|
When it comes to gold
prospecting it’s hard to deny the key role Fisher
Electronics has played in promoting this aspect of metal
detecting. In 1987 Fisher rocked the industry when they
released a black and gold detector which operated at
19.17 kHz, this machine was none other than the Gold
Bug. From the US clear down to the outback of Australia,
the Gold Bug quickly took a commanding lead as the
world’s premier gold machine - a title it would proudly
hold for nearly a decade. Building upon the success of
their now legendary Gold Bug line, Fisher has again
unveiled another gold detector. Weighing in at just 3.5
lbs., the new Gold Strike (GS) is a far cry from the
original M-Scope Dr. Fisher crafted in his small garage
nearly 70 years ago.
This 30 kHz detector is the first Fisher to provide
operators with a constant control readout. It boasts a
digital LCD display, fast automatic ground balancing,
two-tone ID system, advanced digital signal processing,
and a 10.5” elliptical coil. Some of the other exciting
features include; an automatic low battery warning, an
automatic signal overload warning, F.A.C.T. (alerts the
operator when the coil is not properly installed), 3
memory locations to store your favorite settings, and an
LCD backlight for hunting in low-light situations. The
GS is powered by two 9V batteries and can be used as a
pole mount, hip mounted or worn on the chest.
As mentioned above, the GS is packed with new features,
however due to space limitations only those of utmost
importance will be discussed in this article.
The MENU button is used to navigate through the GS’s
control panel. When pressed the user enters the “menu
mode”, allowing adjustments to be made to any of the
detector’s six different controls. Like most gold
machines on the market today, the GS features a true ALL
METAL mode and a DISC (discrimination) mode. When in the
All Metal mode, the detector will sound off on any
metallic object which passes beneath the coil,
regardless of its composition. The DISC system works for
ferrous objects only. The level of discrimination can be
varied from 0-99 using the UP/DOWN arrow buttons. A
setting of 0 will allow all metal targets to activate
the high tone; a setting closer to 99 will discriminate
out most ferrous objects, allowing only non-ferrous
targets to activate the high tone. The DISC setting will
have no effect if the GS is in its All Metal mode.
The GS offers three options for handling ground
mineralization; these are auto ground balance, manual
ground balance, and fast auto-ground tracking. Unlike
traditional ground balancing methods which require the
coil to be repeatedly pumped above the ground, the GS
uses a new, faster system which Fisher claims, “will
provide ground balance accuracy that exceeds any setting
achieved manually.” To take advantage of this feature
simply lower the coil to the ground, then press and hold
the AUTO GROUND button for a few seconds. While still
holding the button down, lift the coil about 6 inches
off the ground, hold for a second and release the button
– it’s that easy!
The TRACK button is used to activate the Fisher Track
AFSã (Adaptive Feedback System), enabling the detector
to adapt to changing ground conditions. This system was
designed to “track” only on mineralized soils and hot
rocks - not metallic targets. If you encounter a hot
rock with a “good” target beneath the secondary high
tone will be produced.
For general detecting you will find that the Auto and
Fast Auto-Ground Tracking options produce excellent
results, however those that prefer to do it themselves
will be pleased to know that the GS still retains the
ability to ground balanced manually. To do this, enter
the Menu mode and select the GROUND icon. Then use the
UP/DOWN arrows to make adjustments as needed. Please see
the instruction manual for information on this
procedure.
The THRESH (threshold) can be adjusted between –99 and
+4. Large, negative numbers make the detector less
susceptible to ground mineralization, but at the same
time hamper its ability to locate small or deep targets.
This type of setting is best used in noisy ground.
Small, positive numbers allow more ground noise to come
through, but the detector will be more reactive to small
or deeply buried targets. This type of setting is best
used in lightly mineralized soils. If you prefer to have
an audio threshold while hunting, you will need to
choose a setting between 0 and +4. If you plan on
utilizing the fast automatic ground tracking feature, a
threshold setting between -5 and –10 (or even lower)
will be needed for stable tracking performance.
The SENS (sensitivity) control can be varied from a
setting of 0 to a maximum setting of 10 using the arrow
buttons. Sensitivity will greatly affect both the size
of targets the GS will find and the depth with which
they can be detected. It will also affect the detector’s
ability to cope with varying levels of ground
mineralization. A high setting (>5) will enable the
location of small targets at greater depths, however the
machine may become unstable in harsh conditions. A low
setting (<5) will provide the best performance in highly
mineralized soils, however some sensitivity and depth
will be lost.
I decided to field test the GS near Stanton, Arizona, an
area which has become quite popular among metal
detectorists. This historical region located some 60
miles northwest of Phoenix has yielded thousands of
nuggets since its original discovery in 1863. This
particular goldfield had always been good to me, and
despite its recent bombardment by detectors, I was
fairly confident that the new Fisher would be able to
sniff out a nugget or two.
I decided to begin my search on a ridge which had once
been home to about 200 nuggets. This was an isolated
patch, situated away from the main diggings, and
although there was very little trash the ground
mineralization was unusually severe. The brightly
stained earth had become saturated with various iron
oxides and I knew from past experience that this was
going to be tough ground.
My first attempt to balance the machine was in the
manual mode, however keeping the GS stable in this mode
proved too difficult a task, as the ground conditions
varied dramatically. I opted to take advantage of the
fast auto-ground tracking option which produced better
results once the sensitivity and threshold had been
properly adjusted. After an hour of combing I came up
empty handed; the stubborn patch simply refused to give
up any more gold.
I abandoned the patch and pushed further outward hoping
that other hunters had neglected to hunt the fringes.
Here the brush had grown out of control turning this
part of the ridge into a dense, thorn-filled maze, and
the hot rocks – Wow! There was definitely no shortage of
these bothersome stones here. Luckily the GS is equipped
with a unique two-tone identification system which makes
these “target imposters” much easier to deal with.
Unlike most detectors which only produce a single tone
for all targets, the GS uses a two-tone system to help
the operator determine the identity of a target before
digging it out of the ground. A single low tone will
sound whenever the coil is passed over a target, be it a
rusty nail, gold nugget or hot rock. A secondary high
tone will only be produced if the target is actually
made of metal; a very useful feature when working hot
rock infested areas.
In addition to the two-tone system, the GS helps
determine the identity of a target by showing a number
preceded by a “-” or “+” sign on the LCD. Any target
will produce a number between 0 and 99. This number is
not an indication of its identity, but rather its size
and depth. For instance, a shallow target will produce a
large number, while a deep target will produce a small
number. The – or + sign in front of the number indicates
whether the target is ferrous or nonferrous in nature.
Generally speaking, a “-” sign indicates a ferrous
target or positive hot rock. A “+” sign indicates a
nonferrous target. While this feature is by no means
fool proof, it does provide the operator with additional
information about a target’s potential identity.
Working in a large circle around the fringes of the
patch I finally struck upon a sweet signal coming from
deep beneath a clump of brush. I pushed, kicked and
fought back the thorny branches until I had enough room
to work. Using the side of my boot I scraped away the
top layer of soil and rechecked with the detector; the
target had moved. I snatched up a handful of the loose
dirt and dropped it onto the coil. A loud squeal told me
the target had hit its mark. As I bent down to
investigate I spotted the culprit. It wasn’t very big,
maybe 2-3 grams, but this nugget was certainly a
pleasant surprise. The shiny bit of metal had raised my
spirits and I carefully scanned the ground hoping that
perhaps this nugget had a big brother hiding out close
by. About 6 feet away I came across what sounded like a
faint signal nestled beside a prickly pear cactus. After
clearing away a few hot rocks the signal increased
considerably; there was no doubt that this was indeed a
target. Less than an inch beneath the soil I uncovered
yet another gold nugget. It was a baby in comparison to
the first, weighing under a gram, but I wasn’t about to
throw it back. I worked the ridge for the remainder of
the day picking up the odd boot tack here or bit of wire
there, but as luck would have it no more gold. I
finished off the day with a grand total of 2 nuggets, 8
bits of trash, and a few lovely scratches down my arms.
With its large LCD, automatic ground balancing
capabilities, and push button operated controls, the
Gold Strike is clearly Fisher’s most advanced gold
detector ever. The newly styled pistol-grip handle and
10.5” elliptical coil make maneuvering this detector
around rocks and brush a breeze; not to mention it’s one
of the sleekest looking detectors I’ve ever used. The
Gold Strike carries a suggested retail price of $995.00
and is backed by Fisher’s limited lifetime warranty.
Although I wasn’t able to glean any gold from the old
patch, I did manage to snag two nuggets on the fringes.
As far as I could tell, the GS has not broken any new
depth boundaries. Most of the targets recovered during
the field test ranged from near surface to 4” in depth.
This is not to say the GS cannot pick up deeper targets,
as it most certainly will. It is entirely possible that
I never swung the coil across a deeply buried target.
Metal detecting requires a lot of patience regardless of
which machine you happen to be using. Don’t get
discouraged if you don’t find a nugget your first trip
out. Many people, including myself, went for many months
before finding their first piece. If you decide to buy
the GS give it some time; experiment with various
settings and read the manual. It will find gold but only
if you are willing to put in the time and effort. Trust
me, your first gold nugget will make all those hours of
swinging seem well worth it! I wish you the very best of
luck with all your prospecting.
For more information on the new Gold Strike or other
Fisher products please contact the factory at: Fisher
Research Laboratory, 200 W. Willmott Rd., Los Banos, CA
93635-5501- (209) 826-3292, or visit them on the web at
www.fisherlab.com. Don’t forget to mention you read
about it in Lost Treasure! |
