So What's Next From Garrett?

[rumblefish]

When I first came to the site, it was to ask Steve's advice about the Garrett ATX which had just been released, as it seemed perfect for my situation. After weighing (literally) up the pros and cons against the new (then) SDC 2300, I went with the latter and am very happy with it. Maybe the ATX would have served me better, who knows. I'm more of the opinion that you don't miss what you've never had.

 

That was about a year ago when both Garrett and Minelab had two similar, innovative detectors out at roughly the same time. I guess the big question now is, with people considering selling their GPXs, SDC 2300s and maybe even ATXs, just what does Garrett have, to go up against the GPZ 7000? Or do they go for a different market altogether, with a detector such as Steve's much requested lightweight, terrain ATX at a lower price?

[vanursepaul]

"Or do they go for a different market altogether, with a detector such as Steve's much requested lightweight, terrain ATX at a lower price?"

I think an ATX in that style and price range [weight] souls still be 'very interesting' to this crowd "market"

Paul

[Steve Herschbach]

Unless the competition can find a way past the Minelab patents or use their own (whites?) then the high end seems staked out. I still see a big opportunity for detector under $2000 with better performance than the TDI. I would like to see more vigorous competition under $2000 than another $10K detector.

[Bearkat]

I have been talking to Garrett about making a mono coil that is the same size and shape of the the stock DD coil. That will get more depth than the stock DD and if you use it in non-motion mode, the depth would be quite and improvement. 

 

Most people over look the non-motion mode - but for max depth for the ATX to get closer to the Minelab's highend depth abilities - use that mode. It takes patience and know-how to use that mode. But it will pay off on deep, just out of reach targets.

 

How to get more depth with the ATX? - that is the way. Non-motion mode.

[deathray]

Amen on that Steve. And thanks for the tip Alan...if an ATX comes up at the right time,I plan on snaggin one.Ray

[Guest Paul (Ca)]

I'm sure you made a good choice with the SDC 2300, I've never seen one up close but hear good things about the unit.

 

I sprung for the ATX when they first came out,  Been a good Pi for  me for my type of detecting mostly relic hunting.  Just recently, Took the ATX to an old pounded park. All that's left are deep nickels so I give the ATX a go for about 2-3 hours,  What happed during these few hours is remarkable.

 

Dug 5 deep nickels,  One buffalo and four v-nickels.  Two of the nickels my friends CTX would touch in audio but showed a weak visual coin signal on the screen.  With the ATX was using the stock coil and in montion mode.

 

As Bearkat mentioned above, Non-motion is deeper and next time I'm at this park will try non-motion along with experimenting other features and with the 8" coil. 

 

I feel the ATX has just scratched the surface with it's capabilities, If only Garrett would come out with other coils and as Allan mentioned a mono coil same size as the stock would be great. Maybe even a little smaller a mono in-between the 8" and stock coil would be great.

 

Take care,

Paul (Ca)

[IdahoAl]

Bearkat, any info on how the ATX handles hot rocks, the area I like to hunt is bucket dredge piles loaded with  hot rocks.  My AT Gold does pretty good but not much depth...Thanks for any info you can share.....

[Bearkat]

From my experience the ATX will ignore about 90% of the hot rocks you come across. Those bucket dredge piles are similar to large gravel bars which are always a challenge to detectors...If I got to hit one I'm grabbing a PI of some sort, usually my ATX with the DD does just fine. Iron check feature does work on some hot rocks that contain good quantities of iron.

 

Good luck,

BK