what would u suggest

[balou]

wich is better for wet sand and fresh water hunting...a PI unit or just a regular

thanks....buying one in the next few days ..just want to buy the right one...thanks

 

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[Rudy(CA)]

wich is better for wet sand and fresh water hunting...a PI unit or just a regular

thanks....buying one in the next few days ..just want to buy the right one...thanks

A PI goes deeper, but has no discrimination. It is great for hunting in salt water,
where the iron corrodes quickly. In fresh water where iron does not corrode,
a detector with discrimination capability would be less tiring.

 

[THC]

I wouldn't take a PI

There's really no reason to use a PI in fresh water, so opt for the VLF. The disc. is more important factor than depth, if you ask me.

Be sure to post some pics!

 

[Monty]

I have a PI unit, a Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II. It does have a certain degree of discrimination, ie pulltabs can be discriminated out. I have read time and again where even VLF ( I think that's the right term) users hunting with zero discrimination. And also I have read dozens of times "Dig all Signals". If that is the truth then the PI unit should be just as good if not better tan the VLF units. That was my logic anyway when I bought mine. I attended an freshwater club hunt recently where the CZs were the only machines in use except for my Sea Hunter. There were about thirty hunters present. It was my first hunt, second time ever using my Sea Hunter. I found two prize tokens while several of the CZ (VLF) unit users found none! I felt pretty good about that and I was asked a lot of questions about my detector. One thing in my favor was that no one else could hunt within about ten yards of me because the PI pulse jammed their machines! No one got upset however and in the end they were all interested in how well my PI unit did. I had some problems but not related to my detector, just my lack of experience. I kept losing my scoop because if I let go it would sink and I would have to feel around with my foot until I bumped into it or use my detedtor to find it. I also had trouble pinpointing my target in the murky water. I discovered that since all the tokens were on top of the underwater sand it was easier to put my coil over the target and feel around with my hand until I found it. By the time I figured this out all the prize tokens were gone! My two made me feel pretty good.
Anyway, bck to PI vs VLF units. If you don't want to dig everything go VLF. If you are of the "dig everything" ilk, get a PI unit for the extra depth. Let us know what you find and what kind of machin you wind up buying.

 

[southern gent]

The thing about PI detectors is that they not only pick up iron , they also pick up minerals. In salt they seem to calm down once they balance but in fresh they never seem to balance. Vlf detectors , on the other hand, go crazy in salt. I think the question was directed toward beach hunting. In that case I would definately go with a vlf of multi freq. detector. Good luck and HH! Chris

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

"dig everything" to me means dig everything that is not ferrous.

 

[Lee-MI-MI]

Digging everything with a PI unit means just that! EVERYTHING.

But take heart. As stated before, they work best in salt water but are not for fresh water If you do both, do not get a PI unit.

Now that I've said that, the newer ones are supposed to have some discrimination. I cannot comment on how well it works and how they are in fresh water.

There, that ought to get some discussion going.

 

[Monty]

Anything that is big, ferrous ,rusty and has been in the ground a long time will fool most detectors into thinking it is something esle due to the halo effect. Or should I say it will fool the operator who after all must interpret what the detector is telling him.jimakaks

 

[southern gent]

Absolutely right Kwikslvr. The newest detectors have such a strong discriminator that large targets will try to cancel out but will overload the detector anyway. The best way to know what to dig is practice, practice, practice. I have a Fisher 1280X for fresh water as well as a Minelab Excaliber for both fresh and salt. The 1280 X is a no bones simple machine. If I had all of the jewelry it's found over the last 15 years to post on TN, I would be someones hero! HH! Chris