Vallon VMH3CS Mine Detector

[kingswood]

Yes I am happy with the GB so far...That been said, I am only 4 hours use into the Vallon so I expect it will get better!
very good depth on small things.
Waiting for the first nugget!!!

[Ferric Toes]

Hi, I was going to buy one last week but they sold out, but today they relisted and ordered one.
Begged them to send a good one
I understand that the ground in WA can be very nasty like the ground here in the Victorian gold fields
or even a bit worse, so if your machine works ok in WA, then I'm hopefull it will handle it here.
Dont get out much, but found some nice small bits in NW NSW last year and was thrilled to bits,
interesting to hear that you have salt lakes containing gold.

Great to hear that another Vallon is going to Australia, particularly to the Melbourne area. I used to stay at Laanecoorie Lakeside resort when Jimmy Stewart owned it and go out from there to various sites. Beggary Hill seemed about the worst mineralised area, so if you ever go that way and the Vallon handles that ground, their GB method gets full marks.

Eric.

[Ferric Toes]

Hello Eric; My senior ears experienced the afore mentioned lack of volume on my first field trip. I have since installed, with Velcro, the modified & pictured small Amp, which delivers more than adequate volume. Was an after market Vivitar amp (stereo?) system with 8002B IC's. I removed the two hard wired 2" speakers, added my own from junk box, and connected a plug from E-bay. Amp. cost me $2.99 USD from a big box overstock store.

I have just bought a Bluetooth transmitter which I hope to wire into the Vallon. Also purchased is a pair of Bluetooth over-ear headphones. I like phones as there is often a lot of surf noise at the local beaches and it is nice not to be attached to the detector by a headphone cord, particularly when digging deep holes.

Eric.

[6666]

Great to hear that another Vallon is going to Australia, particularly to the Melbourne area. I used to stay at Laanecoorie Lakeside resort when Jimmy Stewart owned it and go out from there to various sites. Beggary Hill seemed about the worst mineralised area, so if you ever go that way and the Vallon handles that ground, their GB method gets full marks.

Eric.

Hi Eric, I am hopeing that I get a good working Vallon, RE the area you mention, yes I know that area , quite restricted on where you can legally detect now, if the weather cools down I may be able to get there in next month or two, (its a fair hike from my side of town) and test out the Vallon for you, been past it many times but not been able to detect in that particular spot, if you dont mind me asking, what machine did you use when you were there ?

[Ferric Toes]

Hi Eric, I am hopeing that I get a good working Vallon, RE the area you mention, yes I know that area , quite restricted on where you can legally detect now, if the weather cools down I may be able to get there in next month or two, (its a fair hike from my side of town) and test out the Vallon for you, been past it many times but not been able to detect in that particular spot, if you dont mind me asking, what machine did you use when you were there ?

Initially, I was testing the GS5B which later evolved to the Whites TDi.

Don't worry about going to Beggary Hill. It was just if you were passing that way, as I know it is quite a distance. I am equally happy to hear of results from any location in Australia.

Eric.

[kingswood]

I see that Vallon advised Eric of the (expensive!!) cost of the 30cm coil....I have emailed them asking if they have any second hand coils available ....You never know!
In regards the GB, Vallon in the manual say: "Repeat these up-and-down movements with pressed button „C“ until a continuous tone (beep) is produced. In strongly mineralized soil this procedure may need up to 1 minute. Stop pressing button „C“: You will hear one short tone (beep) which confirms the storage of the achieved data"......Which now makes me think that I may have actually only been partly GB'ed until now! I think I was releasing "C" a bit early. (I was releasing "C" when I got a decreased, even, tone!)....If this has been the case, the Vallon did very well when not fully ground balanced properly!!....More practice me thinks!

[kingswood]

2 hours out this morning. Quartz and ironstone ground, close to an old gold mine.
I tried ground balancing according to the manual, this time listening for the "continuous tone beep"....Up, down, up down for about 2 minutes and Yep!!...I actually got the beep I think they mean
No issues at all with hot rocks. The Vallon was as quite as a mouse...until I hit a few targets. 1.5g lead bullet at 10 inches....very loud clear response. The thinnest piece of fencing wire I have ever seen and only about 5mm long detected at 6 inches. Numerous bullet shells and pieces of wire of various lengths.
I have no concerns now that the VMH3CS will handle most mineralized ground.
Now to find a nugget!!

[Ferric Toes]

2 hours out this morning. Quartz and ironstone ground, close to an old gold mine.
I tried ground balancing according to the manual, this time listening for the "continuous tone beep"....Up, down, up down for about 2 minutes and Yep!!...I actually got the beep I think they mean
No issues at all with hot rocks. The Vallon was as quite as a mouse...until I hit a few targets. 1.5g lead bullet at 10 inches....very loud clear response. The thinnest piece of fencing wire I have ever seen and only about 5mm long detected at 6 inches. Numerous bullet shells and pieces of wire of various lengths.
I have no concerns now that the VMH3CS will handle most mineralized ground.
Now to find a nugget!!

From what I read in the manual, that setting should now be stored. It will be interesting to see if it is still good for a different location.

Eric.

[kingswood]

From what I read in the manual, that setting should now be stored. It will be interesting to see if it is still good for a different location.

Eric.

That is my understanding too. Off tomorrow to around the same area, so will see how it goes.

[TH'r]

Received Vallon #2 yesterday. It is in near mint condition, date is 6-10. A way to keep the arm rest in desired place. Split 5/16" fuel lines and clamshell them over the guide rod. If one piece is cut a little long (about 1/8") it will provide some compression to the system and help dampen any lateral motion as well.

[kingswood]

Received Vallon #2 yesterday. It is in near mint condition, date is 6-10. A way to keep the arm rest in desired place. Split 5/16" fuel lines and clamshell them over the guide rod. If one piece is cut a little long (about 1/8") it will provide some compression to the system and help dampen any lateral motion as well.

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That is a neat idea! Thanks!

[6666]

While I am finding it a bit hard to believe, DHL have emailed me and claim that my machine is ready to be delivered next Monday the 13th, not bad 3 days from England to Oz, maybe the $100 postage may actually work ?

[kingswood]

While I am finding it a bit hard to believe, DHL have emailed me and claim that my machine is ready to be delivered next Monday the 13th, not bad 3 days from England to Oz, maybe the $100 postage may actually work ?

I ended up ordering another one too. Mine left the UK on Thursday, arrived Perth today!!...Sure faster than Australia Post

[Ferric Toes]

Received Vallon #2 yesterday. It is in near mint condition, date is 6-10. A way to keep the arm rest in desired place. Split 5/16" fuel lines and clamshell them over the guide rod. If one piece is cut a little long (about 1/8") it will provide some compression to the system and help dampen any lateral motion as well.

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[ATTACH]38767[/ATTACH]

I expect you realised this, but the guide rod is also the tube that feeds the coax from the coil back into the electronics box. It is a coiled coax in the lower shaft which allows the telescopic shaft extension. All O ring sealed too. An ingenious design!

Eric.

[Tony2]

Where are these units being ordered from?

Thanks,
Tony

I ended up ordering another one too. Mine left the UK on Thursday, arrived Perth today!!...Sure faster than Australia Post