Snapshot Of Treasure Hunting From 1964

[Geotech]

The "Sensational... 12T" -- I have one of those.

There was another Texas company called Jetco that competed with Relco in cheap BFOs. "Jetco" was named for the owner, John E. Turner. Does anyone know where the name Relco came from?

 

[geof_junk]

That was the year I started to chase gold by myself. Metal detectors were advertised in "Men's Only Magazines" back then in Australia. I thought of getting one, but was told they were able to pickup a 22 caliber bullet. The advice given back then was gold that big was very rare, and it would be a miracle if I found any gold with it, that alone pay for it ($100+) when GOLD was a massive $35 an ounce (3 ounces of gold.)     

[Ridge Runner]

Around 69 70 a friend wanted to buy a detector and I tried to get him to buy a Whites . All he could talk about was D Tex because it said it could detect paper money. I told him that was a bunch of bull. He went and bought it anyway.

 He had a farm and he had detected something near a big tree and wanted me to bring my detector to check it out. I get there and he’s got a good size fox hole dug. I got down in there and I couldn’t detect anything. He turned his on and it sounded off .

 I got to thinking ( sometime I do that ) maybe it’s detecting minerals in the ground. I turned the dial over to minerals and checked the hole again and my detector sounded off. Then I said to him let me show you something . I’d slide the coil over the tree and you would hit hot spots on the tree as well.

 Back when you turn the dial one way was to detect metals and the other was for minerals  

 That old boy put that detector up and I don’t think he ever got it out again.

 Chuck 

 

 

[Ridge Runner]

For what it’s worth department that BFO detector has three tubes in it and if I remember correctly the main battery was 48 volts . It had others but I just don’t remember what the voltage was. I know it helped to be young and strong.

 When the 66TR came it had the same large metal box with a meter the same width . Lots less weight but still too much sardine can .

 I found more back then on sound alone but I had to dig everything. Now most of us want better ID and better depth meter . I can’t say I’m any better being I want one that can tell me the date before I dig it .

 You kids get real happy when you find a coin in the 40’s but you’re me that’s not old . That’s if you were born in 41 . You get my drift?

 Chuck 

[Ridge Runner]

 geof_junk

 I went in the Air Force in 61 and got married in 62 . I’m slow but I’m getting there . I was stationed at Castle AFB out of Merced California and my wife went to work for a guy that had a jewelry store. That guy would buy all the gold you had for 55 dollars an ounce. The going price was 35 like you stated  

 Running 🏃‍♀️ up and down the 49’s trail is where I got into prospecting. Then you only a metal pan but the fever was the same. You got it you couldn’t shake it and it’s still with me .

 You talking about a green horn I was it but don’t get in my way. I was on the hot trail of a gold something.

 Chuck 

[Desert Dawg]

I bought a Relco BFO and built it in the mid 60's, it worked, you tuned it to a transistor radio and get a bfo signal to listen to. It did work. I think i remember there was one transistor in the  simple circuit board you had to build. Found a lot of metal items on our 3 acres but nothing valuable. Moved to Calif 1972 then bought my first TR Whites coinmaster used from a buddy, was hooked after that.

[Ridge Runner]

Geotech

 I don’t know how Relco got its name but I do know that I couldn’t see for the flash of silver and gold they said I’d find.

 It was for years in Houston and just about every mag you could find their ad.

 I don’t know if you remember but Heathkit put out a detector too .

 Chuck 

[Ridge Runner]

MXT Sniper

 When you had that new 66 TR that put you up playing in the big leagues.

 I gave my 66 TR years ago to a friend and it still works.

 I guess Whites was like a Timex in it take a licking and keep on detecting.

 Chuck 

[kac]

Looks like the coin ranger doubled as a floor buffer 🙂