What is your main detector?
- Thread starter GapuJa
- Start date
GabbityGabby
Elite Member
May be in the minority here, since I only have one detector. An AT Pro. Used to swing an Ace 350 but sold it to buy the Pro. I figure I only need one detector since I detect by myself and can only swing one at a time anyway. Although a backup would be nice.
sandgroper
Elite Member
I have two detectors (three if you count the pinpointer); the xterra70 and the CTX 3030. Up until seven years ago, the 70 was my main detector, and now I only use the CTX. Haven't even turned the 70 on, since the day I bought the CTX! 
Monte
"In Memory of"
It's always good for any Hobbyist to have a 'back-up' in case they experience detector failure afield.
However, if you are a very Avid Detectorist, and you search a wide variety of types of sites and have to deal with favorable ground to rough terrain; sparse-target sites to those with dense trash and an abundance of iron debris; combine urban Coin & Jewelry Hunting with Relic Hunting and maybe even Beach Hunting or Electronic Prospecting; then it might not hurt to have more than one detector in your primary detector battery.
There is no such thing as a 'perfect' detector, nor 'perfect' search coil, therefore a very active detector operator can be best served by owning and using two or three, or more, detector makes and models that complement each other, and have the search coils needed for various challenges.
Just my thoughts as a very active detector user who will conclude his 53rd year of detecting in just three months. I live across country from you, but wish you could attend one of our Welcome-to-Hunt Outings we have each year that primarily delves into Relic Hunting very iron littered old RR ghost towns, gold mining era ghost town sites, stage stops, pioneer and military encampments, and other places with dated activity and a lot of opportunity to find some nice 'keepers.'
There have been six WTHO's the past three years, and we'll be holding three in 2018 in Oregon and Nevada. Room to schedule another later in the year, too. You'd meet some great guys and gals and possibly get a taste of a different flavor of detecting.
Monte
Monte
"In Memory of"
Currently here in my den, I have fourteen (14), but that's including my Specialty-Use Detectors that are mainly used as loaner units or for demonstration units in my seminars. (Compass Coin Hustler, Makro Racer 2, Nokta FORS Gold + and White's MX5) along with my Regular-Use Detector Team (the 10 models in my Signature below). Typically I carry 4 to 7 detectors with me when I head out on a detecting jaunt, and up to all 10 when I travel for a several-day detecting adventure.
The latter is certainly the more functional of your three and a move in the right direction. In time, if you get as active in this great outdoor sport as I am and many other Avid Detectorists, I am sure you'll establish an arsenal of 2-5 detectors of your own that offer more versatility.
Just hang in there and get out and enjoy detecting as often as you can.
Monte
jarnold603
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2017
- Messages
- 19
I have the AT Pro and a Garrett GTAx 400.
Mud-puppy
Forum Supporter
F70 and AtPro...They make a great team! F70 for fast and comfortable dirt work, and the Pro for water hunting...they both use the same batteries, AA's, very economical...The Pro doesnt like half deads and the 70 runs on fumes, so when I take the half deads out of the Pro, I pop them right into the 70 and get another 12+hrs out of them...When the F70 says they are dead, by gosh, they are DEAD!
Another thing thats super handy is the GG NDT phones..with that quick disconnect plug right up on the cups?...You can see how I have both rigs ready to quickly use them on either one without having to diddle around with the goofy Garrett plug....Ran an extra GG cord inside the Pro tube like our Brother STP showed us how to do a few years back.....
Both these rigs allow a hunter to take advantage of whatever situation may come along on a day...or throughout the course of one...Time and Treasure wait for Nobody..
Another thing thats super handy is the GG NDT phones..with that quick disconnect plug right up on the cups?...You can see how I have both rigs ready to quickly use them on either one without having to diddle around with the goofy Garrett plug....Ran an extra GG cord inside the Pro tube like our Brother STP showed us how to do a few years back.....
Both these rigs allow a hunter to take advantage of whatever situation may come along on a day...or throughout the course of one...Time and Treasure wait for Nobody..
Attachments
Steve
Forum Supporter
Tdi, df, are my keepers. Been through a dozen or so before settling on these. Don't get me started on coils 
Cherry Picker
Forum Supporter
I currently have 3 a Minelab E-Trac, a Whites DFX and a Garrett Master Hunter ADS 4. I also have a new Deus on the way.
Generally I only use 2. I use the E-Trac for deep coin parks and schools hunting, and the DFX for tot lots.
Generally I only use 2. I use the E-Trac for deep coin parks and schools hunting, and the DFX for tot lots.
bowwinkles
Elite Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2014
- Messages
- 1,503
My main detectors are my eyes and ears, The device is just an extension to that which requires a lot of interpretation. Lately they have had to work over time because I have tried some new stuff, which was not to impressive.
Added an E-Trac
To compliment my stable of Tesoros.
I noticed Monte's posts here, I've read Monte's posts for years on a number of sites. A very dedicated and highly experienced hunter that shares his knowledge freely with others, Thank you Monte.
The Tesoro line has always been my favorite detector and I suppose I'd have to say my favorite of the bunch is the Lobo Super Traq even though I don't "prospect" or use it to find Gold specifically although it did find my first 1856 Quarter Eagle.
The LST is a great relic machine.
The LST is quality throughout as are all Tesoros. I'd like to present a valid technical reason why I like the LST but I don't do technical stuff, I go by the detector that has produced my best finds, simple as that.
Over the years Iron has always been a problem for most everyone that digs in the dirt and the E-Trac has the capability to sift through Iron and junk to find goodies that a VLF machine has a very hard time seeing.
So why is the E-Trac not my main detector?. Because it's heavy and slow, but it will root through Iron if you take your time and it will find find stuff that a standard VLF detector just can't see.
So time saved when I start on a new site is important and I can cover a lot of ground with the Tejon, LST, Shadow, (pick one) while the E-Trac is back there methodically sifting through trash, which it appears to be really good at.
Last week the E-Trac found me a perfect 69 Cal 3 ringer in Iron with a few square nails mixed in that I had been over many times with my Tesoros so I'm quite happy I've added it to my lineup but will it replace my Tesoros? Nope.
As Monte says, it all depends on how you hunt, what you hunt, and where you hunt that can determine whether you hunt with one machine or a roomful of your favorites.
Is this a great hobby or what?
To compliment my stable of Tesoros.
I noticed Monte's posts here, I've read Monte's posts for years on a number of sites. A very dedicated and highly experienced hunter that shares his knowledge freely with others, Thank you Monte.
The Tesoro line has always been my favorite detector and I suppose I'd have to say my favorite of the bunch is the Lobo Super Traq even though I don't "prospect" or use it to find Gold specifically although it did find my first 1856 Quarter Eagle.
The LST is a great relic machine.
The LST is quality throughout as are all Tesoros. I'd like to present a valid technical reason why I like the LST but I don't do technical stuff, I go by the detector that has produced my best finds, simple as that.
Over the years Iron has always been a problem for most everyone that digs in the dirt and the E-Trac has the capability to sift through Iron and junk to find goodies that a VLF machine has a very hard time seeing.
So why is the E-Trac not my main detector?. Because it's heavy and slow, but it will root through Iron if you take your time and it will find find stuff that a standard VLF detector just can't see.
So time saved when I start on a new site is important and I can cover a lot of ground with the Tejon, LST, Shadow, (pick one) while the E-Trac is back there methodically sifting through trash, which it appears to be really good at.
Last week the E-Trac found me a perfect 69 Cal 3 ringer in Iron with a few square nails mixed in that I had been over many times with my Tesoros so I'm quite happy I've added it to my lineup but will it replace my Tesoros? Nope.
As Monte says, it all depends on how you hunt, what you hunt, and where you hunt that can determine whether you hunt with one machine or a roomful of your favorites.
Is this a great hobby or what?
IDXMonster
Elite Member
CTX. The others get to play left bench...
coherent
Full Member
Ctx!
Currently is my modern mixed with old/trash sifter, a Makro Racer 2. If I'm down to one unit it has to be an outstanding all-rounder.
I'll wait and see for reviews on the Equinox but right now I have one of the new Deeptech Vista Gold Gain units in mind. At 30 khz. and with a gain adjust, it may be the relic-hunting, iron sifter/identifier that I'm looking for!
I'll wait and see for reviews on the Equinox but right now I have one of the new Deeptech Vista Gold Gain units in mind. At 30 khz. and with a gain adjust, it may be the relic-hunting, iron sifter/identifier that I'm looking for!
You can see mine below.
Modern trash = CTX and Impact usually
Modern trash with few tabs= Deus and HF elliptical coil, Impact and CTX.
Nail ridden sites= Deus any coil, but elliptical HF coil is the coil for already hard hunted using other detectors even Deus with other coils.
Deep tech warrior is a no brainer to use, good for higher mineral ground, has little disc though, just nonferrous vs ferrous mainly.
Don't use a bunch.
Explorer XS was bought just for a collector unit.
But make no mistake is deep, has the nice tone on the deep silver and copper.
Rutus Alter 71 is an overall great unit, hunts well in iron, does have a concentricdcoil that can yield some grand performance in iron.
Can hunt coins, but IMO relics is where detector leans for strongest suit.
Have a Detech Chaser unit.
Will list shortly.
This detector is unusual in a sense.
Airtest distances are extreme.
I am still testing and using so can't give solid info juat yet.
My favorite?
Depends on the site, and what detectors I have run in a site and what detectors others have run in,,if I know.
Plan on getting Equinox 800.
Depending on how it does overall, it may replace some of my detectors or replace maybe a strong suit faction of one or more of my detectors.
Ergonomics can play a huge part too.
A tie in performance would go to the detector model with best ergo.
Cheers.
Modern trash = CTX and Impact usually
Modern trash with few tabs= Deus and HF elliptical coil, Impact and CTX.
Nail ridden sites= Deus any coil, but elliptical HF coil is the coil for already hard hunted using other detectors even Deus with other coils.
Deep tech warrior is a no brainer to use, good for higher mineral ground, has little disc though, just nonferrous vs ferrous mainly.
Don't use a bunch.
Explorer XS was bought just for a collector unit.
But make no mistake is deep, has the nice tone on the deep silver and copper.
Rutus Alter 71 is an overall great unit, hunts well in iron, does have a concentricdcoil that can yield some grand performance in iron.
Can hunt coins, but IMO relics is where detector leans for strongest suit.
Have a Detech Chaser unit.
Will list shortly.
This detector is unusual in a sense.
Airtest distances are extreme.
I am still testing and using so can't give solid info juat yet.
My favorite?
Depends on the site, and what detectors I have run in a site and what detectors others have run in,,if I know.
Plan on getting Equinox 800.
Depending on how it does overall, it may replace some of my detectors or replace maybe a strong suit faction of one or more of my detectors.
Ergonomics can play a huge part too.
A tie in performance would go to the detector model with best ergo.
Cheers.
Last edited:
Mud-puppy
Forum Supporter
I like this what you wrote here Bowinkles!....These tools are merely extensions of ourselves...you find a rig that makes complete sense to your unique CPU capability and AO targets and Man!...Harmony in motion!
Rattlehead
Forum Supporter
CTX is currently my go to detector 90% of the time.
Deus for older sites with lots of nails and for scouting.
I used the ATpro for the occasional creek hunt and as a loaner.
I have an Equinox 800 on pre-order. We'll see where it fits in the lineup after some use.
Deus for older sites with lots of nails and for scouting.
I used the ATpro for the occasional creek hunt and as a loaner.
I have an Equinox 800 on pre-order. We'll see where it fits in the lineup after some use.
