This Is A Post From Geotech About The AQ On Thomas Dankowski's Forum

[phrunt]

It remains to be seen if it will ever come to market and if it does how many buyers will there be? They couldn't even remotely sell the 100 AQ Limited units at a discounted cost before people knew of all of the issues with them, back when they were thought to be something really special and unique.  There would be very few potential buyers who don't know about the mess that has gone on.  You could play these games with a low end detector sold in a big box store as the kids parents would be blissfully unaware of the history of the detector they're about to buy, but the AQ isn't really a kids toy like First Texas are used to selling now, it's target market is well informed on what's been going on as its been blasted over the internet on various platforms, this one has played out in the public eye. 

Do the right thing First Texas, release a public statement saying any "existing" owners of the Impulse AQ Limited will be provided a final unit upon release, these people paid good money for this detector and very few see their money well spent.  It's a disaster of your own creation, they are beta testers, they always were beta testers and you worked out a scam that tricked them into paying to be beta testers, and poor Rick was likely taken for a ride too, a trusted well known name and First Texas product fan with many connections on forums and so on to flog them off for you instead of selling them yourself.

I saw this today, so for those waiting for it's actual release, hopefully it is this year, but maybe not.

[cjc]

On 1/13/2022 at 7:05 PM, tvr said:

So here are some of my thoughts on what "useful discrimination" is related to the AQ LTD:

Back when I got a CZ20 to start getting serious about finding gold at beaches, it was tuned so that nickels were mid-tone. I could choose to detect and dig only the mid-tones with the theory that doing so could maximize return on effort at the beach by only digging the range where most of the gold was. Thinking back on that recently, I was inspired learn what I could with the AQ LTD with respect to useful discrimination.

 

I've been hunting nearly all in all metal mode with the AQ LTD. Shortly after I got the AQ LTD I took a trip to one beach specifically to see how the AQ handled a beach filled with hot rocks and learn a little bit on how I could handle them using its discrimination capabilities. I had not done much with discrimination since then until the last two weeks. Had a long trip to a wide open beach and I figured it was time to really learn the discrimination capabilities. One thing I previously figured out is that it is difficult to get rid of hair pins on any setting; I still found that to be true, yet they do give that classic double beep that makes them easy to walk away from. I decided to pick a couple of targets and set up to hear the tone shift in tone mode that would tell me to walk away from those targets that otherwise do not give a lot of clues.

 

The problem targets I picked to set up with were some small screws that I had dug while thinking they were going to be good targets, but were not. Setting up to identify those screws as "no dig" in tone mode had me at Reject = 7; ATS just shy of 9. I spent a few days tweaking the settings but staying pretty close to those; ending up with Reject 7 and ATS just a hair above 8. If I chose to just dig the sweet high tones and none of the warbles or grunting sounds then about the only iron I was digging was the occasional hair pin and a couple of round washers. The hairpins were still walk-away signals because of the clear double beep. I was not digging tent stakes. I also wasn't digging pennies, dimes, quarters, lead sinkers or soda beer cans! I dug most targets for nearly a week to see what the audio was like. With those settings, zinc pennies, small fishing sinkers and most of the tent pegs were a warbling mid-tone, copper pennies, big sinkers, dimes, quarters, soda and beer cans and the rest of the tent pegs were low tone grunting. The biggest problem target remained bottle caps. I’m not doing well identifying them for what they are.

 

After the last couple weeks I think I'm pretty confident that the AQ LTD does have useful discrimination and that if I want to just focus on the most likely gold range and not dig coins, cans, sinkers, tent pegs or .50 caliber shells; I can do that. There is a chance I will not dig that huge monstrous gold ring when set like I'm set, but the focus will be squarely on looking for the majority of gold jewelry and not digging otherwise. In the middle of fresh drop season, I think it could be a productive way to go!

 

I agree with you 100%TVR.  With practice, with very careful handling of the back connectors, this machine has a lot of  potential.  If you have used a lot of other pulses and  know what to listen for (peaked, centered, narrow responses) the audio of this detector can be very good to you.  It has the accurate characteristics of an Eric Foster circuit and because of that smoothness and detailed reporting--tells you a lot.  The discrimination may sound off on some iron and some wire but the information to avoid these targets is there.  Ive had problems with stability in salt conditions.  These may  or may  not have come from corrosion on the coil contacts.  I've just invested in a small  coil with the hope of running this machine successfully under  fast salt conditions. Fisher First Texas has made a good try of making this detector despite its problems--I feel that the potential outweighs the problems.  It has TDI Pro depth, great target information and  something that closely resembles discrimination.   Alexandre's refinements to Eric's circuit do tell you what's iron and what isn't.  He has also responded to my enquiries--something I appreciate a lot.  More so than any of the new VLFs coming out--this machine is a true "secret weapon"--the one I had hoped my waterproof TDI Pro would be.  Point being that when I pick this detector up---turn it over--give it a shake, look at it closely--Im forced to admit that it does what its supposed to--quite well in fact--and can be used. FT has responded to the physical problems Ive had with this machine fast and with exactitude--they have stood behind this product as constituted. That's enough for me and I would buy another if I could. 

cjc

[cjc]

On 1/13/2022 at 11:54 AM, Bill (S. CA) said:

I'm going to throw in a different take on the AQ since, like Steve, I've had it with First Texas.  While I agree that the AQ needs a major redesign, I blame the need for this on one thing.  "Shill field testers."  How many times have we heard about new detectors that are being tested worldwide by supposedly qualified field testers and right when the machines are ready to come out there is a sudden and abrupt halt?  The reason is always the same, something to the effect of "minor changes, adding useful features, etc."  Baloney.  The problem is that most guys who test these units are just looking to get free stuff so they rubber stamp units.  I'll give you a perfect example.  A number of years ago a very prominent metal detector manufacturer contacted me and one other detectorist in the United States to test out a new detector.  We were told that it performed flawlessly in the lab and that a team of European hunters had all signed off on the detector.   To make a long story short, it took each of us less than an hour to determine that the detector was impossible to hunt with.  It took over three months of our testing various software upgrades and changes before we were able to get it working.  All of that was done for zero compensation and no free stuff.  And it was worth it because the detector became one of the best selling metal detectors of all time.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not beating my chest and bragging.  My point is that if these manufacturers were serious about building detectors that work they would use genuine, honest testers instead of these ass kissing shills they go to every time.  On this forum alone, a number of you would be ideal candidates.  But for some unknown reason the manufacturers simply don't seek out the honest types of testers required to really evaluate new detectors.  I mean, come on, the mechanical problems of the AQ have been visible from the start and verified by users.  First Texas could have hired Joe Beechnut to fix everything, right?

And so it goes.  I'll be honest, I think the AQ is dead.  And even if it does hit the market, who cares?  The Deus II has taken any buzz that the AQ had and squashed it.

Bill (S. CA

Bill --Im not a shill field tester--Im the harshest one out.  But this detector has brought me around--it does what it's supposed to do very well.  The rest--the physical  problems are (to me) secondary.  As long as it gets  me the gold and  my carelessness doesn't break it too easily--Im good.  Overall--given some battery life, maybe some kind of a guard for the connectors--this is the best beach machine out--and probably will be for a long time.   I appreciate the risk FT has taken to bring  this tech to market and there's no way Im going to begrudge them for these minor issues.  That would be pure ingratitude.  Based upon my 40+ years of swinging--this is a gold getter if ever saw one. 

cjc

[tvr]

On 2/23/2022 at 11:26 PM, cjc said:

I've just invested in a small  coil with the hope of running this machine successfully under  fast salt conditions.

Please keep us posted on what you observe with the small coil in salt waves.

[Carolina]

It seems to me, that the small M8 connector discussed negatively here may be the wave of the future. Previous to the AQ, my Tarsacci has this connector and now Post AQ my Deus ll has the M8 connector. They all sight one thing in common, space availability. I personally love the M12 size some refer to as the CTX connector but truth be known, I have not had any issues with the M8 on any of the for mentioned machines. As for whatever Alexandre turns out for the next AQ, I think what phrunt said about trading in the limited we purchased would go a long way for Fishers image overall or at least a credit of $1500.00 towards the final versions cost. As some of you know, I sent my AQ to Eric in the UK to evaluate and also to build me several 10” coils. He developed a 7 page report on his findings and talked with Carl and Alexandre often. I’m fairly sure Carl’s involvement was limited at best in the development of the AQ. This was primarily Alexandre’s project. He ( Alexandre ) has put his heart and soul into this project, so I know he will not abandon it. What Tom Walsh does I have no idea. I consider myself one of the lucky ones as my AQ only had a few minor hiccups that First Texas took care of, and with Joes battery it has been a dream machine in the right settings along with several mods from Eric. I wish Alexandre and First Texas the best and have no I’ll feelings at all. I am sorry though that others have not had the same success that I have. Good luck everybody and spring is just around the corner here in the US. 

[cjc]

I can't help thinking that some kind of a semi-circular guard would protect these delicate connectors on the Limited.  Im developing a short lanyard / clip / loop system that will attach the machine at the handle to my belt for digging in surge.  Still to coin a phrase--"performance is everything-"-and this is a full on dream machine.   I think what I would  like to see is a SAT control  that goes higher to accommodate the stock coil in fast high saline / high EMI conditions--although im still testing--where Im hunting could be exceptional.   My first unit had problems with a pot  and some plastic--but FT service has been excellent and kept me in the game long enough to see past the detractions and get down to business...good luck--spring  is coming...

cjc

[Bill (S. CA)]

On 2/24/2022 at 4:57 PM, cjc said:

Bill --Im not a shill field tester--Im the harshest one out.  But this detector has brought me around--it does what it's supposed to do very well.  The rest--the physical  problems are (to me) secondary.  As long as it gets  me the gold and  my carelessness doesn't break it too easily--Im good.  Overall--given some battery life, maybe some kind of a guard for the connectors--this is the best beach machine out--and probably will be for a long time.   I appreciate the risk FT has taken to bring  this tech to market and there's no way Im going to begrudge them for these minor issues.  That would be pure ingratitude.  Based upon my 40+ years of swinging--this is a gold getter if ever saw one. 

cjc

Cjc,

Ah now there is a voice I know and respect.  And you are no shill my friend.  If First Texas and other manufacturers would defer to guys like you their detectors would be better designed and out in the marketplace much sooner.  Say what you will about the AQ performance-wise but First Texas' handling of this often promised never delivered miracle machine has been deplorable.  These bunglers take high end technology and put into a poorly designed shell and no one points this out until now?  RIght. What they do is ignore guys like you and defer to the rubber stampers in a rush to bring the product to market.  Your opinion of the AQ is one I respect.  But the company that makes it or I should say keeps saying that they will make it is one I no longer pay attention to or consider a serious player in our hobby.