Well, I think that the Predator 1 is by far the most simple machine a detector could ask for. All you need to do is turn on the detector to whatever discrimination you chose and run over the dirt. After a little practice, a detectorist can easily discern the difference between good and bad signals. The two concerns I have always had with the detector are:
1. What kind of depth am I getting?
2. Why won't this thing pinpoint accurately?
I know that this detector is not by any means "a great detector." However, I personally have tried out the ace 250 and find it much more difficult to use ( I guess I never really became familiar with it though). When I detect with kstichfarms (ace 250) it seems that he often is fooled by what his detecting screen says. On the other hand, my detector seems to discriminate fairly well. If a person planned to detect in "nice grass" a lot, I would definitely not recommend this detector. Not only can it not tell you what type of coin you have, it also has a very difficult time pinpointing some items.
Unlike other detectorists, I usually only hit woods, fields, abandoned houses, and wood chips. For these areas, the detector is ideal. If you discriminate "junk" and you get a beep that is consistently picked up from left to right and up and down: dig it. Overall, I would say that I really like my detector and would not trade it for a 250. However, I am not an expert and have never used "high end" detectors. Just my two cents on the Predator 1.
A quick question: Is the pinpointing on this detector in the center of the coil? I have always used that as my reference point, but have never been sure. Thanks, Tom