GPZ 7000 report

NO!! No big finds yet so this is just some observations.

I've had no probs with the weight etc. Use the Pro-Swing harness, set up properly and its the best balanced machine I've ever used. I've had far, far less backache and no shoulder issues with this ZED. I was worried about the weight but what can I say, it's a brilliant machine to swing. That "push stick" thing is something I've always frowned on but I reckon it's helped me enormously. I can swing wider, flatter and cover more ground generally as well as chaining coverage with a ZED than I ever could with any other machine. Well pleased.

Targets? I'm sick of digging deep tiny bits of rusty tin and pinpointing is harder than with a mono coil. No two ways about that. I've noticed that locating a target when it's in your hand or a scoop is made almost impossible if you have any other metallic gear anywhere near the coil when swinging the scoop over it. Your target is masked by whatever is close by. Even the WM12 wireless module is enough to "mask" the actual target in the scoop. I've fallen for this a few times and my language can be heard for miles!

A scoop is a must as it gives you "a longer arm" but sometimes even that isn't long enough. When recovering "the sweet spot" is not as sensitive as the edge of a mono coil and the whole task of pinpoint takes some practice AND CONCENTRATION. I was often the guru and reference point for locating targets in the mullock with a mono. But not now, I've now had to relearn a lot!

The ZED gives a real good response on burnt tree stumps, buried charcoal that you simply have to dig. But one smack with the pick and you see the sad story

It doesn't like BIF or anything with that "white haze" of "salt" on it. But I'm waiting on advice on how to get around that.

The auto tune for EMI is good and I only had one incidence of receiving EMI that I couldn't get rid of even using the manual channel selector across all channels. The EMI reduction was impressive but it's not a cure all. I needed a rest one arvo, so I sat on my pick and lodged the coil in a low tree fork and went through all 256 channels one by one. Not one channel got rid of the EMI totally. One channel even introduced a new EMI pulse that I couldn't hear on "Auto"!~ It made matters worse!

The ZED ground balance is a bit odd & I don't reckon the manual explains it well enough. But is essential that you use that method.

I also found that the ZED "winds itself up" to the point where a complete reset of the machine is required to calm it down. That works but it's a messy job as "doing a reset" doesn't simply reset the operating parameters it actuals resets the whole machine. That includes going through the whole set up again, from choice of language, distance and weight units, international time etc,etc. A right PIA in the paddock,,,,,,,,,,,and one that a good software programmer could rectify easily - MINELAB, are you reading this??

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and that screen is a bugger to see in any form of daylight. BUT - I still have protective plastic on mine and that makes matters even harder. BUT, without a protective cover, combined with the protective plastic that screen will be scratched to uselessness in weeks.

I reckon the ZED gives you far more "tempting" ground noises that you must dig or at least pay more attention to. But this may be my learning curve on the ZED.

I also seem to have a fair few "good targets" - digabble, that simply vanish without a trace

Nothing worthwhile yet. Do I have faith in the ZED? For that price, I'm forced to but I do have confidence in it.

Am I disappointed so far? I certainly am. The end of this season will be the telling point (or selling point??)


That's it for now, more soon as the paperwork is calling,,,,,,



HTH