pennyweight

Hi Izzy, we all know you are a complete gentleman and tell it like you see it. I do the same. 'Inhere' has posted a large number of insulting, defamatory and malicious posts on a great many subjects on at least 3 forums. He is regarded by many as a serial pest. Enough said. I have seen a few Woody modded detectors from January-March which DIDN'T have the overclock mod on them. I think Woody admits maybe a dozen(?) O/C modded units by him. Yes, he invented the concept and like you, sees no future use in it. The claims of extraordinary depths achieved are overkill. So far, with GP units, I can see obvious depth increases in gold under 5gm and sub-grammers. At best, maybe 20% (but that is stretching it)...it depends on coil selection and ground mineralization. I do know, that using a modded unit with a small coil reaps serious dividends. I have seen for myself it beating a 4500 in both normal timings and Enhance. This was with both an ExtremeM and a 3500M. Not by much of course, but the fact that there was no signal over small gold (and lead shot) targets with a 4500 and the modded units were easily heard surprised me too. Scratch away a bit of dirt and the 4500 boomed in. It takes very little extra sensitivity & depth to find missed targets. My 2 test patches have proved this consistently. Just the other day, I heard a flat .22 bullet with an ExtremeM that a std 3000 couldn't hear. Both same coils, same settings. It proved that there is a benefit in modding your old unit rather than spending big to upgrade for better results. I will get around to testing on large targets soon when I get hold of an 18" mono. Cheers, Dwt

Hi all, keeping it all back on track, here's the photo of the 3.6 ouncer: I was wrong about the depth and coil etc....got it confused with a 2 ouncer found in the same spot Found this one with a 17UFO @ 16" depth. Izzy still uses this pic on the home page of his website. I still lament not having pics of the 4.1 ouncer....they got deleted by accident All I have is the memories..... For more Oz gold pics, take a look at my photobucket album: http://s677.photobucket.com/albums/vv135/Pennyweight_au/ Cheers, Dwt

Hi all, firstly, to keep it all 'on track', my biggest nugget was found with an Ismael modded SD2000, position 1, gain at 50% (approx) on Ch1 and using a 24" Coiltek 'Big Red' elliptical DD. It was 4.1oz at a measured 24". Flat, ugly sucker about 4" across but only half inch thick. Strangely enough, my second largest piece was found with ANOTHER Izzy modded 2000...3.6oz @ 14" using only a 10" Coiltek 'Joey' mono. Well, both Marco and Inhere have been busy lately I am sure that most US based prospectors will think that us Aussies are a bickering crowd of egotists, going by the recent barrage of posts. But, all ego's aside, they both have posted a number of incorrect items. To Marco's defence, the DD argument has been thrown around for many years. With a number of observations being noted, the DD coil design does appear to punch deeper into multi-layer, highly mineralized ground better than a mono. But, 'Doug' is also correct when he says that there is no 'hard' evidence to conclusively support this. Its like religion....if you believe it, it works! Now, regarding "That" 3500M....it was supplied by me to 'Alluvium' to test for only 2 days. Its owner was coming up from NSW to collect it and couldn't be in JC's hands longer than that. It was modded by Izzy, NOT Woody. Izzy is the only bloke to have offered that overclock mod on ANY GP as a commercial offering. All the other ones done by Woody have been on an experimental basis. I believe the number is small. The 3500 in question was stated by Izzy to be a slightly poor version. Tolerances were low and he said that mods on better quality 35's would be a lot more obvious. My testing showed that the sensitivity and depth on small gold was very obvious on my test patch. Friends using their 4500's (in enhance) with same coils on the same un-dug small targets couldn't get the same signal quality as the 3500M. JT is in a couple of videos stating just that....and he loves his 4500! I have now used 5 different modded GP's by both Woody and Izzy. The increase in depth on small targets is obvious, even to the beginner operator. The fact that I can go anywhere and ping small gold on totally flogged spots at ease is proof enough for me. Now this next statement is a total obvious one: IF ANY CUSTOMER IS NOT HAPPY WITH WOODY'S MODS, SEND IT BACK FOR REPAIR. Just like any repair, warranty or guarantee, you have a fall back position. If it don't work, send it back....Duuuuuhhh The fact that this particular customer that Inhere whinges about hasn't done this basic task sounds very odd. So, both Marco and Inhere are WRONG. By all accounts, Marco has Minelab's best interests at heart, perhaps he is on the payroll or a shareholder in Codan? He jumps to ML's defence at any given opportunity. But, I suppose that's OK....he is well known for it and everyone takes that on board when his posts are read. But when paranoid ideas like a false representation of my videos are presented, it goes too far! Reversing switches so that the unit is dumbed down when I am supposed to be proving that the modded unit works, is insulting and defamatory. I strongly resent it...it is totally INCORRECT. Inhere, calling me a liar just proves what a fool you are. Even when the evidence is presented to you, you close your eyes, place hands on ears and yell "LALALALALA" and make a goose of yourself. Stay on Finders where you belong. You are despised on most credible OZ prospecting forums, even Izzy's. How Izzy has managed to keep you onside with him is testimony only to his kind, tolerating manner, not your input. The offending video is here for those interested: I will be posting a few more video's on You-tube within the week showing more mods on GP's in action. A lot of people have misrepresented me as 'Anti-ML' or a Woody/Izzy stooge. To set the record straight, I have supported Minelab from the day they opened their door in 1986. Me and my Brother were in the first group of people into their showroom the day they opened for business. I have bought 8 brand new ML detectors and another 6 used ones for my own or company use. I have written promotional articles for them also amongst other assistance. I believe that if you can afford it, a 4500 remains the best PI prospecting detector you can buy. It may have its problems, but its multi adaptable platform makes it far more adjustable and useful in ALL ground types. For the rest of us who cannot afford it, modding an older Minelab is a very good option. It certainly works for me! Cheers, Dwt

Hi Woody, when you say the modded 2000 can acheive huge results on small gold, have you tested the unit on harsh mineralisation? What is the threshold noise like? My GPM modded 2000 was hot on small gold but noisy as hell in lots of areas. Sort of defeated the purpose on a few occasions! Found me sh*tloads of yella metal though! I know what you mean also re your previous post about the GS5b. Word is that the Minelab Marketing board wanted the next unit (GPX4000) to have all the same features. Not knocking the sensitive smooth timings though, it just rushed Mr Candy in releasing more innovation sooner. Shows what real competition in the marketplace can acheive! Cheers, Dwt

Hi all, Minelab indeed do have a new detector being developed. Release timing will depend heavily on what sort of competition they have this year. If Dave Emery's unit or the Whites PI falls flat, the release will be very late in the year. If good, Minelab will no doubt re-jig what they have to compete, and then release it. Prospecting in Oz forum has a poll regarding the Whites PI....no doubt many people will be dissappointed by Steve's comments. My personal view is that if it does as well as the Goldscan 5b in hot ground and competes (at least) with the GPX4000 in regards to small gold, it will sell well. The iron ID at depth will make it a winner as well. I see that a ML 8" mono was used in one of the tests....if this remains a feature to use all ML compatible coils (as the GS5b does), then this is a huge bonus!!!! Can anyone confirm this? I work for the Whites importer here in Australia and we know absolutely nothing! The worst ground conditions in the world would make it the ideal (and logical) place for testing....we know and see zip from Whites. Strange! Cheers, Dwt