a lot and have often thought having a detector would be handy. I'm currently on a 6000 mile 'work-cation' (working during the day online) and visiting friends.

My GF has a Garrett AT??? that she uses in Wyoming every year during vacation. I've been invited to look join them this year. I'm seriously considering a PI machine, as I do a lot of hiking in Colorado, Arizona and now possibly Wyoming.

Thinking about the Minelab 5000, nobody that hunts with my GF has a PI machine, so thought it might make sense. I also have a friend that does a little panning in Colorado.

Thoughts?

Regardless, I'll continue to read and learn. Our trip to Wyoming won't happen until late summer. I'm currently watching the storms flow over the San Juans in Colorado.

AJ

[Full Metal Digger]

Welcome to the forum AJ! It sounds like you have been thinking about becoming a detectorist for a while now. It's a fun and rewarding hobby, just not during the first 2 to 4 months! Not only do you need to learn how to use your machine and understand it's "language" but you also need to learn how to find the best places to detect at. If you don't get discouraged and hang in there, suddenly one day you start making great finds! Sounds like your GF has an AT Pro. Those are good machines for beginners. Which type of machine you get is really based on what kind of finds you want to make. I'm a coin guy so I stay with detectors best suited for that. Relic guys, gold nugget guys, beach guys, etc. all have machines that are best suited for the kind of detecting they are interested in pursuing. There is a lot of very knowledgeable folks on this forum and many decades of experience. Feel free to ask your questions and I'm confident someone on here will know the answers. Best wishes and happy digging, Dave.

[Tony Two-Cent]

Welcome to the forum!

We're glad you joined us!

I don't know anyone who owns a Pulse Induction metal detector as we don't have gold nuggets to speak of here in Illinois. Best of luck with your research and I hope you are out there making great finds soon.

[del]

welcome to the forum AJ ,

Pulse machines will go deep and ignore much of the harsher mineralization but most are limited in the discrimination department and you find yourself digging up a lot of iron or metal "undesirables" .The 5000
is an expensive machine especially if it doesn't do what you expect , There are far less cheaper and still very capable pulse machines to start out with and some great VLF detectors that will still do what your asking . we are here to help if you want to know about particular machines ,ask away !

Dan

[AJ Peacock]

Thank you all for the welcomes!

I've been reading until my eyes won't focus.

The area in Wyoming that I've been invited to hunt, is remote. They dig up a lot of brass cartridges and bullets, pop-tops and old tin cans. They also find tiny pieces of gold. I don't know how mineralized the ground is, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't. That is why I was leaning towards a PI machine.

I'm now leaning towards the Equinox 800 for 2 reasons.
1) It would be my first detector and will do more than just gold nugget hunting. It also appears to be a VLF that I'd keep for a while. I can get a PI later if required.
2) I couldn't convince myself which PI machine would be right. By getting the 800, it will give theme some time to decide if I want a PI detector or not (and which one to get). Maybe the 6000 will come down in price by the time I'm ready for my second detector.

So, is my logic sound? Is the 800 a reasonable first detector?

Thanks guys,
AJ

[OxShoeDrew]

WOW, the GPX 5000 is $4,000! That's great you can even consider it. I would assume it's the best machine for gold, I can only assume because I never heard of any one owning one

I think the Nox 800 would be perfect for you. Throw it in gold mode and start swinging. You could hunt under water with it, or coin shoot...everything you learn will be transferable to another machine...but I think the 800 will be plenty machine for you.
So glad you joined us!!! ...can't wait to see how badly your GF out-hunts you

[AJ Peacock]

I pulled the trigger on the 800 + 6" coil. I can spend the next 2 months learning it, then off to the west for vacation.

Thanks all for so much great content,
AJ

[del]

Congrats on a pretty solid machine , i think it will do much of what your looking for AJ . keep us updated to your progress and remember we are here for any questions you may run into .

Dan