Gold hunting always remained the vocation of the mighty emperors or the daring treasure hunters or pirates. It was never seen as an everyday hobby that can be pursued by the likes of you and me. Maybe you love beautifully crafted jewellery, or enjoy a challenge? If so, you could be up and running and finding fun and fortune with a gold detector in no time! However, with the help of a simple device called gold detector you can also become the owner of golden rewards like the heroes of the past.
An envious career as a gold hunter starts with the investment on a proper gold detector, instead of an ordinary metal detector. Stay away from cheaper or second hand versions while choosing your first gold detector. Some brands to consider are Whites, Garrett, Fisher, and Minelab.
First, do some extensive research about the area of operation by consulting the experts or reading journals featuring articles on the well-known gold mine areas. Joining a Prospecting club is a good idea, which will teach you the secrets of where to go and how to dig the sites to your fullest advantage. One popular club is the Gold Prospectors Association of America (GPAA). To get the best possible performance from your gold detector, follow this 5- step guide:
- Instead of moving the detectors haphazardly, make an extensive search by marking a small patch and patiently covering it bit by bit. Always keep the search coil at least 1cm from the ground while swinging the detector slowly.
- Just ignore lengthy and gradual changes in sound, which are the responses to ground mineralisation changes. Do not ignore the short or sharp signals even if they are faint.
- A manual ground-balance machine using a Double-D coil is required to be re-balanced every now and then. The GP or the SD series machines save this trouble.
- When the machine emits very small signals, scoop out some amount of soil from the coil. Now drop a handful at a time over the search coil. Now you will be getting signals whenever it touches any metal.
- Practicing in the bushy or beach areas where ground has little mineralization will help you to recognize the signals when you are trying on sites that are more difficult.
You can choose from four main categories of detectors according to your preferences and expectations. They are:
- Gold prospecting detectors
- Dual purpose detectors
- Treasure hunting detectors
- Underwater detectors
Every gold detector has its good and bad points. For example, with a specialised prospecting detector you get the high efficiency of locating even tiniest nuggets at shallow depth. However, at the same time with its poor discriminating abilities you might end up with digging up lots of discarded metal rubbish. Finally, patience is the key for striking a big deal in your search for gold. Do not move impatiently to another spot. Locate a small spot and scan it extensively. Despite your hard work, you might not be finding fun and fortune with a gold detector straight away. Start all over again on a new location applying the same degree of concentration. Remember, with a little effort and the right equipment, you too could find the riches of kings!