Steve Herschbach

I already have a Nokta FORS Gold and I just received a latest update Nokta FORS CoRe control box that will run on the same handle and coil assembly. This is really fantastic because back on October 11th I did a detailed review of the Nokta FORS Gold At that time I noted that I thought the control panel rocker switches were a problem as they would collect dirt and water. I also pointed out the left side mounted control panel would provide some hardship for left handed people. Nokta responded by almost immediately announcing a special order version for left handed people! Shortly after that they announced the control switches would be upgraded. I have never in my decades of experience working with metal detector manufacturers seen anyone respond so quickly is addressing physical issues with a model already in production. There was nothing wrong or defective. It was just things that could be improved on. It was a rather stunning response and really made me sit up and pay attention to the company even more. The bottom line is the LCD panel has been redesigned with a sealed touch pad. The power toggle has been replaced with one incorporating a rubber accordian type seal. The plastic cap covering the headphone jack has been replaced with a softer rubber version that seals better. The ground balance tracking rocker, which is in the downside facing protected end has been left as is, which is fine as this is a rarely operated switch anyway. I also had noted that the coil scuff covers were paper thin and subject to splitting when removed and not likely to last in any case. Nokta sent a couple new scuff covers along with the control box. They are much thicker and either the extra thickness of use of a different plastic mix now has them feeling much tougher, comparable to other good scuff covers on the market. This really should be nothing worth making a big deal out of except I think most people would agree we have all gotten pretty used to just generally being ignored. People make simple, sensible suggestions, and years go by with no change and no acknowledgement even of the suggestion. We have been told for ages changes like this just are not practical, so live with it. Well, looks like the game is about to change! One last note while I was shooting photos - I thought I would point out that the Nokta FORS control box has a couple holes in the rod allowing the box to shift forward and back for better balance. Most people probably do not know that the actual box mount is also adjustable via a sliding section in the slot on top. Just loosen to allen screws, slide around until you have it where you want it, and tighten. At one point I thought there would be little need for me to have the FORS after the new Racer comes out but this ability to custom balance the unit when using the 15.5" x 13.5" coil is actually pretty important to me so looks like the FORS will be sticking around.

Hi Mike, A product report at a later date would be great. Hard to find coil manufacturers willing to make anything but the same old same old sizes.

Nobody is U.S. dealing in AKA that I can find. They appear to be building some cutting edge tech, but you either buy from eBay or a UK representative. Found a thread saying they would have Kellyco as a distributor by April 2013 but that obviously did not happen. It does not matter how good their stuff is if they do not have any representation in the U.S. Hope you get your connection fixed up. That would have me on the warpath in short order.

As a company not seriously interested in the U.S. so far. Are there any dealers in the U.S. at all?

Back when I started detecting in the 70s there were pages full of detector manufacturers in the magazine. Frankly, because anyone could make a metal detector in their garage! For me at least it was obvious there were some people leading the way, and in the 1980s the "Big 5" were: Compass Fisher Garrett Tesoro White's Unfortunately things went south for Compass though the machines are well regarded even today. A brash newcomer arrived on the scene to replace them and so in the 1990s the Big 5 list changed: Fisher Garrett Minelab Tesoro White's I think we are now at another change in the list - at least as far as I am concerned. There are no doubt people who will disagree very strongly with me and that's ok. I am sorry to say I just do not see Tesoro as a major player anymore. They have been milking old circuits for far too long, and have made a lot of missteps as of late. Great folks, the Giffords, but I just do not pay attention to Tesoro any more. Also, Fisher has become part of a larger powerhouse named First Texas which also makes Bounty Hunter and Teknetics detectors. Who am I watching these days? First Texas Garrett Minelab White's ??? And right now entry into the Big 5 is a race. We have three big contenders and one or the other may prove to be a Big 5 member. It may even be we need to recognize a Big 6! But we are not there yet. Contestant Number One. XP Metal Detectors of France. There can be no denying the impact of the XP DEUS in the metal detecting world. At the same time, it is very easy to overestimate the impact. It is just one detector, and a very expensive one at that, on the shelf at very few locations. Before XP can join the Big 5 they have to broaden the product offering. To get me on board they need to put a DEUS in a F75 type body with traditional coils. if you think I am just an old fuddy duddy you simply do not know where the big bucks are in the detecting world at this time. They need a more traditional model or two under $1000 retail before they are going to have any real impact. Anybody that does not make a real good $500 - $700 detector is just not a player yet. They want to ever play in my world they also need a dedicated prospecting detector and a PI detector. Lots of people would like to see a multi frequency model from XP. No rumors even but I have to believe XP is working on a mainstream product under a grand. We will see. Contestant Number Two. Nokta/Makro of Turkey. These two companies together now as one actually have an extensive and fairly high tech product line but only very limited offerings targeting the mainstream consumer metal detecting world. Ignoring what I consider to be oddball models there are the Nokta Velox One, FORS CoRe, and FORS Gold plus Makro CF77. Only the FORS models have gotten any real attention and like XP we can really just get it down to one detector that has had any impact, the Nokta FORS CoRe. Honestly, nobody even heard of these folks a few months ago (sorry Nokta, just telling it like it is) and compared to even XP their visibility is minimal. I think it is safe to say yet most people in the detecting world are not even aware of them. They basically have to do what XP needs to do. Follow up with models targeting the mainstream, and they also need to establish more dealers and service in the U.S. Right now XP has a bit of a head start but Nokta/Makro have the more explicitly stated goal of wanting to be a Big 5 company with models including mid-range products, PI detectors, and more. There will be service in the U.S. any minute now and an expanded dealer base. They are behind and it is early but right now I am betting on Nokta/Makro as filling that open space in the Big 5 list soon. The new Makro Racer due in February could be their breakthrough offering. Contestant Number Three. Tesoro Electronics. It is actually their spot to give up and they could still hold into it by surprising everyone with a new model soon that defies expectations. I think the entire future of Tesoro is riding on the Cazador. If they surprise us with something that looks like it is made for the 21st century instead of being a throwback to the 20th century then they have a fighting chance. Maybe that is why the Cazador is taking so long - Tesoro needs to swing for the fences. It is going to be a very interesting year indeed!

There simply is no perfect answer to this because many detectors would do well for this task, including many not normally regarded as prospecting detectors. I think there are three categories a prospector should consider: 1. A good pulse induction detector. You need these to ignore hot rocks and ground a VLF cannot penetrate well. The Minelab GPX 5000 is the obvious example with the Garrett ATX serving as a budget alternative. 2. A detector very hot on small gold. Pulse induction detectors weak spot is very small or very porous and wiry gold. The Gold Bug 2 and White's GMT have always been the recommended models but I would now add the Minelab SDC 2300 to the short list as a "hot PI". 3. A good general purpose VLF with good discrimination and with good sensitivity to gold. There are many detectors that may serve but I am going to narrow the field by adding hurdles. a. The unit should be able to run in a single frequency running between 10 and 30 kHz. Single frequencies pack more punch than multi frequency units on gold items. That eliminates the Explorer from your list as being a multi frequency model, and the GMT for being on the "hot" list. b. There are just too many detectors to choose from, so let's really narrow it down to bang for the buck. It can't make our short list unless it can be had brand new with warranty online for under $800 Looking at your list then I would focus on the MXT, 705, and Gold Bug Pro/G2/F19. The smart thing to do is just line up the feature list for all three and see if they have things that appeal to you for other purposes. The 705 for instance for coin and jewelry detecting has numerous tone and notch selection options making it the most feature rich of the three. The MXT falls in the middle with the First Texas machines being more spartan. I will add a detector to your options just in case. The Garrett AT Gold. In general I would pass because it is waterproof and so it has underwater connectors for the coils and headphones that are problematic if you do not need a waterproof detector. However, if you want the detector to be safe in pouring rain or wading in and around streams then all the sudden waterproof to 10 feet looks real good. A closer look at discrimination options on the four: MXT can reject a ferrous target by a. setting a simple knob to just barely eliminate the ferrous target or b. set the knob to give a low tone on ferrous targets and high tone on non-ferrous targets and c. always give a target id on screen. You get three possible ways to reduce digging nails. AT Gold while in all metal prospect mode allows you to set an adjustable "iron audio" to give a low tone on ferrous targets plus give an on screen target id. You can also switch to a normal disc mode and reject nails. Again, you get three possible options. Gold Bug/G2/F19 while in all metal mode put the target id on screen. However, to separate by tones you must switch to discriminate mode. The MXT and AT Gold differ somewhat in that they have all metal "mixed mode" capability that layers a ferrous tone response on top of the all metal channel. This means those two models offer more nuance in the way of audio options for those that prefer to hunt by ear. Gold Bug/G2/F19 tend to mean more screen analyzing after audio target acquisition. X-Terra 705 in all metal Prospect Mode has an adjustable "iron mask" that can be set to reject ferrous targets while in all metal mode. There are no tones, the target either breaks up or is eliminated. There is also no on screen id while in all metal. To get these options you must switch to the less powerful discriminate modes. However, while the 705 is the most limited in this regard the iron mask while in prospect mode does get the job done. I will leave it at that because they are all good detectors for the task. You can get a Gold Bug/G2/F19 or X-Terra 705 or AT Gold or MXT and be well served by any of them. They all have very powerful all metal modes and they all can be used for just about any type of metal detecting. They can all be had around the $700 mark more or less and all can actually serve well for people who just want one detector to do all the detecting they do. I highly recommend people interested look very hard at all the things each model offers for extra features in making a decision as that is where they all differ the most. For instance, the 705 and MXT both have decent beach modes that would make them a better choice for somebody near the beach compared to the Bug or AT. Short list in alphabetical order, online prices: 1. Fisher F19 (10" x 5" DD coil, 2.8 lbs) $749 2. Garrett AT Gold (8" x 5" DD coil, 3 lbs) $679 3. Minelab X-Terra 705 Gold (10" x 5" DD coil, 2.9 lbs) $729 4. White's MXT Base Model (9.5" Concentric Coil, 4.2 lbs) $729* *MXT All Pro with extra features and 10" DD coil $799 Final note - it looks like we will be able to add the Makro Racer to this list in February. Some may also question why I left the Tesoro Lobo off the list. In my opinion the Lobo is a good detector but Tesoro has opted out of keeping up with the times. You get to chose between an all metal "dig it all mode" or a hobbled discrimination mode. Tesoro has decided to ignore prospectors for twenty years so I am ignoring them going forward. For more details and information see Steve's Guide to Gold Nugget Detectors The subject has also been discussed recently on other threads such as the one at http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/506-are-we-missing-nuggets/

The NEL seem to be getting mixed reports plus I wanted to get a similar coil for my V3i. So I ended up going with the 12" x 15" DeTech as detailed at http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/494-fisher-f75se-vs-minelab-ctx-3030-vs-nokta-fors-gold-vs-whites-v3i/ with weights. The real kicker was Big K offering 20% off during the holiday so the savings were substantial for both coils together. Do not get the Fisher 15" DD. Horribly overweight garbage can lid! I have a 13" Ultimate for the F75 that is a lightweight and very good coil but the extra depth between it and the stock 11" coil is so minimal I would not buy it again if I had to do over. I like using it instead of the 11" but I think after extensive testing the advantage is mostly in my head. That is why I decided another step up was needed. Too heavy ruins a good machine and on bad ground no real gain so use great caution going too big on a VLF. Small coils are a far better investment.

I got my hands on a prototype of the new Fisher F75 and was very impressed with the improved EMI (ElectroMagnetic Interference) resistance more than anything. I also liked the new ferrous tones option that allows the operator to set the volume of the ferrous tone lower than the tone from non-ferrous targets. This makes the non-ferrous targets stand out better and is less fatiguing to listen to. The new FA fast mode is something I do not need as much as some people. It is intended to improve separation of adjacent items while detecting. For me I had sold my previous F75 for no other reason than EMI issues and let it go in favor of my Gold Bug Pro, which is exactly the opposite when it comes to EMI. The big attraction for me in the new F75 is the EMI resistance. I had to send the prototype back but was told I would see a production unit eventually. I must have been last on the list because it kept not showing up. Questions raised in the meantime really got me to wondering about things, so while I was waiting I found a deal on a never used 2013 F75Ltd version 7.0A. I figured it would give me a baseline for comparisons to the new unit when and if it ever arrived. Recent posts also got me wondering about the new Fisher F19, and on an impulse I picked up one of those also in like new condition. So I am sitting around playing with these two detectors when my new 2015 F75Ltd2 shows up a few days ago. Only one problem. The ground is frozen here. Now, I would love to say I went out and tested the heck out of these three detectors, head to head, under stringent test conditions, witnessed, verified, and on video. Given the circumstances it seems almost criminal not to. The reality is however that I am about burned out on the whole Fisher upgrade saga and just wanted to make a personal decision and move on. I do not feel like waiting around for the ground to thaw. The F19 is a sweet little detector and does hit tiny low conductors better than the F75. The new F75 seems just marginally better than the 2013 F75 in that regard but still not as good as the F19. Since I have other machines that trump them all for small gold I decided what really mattered to me was larger item performance and overall features so the F19 got kicked to the curb. My only real issue at that point was trying to determine if there was anything about the old F75 versus new F75 that would make me hesitant to upgrade. Again, I wish I could give you some kind of in depth report but I think I have learned my lesson reporting on machines where I have got one for free (sort of). The extra effort is kind of wasted so all that really matters is satisfying myself. I bench tested as best I could and the simple take away for me once again is the new F75 is remarkably more stable and interference free at higher gain levels than the old F75. I noted no significant loss of depth in all metal mode or anything else to cause me concern. I may very well have missed something, not saying I did not but it does look like I got a properly functioning F75Ltd2. I have decided I am happy with the new detector and that it is time to move on. I am getting pretty busy with getting ready for the prospecting season and in fact am headed to BLM right now to spend the day on claims research. So for what it is worth it is new F75Ltd2 for me. If anyone is interested in like a like new F19 or F75Ltd they are both for sale at http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/classifieds/ The F19 I am including my 5" and 11" DD coils from my Gold Bug Pro that I held onto just in case the F19 ended up being the keeper. They can go now also. It really for anyone interested comes down to Fisher F19 vs Fisher F75Ltd2. From a prospecting perspective it is a no-brainer. The F19 is everything a Fisher Gold Bug Pro is along with some extra features like a backlight some people may like. It would be a bit better than a Gold Bug Pro at getting nuggets out of a pile of nails. The key issue is the F19 comes with the coil the Gold Bug Pro should come with but does not - the 5" x 10" DD coil. To get a Gold Bug Pro with that coil will cost you almost as much as just getting the F19 anyway, so I would tend to push people towards the F19 over the Gold Bug Pro for that very reason alone. I also for gold prospecting would recommend the Gold Bug Pro or F19 over the F75. These two models are slightly hotter on little gold nuggets than the F75 and for quite a bit less money do everything a gold prospector might want. So why am I going with the F75 myself? The reality for me is I have other detectors I will use if I am chasing small gold nuggets. They would be the Fisher Gold Bug 2 for low mineral ground and Minelab SDC 2300 for high mineral ground. Having these two detectors makes my having the F19 or Gold Bug Pro overly redundant. What I am more interested in is a good VLF for looking for larger gold nuggets in trashy tailings and cobble piles using a larger coil. The F75 is slightly better suited for this task than the F19 or Gold Bug Pro but more importantly for me it is also a good urban coin and jewelry detector, especially with the new resistance to electrical interference. It used to be the big weakness in the F75 was urban use, and all of the sudden that is now a strong point for the machine. I am glad to have put that all aside as the whole F75 thing has been dragging on for far longer than it should have. As seems to be usual for Fisher these days they need a bit of time to sort things out when they release a new model or even an upgrade to an old model. At this point it is probably safe for anyone wanting a new F75Ltd2 to get one or if they have an older model and want to have it upgraded I also think things seem to be sorted out on that end also. Those who are interested in upgrades can get details at http://www.fisherlab.com/hobby/upgrade.htm

But how do you improve on perfection! Just joking I would jump on a DEUS in a F75/Racer style package, especially if a small coil was offered.

They were every bit as smart as us Tom. They read books, used trial and error, observed results, compared notes, wrote more books, knowledge spread. Same story of human progress told over and over again. And you say no historical precedent? People have been prospecting since before recorded history. De Re Metallica was published in 1556 and would tell much of what you would need to know today. Prospecting was old news by the time we got around to it in the United States and most of the best prospectors and miners were people from other countries with prior experience. During the gold rush lay people just like us had plenty of books they could study. Or they could just rush off on dumb blind luck and go broke which plenty did then and still do now.

I have been happy with my Tenergy batteries but I sm not saying they are the best or anything like that. The thread you are looking for on SDC 2300 batteries and charging is at http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/272-minelab-sdc-2300-field-recharging-of-c-cell-batteries/ I have not changed my mind on anything I posted there.

Well, just my opinion but XP was making a mint on the DEUS. Huge margins. So they sell a bunch at a sky high price, and then as the market saturates a bit, they can keep the sales rolling with a big price decrease. Did the price come down in Europe? May be the strong dollar at work also. I would not expect any price decreases from domestic manufacturers but imports may be another story.

Hi JW, I will never forget the gravity dredge thread. It is still archived but photos gone - it was unfortunate the AMDS Forum had to die. Nobody there to replace me and I had to step away. I was glad just to get it archived before I left as it was in danger of being lost entirely. Anyway, great posts here also, I appreciate the contributions. Just illustrates once again why no one detector is best for everyone everywhere.

You have to check this out. Dale, in New Zealand, has been on a roll beach hunting with his Garrett ATX this last year, and managed to hit his goal of 100 gold rings in a year. Really great and a testament to patience and hard work paying off. Well worth a peek at Link deleted since Findmall Forum update broke all old links

But those who have been engaged in practical mining for long, finding by experience that no two mineral fields are exactly alike in all their characteristics, have come to the conclusion that it is unwise to form theories as to why metals should or should not be found in certain enclosing rocks or matrices. Some of the best reef gold got in Victoria has been obtained in dead white, milky-looking quartz almost destitute of base metal. In South Australia reef gold is almost invariably associated with iron, either an oxide, as " gossan ; " or ferruginous calcite, " limonite; " or granular silica, conglomerated by iron, the " ironstone " which forms the capping or outcrop of many of our reefs, and which is often rich in gold. But to show that it is unsafe to decide off-hand in what class of matrix metals will or will not be found, I may say that in my own experience I have seen payable gold in the following materials :— Quartz, dense and milky, also in quartz of nearly every colour and appearance, saccharoidal, crystalline, nay, even in clear glass-like six-sided prismatic crystals, and associated with silver, copper, lead, arsenic, iron as sulphide, oxide, carbonate, and tungstate, antimony, bismuth, nickel, zinc, lead, and other metals in one form or another ; in slate, quartzite, mica schist, granite, diorite, porphyry, felsite, calcite, dolomite, common carbonate of iron, siliceous sinter from a hot spring, as at Mount Morgan ; as alluvial gold in drifts formed of almost all these materials ; and once, perhaps the most curious matrix of all, a small piece of apparently alluvial gold, naturally imbedded in a shaly piece of coal. This specimen, I think, is in the Sydney Museum. One thing, however, the prospector may make sure of : he will always find gold more or less intimately associated with silica (quartz) in one or other of its many forms, just as he will always find cassiterite (oxide of tin) in the neighbourhood of granite containing muscovite (white mica), which so many people will persist in terming talc. It is stated to be a fact that tin has never been found more than about two miles from such granite. From what has been said of its widely divergent occurrence, it will be admitted that the Cornish miners' saying with regard to metals generally applies with great force to gold : " Where it is, there it is" : and " Cousin Jack" adds, with pathetic emphasis, " and where it is generally, there I ain't." From GETTING GOLD: A PRACTICAL TREATISE FOR PROSPECTORS, MINERS, AND STUDENTS. BY J. C. F. JOHNSON, F.G.S., 1897

I tried one. The Treasure Mate is actually a miniature 16.5 kHz metal detector. It is made by Tesoro for Jobe Wholesale. It is designed specifically for prospecting and as you can imagine being made by Tesoro it is a quality product. The Treasure Mate is quite sensitive but it has been so long I do not have a grasp on how well it compares to, for instance, the White's TRX. I do know it is bulky. I had same issue with DetectorPro Pistol Probe - it works but it bulkier than I like in a pinpointer. The main thing though is the fact it needed proper tuning for best performance and that was overkill for me as I did not need that level of sensitivity. That is just me though; it may be just what others need. There is a borderline issue with pinpointers and the Treasure Mate and hot pinpointers like the TRX run into it. Just like a hot metal detector, they may get more sensitive to small gold nuggets, but they also get more sensitive to mineralized ground and hot rocks. This in turn means they tend to be a bit squirrely in the field and require finer tuning and more patience from the operator. I think you need to carefully consider what you want the pinpointer to do. For normal park/turf detecting a simple less hot unit may be the better way to go for most people. If you are just coin detecting that is all you need. If having the unit hit a tiny item is important, then look at the hot units, but be aware that in my experience at least there is such a thing as too hot. Hotter deeper has become the battle cry in pinpointer land, but in a lot of cases it seems to me useability is getting lost in the process. My personal solution has been to do what I do with detectors, and that is to own more than one. I have a lower sensitivity unit I use most of the time just because it is simple and stable. And then a hotter init for use if I need it, like for chasing small jewelry items in a park setting. A pinpointer for me has become essential and I would never detect in an urban setting without one. Nugget detecting not so much but I at least have one in the truck just in case. They are very handy but like boots you need ones that fits you. In its day the big selling point with the Treasure Mate was the sensitivity and I do wonder now how it stacks up against the much more handy White's TRX. 2010 thread with reviews at Link deleted since Findmall Forum update broke all old links FREQUENCY: 16.5khz COIL: 3/8″ coax SIGNAL: (1)LED and Speaker (2) LED and Vibrator SETTINGS: Ground Balance and Tuning Controls BATTERY: 9 Volt BATTERY LIFE: 30~50 Hours WEIGHT: 6 Ounces TEMPERATURE RANGE: 30~100 Degrees F HUMIDITY: 0~70% MODE: All Metal, Variable Range Tuning WARRANTY: Limited Lifetime Warranty INSTRUCTIONS FOR TREASURE MATE Thank you for choosing the Treasure Mate for your pinpointing and prospecting tool. These instructions will help you get started on the right path. With any type of electronic device, there is a learning curve. The Treasure Mate has a simple learning curve for coin hunting. The Ground Balance knob (GB) and Tuning knob (TUNE) should be turned to the far left. Air balancing or ground balancing to the ground will find deeper and smaller targets. BATTERY INSTALLATION Install the one 9-volt battery to the battery lead. You need to make a decision here if you want to hunt with the LED light and speaker or the LED light and vibrator mode before you secure the battery door, because the selector switch is inside the battery compartment. At this time you flip the switch to your preferred mode! Finish installing the battery door by tightening the screws snug but not too tight. The battery door is located in the kit. There are 4 spare screws for the battery door that are provided in your Treasure Mate kit. GETTING STARTED The Treasure Mate has 3 controls. One Ground Balance knob (GB) one Tuning knob (TUNE) and an ON/OFF switch. The ON/OFF switch is a rocker switch with a red dot. When the red dot is down, the Treasure Mate is on. The GB knob is like any detector that has the capability of adjusting to the minerals in the ground. Balancing to the ground will set it up for the smaller targets. To air balance you turn the GB knob and TUNE knob towards the "+" (plus) sign then, back off towards the "-" (minus) sign until the Treasure Mate becomes stable. That's all! Air balancing is all that is needed for coin and relic hunting. Ground balancing to the ground by pumping it and adjust so it beeps or vibrates just slightly towards the ground. The tuning knob is for outside interference. Turning the TUNE knob towards the "+" sign will cause the Treasure Mate to beep or vibrate and backing off the knob towards the "-" until the Treasure Mate is stable. PROSPECTING MODE The Treasure Mate was designed to probe small gold nuggets. The GB and TUNE knobs will be beneficial in balancing the Treasure Mate to the minerals in the dirt. Ground balancing is a must for locating small pieces of gold. The Treasure Mate can be used in your gold pan and in black sand. This probe will be ideal for prospecting cracks in bedrock, locating veins in mines and to help locate your nuggets in dirt after detecting your nugget target with your primary detector. It also can detect other minerals in rocks. GENERAL INFORMATION The probe is waterproof up to but not including the knobs. The Treasure Mate can handle pushing and probing in loose dirt. The placement of the GB, TUNE and ON/OFF knobs are in easy reach with one hand operation. If the Treasure Mate is not to be used over a long period of time it is best to- remove the battery. LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY (check address below for latest information before purchasing) The vibrator motor and speaker come under the limited warranty. These two parts have a limit to their life and a small charge of $9.95 will cover their replacement. All other repairs will be covered by Tesoro Electronics, Inc. and Treasure West. This product is warranted by Tesoro Electronics, Inc. and Treasure West to be free of defects for the life of the original purchaser, excluding the vibrator motor and speaker. If repair is needed, purchaser will pay shipping to: Tesoro Electronics, Inc., 715 White Spar Rd., Prescott, AZ 86303 Enclose a written explanation of the problem along with your name, address and daytime phone number. This warranty does not cover negligence on your part, battery leakage or using probe for a pry tool.

The consensus is good pinpointer for $90 but you can follow the links above yourselves. PI? Pretty doubtful according to the smart folks at GeoTech based on how it performs but it could just be a bad PI design. Good for a VLF though. Guess I need to fix the cable on the probe for my DetectorPro Pocket Probe. Still the best probe I ever owned, just not as handy as the new units.

It was interesting to ask the question on the forums just to see the responses. People defend the unit and knock it but nobody knows the answer to the question. The Geotech response was most helpful so far. Same question has been asked in the UK with no clear answer. Good to know Paul. If it does not play well with detectors that would be no good. And rumblefish you want to ask that would be great.

I am really not trying to knock the product but it does just look like a straight up Garrett clone. That is why I am questioning the PI claim as it just does not fit with what I am seeing. I guess I was in sales way too long because I am the ultimate skeptic when it comes to advertising. And seriously, I have a DetectorPro pulse pinpointer that is the deepest I own but it is in a cumbersome package. I would welcome a compact version so I really want to know. I shook the bushes to see what falls out: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting/446028-deteknix-xpointer-not-pi-not-waterproof.html Link deleted since Findmall update broke all old links http://www.geotech1.com/forums/showthread.php?22142-Xpointer-Pinpointer-PI-or-Not

That may be in the new model but I am still questioning the $90 version being sold on many dealers websites. The one in the brochure above - the brochure argues otherwise. I may have to get a tech to put it on a scope to get the answer. I used to employ people as salespeople. You would be amazed how many do not know their own products and what they are selling.

I am seeing the Deteknix Xpointer advertised in dealer websites as a pulse induction unit. The manufacturer website does not say pulse induction anywhere so far as I have been able to discover. These are the most reliable specs I have located so far http://www.mundodetector.com/manuales/detector-de-mano-xpointer.pdf It is a company brochure and no claim is made of it being pulse induction. If it was it would be an important thing to mention. Operating Temperatures -35 F (-37 C) to 158 F (7o C) Length 9" Weight 240g without battery Thickness 3.8cm (Max) Water and Dust Probe is waterproof. Do not submerge whole unit into water Operating Frequency 95 kHz Tuning Automatic Indicators Audio / Vibration / Audio+Vibration LED Beam Lights Variable Alarm: Audio and vibration will be intense when probe close to the object. Controls Power switch (On / Off) Mode button (Change alarm modes) LED flashlight (Once power on) Battery Use one 9 Volt battery. The unit is also being advertised as waterproof. The brochure says the probe is waterproof and by that they mean the tip up to the speaker. They state that you need to cover the speaker when washing the detector. This is not a submersible pinpointer. Water resistant, not waterproof. I am making inquiries as I have concerns about advertising claims being made for this pinpointer. It may be a good unit but if it is not a pulse induction unit we have an issue.

Great, looks good! Be interesting for sure to see what PM comes up with and whether I can incorporate it into my own project.

That is most of us here. You certainly get no argument from me on that point!

Just the opposite. It is only of use where there is almost no mineralization otherwise you can't get it to ground balance. I tried a couple time but even my milder places were too much. Think clean white coral sand in southern Florida as being the type of place it would work well. I always planned on playing around with it more than I did, maybe by trying very low gain settings. Just never got around to it and now my GPX is gone.

Yeah, unlike wandering the hills digging junk!