TRX Field reports. ANYONE add your's

MadTownScoop

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Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
1,220
Location
McFarland, Wi
So far I've been out twice. Ground still frozen. Top 1-2" is about all you got unless its been uncovered by snow for a few weeks. Anyways Here is my report so far.

Whites TRX. So far love it. Light touch to turn it on. Ratcheting in on an object only takes ONE small tap of the power button and then zoom in closer. To Re-Set to full sensing just point away from anything metal and lightly press the power button one time. Back to 4" sensing. Tested it in frozen ground with mud and water on top today. Also used it in the playground area which is made up of chewed up car tires. Must use large magnetized machines to extract all the steel belt wire cause I find none. Just the occasional piece of wheel weight or chunk of valve stem. In the ground, Very consistent at sensing at 4". Tire chunks a bit more. Almost 5" deep. Easy on, Easy off. If it falses, Just like the GPP does, just turn it off and back on. Same as you would with the GPP. Fits in GPP holster. No "scraping blade/edge" on it like the GPP but who really uses the GPP to scrape a hole?? Thats what our Lesch is for.

TRX

Ease of use, 9.0 (About 1 second delay from when you turn it on to time its ready to go)
Weight, 9.0 (using 9volt)
Depth 9.9

Ideas, Do away with the light opening and make it water PROOF.
 
So far I've been out twice. Ground still frozen. Top 1-2" is about all you got unless its been uncovered by snow for a few weeks. Anyways Here is my report so far.

Whites TRX. So far love it. Light touch to turn it on. Ratcheting in on an object only takes ONE small tap of the power button and then zoom in closer. To Re-Set to full sensing just point away from anything metal and lightly press the power button one time. Back to 4" sensing. Tested it in frozen ground with mud and water on top today. Also used it in the playground area which is made up of chewed up car tires. Must use large magnetized machines to extract all the steel belt wire cause I find none. Just the occasional piece of wheel weight or chunk of valve stem. In the ground, Very consistent at sensing at 4". Tire chunks a bit more. Almost 5" deep. Easy on, Easy off. If it falses, Just like the GPP does, just turn it off and back on. Same as you would with the GPP. Fits in GPP holster. No "scraping blade/edge" on it like the GPP but who really uses the GPP to scrape a hole?? Thats what our Lesch is for.

TRX

Ease of use, 9.0 (About 1 second delay from when you turn it on to time its ready to go)
Weight, 9.0 (using 9volt)
Depth 9.9

Ideas, Do away with the light opening and make it water PROOF.

Take the battery cap off and blow into the case (sealing the hole with your lips as if blowing up a paper bag) you will find the case is air tight and water proof within reason. The light is useless because the led is inside the case, not sticking through the case. Remove that one screw and pull out the guts so you can see how it is designed. Since it is air and water tight, it floats..
 
I run mine on sensitivity 3. The ratchet feature is very convenient once the general location has been identified it is very nice to be able to walk it right in and find the target. I have also witnessed some falsing like the propointer does, and is cured by the same method...off and on...and on your way.

Biggest question in my mind is how this unit will hold up under extreme usage...for example the weak point on the propointer is the switch.. .will the TRX be more durable in this aspect? Only time will tell...

I have about 14-15 hours of time hunting with my TRX and I really enjoy using it. There really isn't anything I don't like about the TRX at this point. Would I sell my propointers and replace em all with TRX's? Not just yet. ..The jury is still out...and so few people are talking about them so far , that if they do have inherent problems...no one knows what they are...but for me and mine...haven't had nothing but positive results.

LittleJohn
 
Mines working like a swiss watch so far. Won't be using mine as often before long since i'll be switching to mostly beach hunting real soon due to the heat. Lots of people bought one. Not many waste time reporting on their experience. Guess actually that is a good sign. As they say. "If you aren't complaining, you must be happy!" I know I'm still using mine. And the pistol probe is still on vacation.
 
Well, I'll never be without a GPP even if its for a back up to the TRX or vice versa. Yeah I know the TRX is "water tight" and floats according to Flphil he had to put a brick on it to keep it under water for ?20 min? I think. I dont see myself being without either one or the other of these. Nothing wrong with the GPP with the exception of the switch going bad but the only time I turn mine off is when I'm done for the current area or it's falsing. I'd expect the TRX switch to last longer as you dont have to press it down very far OR very hard. Light touch and minimal movement to turn on and off. Thanks for your replies everyone.
 
I took my TRX out for two hunts this weekend. About 5 hrs total. The first hunt I had it on sensitivity two. This power setting was way too weak for my liking. But since it was new to me I forgot how to adjust the power setting up. So I just lived with it for the duration of the hunt. I noticed that I had a habit of trying to pinpoint the side of the hole with the side of the TRX. A big no-no since the TRX is tip only. It took me a few holes and some concentration to break the habbit, but I finally caught on and now it is second nature without really putting thought into it. I also noticed that the TRX will actually give a vocal tick or beep without activating the vibration. Sometimes on deep targets a slight beep or tick is all you get. So vibration mode only is not an option for me.

On the second hunt I had the power up to three. I looked up on the net how to adjust it again and now I think I will remember it. Three is just about perfect for me. The TRX will start to false on the upper power settings but a quick push of the power button settles it right down to business. It hits the deep coins very well and I was completely satisfied with the over all performance.

I was pretty muddy with these hunts. The TRX was pretty muddy as well. There was no problems with moisture. I was jamming it into the hole hunting for the targets and never once did it sound off from pressure on the tip. If it beeps after the quick power button push it is on a target. I could hear the CTX null from time to time from the TRX being used. But over all the interference was very manageable.

Is it better than the Garrett? I think it easily detects deeper. It is more stable and reliable than the Propointers I had. If you like your Garrett stick with it. After all it is about finding a target in the hole. And however you do it is up to you. I have been waiting for this product for a long time. I am not a fan of the Garrett model because of the reliability issues I had. The Minelab Profind was just not up to the performance standards I wanted. Whites has a winner for now. Lets see how the TRX holds up to a season.

I have never been a person to say I like something just because I spent money on it. I have expectations and if the product doesn't live up to those expectations I will say so. And it will soon be in the classifieds. The TRX is the next best thing to a Sunray probe that I have used. SO FAR!
 
I have never been a person to say I like something just because I spent money on it. I have expectations and if the product doesn't live up to those expectations I will say so. And it will soon be in the classifieds. !

Exactly. From what FLPHIL says its almost water proof. He had it under water with a brick for 20 min and it stayed dry. No leaks so I'll be more willing to lay it in the snow, wet grass etc etc and give it a good test. Only time will tell just how hardy it has been made. Hope the switch holds out but then again I've never had an issue with the GPP Switch like some have but I also DONT turn it off until Im done for the day or it starts acting up. Sometimes my pointer is on for 2-3 hours at a time.
 
I may just lessen the waterproof feature if I decide to keep mine. I will sacrifice the membrane over the speaker with a needle or something just to get the audio up like my GPP. Afterall, you can get a new skin, correct? If I ever hunt the mud or water, which is almost never...slip a new skin on. Otherwise, the low audio on the factory units just won't fly with me for long since I wear HPs by nature.

Waterproof feature on the TRX was about the last desire on my list. I just need 3" depth detection, silent detection until I hit a real target without chatter, and I'll be happy. In other words, I want a Garrett's Propointer which hits 3 inches by default, which doesn't need a ground balance just to quieten the chatter.

My TRX will be here in a week or so, and I'll then get some real test time with it here at home. So far, the testing I've done with a friend's TRX says to me that the thing chatters on almost nothing at all.

Silence is golden. Three inch depth is good. IMO, the two don't fit for a single purpose item such as a pinpointer. martin
 
I've had mine for about 2 weeks and it's amazing. Like it better than the Garrett, and I never thought I'd say that!

The ratcheting is cool, and the auto GB allowed me to hunt really close to some play equipment at the park, and underneath a mid sized portion of the bleachers at the local pee wee football field.....

Yeah it's that sensitive, I actually crawled down there with the TRX alone and wanded over the ground where full sized MDs are useless because A) you can't stand with them and B) the metal seats and supports interfere. I found $8.37 in clad, a cheap watch, broken Nokia cell phone, and one 1960 d mint Q.

It took forever, about 2.5 hours and my knees and back we're killing me... But I'm going back because I didn't finish the other 2 sections!?!?

Overall I love the TRX, it's well made, sensitive, weatherproof, and the choice of running 2 AA batteries or a single 9v is nice.

My opinion is it's the best pinpointer to date.:yes:
 
2-3 hours. Yep. I just hold it in my right hand by my side. I "ratchet" it down so it doesnt go off on my cell phone or lesch which are both on my right leg and as I find an object as Im kneeling down I just point it outward and tap the power button setting it to max sens. Ratchet it down around the "zero zone" and re-pinpoint the object. For instance....

Today I was at a park that someone had cleaned pretty well. Very little iron so I set my MXT Pro to max and started scanning. With winds over 25mph gusting to 45mph it was kinda hard hearing with those basic whites headphones but I turned up the volume and went at it. I was getting 77-80's at 5-6" by my MXT VDI. I'd use the TRX to get golf ball size area and then use my long straight edge screwdriver to poke straight down until I felt the object. Checked depth against the TRX handle and was consistantly getting 3-4.5" and that was with the TRX Telling me where it was. Most of the time it was a copper penny but had a few dimes at darn near 5" that the TRX Chirped a bit at. Just at the edge of range for the TRX but got me much closer so I was able to pop them up with the screw driver instead of using the lesch. Much less damage to the grass.

My GPP is now officially my back up. Still like my GPP but like my TRX better. Will make full decision at end of season depending on how durable the TRX is. I do find myself retrieving items about 50% quicker with the TRX at depth than with the GPP. With the GPP I'd have to get basic area with machine and then pop a big plug out since the GPP wont even get close to sensing below 2.5" without tuning it manually. NO Need to do that with TRX.
 
With the GPP I'd have to get basic area with machine and then pop a big plug out since the GPP wont even get close to sensing below 2.5" without tuning it manually. NO Need to do that with TRX.


Ok, I am confused.. my Coinmaster GT can pin point the item perfectly within a 2" radius or less but MXT can not????? Something is not right here..
You may want to give this a read, page 13 on for methods to pin point with you detector.. http://metaldetectingworld.com/metal_detector_search_coils.shtml
 
Yes I know how to pinpoint. Just saying that with the TRX I can pinpoint down to 4". TRY that with the GPP. I can get a golf ball sized area from pinpointing with my MXT just the same as with my AT-Pro. Deep objects have a bit more variance to their location. ESPECIALLY when you come across three pennies in one hole like I did yesterday. They were all about 1-1 1/2" apart so the MXT had just a little bit of audio variance when pinpointing that told me probably more than one target. Just stating that with the TRX I can get within a nickel size area DIRECTLY above the target where as the GPP would not even see it beyond 2" without holding a quarter next to the power button to "Super tune" it. No need with the TRX. TRX kicking garrett's butt right now and I had TWO AT-Pro's and TWO Gpp's but sold one of each to buy my MXT just to try a different brand. Clarified now? Only other thing you can do is try an TRX in the field.
 
For those who have the TRX, how many have tested it for the Lost Alarm? After approximately 5 minutes of being idle, it is suppose to give a long beep for approximately 5 minutes to alert you where it is and after that 5 minutes, 10 minutes total, it shuts itself off.

This was one of the last things I tested, just last week, after receiving it 4 weeks ago and mine is totally silent for the whole 10 minutes and at the end of 10 minutes, it shuts itself off. No Alarm of long beeps of any kind, silent, after the first 5 minutes.

I have conducted this test 6 different times with various setting, but still all are silent.

Just curious if others have tested theirs.
 
For those who have the TRX, how many have tested it for the Lost Alarm? After approximately 5 minutes of being idle, it is suppose to give a long beep for approximately 5 minutes to alert you where it is and after that 5 minutes, 10 minutes total, it shuts itself off.

This was one of the last things I tested, just last week, after receiving it 4 weeks ago and mine is totally silent for the whole 10 minutes and at the end of 10 minutes, it shuts itself off. No Alarm of long beeps of any kind, silent, after the first 5 minutes.

I have conducted this test 6 different times with various setting, but still all are silent.

Just curious if others have tested theirs.


I tested mine last night as well and got the same result you did.

LittleJohn
 
Trying to get used to it

Here are my impressions so far (two weeks, 6 hunts). Please understand that I am used to a GPP and have a routine associated with it that I have to change. I have had a similar situation when I had to get used to a Whites DFX after using an ATPro. I like the DFX now but hated it at first. Also, my Wife says I am a slow learner!

After pinpointing with my detector I take my GPP and turn it on with one touch. I then try to PP if the target is shallow. I lay my GPP on my kneeling mat and dig my plug and PP again. I then remove the target and turn the GPP off with one touch and resheath it. After two years I have never had a problem with my GPP. I have had problems with other items and Garrett is a great company to deal with on warranty issues!


With the WPP, I PP with my detector and then turn the WPP on away from any metal or the ground by holding the switch down until it beeps (Seems like a long time to wait). I then have to ground balance it by touching it to the ground away from a target and pressing the switch momentarily. If I don't GB in our NW mineralized soil, the WPP will start chirping and will not PP properly! I then try to PP the target and here the WPP does great! I can PP a much deeper target initially than with the GPP. I lay the WPP on my kneeling mat and while digging my plug, the WGG becomes unhappy and starts chirping. I GB the unit again and PP. The tip only PP is hard for me to get used to! Also I have to ratchet down, sometimes twice. If I do it twice, it may be too far with the tip only sensing and I have to start over. When I go to turn it off, I have to press and hold for the tone before it actually turns off (Seems like a long time to wait). I cant count how many times I have hit the switch, slid the unit into it's sheath next to my finds pouch and had it go crazy because it is not really off! Quite a complicated process!. Time will tell about durability and warranty will never be a problem with a great company like Whites!. I am sure the WPP will perform better in less mineralized soil, but for right now, things are not looking good!

For now, my feeling is that I want my PP to turn on, PP and turn off quickly. I don't want my PP to be as complicated as my detector. My GPP (with the exception of a deeper first PP) does this to a "T". I will certainly give it some more time and effort but I find that when I detect, I keep reaching for my GPP rather than the WPP because I just want to have fun and recover the target, not continually fuss around with my pin pointer!!!
 
Here are my impressions so far (two weeks, 6 hunts). Please understand that I am used to a GPP and have a routine associated with it that I have to change. I have had a similar situation when I had to get used to a Whites DFX after using an ATPro. I like the DFX now but hated it at first. Also, my Wife says I am a slow learner!

After pinpointing with my detector I take my GPP and turn it on with one touch. I then try to PP if the target is shallow. I lay my GPP on my kneeling mat and dig my plug and PP again. I then remove the target and turn the GPP off with one touch and resheath it. After two years I have never had a problem with my GPP. I have had problems with other items and Garrett is a great company to deal with on warranty issues!


With the WPP, I PP with my detector and then turn the WPP on away from any metal or the ground by holding the switch down until it beeps (Seems like a long time to wait). I then have to ground balance it by touching it to the ground away from a target and pressing the switch momentarily. If I don't GB in our NW mineralized soil, the WPP will start chirping and will not PP properly! I then try to PP the target and here the WPP does great! I can PP a much deeper target initially than with the GPP. I lay the WPP on my kneeling mat and while digging my plug, the WGG becomes unhappy and starts chirping. I GB the unit again and PP. The tip only PP is hard for me to get used to! Also I have to ratchet down, sometimes twice. If I do it twice, it may be too far with the tip only sensing and I have to start over. When I go to turn it off, I have to press and hold for the tone before it actually turns off (Seems like a long time to wait). I cant count how many times I have hit the switch, slid the unit into it's sheath next to my finds pouch and had it go crazy because it is not really off! Quite a complicated process!. Time will tell about durability and warranty will never be a problem with a great company like Whites!. I am sure the WPP will perform better in less mineralized soil, but for right now, things are not looking good!

For now, my feeling is that I want my PP to turn on, PP and turn off quickly. I don't want my PP to be as complicated as my detector. My GPP (with the exception of a deeper first PP) does this to a "T". I will certainly give it some more time and effort but I find that when I detect, I keep reaching for my GPP rather than the WPP because I just want to have fun and recover the target, not continually fuss around with my pin pointer!!!

My WPP functioned flawlessly in the mineralized soils of Culpeper Virginia, but maybe mine is a lemon.

You make the whole process sound extremely painful...please sell your WPP and stick with the GPP ...No need for complicated processes.
 
Here are my impressions so far (two weeks, 6 hunts). Please understand that I am used to a GPP and have a routine associated with it that I have to change. I have had a similar situation when I had to get used to a Whites DFX after using an ATPro. I like the DFX now but hated it at first. Also, my Wife says I am a slow learner!

After pinpointing with my detector I take my GPP and turn it on with one touch. I then try to PP if the target is shallow. I lay my GPP on my kneeling mat and dig my plug and PP again. I then remove the target and turn the GPP off with one touch and resheath it. After two years I have never had a problem with my GPP. I have had problems with other items and Garrett is a great company to deal with on warranty issues!


With the WPP, I PP with my detector and then turn the WPP on away from any metal or the ground by holding the switch down until it beeps (Seems like a long time to wait). I then have to ground balance it by touching it to the ground away from a target and pressing the switch momentarily. If I don't GB in our NW mineralized soil, the WPP will start chirping and will not PP properly! I then try to PP the target and here the WPP does great! I can PP a much deeper target initially than with the GPP. I lay the WPP on my kneeling mat and while digging my plug, the WGG becomes unhappy and starts chirping. I GB the unit again and PP. The tip only PP is hard for me to get used to! Also I have to ratchet down, sometimes twice. If I do it twice, it may be too far with the tip only sensing and I have to start over. When I go to turn it off, I have to press and hold for the tone before it actually turns off (Seems like a long time to wait). I cant count how many times I have hit the switch, slid the unit into it's sheath next to my finds pouch and had it go crazy because it is not really off! Quite a complicated process!. Time will tell about durability and warranty will never be a problem with a great company like Whites!. I am sure the WPP will perform better in less mineralized soil, but for right now, things are not looking good!

For now, my feeling is that I want my PP to turn on, PP and turn off quickly. I don't want my PP to be as complicated as my detector. My GPP (with the exception of a deeper first PP) does this to a "T". I will certainly give it some more time and effort but I find that when I detect, I keep reaching for my GPP rather than the WPP because I just want to have fun and recover the target, not continually fuss around with my pin pointer!!!

I think you maybe forecasted what I'll discover after I get mine tomorrow. Hope I am wrong yet the semantics you described was right-on for my only test period of my friends one day. That was for just an hour so I decided I didn't give it a good college try. Like you, all I want this thing to do is hit say 3 inches as default(it doesn't have to he running hot for 4-5"), in a simple 1 or two step process, AND stay set that way while I'm in the hole even if I happen to lay it down without runaway Chirpsville. I will know tomorrow.

Just 3 inches and quiet is all I ask. martin
 
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