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I'm checking both out. Need some input by others.

What is Garrett thinking I wonder, to advance the evolution of the ATX circuit? Its a good, solid detector for a single channel PI circuit. If it was removed from the big, heavy, bulky ridiculous housing with the big, bulky, heavy, ridiculous collapsing stem setup, I'm sure it would sell a heap more. Collaborating with a well known and respected coil manufacturer to make available the proprietary plugs and specs would also help heaps. A good coil range sells detectors as we all know. My thoughts also stretched to how the QED (also being a single channel PI) can be adjusted to have faster or slower sampling with relevant timings to either find small gold/targets OR bigger, deeper gold/targets. Seeing how Minelabs patents (MPS) don't allow for multi-channel detectors to be built by any other company, I suspect that this adjustable concept is the logical step to make? Use a small coil: fast sampling/timing. Use a large coil: slower sampling/timing. Garrett has a very good PI circuit in the ATX....why not actually (FINALLY) turn it into the quality prospecting PI that it was supposed to be? Most of the engineering is already done so I'd imagine the cost of doing the rest wouldn't be a huge financial burden. God knows the Fisher Impulse Gold isn't on the horizon any time soon so perhaps a well positioned gold prospecting PI detector with ground tracking and great sensitivity should be a focus for Garrett? Especially now that Whites range of prospecting PI's are now gone from the marketplace. They have the 24K to cover the entry level high frequency VLF side of their 'lineup' so now its time to offer a practical prospecting PI as well. Undercut Minelab's high price point by a good margin (which won't be hard to do) and I would suspect that sales should flow, especially in Africa. I think I know Steve's thoughts on this....what about everyone else?

hello everyone, let's talk about atx, garrett gonna make a replacement? What do we blame him for, simply for being heavy? in performance, it always surpasses all existing machines on the range with gpz! on black sand is it yes or not the only one with the gpz to be effective? steeve please, he is no longer your favorite for his versatility; despite its weight? despite his age ! gpx 6000 really has big problems on very mineralized ground? and on black sand? a future ctx 3030! and why not just a submersible gpz at 3 meters because they have the same design I do not denigrate anyone, nor the detectors I'm just asking his questions to help me trill I may be overvaluing the atx, but is it still a safe bet today or do I have to wait for a new one? I'm just asking if the atx is still the best off-road on the market today (black sand, salt water 3 meters, mineralized soil, performance, medium soil) for me atx is the champion just because the gpz is not submersible

Hi everyone, I need some help. I live on an island in South Carolina that has a ton of civil war history. I have historical maps and encapments printed on clear plastic that I use to cross reference where things were. This along with out of print books and local knowledge and research done by friends makes me think that I just won't be swinging in any old place. There is also the opportunity to look for jewelry on the beaches and in the water. The hunting I am planning on doing is in the woods, on the beach and in the water. I would say that actual hunting in the water above a foot or so would be limited to no more than 10% of the time. The low tides here are extreme and good planning usually negates the need to walk amongst the sharks 😊. Beach hunting would be approx 70% and wooded areas the remaining 20%. I am not considering the loss of iron check on mono's as a limiting factor. I have owned the CTX, the NOX 800 and I did own an ATX when I lived up north so I am very familiar with the weight and when a bungee should be used. I also have first hand experience with sand in the cam locks. I would like to limit my arsenal to 2 coils .. maybe 3. Here are my thoughts and concerns on each. DD COIL: (I will be getting at least one DD) 10x12 original DD. Don't like the issue with coil knocking although I don't know what is is like using an atx without that issue. The enclosed coils came out after I got mine.. Also worried about the hinge long term 11x13 DD, never used it. Does it float? That would be bad in the surf.. But then again.. Only 10% ish of the time would I expect to be in waist high water. I would deal with a buoyancy issue if it is that much better a coil. MONO's: Small 8" mono. Maybe good for the wooded areas... I think I really want it because I like the looks 11x13 mono... Does it offer any appreciable depth that would keep it in the running? 15x20 Deepseeker. I have had it and know the weight it adds.. But I am thinking that some of the deep relics may be sanded in and this might be worth it. I think that there are some doozies still unearthed where old piers have been that are just beyond the capabilities of anything else. I wouldn't primarily use this coil to dig booming targets.. Rather as a cherry picker... OK.. That's my story... What 2 or 3 coils would you recommend for how I am planning on hunting? Thanks in advance for all your comments. John in SC.

I am looking to get a beach PI detector and the ATX is one of my choices. This is in Florida on the Gulf side around the Tampa area. I am also going to use it in Tennessee where I do a lot of CW relic hunting. I was wondering anyone's idea about this detector.

If you answer yes what type of hunting do you use it for.Also if you answer no what are your reason for not getting it.I have the Infinium and would get the ATX if it was in a different housing, did not have the cable rot problems I here of and was less then $1400.I here it gets about 4'' more then the infinium with the ground balance off on a nickel.

Test Garrett ATX on 0.1 gram Gold 24K under IRON STONE.... I think it's a really good result ... ATX shows its qualities .. Setings :DISC3/SENSITIVITY 9/TRESHOLD12/VOLUME13-MAX/... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another video shows the measurement of the IRON STONE Mineralization value using the XP ORX detector ... as well as a magnet test. Iron Stone ...can easily fill in the highest level of the ORX mineralization indicator..and the magnet test confirms ....the high iron content... Iron stone is too hard a test for ORX ... which even after completion GB.... gives a false signal to this iron stone ... if you want to eliminate the false signal you have to reduce the sensitivity of ORX to 50 ..

Doing research on my atx I'm so glad I found this site. Atx is driving me bonkers in the salt water on the gulf coast florida panama city beach to be exact and my trips to south beach. Problem I'm having is trying to run with factory settings with sens 13 , what happens is a lot of drift which is fine I can hear targets thru drift but then atx screams like it is locked on to a target and stays that way with the yellow dots fixed on the far right screen which doesn't allow me to hit targets even my scoop. I then retune and after a few swings same thing again. If I ground balance sens 13 I can run fairly smooth with some drift however only targets I'm digging are shallow. I watched a video on ground balancing on detectors comparisons on u tube with the infinium and atx side by side on wet sand both were hitting targets deep , then atx was ground balanced and lost a dime at 10 inches which it picked up easily in factory mode with sens at 13. So it looks like if ground balancing is used depth is really reduced ? Another test they did was run sens at 10 in factory sens and still couldn't pick up dime at 10 inches. Not sure what I'm doing wrong really would appreciate any tips as losing faith in atx. By the way my duelfield runs smooth in the drink , thinging its much less sensitive than the atx ? My detector is ctx which runs smooth. I bought the atx to use in sanded in conditions but not working for me so far. thanks jimmymac

Hi guys - I owned one of the first ATX units (actually 2 of them) and suffered from the coil cable issues. Despite that, these machines produced 100+ gold rings for me (in the space of 1 year). Garrett was awesome and replaced the coils but they failed again (and again) and eventually I sold the machines and focused on the CTX and EXCALs (modded) and later the Equinox. After selling the ATX I purchased the Whites BeachHunter TDI and to be honest, was less than impressed compared to my finds with the ATX of the past. I deeply missed the two-tone audio of the ATX and the 8” mono in the water. It was a deep machine (the TDI) but I had become used to the ATX. I noticed my finds ‘dropping off’ once the ATX was sold - and there was no ‘replacement’ PI that was readily available...... So last week I came across a late 2018 ATX and picked that up for a very good price - shipping now! i will update you guys with regard the cable issue - I guess I am hoping the cable is in good nick and may be the later version? I missed the ATX - despite its known flaws. Roll on the courier! The forums are certainly quiet on the ATX nowadays

Yesterday evening I was paging through all the post on the 6000 when out of nowhere here was this ad showing what looked like a Garrett ATX ad . The head looked just like ATX but was on a shaft like all other land detectors . The control box looked a lot like the MX 7 and it was under the arm . I’m not sure what the ad said but it was something like;why wait when it’s here now. I’ve went to every post and I’ve can’t find it. I’m hoping someone else seen it to. I know I’m a few grapes short of a fruit salad but this was real and I wasn’t dreaming. Chuck

With all the talk of Minelab dominating the prospecting part of metal detecting lately how often has any one used a Garrett for gold prospecting in the last few years?

I currently use a Equinox 800 and I consider myself to know absolutely everything about it. There really isnt anything that anyone can tell me about that machine that i havent mastered and completely already know. Its probably the most simple machine to use on the planet. I understand all the settings and I even know how to exploit the machine to get the results that i want when i want and i know how to get the maximum depth possible on the machine. I can even get a 22 inch air test on a silver quarter. Not too many people know how to do that and it is very relevant when you hunt in places with fill dirt and sand. So I have been completely cleaning out all double beeps, every single piece of trash, every sliver of aluminum foil, every rusty nail, Every single pull tab, piece of a pull tab, tip of a pull tab, chocolate coin discarded foil etc etc etc. Some of these places i have been electronically sifting wont even give a double beep on ANYTHING anymore with the Equinox 800. I dont care about VDI i just dig it all at this point. I try to force out double beeps. It just doesnt happen anymore in these places ive been pounding. Ive used all 8 modes with several different settings and I now consider these places PRIME PROPERTY for a Pulse Induction Machine in order to find more targets. These places are so clean that I wont even have to tug around the 800 to cross check the beeps because the 800 cant hit anything else there anyway. So i need advice on a purchase. We all know Whites has ended production. But ive always been interested in the TDI pulse machine. Right now you can pick up the Whites TDI Metal Detector with 12” Waterproof Spider Search Coil & Bundle for about 999.95 plus tax and shipping. I have read some old reviews of this machine and some people claim that this thing is an absolute beast at the beach. Ive seen videos of people making water proof boxes and tying it to there body just so they tug this thing along the water and get that unbeatable depth with it. Some of these guys are claiming they get about 3 foot of depth with it while wearing ear phones. I find that very interesting but i dont plan on using it at the beach. I need a machine strictly for coin/relic and jewelry hunting AT THE PARKS and other places on Dry land That the equinox 800 just cant find any more targets at, even after 2 weeks of straight rain. I think my max in depth dig on the ground with the 800 was about a 12 inch Large Cent, and it was basically on a hillside. So i cant find any information about the depth of coins that the WHites TDI can detect. I have Trimes in neighborhood and half dimes too. The equinox will struggle to find those targets that have been in the ground for over a 100 years at about 6 to 7 inches. Can a TDI pull those targets at 12 inches if they have been in the ground for over a hundred years? Whites has taken down their forums and i cant find any relevant information about coin hunting with the machine. Why is TDI cheaper than a V3I? I know that my 800 is superior to the V3I because i used to own one. The V3I is just a VLF machine. If the TDI is a Pulse machine should'nt the detectable depth for coins/jewelry/relics be better and deeper than a VLF? I dont want to dump a grand on a machine with 10 year old technology if my VLF is going to be superior to it. I really don't want to buy a Garret ATX with its 8 year old technology for 2 grand, when i can probably wait until Minelab releases this GPX 6000 specs information. Thats probably when you can get a good deal on a used GPX 5000 for 2 grand or less on ebay. USED GPX 5000 > Garret ATX at that price point. But if a TDI is all need, THat would save me a grand. I dont care about going to gold fields and looking for gold flakes or nuggets. I care about digging up the history where i live at. I could get just as lucky in my village and dig up a silver coin worth $50,000 or more as you could get lucky finding a gold nugget of the same value in the dessert or mountains, RISKING YOUR LIFE FOR IT... Ive read that a Garret ATX and the Whites TDI perform about the same as far as depth of coins is concerned. So I guess i have 2 options, A whites TDI for 1 grand, or wait and try to get a USED GPX 5000 when they go on sale after the GPX 6000 specs release. Is a TDI going to be sufficient for my needs? THanks!

Check my thread: Link deleted since Findmall update broke all old links This is weird.

I'm killing myself trying to determine the best rout to go with PI detector. I just moved to Tennessee and with red clay mineralized soil would the White's TDI SL be a good choice or the Garrett ATX? I am new to PI detecting and thinking the TDI would be a good beginner's but should I jump all in with the ATX? I've heard the TDI is under powered but the ATX has a steep learning curve. Your input is welcome!!!!

friends I plan to buy a Garrett ATX. Steve, can you give me information about this detector? Is it worth buying or should I turn to another brand?

Hi all, New to the Forum and have a problem I hope someone can help me with. Well I think the ATX (used) I recently got is down for the count After the initial park test where the machine worked as advertised I took it to the lake for a water hunt. It was running real quiet and smooth at the first two beaches. Scored a silver ring and St Christopher medal on a chain Good frequency scan and GB. At the third beach I got a low batt indicator and did a battery change back at the truck. Upon returning to the water the machine was acting real erratic with lots of false signals and LED indicators flashing up to the 7/8 range and even locking at this level. I thought well maybe its EMI or drift so I checked with my buddy who is running an infinium and he said his machine was purring like a kitten. So I did another factory reset and decide to run in ground tracking. I was still getting signals but hard to hear the faint ones with all the falsing. I checked the battery compartment when I got home and no leaks. Batteries were in proper polarization and no reversed cells. So I decided to take it to the park today where I originally tested it with a fresh set of batteries. Did Freq Scan and GB. The GB seemed a little off from when I first got the machine. That is when I press the button and get the two tones I'm not hearing much ground signal. I noticed this at the lake also. Anyway tried to run and with the coil stationary I'm getting a pulsing signal from 1-4 LED range and spiking up to 7/8 range. The signal then locked at 8 and wouldn't go away without a reset but then continued the pulsing. So I decided to do a factory reset and that's when it got interesting. Usually on a factory reset I get two tones followed by the 4 battery check tones. The machine went straight to 4 tones with no LED display. So the machine is on and making spurious noises but no LED's are on. Did this a few times with the same results. So I put the machine away and got my GP3000 out as a control test. The 3000 noise canceled and GB'd in this park fine and I dug a few signals till the rain started. Anyway this kind of rules out that there was some type of crazy EMI that can't be eliminated. Next I called the local dealer who sold the machine to the guy I bought it from and he thought it might be the coil. back at the house I slid the shaft out a bit and had a look at the coil wire connector. Put in a new set of batts and checked the coil connector for leaks saw none but where the wire goes into the black connector there is some type of rubbery gasket material that is squeezed out a bit. Any way I fired up the machine and it went through a normal cycle with LED's and did the frequency scan but still getting that spiking signal. I can turn sens down and bring that signal down but then cant hear test targets through the signal at the low sens level. Dealer told me to call Garrett on Monday and that is the plan. I think there is still 6 months on the Warranty but well see. Anyone have similar problems? I have this message posted on the ATX forum and a member there suggested testing my machine with a known good coil. Anyone in the Reno area with an ATX and a good coil that I could use as a test on my machine? I know that's a lot to ask but and maybe not even a good idea. Maybe Steve will know?

Hi Guys! When i bought my ATX i bought a Grey Ghost amphibian as well.Fist day in the saltwater after an hour i notice an strange rosty colour spreading all over the back of the detector where the speaker is located.I just got panicked and cancled the hunt immidiately.When i got home i noticed the round edge of the speaker which is metal is rosted as hell!!! I looked around and could'nt find the problem.When i unplugged the headphones i realised that in the Grey ghost package there is some o-rings that i supposed to put it myself on the connector.THAT was the problem!!! i put the o-ring on and problem solved.But my speaker was så rusty i put some silicone glue all over it to isolate it from saltwater.I should send it to Garret which i did'nt. It works ok since then but i think there has been a slightly current without the o-ring that makes the speaker rust.What do you tink guys?

Just found out that I need to spend $540 for a new coil because a plastic pin holds the coil to the shaft. Unit was dropped from waist level and snapped this polystyrene pin. "Showing the picture to our Technician unfortunately the broken pin in it is not reparable, never seen the happened before in 10 years the detector came out You will need to buy a new coil." 10" x 12" (25 x 31 cm) DD Open Searchcoil PN: 2234600.....$529.95 Yep, 10" x 12" coil held to the shaft with a plastic pin that is non-reparable and worth $530. Will repair and sale the unit. Done with Garrett...

Greetings friends, I want to ask a question and I hope you can help, he is long after an garrett atx, but I have the opportunity to buy a gpx 4800 with several coils and batteries, where I am not sure if there are nuggets, what that if I know that there are many coins and jewels, even vessels with coins inside the planting grounds, my question is the minelab gpx 4800, could it be useful for this type of search (buried treasures) or is it only for nuggets and small things? What is more convenient if I look in sowing lands and walls of old houses? Gpx or atx

I noticed Steve mentioned in his post where he rebuilt an ATX into his LTX that he said something about not using his 1st ATX because he'd been using the new one...…...I've been researching for days, eyes are crossing and I can't find anything about any updates to the ATX since it was released in 2013...….except on one thread a person (this year in spring of 2019) said that their new ATX came with a different cord (so possibly Garrett has recently addressed their degrading cord issue?) Does anyone know anything about either of these? 1. have their been any upgrades to the ATX since 2013 introduction? 2. did Garrett finally fix the cord degredation issue this spring?

New here but wondering if anyone here can rate the SDC-2300 with 8” coil as good or better or not as good as the ATX for beach hunting (from fluffy white sugar sands to black sand etc)? I know they are both waterproof and PI’s but is that where similarities end?

Is there any difference between a used ATX and the currently manufactured ones? Seems like I saw something was changed but can't remember if that was the ATX or another detector. Thanks, Paul in Spokane

Hi, How are we all going? My names Jed and I come from all the way down under!! Unfortunately not Victoria or Western Australia tho.. I was hoping that Steve or perhaps someone else could help me out with a problem I've got with my ATX. The bottom 'Cam Nut' out of the 3 that you use to tighten the telescopic stem now just spins freely and doesn't tighten. I small black piece of plastic fell out onto the ground. It obviously needs to be glued back on.. somewhere.. The shop I bought the detector from in 2016 is now closed and I'm not sure if I want to risk sending my detector away to someone I've never met to fix it. I'm also not all that keen to take the detector apart myself, but perhaps that will be the avenue I head down. Has anybody had or heard of this problem before? I would appreciate any input. Cheers Lads