European Detectors Versus U.S. Style Detectors On Target Masking

[Norvic]

It really is not rocket science. Detectors that get used find stuff, detectors in closets gather dust.          ​

 

That is the best bit of advice but probably the most disregarded.

 

If it weren`t so coin detector manufacturers would be concentrating on GB, depth and useability enhancements rather than discrimination features. There just would not be a confusing number of detectors with massive amount of features. The one feature I`d love to see is GPS full features complete with say a android screen, ML with the CTX is getting there. 

[Keith Southern]

Good and Accurate Run down on the attributes Steve!!

 

Keith

[bado1]

Excellent write up, Steve! Thank you for taking the time to do it. 

Dean

[Steve Herschbach]

On November 22, 2015 at 5:27 PM, Trev (NZ) said:

HI steve

I think you are making a mistake in getting rid of your CTX3030.  As you say its like brand new. Which means it hasn't had much use.  I liken Detectors to learning to fly.  One has to put the hours in to learn the machine. In the case of the Zed you have done this.  Lets take a Rotary Aircraft for instance. One can pretty soon learn to rotate or lift off, gain altitude. Make it go up and down and forwards. And of course land lol.  But it is not until you become one with the machine that you can make it hover. And really do what you want. Kinda like a Detector I reckon.  Now you have had so many Detectors I often wonder how you transition from one type to another.  No offense or criticism   intended Steve. But each one needs many hours to master.  In my humble opinion.  The CTX3030 has so many features, and is programmable to suit the user requirements. I have no trouble with masking. Target trace and the right tones takes care of that for me.  The nail and the dime doesn't enter the equation.  If you haven't got it, I suggest you get Andy Sabichs CTX3030 Manuel, he is the Etrac and CTX3030 Expert.  And you will get a link at the back of the book, that allows you to download Andys retwinked Minelab settings and they are magic, esp the Relic Mode.  Like I said no offense intended. Just my honest opinion. I love my CTX3030 and Etrac. And I have been playing around with a Minelab Gofind40.  A neat little machine.  I gifted it to a 12 year old boy from the corner shop, and his eyes lit up. (his parents own the shop). Now I have a Minelab Gofind60 on the way.  Like you I want more toys lol.  Just gota learn to fly them.

Cheers Trev (New Zealand)

Well, half a year later and there is more to add to the story. I did against Trevs recommendation sell my CTX and use the funds to get a new DEUS. I was being a bit sneaky however - I suspected after over three years that a new CTX version might be in the works, like a CTX 4040. I was hoping for a faster processor and better screen. My CTX running out of warranty finally I decided to sell and wait for a newer version to replace it.

In the meantime I not only got the DEUS but went through several Nokta FORS models and the White's MX Sport and also getting a new Makro Racer 2. The MX Sport did not work out so well but I did take such a liking to the Racer 2 that it not only knocked out all the FORS models but finally caused me to sell my F75. However, this really left me lacking a park and yard cherry picking detector, since the Racer 2 still tends to be best for just targeting all non-ferrous. Not saying I can't cherry pick with it, but no way it can compete with the CTX for accurate target id.

So along comes a new CTX version, but all we get is an improved battery seal and improved locking armrest mechanism. Not the new guts I was hoping for. Still, it was enough to spring for a new unit, which I just got last week. The Racer 2 and DEUS are a bit redundant and I tend to lean Racer 2 personally but I am still waiting for the DEUS V4 update and new coil so it is not going anywhere soon.

Anyway, I missed the CTX and am glad to have it back in the collection. There is just no better machine for park and yard detecting and it is excellent at just about everything else also. I am having fun getting reacquainted with it going to the park between rain storms.

[Roughwater]

2 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

 

Anyway, I missed the CTX and am glad to have it back in the collection. There is just no better machine for park and yard detecting and it is excellent at just about everything else also.

Still being a bit of a Novice compared to most here, so I trust the word of those more knowledgeable than me, have have been told it's one, if not the best beach machine available today as well.   

[Breakofday]

Hi guys, I started metal detecting back in the nineties when my wife bought me an FT 16000. This machine had terrific notch discrimination but I learnt not to completely trust it on the goldfields. Whilst it could nail small silvers and coppers with ease it did have trouble with hot rocks like most VLFs and what I later discovered was masking, that being that the machine was telling me there is a target but the tone was saying iron . After seeking some advice as to why I was not finding any colour I was told that if you ground balance on a target you suspect is hot and it still registers as " target " it's a keeper. The result a 13grma at depth and encased in ironstone and something I would have tossed previously ( how many ?). 

Hope it helps, great post Steve, cheers. Happy hunting. 

Chris

 

 

[1515Art]

i was cruising through google window shopping tutorials on my new detector and ran across this review and article, if you have not seen it and are using the Deus there is a lot of great information about understanding the Deus tones and features as well as an explanation of the different factors affecting VDI and the benefits and disadvantages of using the normalizing function. the writer also explains the Deus secret screens and how to access them, the x,y graph is a useful little tool. in combination with the user manual this article is packed with good info and tips.

http://www.metaldetectingworld.com/xp_deus_review.shtml

personally, I'm finding the Deus easier and easier to use...its complex, but the menu system is really intuitive and easy to learn. it runs very stable and seems predictable. the tones are very clean and while it will take time to become one with the tones, it is a great hunt by sound detector and I'm comfortable with that after using the GPZ, plus having the other features will make this a great combination in gold country. cherry picking coins is fairly easy and I'm pulling coins from areas missed by the whites, but i can't really say that is any fault of my whites...mostly poor technique on previous hunts and I'm being more careful with the new machine now.

i also love walking into my hunting sites with the deus all folded up...hardly gets a look except from the occasional kid thinking its a drone of some sort. Then in seconds everything unfolds and I'm up and running automatically in my last used program...changes are easy and take seconds

the Deus has really fantastic pin pointing without using the pin point function. i have the 11 inch coil it is the same for the all coil size i would think, by using the wiggle technique 99% of the time I'm finding the target located dead center at the front edge of the coil. 

one more thing, i bought a dust cover and protector from the dealer, but i found it a little hard to see through in the sunlight, so i bought another i like better on Ebay. they were both around 20 bucks, i don't plan on using the clear silicon cover if anyone wants it let me know and i will send it to you free... thats no cost, nothing to you just say you want to give it a try (old cover on the right, new cover on the left).