Testing The Garrett Apex / False Signals - Issue Solved

[EL NINO77]

Since this basic scan of the MF Apex multifrequency was done by one colleague ... so far we can say with certainty ... that the Apex in the multifrequency works on at least two frequencies 5.5khz and 22 khz ...

  After a more documentary correction of the MF measurement, we will know more ...

[Monte]

It looks like I'm late to the Apex Evaluation Party.  Sorry, but I've tied myself up with a multi-model evaluation I set out to do with 10 brand new detectors I had bought.  At least 9 of them and the other I did some trading to get a new unit.  I'll try to keep it 'on-topic' here since this is a Garrett Forum, but I came away from the evaluations quit pleased with the Apex.  I bought my first Apex as one of the first batches to be shipped from the factory and it has been working quit well.   I haven't had the opportunity to get it out to a ghost town yet, but that's partly because I have been holding off for a smaller-s-size coil to tackle the more iron debris choked areas.  Not to mention it has been overgrown with a lot of dense weeds since about June.

My initial plan was to fit the Apex in as one of my 'Daily-Use Team' detectors that I keep in the vehicle to travel with me should I chance upon a detecting opportunity.    Therefore, most of my detecting with the Apex has been limited to grassy parks, school and sports field sites, and all have been well-hunted over the years.    To get to know it as I was learning it after it arrived, i compared it with two of my other ride-alongs, a Vanquish 540 w/5X8 DD and Simplex + w/5X9½ DD..  I know those two well so that made it easier to work with the Apex.

The only thing I initially wished it had was a slightly smaller-size coil in the 5X8 to 5X9½ size.  There have been too many littered places, mainly modern trash, where the 6X11 Viper was just a wee-bit too long and the influence of the other nearby targets made the audio and visual responses a little jumpier than I wished.  But let me touch on that briefly:

We learned decades ago, in the earlier days of Discrimination and detectors with Double-D coils, that DD's have more difficulty than Concentric coils when it came to accurate Discrimination, and then when visual Target ID arrived on the scene, the DD's were typically a bit jumpier than a Concentric coil if both were worked on the same detector.  Have manufacturers addressed this and improved on TID in more recent years?  Yes, but there certainly there can be some trade-offs.  I have handled some top-end models that had/have very jumpy VDI read-outs, but they are a really good detector IF a smaller-size coil is mounted.  I've tried some other competitor's models that were/are quite impressive with a Concentric coil, but a comparable-size Dd works but has short-comings in some iron nails and other challenges.  Sam detector, different behavior.

Therefore, even when announced I figured the Apex might be a little more troubled because it is using a DD coil, and in addition it's a longer tip-to-tail size.  It's done pretty well for me in the open plowed fields and such where I've taken it, but suffers in the very trashy places.  With their announcement of the Ripper and Raider coils, it should help us all out, especially folks like me who hang out in more littered environments and the 5X8 DD Ripper is likely to become a main-use coil that will stay mounted to one of my two Apex devices.

Now, one more hunt update from today.  I got the permission to work a double lot that was purchased and they went in last week and bladed a lot of it around. Weeds are now 98% gone.  I hunted this after a house was demolished a couple of years ago and it was wheat-back Cent haven!  Now I have access to a lot more open ground were another house used to be until about ten years ago.  Yesterday I nabbed 1 Memorial Cent and 1 Clad Dime, and a few Wheat-back Cents.  Today ... NO memorials, NO Clad, and if I counted the coins right, 28 Wheat-back Cents .... but NO Silver!

My Apx & Viper Coil will be attacking it again as soon as I can tomorrow.  There is a lot of trash in the mix from th two old houses, other structures and  whatever litter was tossed there this past decade.  Fortunately, I can 'toe-scuff' most of the coins out of the now loosened and softer dirt that's been moved around, and coins were found from about 2" to the deeper ones at 4" to maybe 5" at a stretch.

I'm using my 'Custom' Disc. set-up that accepts everything fro'20' on up because I like to hear most ferrous debris that's present.  Volume-8, Iron Volume-2, Sensitivity-8.  Mainly using 'MF' when I start out but checking out both '15' Hz and '20' kHz when I am over near where there is more discarded iron, bottle caps, etc.

I'll save some the question of asking if the Apex is perfect.  No, it isn't,  and in over 55 years running these devices I haven't ever had a 'perfect' detector.  What I will say is that I am very satisfied I made a good choice.  I like the very comfortable light=weight, balance and feel for this old phat who's falling apart.  It's working well, offers ample adjustment features fr my needs, or those I feel most people might have, and it makes an excellent 'fit' in my detector outfit to complement other favorites I use.

And best of all, I have a lot of 'fun' getting out with the Apex, and, for me, that's a main ingredient that has keep me active for all these decades .... having 'fun.'  Now, tomorrow I'll head out for more 'fun' but really hope I can chance upon some silver coins.  They have to be out there somewhere.

Monte

[UtahRich]

Brand new Apex +MS3 on the doorstep this morning.   Cudo's to Garrett. 

[palzynski]

59 minutes ago, UtahRich said:

Brand new Apex +MS3 on the doorstep this morning.   Cudo's to Garrett. 

Good news ...I am looking forward to see if that solves the pb ...

[Monte]

1 hour ago, UtahRich said:

Brand new Apex +MS3 on the doorstep this morning.   Cudo's to Garrett. 

Great to hear!  Through the years I've seldom had a need for Garrett service, but when I did it was simply exceptional.

I have a set of the MS3 headphones for each of my Apex devices and they are terrific!  Comfortable, block a lot of outside noise, nice ear protection this time of year, and best of all the audio is great for this hearing-impaired old guy.

Keep us posted on how things go with you and the Apex.

Monte

[Shelton]

Weird. My Apex device runs very well under high power lines... but with two bars removed from maximum sensitivity. No issues at all. But I was heard about some problems with chattering and unstable behaviour from two guys... few days ago. interesting topic. About target locking... is not perfect and that is true. If you narrow your sweeps on target it stay locked if item is coins or similar round shape.

[palzynski]

1 hour ago, Shelton said:

Weird. My Apex device runs very well under high power lines... but with two bars removed from maximum sensitivity. No issues at all. But I was heard about some problems with chattering and unstable behaviour from two guys... few days ago. interesting topic. About target locking... is not perfect and that is true. If you narrow your sweeps on target it stay locked if item is coins or similar round shape.

Thanks for your post Shelton ,

From the posts I have seen in this forum up to now , for sure I am not the only one having this  pb ... However I am not sure that the pb is related to power lines ... Now it would be interesting to have the Garrett's US support answer on this ... btw I will try to recontact the French Garretts local support on this issue tomorrow ..

[Monte]

2 hours ago, Shelton said:

Weird. My Apex device runs very well under high power lines... but with two bars removed from maximum sensitivity. No issues at all. But I was heard about some problems with chattering and unstable behaviour from two guys... few days ago. interesting topic. About target locking... is not perfect and that is true. If you narrow your sweeps on target it stay locked if item is coins or similar round shape.

Shelton, I appreciate your post.

I have two (2) of the new Apex devices.  One of them had a 'noise' issue near the coil cable connector/control housing connector.  If I had th connector nut finger snug and nothing got moved about, all was well and I could hunt away.  My first Apex didn't have that issue.  The folks at garrett, as always, were quick to take care of the problem.

As for 'other noise' such as EMI, my Apex devices run very quiet most of the time.  I always have them start-up at Full Sensitivity, and in my Custom Discriminate mode that 'accepts' all notch segments from '20' on up  I DO, on occasion, end up in a noisy environment, like here in my den.  But when out hunting, I can be under most phone-pole power lines  and even close to some of the metal-box power units on-ground and have very little if any issues.

But a lot depends on the power source and who know what  because I can relocate to a different area and be close to a power-pole line or transformer and get some EMI instability.  Usually I drop the Sensitivity from the full '8' setting to '6' or sometimes'5' and that takes care of the issue  Location, as always , can be a key.

Monte.

 

[palzynski]

2 hours ago, Monte said:

...

I have two (2) of the new Apex devices.  One of them had a 'noise' issue near the coil cable connector/control housing connector.  If I had th connector nut finger snug and nothing got moved about, all was well and I could hunt away.  My first Apex didn't have that issue.  The folks at garrett, as always, were quick to take care of the problem.

...

Hi Monte , what do you mean by "garrett were quick to take care of the problem" ?  what did they do exactly ? thanks ...