White’s Electronics GOLDMASTER 24k Advanced Manual
GOLDMASTER
ADVANCED GUIDE
24k
White’s Electronics, Inc.
1011 Pleasant Valley Road
Sweet Home, OR 97386 USA
whiteselectronics.com
©White’s Electronics, Inc.
Introduction
White’s Electronics, Inc.’s Goldmaster® platform has served electronic prospectors well over the
last 20 plus years, resulting in income for professional miners and diversion for hobbyists. With
modern advances in DSP, improved ergonomics, and performance increases, the Goldmaster® 24k
represents the next generation of high-frequency induction-balance gold nugget detectors.
When our engineers set out to build the GM24k, the goal was simple: improve the user’s chance to
nd gold without hurting their wallets.
The obvious way to achieve this goal is increased sensitivity. The GM24k features a 54% increase in
coil voltage over the GMT. You will see this in increased sensitivity to small nuggets. While testing
this machine in Brazil, this was shown in a tiny, 0.4 grain crystalline nugget we found encased in
quartz. In some cases this much power can be counter-productive if the ground is very challenging,
so use it with caution! Even at lower gain settings the GM24k is an extremely “hot” machine on
small gold and specimen nuggets.
Experienced electronic prospectors know that more sensitivity is not the only answer to increasing the odds of success in prospecting. A machine’s ability to track and cancel the ground is often
the biggest challenge we face in our search for gold. That’s why the Goldmaster® 24k features an
all-new ground tracking system we call “XGB” (Xtreme Ground Balance). This system works with
multiple ground points to ensure stable operation. The GM24k also features Iron/Hot-Rock cancellation in both audio modes, expanding the ground range even more for quiet operation in the most
challenging ground.
When the nuggets are few and far between, prospectors often have more success at sluicing, pan-
ning, or dry washing. You will nd an all-new mode in the GM24k, called “Ground Scan” that can
help you successfully track and mark black sand or other mineral deposits in stream beds, washes,
or even under ground (where the backlight comes in handy).
In addition to these new features, old standbys like Variable Self-Adjusting Threshold (vSAT),
Ground Grab, TracLock, and adjustable audio options help users to setup the machine as they see
t based on ground conditions and personal preference. Where other companies rely on completely
automatic operation for limited uses, White’s Electronics, Inc. believes in giving you the ability to
adjust a machine for a wider variety of conditions, hopefully resulting in more gold in your pouch.
With a combination of patience, research, and a little luck, you’ll get your GM24k’s coil over gold.
But be warned, if you don’t have gold fever yet you will after your rst nugget!
Good luck and happy hunting,
White’s Electronics
i
GMT Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Assembly............................................................................2
Assembly Instructions ....................................................................................................................3
Chapter 2 Batteries..............................................................................4
Standard Battery Holder ................................................................................................................4
Using the Standard Battery Holder
Rechargeable Battery.........................................................................................................................5
Battery Meter ...................................................................................................................................5
...............................................................................................4
Chapter 3 GMT Quick Start ...............................................................6
Quick Start Instructions....................................................................................................................7
Chapter 4 Controls..............................................................................8
Sensitivity Control.............................................................................................................................8
Sensitivity Adjustment......................................................................................................................8
Sensitivity Adjustment (cont’d) .........................................................................................................9
Volume/Threshold Adjustment ..................................................................................................... 10
Hot Rocks ...................................................................................................................................... 11
Variable SAT Speed Control........................................................................................................ 11
VSAT Adjustment......................................................................................................................... 11
Target ID.........................................................................................................................................12
Iron Cancel......................................................................................................................................13
Iron Cancel Adjustment ................................................................................................................13
Ground Balance XGB .................................................................................................................14
TracLock/Ground Grab...................................................................................................................15
Ground Scan ..................................................................................................................................15
Chapter 5 Searching..........................................................................16
Pinpoint Technique ...................................................................................................................... 16
Headphones .................................................................................................................................17
Field Use & Tuning Tips .............................................................................................................. 18
Field Use & Tuning Tips (cont’d) ................................................................................................. 20
Field Use & Tuning Tips (cont’d) ................................................................................................. 22
Chapter 6 Information........................................................................24
Proper Care.....................................................................................................................................24
Service ............................................................................................................................................25
Warranty ......................................................................................................................................... 26
Warranty Transfer ........................................................................................................................... 27
Videos and Owner Information...................................................................................................... 28
1
Chapter 1 GM24k Assembly
Assembly
4
3
5
6
2
Detail on Step 3
1
7
Included with your GM24k:
1. Detector s-rod body
2. Middle rod
3. Lower ber rod
4. Coil hardware (washers, nut, bolt)
5. 6x10” DD Coil
6. 6” Concentric Coil
7. 8x AA holder (batteries included)
8. Rechargeable battery with charger
9. Cable straps or clips
10.Arm cup strap
11.Arm cup foam
12.GM24k Quick Start Manual
2
Chapter 1 GM24k Assembly
Assembly Instructions
1. Remove all parts from shipping carton and
check the assembly page to make sure all parts
are present.
2. Unlock “S” rod cam lock and insert the reduced end of the center rod into curved “S” rod
so that stainless steel spring clip buttons line up
and lock into the holes in the curved “S” rod.
Turn cam lock to secure.
3. Fit the rubber washers between clevis/lower
rod and search coil ears. Use only non-metal-
lic washers, ber bolt, and thumb nut, to secure
loop to clevis/lower rod. Then insert into center
rod so that stainless steel spring buttons line up
and lock into one of the adjustment holes in the
center rod. Turn cam lock to secure.
4. Unravel cable and wind the cable around the
clevis and rod assembly, rst revolution
be OVER the top of the rod with some slack
before applying the cable retainer. This is done
so that the search coil can be paddled backwards
toward the rod without putting a strain on the
cable. Wind cable rmly all the way to the
handle toggle switch. Then plug connector into
control box turn lock ring to secure. To secure
cable, wrap velcro cable retainers around rod
and cable, one near the search coil and one near
the handle.
should
5. Grip the instrument by the handle, with your
arm in the elbow cup with strap secure, and
sweep the coil over the oor. If the instrument
t feels uncomfortable, adjust the elbow cup by
removing and repositioning the bolt and installing in one of the optional positions. If necessary, readjust clevis/lower rod length with the
spring clip buttons so that the search coil can be
held near the oor without requiring stooping
over.
6. Adjust the elbow cup strap so that it is loose
enough for you to slide your arm in and out
with-out loosening each time you want to set the
detector down. Peel and stick elbow cup foam
pads on the inside of the elbow cup, one on each
side.
7. Install battery with plastic tab and steel
contacts facing toward inside of battery com-
partment. The rechargeable battery may require
charging to ensure full capacity before using.
8 It should be noted at this point that the de-
tector may not work as expected indoors due
to the high degree of metals ( nails, pipes, etc.)
used in modern construction and the presence
of electrical interference. It is best to tune and
practice out-of-doors to ensure stable, predictable results.
3
Chapter 2 GM24k Batteries
Batteries
Standard Battery Holder
Using the
Standard Battery Holder
1. Slide open the battery holder lid (decal side
of battery holder) by applying gentle upward
pressure on the tab of the door so that it unlocks. Slide the door away from the battery box
exposing the cell positions.
2. Remove any old cells from the holder. Note
the (+) and (-) positions of each cell and the (+)
and (-) for each position marked inside the cell
tray. Install new “AA” cells noting carefully
the correct (+) and (-) positions.
If the cells are installed incorrectly, the de-
tector may require service by an Authorized
Service Center.
1. The standard battery holder holds eight “AA”
cell batteries. Alkalines are recommended for
use with this model. During normal searching
conditions you can expect about 40 or more
hours of hunting time from one set of eight
alkaline batteries.
2. Non-alkaline batteries can be used in this
holder. When non-alkalines or rechargeable
“AA” cells are used, detecting time (before
replacement/ recharge) may be reduced to about
30-35 hours.
3. Once the batteries get to 8 volts, the machine
will turn itself off to keep from over-discharging the cells. Battery level is noted on meter.
4. The battery compartment opens by pressing
on the two buttons on the side of the battery
box, releasing the catch and hinging open the
door.
3. Slide the door closed so that it snaps securely.
4. Insert the battery holder into the detector
with enough force to hear the double “click”
from the battery retention clips inside.
5. Battery insertion requires a similar amount of
force to loading a magazine into a pistol for full
engagement.
4
Chapter 2 GM24k Batteries
Rechargeable Battery
A rechargeable battery can give you the most
exibility possible when heading out to look
for gold.
Rechargeable batteries deliver fairly constant
voltage until they’re nearly dead. If you use
them until they are dead, they will deteriorate
more quickly than if you only use them till
their voltage starts to drop signicantly. Therefore, rechargeables should be taken out of
service and recharged as soon as you notice the
battery life starting to fall substantially below
the bar graph position that corresponds to fully
charged batteries.
The White’s Rechargeable Ni-cad battery will
not provide the same amount of continuous use
as a full set of Alkaline batteries. Plan on about
12-20 hours of operation depending on backlight usage, headphones, and sensitivity level.
Please note that due to their lower voltages, it
is common for fully-charged Ni-cad or other
batteries to initially read as less than 12 volts
(just under full bars on your display). This is a
result of the chemistry of the cells and will not
impact performance.
Using the Battery Charger on Quick Charge Setting
5
Charging
Hours
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
13 12 11.5 11 10.5 10 9.5 9 8.5 8 7.5 7 6.5 6
Battery Voltage Reading
Any voltage reading
less than 8 volts-charge
for 5 hours maximum
on Quick Charge
setting. Further charg
ing can
damage the
system.
-
Battery Meter
The battery icon displays the following voltages:
4 bars = 11.5 volts or higher 3 bars =
11 volts or higher 2 bars = 10 volts or
higher 1 bar = 9 volts or higher Flashing
outline = less than 9 volts
Typical battery life will be in the neighborhood
of 40 hours or more with alkaline, and 12-20
with the Ni-cad pack.
Non-rechargeable batteries will start to drop in
voltage as soon as they are put into use and then
slowly diminish in voltage till they die. The Nicad rechargeable battery pack, however, will
diminish voltage very slowly, in somewhat of a
at line and then when they begin to lose their
charge, the voltage will drop like a rock. Headphone use pro-longs all battery life. Battery life
will vary a great deal with temperature, number
of target signals, battery type, brand, and shelf
life. When traveling far from home it is always
a good idea to carry 8 extra AA alkaline batteries with you as well as an extra empty battery
holder.
5
Chapter 3 GM24k Quick Start
GM24k Interface
Target ID #
Higher number,
Better chance of gold
Beep Mode On
Iron Cancel On
Volume Level
SAT/Threshold Level
Audio Mode
SAT +/-
Volume +/-
Threshold +/-
Visual Target ID
Ground strength in
Ground Scan mode
Backlight On
TracLock On
Sensitivity
Power On/
Backlight
TracLock
Off
Ground Scan
Iron Cancel
Disc LO/HI
NOTE: Regular text = button TAP,
6
Sensitivity
Adjust other settings
Ground Grab/Exit Setting Selection
Pinpoint (non-motion)
Italic text = button HOLD
Quick Start
Instructions
With the GM24k properly assembled and the
batteries installed, follow the instructions below
to start nding those nuggets!
Turn the GM24k on by pressing the POWER
1
button.
Chapter 3 GM24k Quick Start
SPECIAL NOTICE
*
If you attempt to demonstrate or test the
GM24k by waving targets in the air in
front of the search coil, it is ESSENTIAL
to have the GROUND BALANCE toggle
in the LOCKED setting.
Set the VOLUME to your preference (tap
Speaker icon, use Up and Down buttons).
2
Set the THRESHOLD to a faint hum (hold
Speaker icon, use Up and Down buttons). For
3
silent search, turn this all the way down
Set the SENSITIVITY to a level that ensures
smooth operation (Up and Down buttons).
4
Set the SAT to get a stable threshold (hold
Music button, use Up and Down buttons).
5
Select your preferred AUDIO mode (tap
Music button). With the Music icon dis-
6
played you are in Beep mode. With no icon,
you are in
Enable IRON CANCEL if you experience
difcult ground conditions, hot and cold
7
rocks, or iron trash (tap Nail button).
Lower the search coil to the ground, then
“pump” the coil up and down a couple of
times and XGB will automatically balance
8
or track out the ground mineralization. Or
you can Lock the tracking (Lock button) and
perform a ground grab (Bullseye button).
Zip mode.
This is necessary, for when the GM24k is
in the XGB setting, the search coil must
SEE ground while it is passing over the
target or it will think that the target IS
ground and will attempt to track it out.
This is the case whether you are demonstrating with or without Iron Cancel.
You may, however, demonstrate the fast
ground balancing feature of XGB or
GRAB by waving or pumping a mineralized rock in the air in front of the search
coil.
Thus, testing the GM24k with targets
while in XGB mode must be done in or on
the ground.
Start swinging the search coil in wide
sweeps that overlap each other.
9
If you experience false signals or constant
beeping or popping, turn the SENSITIVI-
10
TY down a bit, adjust the SAT up, or enable
IRON CANCEL.
7
Chapter 4 GM24k Controls
Controls
Current
Sensitivity
Level
Sensitivity Control
With the SENSITIVITY control, you increase
the signal strength coming from the ground. You
might expect increased signal strength to always
nd more nuggets at greater depths. However, high
ground mineralization will “bounce” the signal
back and mask good targets. It is therefore necessary to ADJUST the SENSITIVITY to give you
the maximum allowable SENSITIVITY without
masking targets or over-loading the circuit and at
the same time allowing you to operate the detector
with a constant threshold hum so that faint signals
can be detected.
®
Sensitivity
Increase
Sensitivity
Decrease
This is where the GM24k can help you out. When
ground mineralization is too high for the current
SENSITIVITY control setting, the display shows
you a series of lines along with an audible “alert”.
Reduce the SENSITIVITY till the overload warning ceases. On occasion, while searching, you
might go over a very large or very shallow target.
This will result in the same type of behavior. Lifting the coil higher may reveal some information
on the target. You still might want to dig it up!
Sensitivity Adjustment
1.The UP and DOWN buttons control the SENSITIVITY. Each press on the UP button increases from a
minimum level of “0” to a maximum level of “10”. Please note that levels 0-9 adjust the system gain, and
that setting 10 enables an Audio Boost for maximum sensitivity.
2.Average ground conditions will generally allow for settings of 5-7 on the SENSITIVITY setting. In
mild ground you may be able to run as high as 10, and in extreme ground you may need to lower the sensitivity to under 5. If the GM24k overloads, your sensitivity is set too high!
3.One way to look at the SENSITIVITY control is like the accelerator in your car. Sometimes you have
to ease off for better control, and other times you can go “full throttle” for maximum performance.
8
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