timbus59

This was my experience.

I get the point of this as a travel bag, but who strolls to a site like their walking into an office with a briefcase. While the AT series is waterproof, the Axiom and many other expensive detectors are not. Hunting nuggets, many times we hike in and out of canyons and have to ford streams. What I'd like to see is a waterproof backpack design where I don't have to panic if I fall in a stream carrying an expensive detector.

For a newbie like me, I think the supplied wireless headphones are good, but because of several recommendations on this forum, Ive gone to the Avantree Torus headphone/speakers with bluetooth transmitterfor hot summer detecting. They work pretty good too and are way more comfortable in the heat.

Be sure to try out Steve's Bogenes Settings in his Experimetal Axiom Settings post. You can bump up sensitivity in mineralized ground and the machine will still run quiet. Been very effective for me not getting fatigued and finding sub-gram bits.

@Norvic I've been thinking about the Torus for the summer heat in Northern California. Your pic showed me just what to buy and how to mount it on the Axiom. Thanks for posting this.

This is probably an "oh duh" topic for more experienced detectorists, but I ran into it, so I thought somebody might benefit. It could be an issue for other PI detectors besides the Axiom. When running your frequency scan on the Axiom, turn on your pinpointer first. I recently bought the Garrett "Carrot" Pro-pointer with z-link and I found that right around channels (45-47) there is interference from my Carrot on the Axiom. I'd never thought to do this until one day when the Axiom picked channel 46 and then I turned on the pinpointer which resulted in noisy chatter between Axiom and Carrot. So I've added another step to my startup process. Put on a coil. Turn on the pinpointer Factory reset the Axiom Run frequency scan on the Axiom Set the Axiom up for ground conditions & preferences

Check it out. I finally found this graphic on metaldetector.com for the Garrett ACE series. Looking at it, I kinda remember now the same graphic being on the outside of the AT-Gold box. They claim the design helps improve the width of the scan field along the sides of obstacles like walls, fences, (for the Axiom, maybe rocks & trees if your hunting nuggets). I still think we need a small mono coil with a hot pointed end for bedrock cracks. There's more nuggets in crevices than next to rocks, I think. 🙂

Thanks for your replies. Wow.. I really wasn't expecting that the answer would be ergonomics. I thought for sure there was some sort of engineering reason that improved depth or sensitivity. I think I too would prefer a smaller mono coil that was more pointed and sensitive at the front tip.

I have an Axiom and a good old AT-Gold for hunting in water. I've been trying to find out why Garrett favors blunt ends on it's coils. I've found one brief reference in a forum that the design provides more depth on the front and back end of the coil. I've also seen a reference that stated that the rounded corners may be the hottest part of the edge. They seem to use this design for both DD and Mono coils across all of their products. Can anyone talk about the good and bad aspects of the blunt end design? Why is the round coil design better or worse?

Good list... Axiom AT? I would add waterproof, as long as we're wishing.

Thanks. Easy to find l. I'll check them out 👍

Just about worn out my current set of kneepads. I've had trouble with false signals from the metal button tab fittings on my current pair when kneeling to recover a target...especially with the larger 13" coil on the Axiom where its a bit awkward to sweep the hole and avoid the kneepads. Anybody have a recommendation for kneepads that dont have metal fittings?

The DD worked great for a couple of weeks and then seemed to go bad one day. I would reset then frequency scan then ground balance. And on each pump both numbers would drop down to 00 00. One time when I wiggled the wire near where it connects to the coil it ground balanced just fine so I was thinking a connection problem. My other two coils that came with the standard package work fine. I'm sure Garrett's customer service will take care of it. 🙂

I sent my 11X7" DD in to Garrett last week for the same reason. Won't ground balance. With mine, I suspect a wire connection problem, based on how it would intermittently ground balance. Garrett gave me and RMA number right away. No fuss. My only wish is that customer service would send me email as the coil moves through their process so I know something is going on. i.e. Package Recieved, Item in Test, Defect Found, Replacement Item Shipped (with tracking number) etc. I know I can call them, but communication would make the experince even better... But otherwise, they have been great!

A good showing for Steve's Bogenes Settings (Minimum Threshold) The other day I had a couple hours to kill and went to a 20 foot X 20 foot nugget patch that a fellow detectorist friend had shown me. We'd already pounded this small area pretty heavily with his Gold Monster and my Axiom thinking that nothing was left. I decided to try Bogenes Settings (Threshold -8, Sensitivity 5, mono coil, GB 50-26). The machine ran dead quiet until the first light signal broke through. I was able to pick up two pieces (.22 & .29 grams) at 5-6 inches in mineralized conglomerate in about ten minutes when with other noisier settings with threshold, I had not picked up these bits. The conglomerate was so hard I had to beat on it with my pick for about 5-10 minutes for each recovery. (note: FWIW - I usually have the machine set to slow speed, but had forgotten to set that so it was at normal speed - go figure). Anyway I'm sold on Bogenes Settings. What a quieter, pleasant way to hunt as well. Thanks Steve.

I'm not a relic hunter, but I can tell you that the iron descrimination on the Axiom is not a mode that you can leave on. You have to press and hold a button. In my experience the iron check on the axiom is good, but not as good as my VLF. I dont trust it until I've partially dug the target to the point where the signal is strong and then done a 360 sweep with the coil from all angles getting an iron grunt on each sweep. I've definitly dug targets that partially grunt once or twice that turn out to be non-ferrous.

Great advice. Going to break into my jar of lead bits and test my coils. Thanks for the video post.

I'm thinking the ultimate setup would be something like the Avantree Torus able to connect to a z-link WR-1. Low latency, hear the axiom and the carrot, and hear that bear sneaking up on you. 🧸

Hi, the Avantree speaker looks great for hot weather in California too. which Bluetooth wireless transmitter do you recommend?

A couple of side notes. I used a garden hose washer to get by while I waited for the correct washers from Garrett. Not optimal, but it worked. The AT series bolts are sold on Amazon and use pretty much the same thread, but the head is smaller. I imagine one could be used in a pinch if you lost your Axiom bolt. I too would like to see Garrett put together a package of bolts and washers, and shaft replacements for purchase. The washers are way too easy to lose in leaves, etc. 😕

I lost a washer and emailed customer support if I could order a set of bolts and washers since they are slightly different from the AT series. Here is their response. In response to your email, I am sending you the coil nut screw(PN 9712300) and washers(PN 9714300) for the Axiom as a courtesy, no charge. I will send you (2) sets. You should get them in the next 3 to 4 business days. Thanks, and have a nice day. Best customer service ever 😁

Solid advice. 👍 Thanks Steve. 🙂

Thanks for the info. Found the diagram that got me thinking about not flipping the coil. Check out https://garrett.com/searchcoil-basics Near the bottom of the page, they show a diagram with "Negative Detection Fields" on top of the DD coil. They don't look as hot as the bottom field down the center for sure.

That was great to see. Thanks for posting. I noticed he turned the DD coil upside down. I've been doing that too, but recently saw a diagram somewhere that showed the top of the DD as being hot too (in the negative spaces of the D's on top of the coil). I tried it and it seems to work so now I just lay down the detector as is when checking targets. Does this seem like a good practice?

I just bought the 11x7" DD and am using it in tailings (my claim has mineralized rock piles galore). Finding its easier to pinpoint and easier to swing than the 13x11" DD. Also easier to get under brush, hillsides, etc. If I have an open area thats flat I'll use the 13x11" DD for depth, but I'm buying a Garrett Carrot with Z-link to pinpoint. I'm finding I'm digging deep holes with the 13X11" and coming up with bits of iron at 12"+. Finding it hard to pinpoint with the larger coil. Hoping the Carrot will help me get them out faster and move on. I know the DD has iron check, but you really need to do a 360 degree swing and get it to read iron on every swing. (I don't trust it if it just grunts intermittently) I'm saving to 11X7" mono for bedrock areas where I can tilt it and get it into crevices to detect with the coil edge and the mono coil is not so much bothered by mineralization.