GPZ 14 Coil For Minelab GPZ 7000

[Steve Herschbach]

The new GPZ 14 is a 13" x 14" coil fully waterproof to three feet. It comes with a scuff cover and has its own lower rod section attached. The coil, lower rod, and scuff cover together weigh exactly three pounds. It uses a winding configuration not used in consumer detector models before which facilitates the technology used in the GPZ 7000. There is over 6000 feet of copper wire in each coil! These coils are compatible only with the GPZ 7000. Minelab GPX coils will not work on the GPZ 7000.

Minelab GPZ 14 Coil with Lower Rod and Scuff Cover

[eurodigger]

What are the chances of getting one of these new type of coils made for the GPX?  My guess is a lot of the extra performance of the GPZ is down to the coil.

[fredmason]

The coil is a wonder to behold, I wonder how it will hold up to the users that think a coil is also a rock-mover and weedwacker...

 

I imagine that the pinpointing will be abit like using an dd in mono-mode...But, I clearly have no experience to judge by.

 

fred

[Steve Herschbach]

Almost all my own use of the GPZ so far I simply let the coil ride on the ground. This introduced a slight amount of noise on the prototype (not sure about new production units yet) but it was acceptable to me. Main thing was it takes weight off letting the ground hold the coil. Works best if there is just a little grass or something to act as a cushion. Main reason is I did not baby coil in the slightest. I had no issues and expects none going forward. If you have seen the insides of most coils and look at the picture above I think we are dealing with a whole different level of precision manufacturing than we have seen previously with PI coils. Compare to the photo below of a Commander 15" x 12" DD.

It pinpoints like a mono but small bits sound stronger nearer the two center strips where the windings overlap. That is where you want to use scoop over the top of the coil.

Commander 15" x 12" DD Coil

GPZ 14" x 13" DOD Coil

[LipCa]

On the "old" PI's, it appears there is a transmit and receive loop. Left and right? Or, is it just noting the frequencies?

What is the braided loop on the GPZ coil?

[Steve Herschbach]

The center braided coil or loop is the transmit coil. The two outer coils are both receive coils.

What are the chances of getting one of these new type of coils made for the GPX? My guess is a lot of the extra performance of the GPZ is down to the coil.

I am not sure what benefits if any such a coil would offer on the GPX without the new circuitry behind it. I am guessing these coils are going to be expensive so probably something people will have to pick and choose more carefully. I want a smaller one for sure but would have to think very hard about a larger one. Part of the benefit of having the GPZ is not needing a large coil to get large coil depth. More ground coverage would be my main interest, but these coils are heavier than normal and I am not inlined to put enen more weight out on the end of that rod.

The fun part is this really is a new game and it is impossible to predict where the technology will go in the next 5 - 6 years. I would give about anything to know what Bruce Candy is thinking right about now!

[eurodigger]

jasong, do you think this type of coil design could be made for a GPX, if an after market coil manufacturer chose to do so?

[jasong]

I like electronics like some like cars. Love driving them but love taking them apart and modding them too. Well actually im more like the guy that stands with a beer watching the real mechanics work and manages to pick something up here and there.

Eurodigger - I couldnt even begin to answer that question with any authority or experience but if you want a guess I would say no. Or at least not without serious reprogramming and modding. But again im like the guy holding the beer not the wrench. And sometimes people manage to find a square to fit a circle hole, but more often something just breaks.

Patents are intentionally vague and confusing so its also like trying to draw a recreation of a painting by only looking at small patches of the original. What may look like an orange could actually be a star among a galaxy.

[Mike]

The bottom of page 52 in the User Manual mentions – "Only MINELAB GPZ coils are compatible with the GPZ 7000 detector." 

If I'm reading that correctly the aftermarket coil companies won't be able to make coils for the GPZ unless Minelab licenses them to do so. I don't speak patentese so I could be mistaken. Perhaps someone else can offer a more educated opinion? 

If Minelab ever looks to the forums for feedback (like the wonderful Nokta folks) I'll offer mine. If you are to be the only manufacturer of coils for the GPZ please offer a full line. I believe many folks would be like me in that the 11" and 14" may see the majority of time on the end of our detector, but an 8" would be vital for some locations where rocks and thick scrub won't allow even an 11" coil to be very effective. On top of that an 8" coil is useful nearly everywhere, a 20" coil is not.

I've always liked Commander Coils but used Coiltek and Nuggetfinders because of their size and configuration options, not because of their superiority in detecting.