What the Falcon MD20 Gold Tracker Is
The Falcon MD20 Gold Tracker is a small control box with a waterproof probe on a 5-foot cable, running at 300 kHz. Falcon describes it in the manual as an all-metal motion detector: there is no discrimination and no target ID, and the probe has to move slowly over a target for maximum sensitivity. The detector has two knobs, Sensitivity (which is also the on/off switch) and Auto Ground Balance, plus a sliding copper sensitivity ring on the probe. With the ring behind the black band the MD20 runs in normal mode, which Falcon recommends for pinpointing coins, jewelry and relics. Moving the ring forward to the rear edge of the red band gives enhanced mode, which Falcon says is more sensitive and more prone to interference.
Falcon's claim for the MD20 is that it finds gold particles barely visible to the naked eye. What the manual does not give is a depth figure. It says only that the larger the target, the deeper the MD20 can find it, so treat the MD20 as a tool for material in front of you, in a pan, on a rock face or in a crack, not as a detector for covering ground. Falcon currently builds the MD20 in Mesa, Arizona. You can see the detector on its own on the Falcon MD20 detector-only listing.
Falcon MD20 Packages: Which Listing Is Which
As of October 2026 we list the Falcon MD20 Gold Tracker in six configurations. All six contain the same MD20 detector with the waterproof probe on its 5-foot cable. The packages are Serious Detecting combinations of the MD20 with Falcon's optional accessories; Falcon's manual lists the headphones, holster and handle as optional, not as part of the detector.
MD20 with 5' waterproof probe: the detector on its own. The title names the probe because the probe is the MD20's search head, not because this is a different waterproof version. Falcon lists two 9-volt batteries as included.
MD20 with headphones: the detector plus Falcon MD20 headphones, for anyone working in wind or near running water.
MD20 with belt holster: the detector plus the holster, so the control box rides on your belt and both hands stay free for the probe and your sample.
MD20 with handle and headphones: the detector, the 3-piece handle and headphones, for probing standing up in noisy places.
MD20 with 3-piece handle and belt holster: the detector, the handle and the holster, for working standing up with the control box on your belt.
MD20 Gold Tracker complete bundle: the detector with the 3-piece handle, headphones and belt holster together.
The cheaper option is often enough. If most of your MD20 work will be checking pans and concentrates at a tailgate or a table, the detector on its own does the job, and you can add the handle or holster later if you start probing bedrock.
Falcon MD20 Accessories and What Each One Adds
3-piece extension handle: a 28-inch foam-grip handle. The probe fits in the end, and Falcon says the cable threads through one, two or all three sections and reconnects to the control box, so you can set the reach you need. It lets you search standing up and reach under rocks, brush or into a cold stream without putting your hand in.
Heavy duty belt holster: Falcon describes it as dense nylon with Velcro, with a Velcro strap to wind up the probe and cable neatly. With the control box on your belt you can reach the knobs without putting the probe down.
Falcon MD20 headphones: wired headphones with a 1/8-inch plug for the MD20's headphone jack. The manual says plugging in headphones turns off the built-in speaker, and Falcon notes that its headphones do not block out ambient sound, so you still hear what is around you.
MD20 accessories bundle: the handle, headphones and belt holster together without the detector, for owners who started with the detector only.
Test strip card: a card for a quick check that the MD20 is responding before you head out. Falcon's own calibration check uses the copper ring on the probe instead; our Falcon MD20 calibration guide walks through it.
Digital instruction manual: the Falcon MD20 manual as a download, in English and Spanish.
As of October 2026 Falcon lists no alternative probes or search coils for the MD20; its accessory range is the handle, holster and headphones, plus a clean-up pan. Power is two 9-volt alkaline batteries, rated by Falcon at 40 to 50 hours, and the manual says to always replace both batteries together.
Where the Falcon MD20 Fits in a Prospecting Kit
Falcon's own sampling method for the MD20 is to shake a sample down in a plastic pan and run the probe under the bottom of the pan where you would expect the gold to settle. Falcon points out that this works right at the site without water, which matters on a dry claim. When a dirt sample gives only a few hits, Falcon's advice is to take the next sample to the left or right of the last one.
The MD20 also helps sort metal from mineral. Falcon's manual says a positive response, a signal that moves toward the target as you push the probe in, indicates a metal such as gold, silver or copper. A negative response, a signal that moves away, indicates a mineral such as iron oxides or black sand. Specimens often contain both, and the auto ground balance lets the metal sound while reducing the mineral response. The MD20 sounds on all metal, not just gold, so a positive response tells you metal is present, not which metal.
Water is where buyers most often get the MD20 wrong. Falcon says the probe and 5-foot cable are waterproof but the electronics must not be immersed, and water damage to the electronics voids the warranty. Keep the control box dry, on your belt or in a pocket, while the probe goes into the creek or the wet pan.
Most customers who buy an MD20 from us already own a gold detector. They use the gold detector to find the patch and the MD20 at the clean-up stage, to check concentrates and samples before deciding what is worth processing further.
When a Different Detector Is the Better Buy
Falcon makes one detector, so there is no Falcon model above or below the MD20. The choice is between the MD20 and a different kind of tool. If you need to cover ground and find nuggets in the soil, a swing-coil detector from our gold detectors collection is the right tool, and our guide to choosing a gold detector explains the trade-offs. If you want to pinpoint coins and jewelry in a dig hole alongside a standard detector, a conventional pinpointer from our pinpointers collection is the simpler tool for that job. Falcon's manual warns not to dig with the MD20 probe tip. The MD20 is the better buy when the job is fine gold in material you can bring to the probe.
Buying the Falcon MD20 from Serious Detecting
Serious Detecting, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, is listed as a Falcon dealer on Falcon's own dealer list. Falcon requires the detector to be registered with the factory for the warranty to be valid, and the warranty terms are on Falcon's warranty card. If your MD20 fails its calibration check, Falcon asks owners to contact the factory rather than adjust it themselves, because self-adjustment may void the warranty. Call us if you want help running the check.
