Which detector was the hardest to learn for you?

[maxxkatt]

how do you un-delete a just posted post on this forum?

 

[treasureguy56]

I have talked about how difficult the 800 was for me to learn in other posts. I am curious to hear of the experiences of others maybe having trouble learning a more sophisticated detector.

As for me I got into metal detecting by using the Fisher gold bug to locate corroded bird and buck shot in the small branches in the North Georgia gold district SW of Dalonegha, GA. That always told me that was a good area do dig for nuggets. The fisher gold bug was built for gold nugget hunting and was easy to use. Many years went by until I got my AT Pro. That was one good machine that was easy to learn and it did produce on relics and coins.

Then I got really caught up in the Nox 800 frenzy on the MD forums. Remember those days? I thought it was going to be the answer to my MD dreams. I had no idea about the difference in complexity and number of features between the AT Pro and 800.

I also did not realize that I had no real understanding of any of the metal detecting theories that you needed to understand if you were going to use and adjust those 800 advanced settings. So for about a year and a half I was using a detuned detector due to my ignorance. Yes this is hard to admit out on a public forum but it was true.

The other factor was they 800 can really lock on the smallest piece of metal, I mean like a very small piece of copper doorbell wire 1/8" long 4-5" deep. So hunting trashy parks sounded like a machine gun of audible signals.

In hindsight, I now know that the 800 was/is a great detector and was pretty much the leader of the back of SMF detectors when introduced. The whole problem was me. Thinking I could understand a sophisticated modern SMF detector with out the basic MD knowledge. With a lot of kind help from other Friendly forum members, I have filled a lot of the gaps in my detecting theory education.

I now have an XP2 with a 9" coils and love it. Have I mastered it? No I don't think I will every use the term Master, but I have learn a whole lot from my struggles with my 800. I have learned to tailor some of the settings to match my hunting environment.

So, I am wondering am I the only one who hit the learning wall with a particular detector? If so which detector.

Man you are spot on ,
I went through just about every point you talk about and Im still using the 800 . I believe it is a very good machine but you do have to really take time if you trully want to master it . In all honesty I may not ever master it but I think the machine and I can come to terms ....LOL

 

[RobNC]

Minelab (Moneylab) Explorer XS was one I never clicked with. The thing never found me anything. I spent too much time trying to make sense of it. I felt totally ripped off. Tried an XTerra after that. Never really found anything with it either. Just wasn't time I guess. Stayed away from Minelab units after that until the Equinox back in 2019. The Equinox 600 and me sort of clicked but it just always felt crippled to me so I sprang for the EQ800. I still have that one today. Took it out a couple days ago and it found me good things. Have a new XTerra Pro (XTerror Poop Pro) that I'm sort of disappointed with also. I'm mad that Moneylab seen fit to pull the greed tactic again and lock us out of using AptXLL headphones and instead decided to go back to old times (Explorer XS) and use more proprietary things. So probably my last Minelabs.

 

[TerryEastTexas]

Of the 23 I've owned. The Legend hands down.

 

[RgnFn]

I have to admit that the D2 is eating my lunch right now. Especially when I tried the 13" coil. The places I've used it at are very trashy, so I recognize that the 13" was not appropriate for the site, and have gone back to the 9". I'm sure I'll get the hang of it - only have about 20 hours so far - but it has been a lot slower than I had hoped....

 

[Dave_e]

Hardest for me to learn so far has been the Rutus Atrex, hands down.
So many settings.

 

[Lodge Scent]

Everyone should have to learn to detect with a Whites DFX. It would thin out a lot of detectorists. If you learn it, you can work these new detectors with not much problems. If you can't you probably ain't gonna make it!

Agreed! The DFX was my first machine. My next was the Deus 1. It was a piece of cake to learn compared to the DFX.

 

[mgtmadness]

The most difficult to learn was the V3i. DFX,XLT,MXT Pro, were way easier