PaPa Smurf
Senior Member
Would like to hear from the beach hunter that use a AT Pro. I'm think it would work.
Help.....
- Thread starter PaPa Smurf
- Start date
jtb2017
Elite Member
Ready... AT pro will NOT bleeping work in a salt water environment. Any questions?
Right Brain
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2010
- Messages
- 856
Ready... do NOT get your advice from findmall. 
Just get a sovereign or a PI.
Just get a sovereign or a PI.
PaPa Smurf
Senior Member
Then where should I look???? You'll been doing this long before me...
Sandbox
Full Member
PI options are a handful, Whites Surf Dual Field is popular, Tesoro Sand Shark or Detectorpro Pulse and a few others. PI = dig it all and can be frustrating for people on limited free time or expensive beach parking. These tend to be more affordable though, used.$200 for older.PI machines.
From there you can get into.a non PI machine, Minelab Excalibur, Fisher CZ series. for waterproof electronics or a used Minelab Sovereign GT and only do the surf and do not drop it or DIY waterproof the electronics.
Saltwater, in the surf or wetsand hunting is not a cheap entry into the hobby.
From there you can get into.a non PI machine, Minelab Excalibur, Fisher CZ series. for waterproof electronics or a used Minelab Sovereign GT and only do the surf and do not drop it or DIY waterproof the electronics.
Saltwater, in the surf or wetsand hunting is not a cheap entry into the hobby.
007tallguy
Elite Member
i think the replies you've already received are referring to salt water beaches, not fresh water.
i've used my At Pro on salt water beaches all summer and have done just fine with it! typically, i did everything when i do a beach since i don't want to be finding the same stuff the next time i'm there.
i hunt both the dry sand, the wet sand and knee deep in the water and for a brief list of finds:
3 silver rings, 1 14K white gold ring, 1 silver necklace, 1 silver bracelet, more dinky toys than i can count, a couple of silver earrings, about $70 in clad, and even a couple of silver coins! keep in mind i'm not in Florida where the beaches are much busier, but i think i did alright considering.
yes, a PI machine would likely do a bit better, but the At Pro will work, just not as good.
i've used my At Pro on salt water beaches all summer and have done just fine with it! typically, i did everything when i do a beach since i don't want to be finding the same stuff the next time i'm there.
i hunt both the dry sand, the wet sand and knee deep in the water and for a brief list of finds:
3 silver rings, 1 14K white gold ring, 1 silver necklace, 1 silver bracelet, more dinky toys than i can count, a couple of silver earrings, about $70 in clad, and even a couple of silver coins! keep in mind i'm not in Florida where the beaches are much busier, but i think i did alright considering.
yes, a PI machine would likely do a bit better, but the At Pro will work, just not as good.
dewcon
Quality Control Expert
If you are talking Salt Water beach then the dry sand isnt going to be a problem for you to hunt. Near the waters edge and in the water will be just because salt is a high conductor. It will false like crazy. Not saying you cant hunt like that its just not going to be very effective trying to hear and tell good targets thru those false tones. Plus you would have to adjust your sensitivity way down loosing depth. You might try a smaller coil too. There will always be that blind squirrel who finds the nut and tries to tell you his works fine. But sometimes we have to hunt with what we have.
Dew
Dew
I started with an ace 250 and 350. Anything will work at certain parts of the beach. Lucked up and bought a used DFX from a friend. Had no idea it would be such a stable beach machine when I bought it. Made beach life a lot easier.
It's best to start with a multi frequency machine in my opinion. Just buy a good used one if you have to. I'd never recommend anyone starting with a PI as their first beach machine.
I have an MXT that can be used at the beach. Let's just say I used it at the beach a couple times and never brought it there again
It's best to start with a multi frequency machine in my opinion. Just buy a good used one if you have to. I'd never recommend anyone starting with a PI as their first beach machine.
I have an MXT that can be used at the beach. Let's just say I used it at the beach a couple times and never brought it there again
007tallguy
Elite Member
there will always be skeptics who think their machine is better than yours'.
ground balance the At and hit any area of the beach that you want. salt will affect performance to a point, but i generally have no problem running my At wide open on the beach, no discrimination, and if it's too chirpy to run it at full sensitivity on the wet sand/water, i'll simply lower the sens. never had to go any lower than 6, but 7 and 8 are my common settings. gold ring was just shy of 10 inches deep in the wet sand, found a dollar coin at 14 inches in the dry/wet sand, found a quarter at 10 inches in the wet sand.....
comparing a fine and versatile machine to a visually impaired rodent looking for food isn't a good comparison at all. maybe user experience with this detector is the key.
the op asked for info from At users, and i gave mine.
ground balance the At and hit any area of the beach that you want. salt will affect performance to a point, but i generally have no problem running my At wide open on the beach, no discrimination, and if it's too chirpy to run it at full sensitivity on the wet sand/water, i'll simply lower the sens. never had to go any lower than 6, but 7 and 8 are my common settings. gold ring was just shy of 10 inches deep in the wet sand, found a dollar coin at 14 inches in the dry/wet sand, found a quarter at 10 inches in the wet sand.....
comparing a fine and versatile machine to a visually impaired rodent looking for food isn't a good comparison at all. maybe user experience with this detector is the key.
the op asked for info from At users, and i gave mine.
Stunmi
Elite Member
I will never tell someone that they can't do something (when someone tells me that I take it as a challenge!)
However the ATP is a VLF detector as is my Xterra. A few will say that the Xterra can be used in wet *salt* sand. If you look at their location they are landlocked. Trust me my VLF Xterra does not work in wet salt sand.
Maybe the ATP is magic, idk. Or maybe the beach guys know what they are talking about. Your decision. Hope this helps.
However the ATP is a VLF detector as is my Xterra. A few will say that the Xterra can be used in wet *salt* sand. If you look at their location they are landlocked.
Trust me my VLF Xterra does not work in wet salt sand.Maybe the ATP is magic, idk. Or maybe the beach guys know what they are talking about. Your decision. Hope this helps.
DaviDs
Forum Supporter
Heck, just watch the TV shows (I think dig fellas). The host used an ATP on Sanibel Island and was cussing left and right about how his machine sucked when trying to search the highly mineralized Florida sand. Ironically, this host is wearing Garrett sponsored clothing and was while using the unit in dry sand! Ouch!
****PAPA: your tag line is hilarious...all i can think of is the fridge at work****
****PAPA: your tag line is hilarious...all i can think of is the fridge at work****
DaviDs
Forum Supporter
PAPA: Another thing I would suggest is to rent one for a few hours to see for yourself.
Sandbox
Full Member
I originally was thinking AT Pro when it first came out, but everyone I talked to talked me out of it for wet sand and in the surf at least in my part of Florida. Most people here tend to use Minelab Excals or Whites PI machines, suppose if you got the funds the CTX would be a great multi-purpose machine.
I still feel most of the good stuff is in the water, because a lot of people have the lower cost machines and do the dry sand but cannot go into the water or are afraid of sharks where the good stuff is often lost and remains.
I still feel most of the good stuff is in the water, because a lot of people have the lower cost machines and do the dry sand but cannot go into the water or are afraid of sharks where the good stuff is often lost and remains.
It can be done down here in the Gulf waters (I'm assuming you are going to Gulf Shores area?) I have a couple buddies over in Pensacola that have gotten pretty good at using their ATP's in the Gulf but the ATP is NOT their first choice for that.
I would suggest you look at a (in NO specific order):
White's Beach Hunter or Surf PI DF
Excalibur
CTX3030
For the Gulf waters, my go-to machine is my Surf PI Pro and for the wet sand / SHALLOW water right up at the shore line I'll take my Sovereign Elite every time.
The Sov isn't waterproof so I only go ankle deep and still worry about getting splashed.
Note to self - gotta get a waterproof box and remote DISC/ALL METAL switch for that Sov someday!
I would suggest you look at a (in NO specific order):
White's Beach Hunter or Surf PI DF
Excalibur
CTX3030
For the Gulf waters, my go-to machine is my Surf PI Pro and for the wet sand / SHALLOW water right up at the shore line I'll take my Sovereign Elite every time.
The Sov isn't waterproof so I only go ankle deep and still worry about getting splashed.
Note to self - gotta get a waterproof box and remote DISC/ALL METAL switch for that Sov someday!
L.I.Digga
Forum Supporter
Living on Long Island 95%of the water is salt.Before i bought my At i did some research seen all the posts from people.Some saying it works great in the salt some saying it dont work.Being new to the hobby i just couldnt justify dumping the kinda money it would take to get a saltwater detector.Now that i have had my At for awhile and have been out every weekend on saltwater beaches.I BOUGHT THE WRONG DETECTOR.
On the dry sand it works great.The closer you get to the water the more smack the At will talk.In the water no matter how much you ground balance the only way to quiet it down is to lower the sensitivity which defeates the whole purpose.Will it work?Yes but will it drive you completely nuts before you find a good target?NO DOUBT!!The At Pro is a great detector if you hunt on land or in the dry sand or in freshwater,But if your gonna hunt saltwater the At pro is not the detector to buy.Now that i have become completely addicted to this hobby i will be buying an Xcall 2 just gonna take me a bit to get the wife onboard...
On the dry sand it works great.The closer you get to the water the more smack the At will talk.In the water no matter how much you ground balance the only way to quiet it down is to lower the sensitivity which defeates the whole purpose.Will it work?Yes but will it drive you completely nuts before you find a good target?NO DOUBT!!The At Pro is a great detector if you hunt on land or in the dry sand or in freshwater,But if your gonna hunt saltwater the At pro is not the detector to buy.Now that i have become completely addicted to this hobby i will be buying an Xcall 2 just gonna take me a bit to get the wife onboard...
PaPa Smurf
Senior Member
I'm over from on the gulf....I have a hard time walking in dry sand, do better on wet sand,that why I want to get into the water...
PaPa Smurf
Senior Member
I do feel lost now, ...guess I,ll play pot luck again....
Sandbox
Full Member
You got a lot of responses, not sure what your confused on?
PaPa Smurf
Senior Member
$800 about right, I was looking at a AT, got more - then +, I just need to find a water unit......but each good, I got a bad....oh well,
longrider2011
New Member
AT Pro and salt water
There is just so much BS about the AT Pro. I think it's because it under $600 and does so many things well. I use my AT Pro in the salt water and here is what you must do and get used to. I ground balance adjust often. In some sections of the same beach I will need to adjust the sensitivity. Also it will some times false if I bump bottom. But it works well at my beaches. However you must take the time to learn the machine and how to adjust the settings to get the most from it. Also please understand the you will need to clean the sand out of the rods and cam locks each time after in water use or they may lock up. I fully submerge my AT Pro.
There is just so much BS about the AT Pro. I think it's because it under $600 and does so many things well. I use my AT Pro in the salt water and here is what you must do and get used to. I ground balance adjust often. In some sections of the same beach I will need to adjust the sensitivity. Also it will some times false if I bump bottom. But it works well at my beaches. However you must take the time to learn the machine and how to adjust the settings to get the most from it. Also please understand the you will need to clean the sand out of the rods and cam locks each time after in water use or they may lock up. I fully submerge my AT Pro.
