Description
Fisher Gold Bug Tracker Metal Detector
At a glance: The Fisher Gold Bug Tracker is the simplest machine in Fisher's 19 kHz Gold Bug line: the same gold frequency as the Gold Bug Pro, but with automatic ground tracking instead of a manual ground balance. 2.5 lb (1.1 kg), 5 in (13 cm) coil, 20 to 25 hours on one 9 V battery. Built in the USA, 2 year limited warranty.
Most people who give up on gold prospecting do not give up because the gold was not there. They give up because the machine spent all day arguing with the ground.
Why the Tracker
Fisher builds three machines on the 19 kHz Gold Bug platform, and they split them by how much of the ground you want to manage yourself. The Tracker is the one that manages it for you. Its ground balance is automatic: it tracks the soil continuously and re-balances as the mineralization changes under the coil, so there is no knob to chase and no procedure to remember. Fisher's own argument for it is worth repeating, because it is not the one you expect. They point out that experienced users benefit from the tracking too, precisely because it adapts to constantly changing mineralization. Auto tracking is not only a beginner's crutch. On ground that shifts every few steps, a machine that quietly keeps up can put more good targets in your pouch than a manual balance you never get around to resetting.
What you give up is control, not capability. The frequency that finds small gold is the same 19 kHz the Gold Bug Pro runs. What the Pro adds is a fully adjustable ground balance and discrimination, a Pinpoint function, and a Threshold you can tune to pull the faintest signals out of the background. The Tracker has none of those, and it costs less because of it. If you want the cheapest honest way into 19 kHz gold hunting, this is it. If you already know you want to hand-tune your ground and hear threshold hum, buy the Pro instead and skip the upgrade later.
| Spec | Fisher Gold Bug Tracker |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 19 kHz VLF |
| Ground balance | Automatic tracking; adapts as mineralization changes |
| Target ID | Numeric target ID plus an iron (Fe) readout on a digital display |
| Discrimination | Yes, with an adjustable bias control to hold down iron chatter |
| Volume / Sensitivity | Both adjustable |
| Search coil | 5 in (13 cm), waterproof coil |
| Weight | 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) |
| Battery | One 9 V, 20 to 25 hours (alkaline recommended). Battery not included |
| Headphones | 1/4 in (6.3 mm) jack |
| Warranty / origin | 2-Year Limited Warranty to the original owner, made in the USA (First Texas, El Paso) |
Who it is for
The prospector who wants a real 19 kHz gold machine at the bottom of the range, the detectorist who hunts ground that changes constantly and would rather not re-balance every few minutes, and anyone who wants to find out whether they like nugget hunting before spending flagship money. It is also a capable all-rounder: the numeric target ID and iron readout make it usable on coins, jewelry, and relics, not just gold.
Know before you buy
We would rather you hear this from us than find out in the field. The Tracker has no pinpoint mode, so target recovery is done with sweep technique rather than a button. The control box is not weatherproof and carries no IP rating, so only the coil is built to get wet. There is no backlight and no memory. The 9 V battery is not included. And Fisher publishes no manual for this machine, so if you want it explained, call us. If any of those matter to you, the Gold Bug Pro is the honest step up.
We hunt with this gear, we do not just ship it. Call History Seekers at (256) 284-2247 and the person telling you whether the Tracker is enough machine for your ground is someone who has swung a gold detector on real dirt. We are a small American business, everyone here detects, and your order is packed by people who hunt.
The story is more important than the artifact.