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Monte

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  1. Zincoln, Congratulations on your success that hunted site. I knew you would be one to put in the time and effort to learn the Deus, and it looks like it is a good fit or your time and patience level. Keep up the efforts, and I hope the weather starts improving for you. Monte
  2. I kind of figured you might. 🙃 So, here is the section you took my quote from and I will try to explain: I have owned SMF's from just bout every brand since the '90s, and while some do have some strengths for certain applications, I have still favored a Single-Frequency unit most of the time. And seldom do the SMF's show an overall improvement in performance. Just the opposite on occasion. Decades of using most SMF models, or at least those from Minelab, White's, and Garrett. As I said, some do have certain strengths for certain applications, but I have used a lot of SF detectors, Selectable SF models, and SMF's that also provided a SF option. I have done side-by-side comparisons of a SMF unit with their own SF choices, and against both Selectable SF models and good-old SF designs. More often than not, I had more EMI issues with a SMF detector and none, or not as bad, using any SF that worked well in that environment. Also, a lot depends on who manufactures the SMF because circuitry design of each brand and model can differ. For example, I have and use, when best suited, a Minelab Vanquish 540 w/Multi-IQ. They work a little different in Frequency assignment than the Equinox series, but their Multi-IQ also has some issues, with both types, in some urban Coin Hunting sites with a 'pocket-spill' when several coins are stacked and/or in-contact. When that happened to to me at several parks in high-use areas, and I could visibly see the small group or cluster of coins, the audio and visual responses were a bit 'odd' or unexpected for such a coin arraignment. That was in the SMF Multi-IQ search. But when I switched the Equinox to a SF, the response was somewhat improved. Also, I grabbed a couple of other detectors to sweep over several of those coin clusters, and the Apex in MF, worked excellent, as it did with a selected SF. I also used a SF Simplex +, F-75+, Bandido II µMAX, an F-19 Ltd., Racer and Racer2, and in all cases the Audio response was better than the Vanquish or Equinox in SMF Multi-IQ. It boiled down to overall circuitry design and coil choice. So, from my personal in-the-field experiences, I have found SOME SMF's just fall a little short at time, depending on the site environment, and while I do use them and like some for certain places I like to hunt, for me they are usually no better than, or not as good as, a SF search. By the way, when I was mainly comparing performance, while some was typical urban Coin Hunting conditions, 85% of the time I was working some very challenging, iron-littered ghost towns and similar places. For those reasons and the fact I like SF, the coming X-Terra Pro will be a nice fit in my current detector team. Monte
  3. Do 'we' need another SF detector? Yes, definitely, IF it is something new, improved and creative, which the X-Terra Pro looks to be. As for Nokta, and the former Makro, they have been too fast at discontinuing some of their models that were very good detectors with a lot ofc performance. I point to the excellent Nokta FORS CoRe and FORS Relic long with the Makro Racer and Racer II. I have, and will not part with, my Relic, original Racer and a Racer II that I need to send off to their service department this week. And talk about MSRP, yes, they dropped the Makro Multi-Kruzer and seem to be eliminating anything 'Makro', but they do have two selectable SF models in their current line-up. The waterproof Nokta Anfibio Multi at $749, and the non-waterproof Impact priced at $599. So the sleeker and waterproofed new X-Terra Pro seems to be targeted in a competitive price range. And let's not ignore the Quest Q60 in the selectable SF game. As for Minelab, there can be lot of 'talking heads' at times and somebody might have stated something yet not been a final decision-maker. And while SMF is a popular current trend for some groups of people, there is still a greater number on very satisfied, and successful, SF operators all around the world and I am sure Minelab thinkers are aware of that. Certainly they know that there are those former X-Terra owners who like their older-period model, but just haven't been thrilled with buying different Frequency coils, and many want waterproof. Therefore it was a cleaver way to use a known and proven name and step it up with an improved unit in that series. They can still continue with their SMF's, but simply produced a model that I feel will be well received by many. Monte
  4. They made a selectable single-Frequency model like the: Quest Q60 Makro Multi-Kruzer Nokta Impact Nokta Anfibio Multi XP Deus (original) So the new X-Terra Pro had some similar offerings before it was brough to market, and good things can be said about each of those listed above. Monte
  5. Well, I plan to buy an X-Terra Pro because they did justice to the X-Terra concept, but instead of buying a flock of separate coils at different Frequencies, they are giving us a selectable SF detector in a more proven package that is well balanced and waterproof. And instead of using round tube-type rod system they are using the really good Vanquish rod system, and even better, the Vanquish coil design with the thicker, threaded left rod-mount 'ear' and not that hokey-looking new system for the Equinox units. I have owned SMF's from just bout every brand since the '90s, and while some do have some strengths for certain applications, I have still favored a Single-Frequency unit most of the time. And seldom do the SMF's show an overall improvement in performance. Just the opposite on occasion. With the two Equinox 800's I had, a SF was used perhaps 40% of the time, especially where I had improved performance. I really enjoy my two Vanquish 540's, including a lot of Beech Hunting on dry or damp sand at the lakes and reservoirs near me. but I have been hunting freshwater and saltwater beaches for a long time using some chosen Single Frequency models and, when properly tuned, I kept pace with those using a CZ or DFX or Sovereign on the Oregon coast I was hunting at the time. I have no doubt the new X-Terra Pro will provide even better performance. There are a lot of avid detectorists who prefer a SF unit to an SMF, either all-the-time or part-of-the-time, so I know there is good market for this new model. Also, for those with a Vanquish Multi-IQ detector, the new X-Terra Pro just might make an ideal 'companion' detector. Monte
  6. I also prefer a round shaped coil, and I have very little use or need for a bigger-size coil. A good 85% or more of my hunting is in dense debris and / or thick brush where smller-size coils rule. Other than that I do like a good mid-size coil which would be a round 7" to 9" or something like a 5X8 to 5X9½ elliptical shape for "fringe-areas" to more "open-areas". I like the looks of that coil, and if it is a bit thinner and lighter compared with others, I think I'll see if they make one for the Tek. T2+. My other detectors are already fitted with coils I like, but I might do some selling or trading to get another new T2+ just to use a coil like the Detech 9" Ultimate. 'Quieter' in and around EMI is a good thing. About ½" to 1" or so seems about right compared with the Viper. Glad to hear it is generally working okay afield. I have noticed through the years that, depending upon the make and model detector, the aftermarket coils often reflect a VDI read-out that is of two or three numbers, high or low, from a stock or manufacturer's' coil. I have what I need or my Apex devices, although I would really like to see Garrett make a smaller-size coil for the Apex, especially a Concentric. But that Detech 9" looks like it might make a good combination with a T2+.❓❔❓ Monte
  7. Texas is 95.2% private property so out don't a lot of open public land and need to get permissions. Most State Parks restrict detecting. Also, most grade schools I have come across so far have fenced and secured playgrounds. That said, I have not had any problems so far detecting city or county parks. I just make sure my recovery efforts leave the area looking undisturbed as I normally do. Monte
  8. Monte said: Realistic or conceivable? Yes, but less likely. But using a lower Disc. setting helps a detector process targets better when you have a lot of very close-by Iron trash that causes good-target masking. The more Discrimination or rejection you use, the more negative behavior you'll have from the unwonted junk and that can often make it more difficult for a detector's circuitry to recover and process a good or higher-conductive target. mh9162013 said: That makes a lot of sense; thank you for the explanation. As for relying more on sounds and less on VDI, are you referring to the decision to give a target a second look or the decision to dig? When it comes to a potential target, I always rely on sound first. Only when I get the high tone (or mid time, if I'm willing to dig for nickels or gold), do I look at my VDI. However, even with a high tone, if it's in the 70s (or really jumpy and all over the place) and I don't feel like digging a penny, I'll let it go. So are you suggesting that if my goal is to get silver coins I should dig all high tones, no matter what the VDI is doing? Thanks again! I go by an audio response most of all because that's how I started in early '65. We didn't get visual Target ID until '83 from the original Teknetics, but that's also the same year we got an excellent slow-motion detector with a quick-response and fast-recovery that handled common ferrous trash quite well with the Tesoro Inca. I concentrated most of my detecting time back then to hunting renovation work, old building tear-down sites, and such in urban applications, and mostly trying to get out of town to work homesteads, pioneer and military encampments and fort sites, signally-located school, church and dance hall sites, ghost towns, etc., etc. Initially, most visual TID detectors required a very fast-motion sweep speed that didn't work that well in heavily littered and densely brushed-up old sites or dealing with building rubble. The new slow-motion detectors handled it better, and they could isolate non-ferrous targets in places with masking ferrous debris much better, so I used them the most. Also, the visual TID that detectors feature is going to be more challenged when there are a lot of different sizes, shapes and types of metal objects very close together, and that also makes a Target ID unit less accurate when it comes to producing a good, functional visual response. Therefore, it is more important to rely on hearing a good audio response. Also, depending upon the particular make and model detector and how the circuity processes the audio response from various targets, you can learn to listen closely to a detector's response and learn its language. But, not all detectors speak the same language or have the same accent or characteristics. For example. here in the USA we all (should) speak American English. But then you have the drawls or other accents or pronunciations associated with different regions, such as some folks from Texas or Wisconsin or localized areas of the NE or SE, and sometime others don't quite hear it right or understand it. Same with some detector audio responses. Many of the more modern detectors with a digitally-based circuitry design also don't "speak the same language" of some of the better analog detectors we had. And most detectors used to produce a single-tone audio response with a language all their own that users could learn, whereas most of the newer models the past couple of decades use a digitally-processed multi-tone audio. It might be a 2-Tone or 3-Tone, maybe a 4-Tone, 5-Tone or many, many more audio tones. And those individual Tone pitches are based on the target's conductivity range and how the detector's circuitry is designed and the cut-off audio break-points for the different tones. An individual coin, laying flat-to-the-coil and within maybe 2" to 4" or so with no other metal objects close by, just might produce a 'proper' audio tone pitch. However, if a desired target is in a canted or odd orientation, and especially if there is one or more other metal objects too close to it, you will get a "blended' signal based of the different types of metal within in the detection field, and that might produce a very different audio Tone ID. Mix some higher-conductive and lower-conductive targets together and you can get a mid-range response, and that makes using audio Tone ID even less reliable, if you are trying to rely on it for a dig or no-dig decision. The same applies to the visual Target ID, too. Yes, I have visual Target ID on my Garrett Apex devices, Nokta CoRe and Relic units, and I do glance at it from time-to-time just to get an idea or hint as to what I might be about to recover. I do the same with the audio Tone, if using a 3-Tone on the Nokta models or 5-Tone of the Apex units. However, I listen mainly for the audio information from a target, just as I do with my single-Tone, non-display Tesoro Bandido II microMAX and Silver Sabre microMAX models. Depending on the make & model detector I am hunting with, I use one of three Discrimination levels. With my Tesoro's I have the control always set at minimum because that's very close to the Ferrous / Non-Ferrous break-point and for the most part I am just barely rejecting most Iron Nails. On my Nokta CoRe and Relic have have the Disc. set just low enough to barely accept Iron Nails. Then there are times with very little trash that I set a Disc. level at or close to Zero / '0' to find both types of metal targets. Although I do have and use some very good modern detectors with Visual Target-ID and Audio Tone-ID, I have enjoyed this great sport for over fifty-six years relying on audio responses, and for over a thirty-eight years making a lot of great finds in challenging sites using slow-motion / slow-sweep detectors with a Quick-Response / Fast-Recovery, and either barely accepting or just barely rejecting common Iron Nails. No reason for me to change a successful approach. Just listen and learn what a detector & coil combo are telling me. Monte
  9. Yes, indeed! Hunting any heavily littered site with a dense mix of ferrous and non-ferrous debris IS a challenge. One reason why most hobbyists don't hunt those types of places. I do because I enjoy the challenge of the environment, and also enjoy the good finds that eventually make their way into my hand. Usually, IF the detector circuitry and coil used work well at responding to a silver 'stash' or a tight cluster of silver coins, then you'll usually get a higher-range VDI read-out. It would be in the mid-to-upper 90's with your detector. Be aware, however, that not all detectors will produce a good response on a "short-stack" of larger silver coins. I use my 'Silver Short-Stack' of 5 Walking Liberty Halves on top of a Silver Dollar, all making metal-to-metal contact, and many detector will not give a good audio or visual response. Generally the reason is related to the Discriminate mode's Ground Balance setting, but that's a different discussion. Sometimes the detector's circuitry is good, but a coil change can make a good audio response become a broken-up or negative (none) audio response. Why th8½X11 DD as 'standard'? Because back in '88 we started to see manufacturers switching to larger-size coils s 'standard' because so many hobbyists kept asking or "more depth -- more depth". White's went from an 8" to the round 950, and thn others started as well, By 2006, just 15 years ago, we had Minelab going to 10" and then 11" round DD's, White's to an 11" DD, and oh3rs followed or thy went to the 7X11, like Teknetics in '06 with their 11" BiAxial on the T2, and then that coil size on so many models from Teknetics and Fisher. Nokta and Makro from '14 to now used their 7X11 and in the last couple of years to a round-shaped 11' DD. Garrett to their 8½X11 DD. Personally, if I owned a metal detecting business, those bigger-size coils would be optional Accessory oils, not standard. I'd use something like a mid-size coil as 'standard' such as a 5X8 or 5X9½ elliptical or a round-shaped coil in the 7" to 9" diameter, not bigger. Realistic or conceivable? Yes, but less likely. But using a lower Disc. setting helps a detector process targets better when you have a lot of very close-by Iron trash that causes good-target masking. The more Discrimination or rejection you use, the more negative behavior you'll have from the unwonted junk and that can often make it more difficult for a detector's circuitry to recover and process a good or higher-conductive target. Even when a good target is in plain sight on top of the ground. I have a couple of test scenarios and in-the-field encounter examples I use to describe the issues with using a higher Disc. setting. If you go back, try to have a smaller coil, like the 'Ripper', and work slowly and methodically. Pay more attention to the audio response and less dependence on the visual VDI report, especially when it is very trashy. Monte
  10. I've detected since early '65, and started hunting older homesites (existing or vacant former homesites) in late '68. I try to dedicate 85% or more of my hunt-time to working anyplace that is considered 'old'. Sometimes, at least a smaller percentage, I can get lucky and make some desirable finds relatively soon. Most of the time, however, it takes a while to really get a handle on the sate environment, and then put in the time to thoroughly cover the area with the right detector, best coil, and working it slowly and methodically. Only 2 Hours? Not nearly enough time to do a good job of covering any 120 year old sire. Aluminum, or any othr non-ferrous debris is going to cause some issues, both with the 'teaser' good-sounding higher-conductivity responses, and the target-masking when too close to a desired target. Using a lot of Discrimination will increase the number of good targets you're not going to find, and ignoring some of those 'larger-size' encounters might be an idea to use to avid recovering a bigger-size piece of junk .... however. Hare's a little true story to make you wonder. I believe it was late late 1980's in Ogden Utah. A fellow ot permission to hunt an older home he was working along the side of the house in the dirt that extends out about 1½' to 2' from the house where you could plant shrubs, flowers or just have dirt. Good signal so he got down to recover it. It was directly below a bedroom window where a kid might play around and push money out while 'playing', or ??? What caused the good-size signal a few inches down? Fifteen, and I mean 15 coins, all Silver Dollars and Silver Halves, 7 of one and 8 or the other denomination. Kind of something to think about when you decide to 'walk-away' from a larger-size signal.❔❔ I presume you are using the AT Max with the stock 8½X11 DD coil, correct? I have that size coil as the largest coil I use on any detector in my outfit nd keep in on my 2nd Apex. It's a very good coil for a beach, or working a plowed field, pasture or farmland, or a wide-open grassy park. It's definitely not a good pick for hunting any site with a lot of trash, building debris or dense brush. A smaller-size coil is best, or a good mid-size coil, IF the detector and coil work well in such an environment with a good fast response an quick recovery. On my primary-use #1 Apex I keep the 'Ripper' 5X8 DD coil mounted full-time and that combination works very well for a lot of, the trashier places I like to hunt, especially those with a lot of Iron Nails and other ferrous debris. I really wish Garrett would make their 4½ Concentric coil to work with the SMF & Selectable Apex. The only available smaller-size coil right now that I know of is the NEL 5" Sharp DD, and it works okay. With the AT MAX you have the advantage because you can get the Garrett 4½" snooper coil. If i o3ned an AT MAX I'd use the 'Ripper' size most of the time and have the 4½" on a spare rod for a quick change to work trashier areas. On my Apex devices, all three of them, I have them set to turn-on with my Custom settings of MF, Volume at '8', Iron Volume at '2', and Discrimination accepting everything from '20' on up. I like to hear some of the low-tone Iron I most areas. I keep the Iron Audio push-button selection turned 'Off' and ONLY use it on occasion as a 'momentary' function to double-check some questionable audio responses. EMI? The 1st thing I do is reduce the Sensitivity to see if that helps. The 2nd thing I try, if necessary, is to change to a Single-Selectable Frequency on the Apex, and I usually am able to deal with EMI at 15 kHz, and if not then 10 kHz tends to handle it. The 3rd thing I adjust ... if necessary ... is the Frequency Shift. If you select the ZERO Disc. mode and then reject targets with a VDI or '38' and below, you're no longer in a Zero Disc. function but simply a Custom setting. If you doubt you're going to encounter a 'cluster' or 'stash' of coins, then you can try to recover only those targets that produce a smaller-size response that might b similar to what you'd get from a small Dime to a larger Silver Dollar. That might eliminate going after the over-size aluminum or any pesky iron junk, like a rusty can or bigger-size tin shard. Do not reject anything higher than a VDI close to '35'. Get and use a smaller-size search coil, like the Ripper or smaller 4½" snooper coil. Make sure you are not rushing things and work the coil in a slow and methodical sweep that overlaps. Grid some areas and clean them out. That will also allow you to find targets that are otherwise masked or partially mask right now. Monte
  11. Congratulations, kac, on another successful hunt. As you know, I have 3 Apex devices sporting different coils, and my primary-use Apex w/'Ripper' coil continues to impress me with a combination of comfort, long operating battery 'run-time', and impressive performance afield. Nico depth, great recovery time, and very responsive to small, thin, 'tricky' targets. I continue to praise the Apex for all it offers and the performance it provides, making it a terrific mid-priced model that can compete well with many more spendy devices. I think some of the introduction period had negative replies by some folks who were bias toward a different brand, some who didn't give the Apex enough time in use to learn and know it, and I also know a few who simply flashed out some comments they had heard or read and never saw or laid their hands on an Apex at all. Monte
  12. I bought a new GTI-2500 in 2001, only used the big imaging coil a short while then swopped to the small coil for trashier areas. A t the end of a two or three long days I didn't like the weight or balance or performance. All Metal mode, as you noted, worked fine, but the Disc. mode left a lot to be desired. I never owned a garret model with the 2-Box attachment because I had tried a coupler of them at a dealer's test area and compared them with a couple of others from Fisher and White's. It's a neat design concept, but the performance wasn't there. I also favored the TM-808 from White's and had one of those for a while. Shortly after that few days I didn't have a broken heart when I parted with the GTI-2500. I agree, I think it would be good for Garrett to make theTM-808 under any label they want, and just discontinue the GTI-2500 and it's 2-box device. Monte
  13. I own and regularly use 3 Apex devices and have a 4th as a loaner-unit for friends and family. My original Apex just after release, Ver. 1.23, nd shortly after got a 2nd Apex, Ver. 1.25. The first one had some noisy behavior with the Viper coil and I tracked it down to an issue with the connector at the control box and something going on inside. I called Garrett, sent it in, and it was quickly taken care of and returned. Problems solved. All four Apex units have the 1.28 Ver. update. All four are 'saved' with my turn-on settings of 'Custom' program that accepts '20' on up. Sensitivity at maximum, Volume '8', Iron Volume '2' and in MF. Then once I get started, GB and begin hunting I will reduce the Sensitivity if needed for EMI, or I will opt for a Single Frequency. Usually it is the default 15 kHz and sometimes I use 10 kHz to help deal with EMI. I hunt some wooded areas, in and around a lot of dense, thick brush in ghost towns or other old-use and out-of-the-way places, and hit renovation work, homesteads, and work around building rubble. Quite a few sites also have some rocks to work around. I pamper my equipment and do my best not to 'knock' the coil into solid objects, but we all now that happens from time-to-time. Since the first unit was taken care of, I have not experienced any 'knock-noise' from normal hunting coil contacts. Also, using the stock 'Viper' coil as well as the 'Ripper' and 'Raider' and NEL 5" Sharp DD coils I am not having any stability issues and the Apex runs a lot quieter and smoother than several other detectors I currently own or have in the past year. And I get very impressive battery run-time with the Apex. I also have 4 pair of MS-3 headphones, one for each Apex, and 3 AT Pro-Pointer AT's, one for each of my three personal units. Each is assigned to and paired with the Apex, and I haven't had any problems with the Apex / MS-3 / AT Pro-Pointer unpairing when I am out hunting. I only have one 'problem' when it comes to the Apex series, and that is I really would like to have Garrett make a smaller-size coil for it, especially something like their 4½" Concentric coil. I'd get two of them right away, to mount one full-time, and a spare for back-up to keep in my Accessory Coil Tote. Oh, I have one other problem nd have sisnce the Apex was firs mentioned and introduced, and that is they assigned it as an 'Ace' series model. I NEVER state that it is because it absolutely is NOT an Ace. Not in design or performance. Totally different. That, to me, was one bad marketing move. Otherwise, I feel it is a fantastic mid-priced detector that works well for general-purpose use, and can do quite well in some bad iron contaminated places, too. Monte
  14. 'Lightning' isn't a bad name, and 'Thunder' might be fitting for a coil, or perhaps 'Flash' or 'Streak'. I just home they don't forget to include a 'Bolt' in the box to mount the coil. That could create some 'Rumbling' if they fall short of what is expected. Seriously, I look forward to more competition in the upper-end of the market of SMF's, and perhaps down-the-road they might offer a mid-priced version to compete with that segment of the market. Also realize that not everyone wants or needs a waterproof detector and a good land-based unit would appeal to many, and could be produced for less $$$. Monte
  15. Jeff, I also appreciate your time and effort on the videos. I don't have a camera, but my youngest son Bryan, hitting 40 next week, has a few and when I get with him next I plan to make a few videos to post. Jeff and Steve: Please e-mail me at monte@ahrps.org to keep it private and send me your mailing addresses. I want to send you each something that I've sent to Nokta / Makro, White's and Garrett before. Yes, search coil size, shape and type can all make a difference, but it really is important for them to be attached to a detector that works well with them to bring out their performance. I agree, Steve, but way too many people tinker around with settings after turning them On and before reading their manual. Besides, the Apex, out-of-the-box when brand new 'turns-On' in 15 kHz. I don't doubt that most Apex buyers tend to immediately select the 'MF' function just because they think Simultaneous Multi-Frequency is the only way to go .... and it isn't ... but few use the Selectable Single-Frequency option and never experience an 'as-new', 'as-shipped' default turn-On operating frequency. I'll give the Equinox the nod for doing well for a detector that retails for about twice-the-price and does feature more adjustment functions. But so far, hunting a lot of iron debris filled sites and using my Custom settings of accepting '20' on up for VDI's, Volume '8' and Iron Volume '2' and using the 'Ripper' 5X8 DD most of the time, I find this mid-priced Apex set-up to work quite well. Monte
  16. Cipher, I have to agree with you about the size & weight & balance 'concept' many have. After White's 'downsized' their earlier bigger blue box and first few black box models to the 'SL' or "Slim-Line" housing used with the XLT, it made a lot of difference and improvement in the weight and balance. I parted with my bulkier 5900 Di in June of '94 when I got an XLT and absolutely loved the much better feel. They retained that physical package for the 6000 Pro XL / XL Pro and MXT / MXT Pro, and used that housing on the 'S' rod for the Classic ID and IDX Pro, etc. I sold a friend of mine an M6 many years go after it came out, and today he also uses a modified IDX Pro and V3i, complemented by his MX Sport. Never heard him complain about the balance of them. I have other friends who still have their XLT's , XL Pro's, MXT's and enjoy them a lot and don't complain. One of the reasons is the rear-positioned battery packs and headphone jack, where they ought to be. And most of my avid detecting friends are aged from about 50 to 80 and, unless they have some limiting health issues as I do, they speak highly of those White's detectors. Both for their performance, but also about their good balance. I have two Tesoro microMAX units that are known to be light weight and easy-to-handle. Two Nokta FORS devices that are also well-balanced detectors. And I use three of the Garrett Apex units, each with a different coil, because they are very light, comfortable, and also work quite well. Due to my age and physical impairments, getting around with a cane since March of '93, I need to have and use the lightest and best-balanced detectors I can. One model I could have kept in my Detector Team was a White's MX-7 and I miss it for some uses and wish Garrett would bring that land-based detector back under their name. White's had a umber of problems, really for the last couple of decades, that continued to build and add to their demise. Detector model circuitry and physical design was a small part of it. I had more search coil failures that called for repair or replacement than I have had from all other manufacturers combined in over 56 years of detecting. Another issue was they kept their high-priced approach to most models while the competitors were reducing the MSRP of what they had, and that made most White's models a 'high-priced' option here in the USA. For quite a while I could see the end in sight for White's, but I am pleased Garrett acquired the needed 'smart part' of White's and not the whole factory and a lot of dated manufacturing machines, etc. Very pleased to see they brought out the Garrett GM 24K, and I hope / wish they would fit the MX-7 into their land-based product line. Pinpointers? The TRX was okay and a lot of folks like it, but I also know a lot who do not care for it because many had difficulty making the setting adjustments, or accidently they were easily messed up. The same goes for the Fisher & Teknetics Pulse PP's. Me? I have 3 Garrett AP Pro-Pointers, assigning one to each Apex because they each have their own MS-3 Headphones and AT Pin-Pointer, and are paired so I head them in the headphones. When I grab a Nokta or Tesoro model, I use the Nokta / Makro Pulse-Dive Pinpointer which works great and is almost impossible to accidently mess up a setting. Garrett 'Rumors' are always interesting to read, like other brands, but what I see is actual 'happenings' going on and Garrett Metal Detectors doesn't need any 'rumor control' as they continue to progress and market products well. Just my opinions. Monte
  17. Good comments, Steve, and just how I had been viewing White's for the past couple of decades. Their XLT was better than the DFX and what followed. The 6000 Pro Xl, renamed XL Pro, was also a very decent performer, as was the improved MXT Pro. Those three performed wall, but were overpriced against the competition a decade ago, and that continued to get worse as many competitors brought out smaller-size units at more competitive lower prices. The Classic ID and IDX pro were also good detectors, but White's would have 'modified' them in-house and provided a more versatile model nd also promote them better, but they didn't. Their marketing was terrible. They did have a few good detectors as their headed towards closing the doors, and those were the MX Sport once they fixed all the bugs it had. Then an even better move by taking that now functional circuitry and putting it in the land-based MX-7 to offer more adjustable features at a more competitive price than their still-offered MXT Pro. Then they used the MX-7 package and made the 24K just before folding up. I was pleased to see Garrett bring out the 24K, and I can see them also offering the MX Sport and especially the MX-7. It would offer some mode and adjustment differences from a comparable priced Apex, just to give consumers a decision option. I'm sure Garrett is in the game for the long-run, to be sure. FTP? You have to wonder. Monte
  18. GB_Amateur, a good 2-pa report. Looks like you had some success, but the more I read about a lot of the finds made in NE USA, the more I am thankful for all the old yards and old ghost towns and other early-era places I have enjoyed 'Out West'. Often I would find more Seated Liberty and early-date Barbers, 2¢, 3¢ and vintage 5¢ coins by percentage of my finds than a lot of what I see made on the Eastern side. Odds are many places 'Back East' experienced a lot of growth that ruined the opportunity to find good stuff. As you know, not everyone makes some of those old coin finds in some of our western ghost towns, but when made, they are often definite keepers. However, access to old private property is often one of the better opportunities we have. I wish you the best on future trips farther from home ... both to the East and to the West. Monte
  19. Very true about competition, but it's been that way since the start have this great hobby. But I believe it's even more true how quickly people can become discouraged today than back in the '70s or '80s because we have far fewer good targets that are easily located compared to then. And we also have a greater abundance of discarded trash, such as more foil and pull-tabs and pry-tabs then what we used to encounter. However, when I look at various Forums, I still see a lot of good, early-dated coins being found from all over. I think 'location' is still part of the requirement, and once a potential location is found, the next ingredient is having the best detector and coil for the task. Stir in a bit of patience and our success increases. Monte PS: kac you have beer approved elsewhere and we are awaiting your arrival.
  20. In my outfit I have my favorites for the different sites I hunt, and when possible I keep a white-colored coil mounted; Garrett Apex w/Black 'Ripper' DD Garrett Apex w/Black Raider' DD Nokta FORS CoRe w/White [i]'OO DDR[/i] D Nokta FORS Relic w/White 5" DD Tesoro Bandido II µMAX w/White 6" Concentric Tesoro Silver Sabre µMAX w/White 6" Concentric XP [i]ORX[/i] w/White 5X9½ DD Monte
  21. I plan to get the GM 24K, and I'm sure Garrett has done a fine job with this reintroduction, however I personally would like to have the tan version White's brought it out with. I also would like to find the 6" Concentric coil and hope that Garrett offers that or designs a comparable performing Concentric for it. I have no desire for the waterproof model because I'll just be doing all my work on land. Monte
  22. You have received a lot of good replies and suggestions from folks with experience, and if I may I'll add mine. Over 56 years of devoted detecting, and early-on it was primarily urban Coin Hunting because that's what most of the hobby trend was aimed at. There was occasional trashy conditions, but seldom like we face today. In May of '69 I went Relic Hunting to my first ghost town, and I continued to hunt iron infested old townsites off-and-off until July of '83, but until then 85% of my detecting was in typical urban sites like parks, schools, easements, and so forth. In Juley of '83 we got a very good detector for Relic Hunting those old, out-of-the-way locations with dens brush and ample ferrous debris and I switched up to 85% of my time spent Relic Hunting. For bet success in the very littered sistes you need the following: • Ample patience • Good search coil control and coverage by using slow and methodical sweeps • Use of a well-designed detector with circuitry to handle the good and bad targets with unmasking capability • Selection of the best search coils to work in, and fit in, all the brush and rubble and assorted targets. A od detector with a bad or wrong coil isn't going to be in your favor, not is a good, efficient search coil if it attached to a detector that simply doesn't perform well in very challenging conditions. Also, be aware tht some detectors were designed with and for a Concentric coil or for Double-D coils and often will not work very well with the other type of coil For example, in my personal Detector Outfit I have two Tesoro models that each keep a 6" Concentric coil mounted full-time. They do not work nearly as well with a DD design. On the other hand, my Nokta CoRe and Relic devices have their smaller DD coils mounted, and my XP ORX has the mid-size 5X9½ DD attached. My three Garrett Apex units also have different DD coils attached because, at the present, they do not make a Concentric coil for that model. I wish they did as I would like their 4½" Concentric coil available for one of the units. Of the detectors listed in your 'signature' the only one I would care to own is the Garrett AT MAX. If I had that model I would also own 3 search coils to cover my needs. The 8½X11 DD for more open areas with sparse targets, such as a beach or plowed field. The 'standard' coil I would keep mounted for general-purpose hunting is the 'Ripper' 5X8 DD, which is a very enjoyable coil to use. I have only borrowed an AT MAX a couple of times, nd other than the 5X8 DD or routine use, I liked the 4½" Concentric coil, the "hockey puck" as some call it, because it worked very well in most of the terribly iron littered places. I wish the coil was a thinner, better-looking design, but it works well and would be the coil I would choose for the toughest places that is smaller than a 5X8 DD. Just my opinions from prior use. Monte
  23. • If I may, let me add my thoughts about both the Garrett Apex and Garrett 'Ripper' coil. I've had and used my first Apex since they were first released. It was version 1.23 and I used it a fair amount with the Viper' standard coil. Then I bought a 2nd Apex, which was version 1.25, shortly after once I heard they were coming out with the 'Ripper' and 'Raider' coils, both of which I quickly acquired. Soon, after putting time in with the Apex, I invested in a 4th new Apex. It was also version 1.25. • Of the search coils, I especially favored the 5X8 DD 'Ripper' coil as a 'general purpose' search coil. Since acquired, except when I sent my first Apex into Garrett to address a noisy behavior, the 'Ripper' coil has stayed mounted full-time. I like th 'Raider' coil for the plowed fields that were near where I lived as well as the low-target, wide-open areas, of big grassy parks. The 'Viper' coil was put in my Accessory Coil Tote should I want it in the future. The 3rd Apex is still awaiting a smaller-size coil from Garrett. Until then, I have had a NEL 5" DD coil attached. In March, before my move to Texas, I made a trade with a dealer fiend and got a 4th Apex, and that one keeps the 'Viper' coil mounted and is assigned as my loaner-unit for family and friends. When the Apex update came out, I updated all four Apex devices to version 1.28. • All four units have my 'Custom' settings saved. That means they start-up in MF, Sensitivity maxed at '8' bars, Volume at '8' bars, Iron Volume at '2', and the Discrimination accepts everything from '20' on up. Coin Hunting in town I can sometimes encounter EMI and I fist reduce the Sensitivity 1 or 2 bars, and when really bad I reduce it 3 bars to a setting of '5'. But that doesn't happen often. Only once have I used the Frequency Off-Set to help deal with noise. The Apex works quite well in most applications, in-town or out. • Along with my 3 Apex/coil selection I also have a Nokta FORS CoRe and FORS Relic, an XP ORX, and my Tesoro Bandido II microMAX and Silver Sabre microMAX. I spend the bulk of my detecting time hunting sites with an abundance of Iron Nails and other ferrous debris, to include an assortment of sizes of rusty tin fragments or shards. ANY detector that I own and use has to match or come close to my Tesoro's performance on my Nail Board Test, and the Tesoro's produce 8-out-of-8 possible hits. I will only keep a detector and coil combo for Iron trash hunting that provide me at least 7-out-of-8 hits ..... and all of my units do. • As for their Depth-of-Detection, that is based on a combination of the search coil size & type used as well as the particular detector circuitry. I can vouch for the fact that the Apex devices with their assigned search coils get very decent depth. Easily achieving all of the functional depth needed for the wide-range of sites I hunt, regardless of the ground mineral levels I encounter - - - - and most of the places I go have a higher-level iron mineralization read-out to deal with. • Do I really like the Garrett Apex? Yes, indeed, and Yes, I especially like the 'Ripper' DD coil for general-purpose, day-to-day hunting. I like the 'simplicity' nd I like the easy of quick, on-the-fly adjustment functions it offers. Is it 'perfect'? No, and I don't believe there is such a thing as a 'prefect' detector, but the Apex is very 'functional' for most people and for most search applications, including hunting in tough Iron littered sites. • That said, I do wish the Apex had: →→ Manual Ground Balance →→ A variable Threshold control to go with →→ A traditional threshold-based All Metal mode We just need to remember that the Apex is a mid-priced SMF detector so it's possible some of these desired functions and features will be found on an up-scale SMF model that Garrett might introduce in the future to complement the Apex. The Apex is also rather forgiving on the search coil sweep speed, but I do try to work them and all my detectors at a more methodical sweep with ample search coil overlap. I feel the Apex is a detector with a very good audio response that can be learned and appreciated if a user will hunt often enough to put in the time to learn of it's strengths and weaknesses. Just my thought's, Monte
  24. Steve, knowing you headed north to enjoy some of the summer-time I just knew you would be reporting on the 'new' GM 24K .... and I appreciate your post. I'm also pleased that Garrett didn't sit back and do nothing, instead bringing out one of the better detectors from White's in their waning years. I do miss the tan color, however. Congrats of your success. Monte
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