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j71038

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  1. As GB said, please keep posting. The more voices and expert opinions on a forum strengthen and support it and provide us new people access to expertise we do not have. For the vast majority of us, this is just a hobby. It is interesting to note that this post started out about a basic PI machine (Sand Shark) and has morphed into a discussion about the latest and greatest VLF from Minelab. I think if manufacturers want their products discussed on the internet they need to add oodles of user settings to keep us discussing and debating the merits of each setting and configuration possible. 😎
  2. I am very happy to read all of the responses from the experienced people in regards to the Sea Hunter. I too have purchased a couple of them. I am still a newbee in terms of metal detecting so I actually began to wonder if I had made an awful mistake. My criteria for selection was based upon construction of the unit for the purposes of diving. The SH2 control box is built from a very heavy plastic material. I suspect Delrin but honestly don't know. As with other diving electronics the battery compartment can be flooded and not harm the electronics since it is sealed separately. This is not something I have tried out but it is comforting to know. There is a repair video on YouTube, At the 5:35 mark it shows the front face plate of the unit is sealed by double O rings, which gives you more confidence in the submersion capabilities of this unit. I watched a disassembly video on the Legend and if I recall correctly I believe only a single O ring was used. As Steve has mentioned previously the 10 ft depth rating is more for temporary submersion so those that dive with them may eventually have a bad day. My Legend will remain for use on the beach or for wading only. Also, the SH2 has user replaceable coils and headphones. This would allow you to take an extra one of each with you and change it out should you damage them or the cables. The underwater environment can be unforgiving and with the reduction of peripheral vision while wearing a dive mask and heavy SCUBA gear at some point something may get broken. I would hate to take it on a trip only to discover that your plans fell apart due to one mishap. My wife and I were diving is moderate surge in Roatan years ago and my fin accidentally came into contact with a sharp piece of coral. Sharp enough to cut through the thermoplastic Mares Quattro fin. Better the fin than my foot. I'd sure hate to graze a piece of coral like this with a unit that I could not replace the coil or headphones on as the cable would likely get severed. Mind you the likelihood of this happening is very small but not zero. All in all I liked the construction very much and hoped that Garrett had made the electronic capabilities to match. From the responses I have seen it appears that it may prove to be no slouch in that regard either. I have learned quite a bit based upon the experienced people here on this forum and feel more comfortable about my purchase decision. I realize that this machine is best used in situations where a PI will shine, such as heavily mineralized beach and salt water environment. One other note. It is interesting how the internet can influence your purchase decisions when you are not knowledgeable about a subject. Because I saw very few reviews regarding the SH2 and what I did see was lackluster at best I became rather concerned I had made a mistake. My reasons for selecting the SH2 could have resulted in me purchasing a dud. Fortunately due to this post and responses my faith has been restored in my purchase decision. I can now see how easy it would have been to purchase a cheap detector off Amazon due to glowing reviews and being misled severely. When you don't know what you don't know only forums like this, where experienced users off tips and advice, can provide you with worthwhile information.
  3. Leave wife on your bucket list. The right one is worth it. My wife of 28 years has over the years bought me a handheld GPS and intercom for flying, various SCUBA toys for diving, and when I popped out and came back with my first metal detector her first surprised response was that she did want me to walk more so it was quite a good purchase! Of all the treasures you could find in life she truly has been the best one of all. 🙂
  4. I too am not an economist but there may be an impediment to price reductions by Nokta. Anything that is sourced and made in Turkey or local labour would be cheaper as their currency falls. On the other hand any components that originate out of country will cost Nokta more in Lira. However that too may be somewhat offset by selling them and receiving payment in foreign currency such as USD. Definitely an interesting topic for discussion.
  5. It appears that Minelab was looking to gain market share against Garrett and Fisher with the Vanquish line. The introduction of the X-Terra Pro was perhaps so that they can gain market share lost to the Nokta Simplex. Once customers are Minelab familiar they may stay with the brand when upgrading. I guess the marketing question is whether people who start with a product line from one of the aforementioned companies stay loyal to the brand (like car buyers are loyal to Ford or Chevy) or do detector buyers look at each new model introduced and decide? From looking at the gear in use section on the forums I suspect the latter is the case. OTOH, It does make good business sense for Minelab to want to appeal to as many customers as possible. The product lineup may not make sense but perhaps it makes many dollars.
  6. I was wondering what the future holds for the Vanquish line myself. I asked a somewhat similar question to yours elsewhere. With the new X-Terra Pro do you think Minelab will discontinue the Vanquish series? I suspect a clue is that based on current info the new X-Terra Pro can use Equinox coils and obviously X-Terra Pro coils but it cannot use Vanquish coils due to a different connector size. Also, the pricing of the Vanquish series appears on both sides of the X-Terra Pro pricing. Here in Ontario Canada the 340 sells for less than the X-Terra Pro and the 440 and 540 is above the X-Terra price point. I'm not sure how well the Vanquish series sell so maybe nothing will change. It just seems from a product lineup the Vanquish now appears to be not fitting in well. Or is it possible they will only keep one model for sale, perhaps the 540 as long as they have stock? I'm very new to the metal detecting scene so perhaps this is normal practice.
  7. I have a typical newbee question. As a general rule of thumb in order to maximize your metal detecting spend I am curious if it is better to obtain different coil sizes for your existing detector or purchase different detectors? I already own a PI and a VLF machine since the underlying technologies appear somewhat different. I want to know what everyone's advice is on the subject.
  8. I am glad you are considering scuba certification. It is a lot of fun and opens your options up in terms of gear, either surface supplied or using the standard SCUBA setup. My wife and I both dive on vacations (at least pre-Covid) and it is truly an enjoyable experience. I would not metal detect until you get a few dives in and become comfortable using the equipment. Also, it is standard practice to dive with a buddy. I know you may only be diving shallow but as a new diver it is a good insurance policy. If you go the surface supplied SCUBA route ( using a Nemo or Brownie's Third Lung) you might want to consider purchasing an independent air source such as a small pony bottle and regulator set or a SpareAir https://www.spareair.com/ A SpareAir is nicknamed a "crack and sniff" in diving but if your surface supply unit stops suddenly it will give you a few minutes to sort out the issue or ascend. Last, if you encounter a problem underwater be prepared to abandon your metal detector. You can always buy another detector but your life cannot be replaced.
  9. Hi, I would like to preface my comments in that I am very new to metal detecting. I think we all have interests that can be both fascinating and time consuming but unless you committed crimes so you could get a metal detector or assaulted a family member to go out detecting don't beat yourself up too badly. Being human means we will make mistakes along the way. Unless those mistakes were based upon actual malicious intent the decisions that trouble you are no more than a bad judgment call. My wife likes golfing. I have no use for it. If I divorced her because she spends time doing so with other people then chances are I was already looking for an excuse to get divorced. Because I still love her I bought her a new set of clubs and encourage her to enjoy her activity. Not my thing but if it makes her happy then all is well. I went and bought my first detector only a short while ago and I did not tell her what I was buying. When I arrived home and showed her the machine she remarked that since she wanted me to walk more she was glad I bought it. She didn't call our lawyer or move out. The point is that having interests in life, even if different than your spouse, is healthy in my opinion. Another thought is since this hobby seems to be slewed towards us slightly older people I am really happy that I can look forward to yet another interesting activity when I do retire. I used to have a small business and the people I felt sorriest for had no interests after they left the workforce. Once they retired they fell apart or descended into a sea of anger and self pity. I don't think that will happen to people reading this post or on this forum. Can you imagine living in a world devoid of mysteries, miracles and magic? I can't think of anyone who metal detects or partakes of some of my other hobbies that suffers from a complete disinterest in the world. Those that are afflicted with such apathy towards life not only are miserable but usually make everyone around them equally miserable. One last thought. Dick Stout mentioned moving his family from NJ to TX. I wouldn't see that as horrible. After all, maybe staying in NJ would have been disastrous for them. No one knows how things might have been but for the move. The fact that you feel a bit guilty says you are a stand up guy with morals who cares very much for his family. I apologize for my lack of eloquence to make my points better but in summary don't feel bad about having interests such as metal detecting. There are far worse things you could have done.
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