GoldinWa App and GPZ7000 Setting off PLBs

Legal Prospecting in WA and the New GoldinWA App.

What is in the GoldinWA App?

Pages on the GoldinWA App.

How to Get Access to the Free GoldinWA App

Minelab Detectors Setting off EPRIBs and PLBs - Further Information

goldprospectingwa.com AINT us!

Corona Virus WA Updates WA.

Goldinwa APP

Udo and I went to the APLA (Amalgamated Leaseholders and Prospectors Association) AGM last weekend and are amazed at the High quality information and help provided by the APLA members to other members and to prospectors in general.

I (Bill) delivered a talk on Legal Prospecting in WA and also provided access to an APP we have developed for new prospectors in WA.

This is in response to the massive amount of Miners Rights issued in WA this Year, over 4500 so far and counting!

We have also had a huge growth in people asking the basic questions about "Where can I find gold" and "Where can I do it legally without fear."

In response to those questions we build a Progressive Web App (PWA) that can be used on Android phones, IPhones and tablets and on your desktop.

This can be used as a reference for you or for you to give the information or QR code to others that may just be starting out in Prospecting.

Its called the Goldinwa APP.

We will build more information on this app in time but currently it covers the key questions that you might ask about Prospecting in WA.

And it's free.

We are doing this because as long serving APLA members we believe that if all people do the right and legal things while they are prospecting it will protect our gold prospecting future (and our Children's and their Children's right to go prospecting in WA)

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Whats on the GoldinWA APP

We have tried to keep it simple with links to more "in depth" pages and Department of Mines Information if people need therm.

Most pages have a link to a video as well.

Many people have decided to try metal detecting for gold for the first time that is one reason we built the GoldinWA app.

Here is a screenshot of the menu page;

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Pages in the GoldInWA App

Pages on the GoldinWA App

• Find Gold In WA. With links to all the pages on the APP.
• Rules Bloody Rules.
• How to Get A Miners Right.
• Who Owns the Gold I Find?
• I'm From Overseas - What are the rules for me?
• Where to find Gold in WA.
• What is Crown Land - How do I find it?.
• Notify Land Owners (When you go Prospecting).
• How to apply for a Section 40e Online.
• Request to go Metal Detecting standard Letter Templates?.
• Metal Detecting eGold Newsletter.
• About APLA - why you should join.

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Getting the PWA onto your Phone, Ipad or Laptop

There is also some instructions on that sheet how to use the QR code to get the GoldinWA app on your Iphone, Ipad or Android Phone (or PC if you want it stored there).

How to scan a QR code IPhone, Ipad

• (1) Open the Camera app from the Home screen, Control Center, or Lock screen.
• (2) Select the rear facing camera. Hold your device so that the QR code appears in the viewfinder in the Camera app. Your device recognizes the QR code and shows a notification,
• (3) Tap the notification to open the link associated with the QR code.

On Android

Get a QR reader app or use Google Lens in the assistant.Here is a Link to some Instructions.

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QR Code for the GoldinWA App

Problems with Minelab Detectors Setting off PLBs (Personal Locator Beacons) and EPIRBS - Further Information

Last newsletter I talked about a letter written by Minelab about PLBs (Personal Location Beacons) being triggered by Minelab 7000 metal detectors in some circumstances and with some PLBs.

At the Last meeting of Perth Branch of Amalgamated Prospectors and Leaseholders Association (APLA) Dave Kitson an electronics Guru explained how he had followed up on this issue with Minelab and KTI and he came up with the following information which he has kindly allowed us to publish in this newsletter. (Thanks Dave!)

Click on the Graphic below and it should link you to the Video about how you test your KTi PLB.

"Must knows" about your EPIRB/PLB - Personal Locator Beacon

GPZ7000 Triggering False Signals in PLBs

... (By Dave Kitson - Perth APLA Member)

In October 2020 Minelab issued a warning that their "metal detector", the GPZ 7000, - had been found to set-off KTi's model SA2G EPIRBs/PLBs.

This was the second report of such an incidence. The first in 2017, the latest in September 2020 when one of our APLA members was surprised by a plane overhead, then a station owner hunting him down and finally a police visit.

Yes, these PLBs work and can help save lives.

Sadly, however, both of these examples and some others were false alarms.

False PLB triggering has APLA Concerned.

APLA is concerned by the waste of resources and possible impact for our large prospecting membership.
Most carry PLBs and using modern detectors and now we see reaction between these devices resulted in a PLB being activated.

These PLBs, even with the antenna folded, emit a strong enough signal to reach one of the many satellites listening for emergency signals.

By early 2020 there were over 45 satellites in Geostationary, Polar and Low Earth Orbits listening out. Another 40 in LEO are now being launched. This worldwide Search and Rescue is funded by nearly 50 nations.

Australia's AMSA is responsible for coordinating SAR on Land and Sea for 10% of the earth's surface, that's huge.

Typically, an alarm heard in space, coming from WA, is relayed down to a listening post in Albany then on to Canberra. Appropriate resources are set into action. Your modern PLB with built in GPS sends a coded message telling Canberra who and where you are to within a few meters.

False alarms were taken very seriously by Minelab and Australian manufacturer, KTi.

Minelab loaned KTi a GPZ 7000. In November 2017. KTi confirmed that the 7000 could trigger an inadvertent switch on of the SA2G PLB. Production was modified with a firmware & hardware fix from serial number 148354 in November 2017.

Be aware that once triggered ON it will stay ON, hidden in its box, until the battery runs flat the next day.

Testing PLB Devices and Detectors

I tried my SA2G PLB, SN:150193 and fortunately cannot get it to switch on no matter where I put it close to my 7000 so the problem seems cured. I also tried my powerful rare earth magnet. Nothing. Good news.

Our APLA member's September 2020 false alarm was from a pre-mod production dated September 2017 and with a Serial Number well before 148354.

What to do? - some ideas are given at the end of this article. However, as we now carry many electronic devices it may be useful to review and understand what is happening.

Be Aware of Your Electronic Environment When Prospecting.

Let’s be a bit more aware of our electronic environment.

A typical prospector has a powerful detector pumping out an average 5 watts or more of sharp electromagnetic pulses - let’s call that EMF for ElectroMagnetic Field.

These pulses while consuming a relatively low drain from the battery are of very short duration and very high energy.

Similarly Lightning, Radar and Welding produce huge high energy pulses. It's these high-power pulses that can create a problem.

This GPZ7000 pulse can induce electric currents in the circuitry of you PLB and other electronic devices such as Heart Pacemakers, GPS, Radios etc.

These sudden currents can be of high amplitude and not only trigger circuits to turn ON but also damage certain modern electronic components called MOSFETs.

This EMF actually consists of two related parts called the Electric and Magnetic Fields. Your 7000 produces a very strong Magnetic Field which excites a conductive gold nugget and produces an electric current in the nugget. This creates its own magnetic field which is picked up by the coil on the 7000. Timing and Phase differences plus some very smart electronics enables your detector to filter out that very weak gold signal and give you the awaited target "beep".

It is that powerful 7000 Magnetic Field that can induce electric currents in your PLB and make it latch ON.

End of the technical stuff - so what to do.?

How to Ensure your PLB is not Affecting Your Detector

• 1. Check your PLB and if it's a KTi SA2G check if the serial number is above 148354. If not, read on.
• 2. When using your detector, not only the 7000, turn it off when not in use.
  For example, if stopping in the bush for a call-of-nature don’t pile your harness on top of a detector that is still ON.
  Don’t throw it all into the back of your vehicle with it ON, as happened in 2017.
  A safe distance is about 50 cm. If your 7000 can detect your PLB or GPS then it is too close and inducing strong fields in it, back off.
• 3. The report from Minelab and others indicate that the false triggering occurred with the PLB within 10 cm of the bottom of the coil.
  Normally, while detecting, this never happens.
  Even when using a scoop to check out a target rarely would any object get closer than 40 cm as it would be impossible to have a quiet detector.
• 4. Many prospectors have a powerful rare earth magnet stuck on their picks, it is very likely that this can come close to your PLB which may be sensitive, mine is not.
  Be alert to the hazard of strong magnets.
• 5. As experienced by our APLA member when he looked at his PLB, it appeared to be OFF but noticed it was ON half an hour later.
  KTi say this has happened before and possibly in strong sunlight it is difficult to see the flash of the strobe.
  The KTi can be turned off by holding in the blue button.
• 6. If your PLB has triggered ON like this then the battery life may be too low for future use.
  However, in the case of the SA2G the battery life is carefully monitored internally.
  KTi advise that as long as the Self-Test is OK then the PLB is still good to use.
• 7. Soon after the September 2020 event one prospecting shop in Victoria advertised its plastic Faraday Shield to prevent it being triggered by the 7000.
  This is unfortunately misleading.
  The Faraday Shield, as on your microwave oven door mesh will stop the PLB radio signal from reaching the satellite but not prevent the Magnetic Field from your 7000 from activating an unmodified SA2G.

The correct suggestion of Minelab is to place the PLB in a fully closed tin.
Yes, that can help but be aware that the tin must be iron or steel and will only reduce the Magnetic Field.


Wrapping your PLB in Aluminium foil is also a false move as Aluminium will not kill the Magnetic Field. Specialised, so called Mu-ferro tape may promise to provide a more ergonomic shielding but this needs further research.

• 8. Read the instructions on the back of your PLB to carry out at least an annual functional check.
  The SA2G also has a test to check that the GPS section is working.
  You need to read the manual for that. Fortunately, the "manual" is a two-sided A4 sheet that folds neatly into the carrying box.
  I thought a check was just to push the blue TEST button, WRONG, it's a bit more than that.
  Look for the Green LED flash and White strobe. This test confirms that your unit is actually transmitting. Read the GPS Test procedure and go outside to perform this. This important second test actually confirms that your exact location will be transmitted to those eager AMSA people watching in Canberra.
  TEST transmissions are so coded that they do not trigger an AMSA alarm.
  Familiarise yourself with Emergency Activation Operation as you may need it in the dark.
• 9. If you are being "buzzed" by a plane or helicopter while out bush your PLB may have been inadvertently switched on.
  Cancel an alarm by calling 1800 641 792 or 02 6230 6811 (SAT phone +61 2 6230 6811) if possible.
  Check & call rescuers on UHF channels 5 (simplex), 9,10,11 or 40. See page 92 of the National Search and Rescue Manual. https://natsar.amsa.gov.au/natsar-manual.asp
  One arm waving is "Hello", Two arms waving is "HELP".
• 10. Be aware that the endless list of electronic devices can interact. Even cars can have strange interactions.
  One prospector reported that he cannot lock or unlock his car when his 7000 is switched on.
  Most create broad spectrum radio emissions that in some cases can seriously interfere with other nearby equipment especially radio receivers like a GPS.
• 11. Register your PLB with AMSA as per instructions received with your PLB or check AMSA website for a form. www.amsa.gov.au/beacons
  Printout the email response confirming your registration details. Its half a page and is renewable every 2 years.
  It is a FREE SERVICE. It is in every beacon owner's best interests to register their PLB with AMSA.
  Beacon registration helps expedite SAR activities upon detection of an emergency transmission.
  It also helps to reduce the waste of precious resources in cases of inadvertent activation.
• 12. KTi advise that they apply all appropriate upgrades when doing a battery replacement.

  Current charge for battery replacement is $154.00 including GST.

From Dave Kitson Amalgamated Prospectors and Leaseholders Association Perth Branch Member.

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goldprospectingwa.com AINT Us

It is called www.goldprospectingwa.com.

It is a lightweight piece of rubbish site that has used Search engine optimisation tools and is NOT ASSOCIATED WITH UDO AND I or Gold Prospecting WA

Our site is called:

www.gold-prospecting-wa.com with the hyphens between gold-prospecting-wa.

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Gold Prospecting WA Facebook Page

...By the way the story on PLBs was provided by an APLA Member and this is just a matter of normal practice of APLA members who gladly share information and training with other members. If you are a prospector and not a member of APLA you are a mug..

Regards

Udo and Bill

Nobody gets ALL the gold. There’s still plenty left for you.