Help Me Decide, My AT PRO, Stay or Go?

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

I was planning on bringing my AT PRO down to the Caribbean during a 2 week honeymoon this summer (Mostly I fresh water detect here in Chicago). I've watched a ton of videos and read the debates and I cannot decide if I should bring it down with me or not as many say its not worth it in the salt. I do NOT have a budget for another machine (Wedding, honeymoon, EXPENSIVE!). I know I should be fine in the sand, but I want to get in the water....as deep as I dare!

Add in, the chance of it being stolen from my room, lost in transit, etc etc...Is the potential payoff worth the risk? The beach that I'm going to use to actually be used to collect salt, so I anticipate a very salty beach.

If I play enough with the sensitivity, ground balance and frequency enough should it be serviceable enough to bring it all the way down?

PLEASE VOTE ON THE POLL AT THE TOP OF THIS FORUM POST!

Thank you

 

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[WaterWalker]

You will not be looking for any really deep items. No mineralization. No problem with the ATPro. Granted it is not my first choice and I do one and use one. But it will be an experience that you may not get back to do again any time soon. Besides, perchance you should find a nice ring that fit your bride...she may be eager to let you go again. Set the GB about 14 and drop the sensitivity to eliminate a lot of the falsing. I have found gold in the salt water off of Cape Cod. A travel scoop will be a must. Make sure everything will fit in a suitcase and the suitcase does not weigh more than 50 pounds. When I go with my wife I detect form sun-up to about 8-9, get back for breakfast, enjoy the day with my wife, detect from 5-6 to sundown, and then have a fabulous dinner with my wonderful wife of 47 years. Enjoy the trip. Who knows you may pay for the trip with a once in a lifetime find!

May the ring of gold be in your ears and its glitter in you scoop.

 

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[JackCox]

Don't worry about the detector because Garrett has great warranty ! I would get a second detector and let your wife share in the fun. First make her sign a form stating anything she finds is 40/60 and the 40 is hers because you love her!
Good Hunting and CONGRATS

 

[shawninNY]

Give it a try , and have fun ! Sorry that some losers project there own misery on your good time!

 

[Boatlode]

Give it a try , and have fun ! Sorry that some losers project there own misery on your good time!

I guess that shoe fits me, LOL. My life is great since my divorce, couldn't be happier. Now I hunt and fish whenever I want. I was just trying to save the OP some misery (and a lot of money) by avoiding mistakes I made.

You know why divorces are so expensive? Because they're worth every penny.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I guess that shoe fits me, LOL. My life is great since my divorce, couldn't be happier. Now I hunt and fish whenever I want. I was just trying to save the OP some misery (and a lot of money) by avoiding mistakes I made.

You know why divorces are so expensive? Because they're worth every penny.

Thats weird, I Hunt and fish when I want too also....I also have a nice woman to enjoy my evenings with as well

 

[JunkShopFiddler]

My wife begged me to bring my detector on our honeymoon. We got a cabin in the mountains and she said I could go detecting every day and she would have a fine dinner cooked on the cabin stove when I returned every night. She brought a stack of treasure hunting magazines and read aloud to me each night as I relaxed by the fireplace. After I fell asleep she cleaned all the days finds and laid them out on the nightstand for me to enjoy the next morning as she served my breakfast in bed. What? BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. It's the alarm clock! WOW, what a dream I just had! Yes honey, I will get the grass mowed today, and the drain fixed. Why no, I'm not planning to get that darned metal detector out, unh unh, honey...not me.

 

[Boatlode]

Thats weird, I Hunt and fish when I want too also....I also have a nice woman to enjoy my evenings with as well

Good for you. You're a lucky man.

 

[matrix master DBA]

Hi Henry, I've never used the Atpro on salty beaches. I have used other vlf detectors on them. You should be fine in the dry sand. The wet sand might give you some problems. You will probably get alot of false signals in the wet sand. There is still some good stuff in the dry sand. A friend of mine found a nice platinum ring in the dry sand a few years ago in the Caribbean. Good luck. And congratulations!

 

[matrix master DBA]

My wife begged me to bring my detector on our honeymoon. We got a cabin in the mountains and she said I could go detecting every day and she would have a fine dinner cooked on the cabin stove when I returned every night. She brought a stack of treasure hunting magazines and read aloud to me each night as I relaxed by the fireplace. After I fell asleep she cleaned all the days finds and laid them out on the nightstand for me to enjoy the next morning as she served my breakfast in bed. What? BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. It's the alarm clock! WOW, what a dream I just had! Yes honey, I will get the grass mowed today, and the drain fixed. Why no, I'm not planning to get that darned metal detector out, unh unh, honey...not me.

I was thinking man this guy has got it made. LoL

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

I would take the AT PRO and share the beach combing/hunting experience with your new wife.
Do it together, one as the hunter – the other as the digger, switching roles back and forth.
Set up a predetermined amount of time for each of you for hunting or doing what either wants solo; just be sure that either of you do not overdo it and everyone gets to do what they want to do.

You might have to decrease the sensitivity, or play with it a little, but you should be able to detect targets, including gold rings in the water. If you look at the recent videos of Metal Detecting in Hawaii, you will see Pat or his side kick finding rings in the salt water, wet sand and dry sand with the AT PRO.

Besides, giving your new wife something to write about, she will most likely buy you a better detector for shallow water hunting – as a gift, if the AT PRO does not work well. As long as both of you have fun and share, you both will have fond memories.

Given a choice, I would worry about opportunities missed, more than equipment lost.
Though one move the clock forward to wake earlier, one cannot turn time back!

I was planning on bringing my AT PRO down to the Caribbean during a 2 week honeymoon this summer (Mostly I fresh water detect here in Chicago). I've watched a ton of videos and read the debates and I cannot decide if I should bring it down with me or not as many say its not worth it in the salt. I do NOT have a budget for another machine (Wedding, honeymoon, EXPENSIVE!). I know I should be fine in the sand, but I want to get in the water....as deep as I dare!

Add in, the chance of it being stolen from my room, lost in transit, etc etc...Is the potential payoff worth the risk? The beach that I'm going to use to actually be used to collect salt, so I anticipate a very salty beach.

If I play enough with the sensitivity, ground balance and frequency enough should it be serviceable enough to bring it all the way down?

PLEASE VOTE ON THE POLL AT THE TOP OF THIS FORUM POST!

Thank you

 

[matrix master DBA]

I would take the AT PRO and share the beach combing/hunting experience with your new wife.
Do it together, one as the hunter – the other as the digger, switching roles back and forth.
Set up a predetermined amount of time for each of you for hunting or doing what either wants solo; just be sure that either of you do not overdo it and everyone gets to do what they want to do.

You might have to decrease the sensitivity, or play with it a little, but you should be able to detect targets, including gold rings in the water. If you look at the recent videos of Metal Detecting in Hawaii, you will see Pat or his side kick finding rings in the salt water, wet sand and dry sand with the AT PRO.

Besides, giving your new wife something to write about, she will most likely buy you a better detector for shallow water hunting – as a gift, if the AT PRO does not work well. As long as both of you have fun and share, you both will have fond memories.

Given a choice, I would worry about opportunities missed, more than equipment lost.
Though one move the clock forward to wake earlier, one cannot turn time back!

Well said sir gala!

 

[Trent67]

Salt water? Its a no go...

Not true. So many people dismiss the ATP in salt water. It just depends where you are using it. My ATP works excellent on the east coast of Florida. I vote you definitely bring it and have a great time.

 

[Trent67]

My advice to you is leave the detector at home and spend your honeymoon with your wife. If you don't she will give you grief for the rest of your life.

Actually, THIS is great advice, lol!

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

Thanks again for all the replies and Boatlode your advice. I did pry a bit harder and low and behold she does have some concerns about it being a MDing destination and not a Honeymoon!

This is why I love this forum, it opens my mind! I came in thinking one thing and all of a sudden I have a new plan. The ATP will be coming, but I will be limited my hunt time and including her more when I do go if she is up for it. She is tiny though and prefers the Ace 150, but that one isn't coming (without GB it would be useless...but maybe in the dry?). She does have a pretty good sweep though and loves to treasure hunt and explore...that's one of the reasons I'm marrying her!

I appreciate the feedback on the ATP in the salt. I plan to go slow and only dig repeating signals...if it drives me too crazy I'll put it away and just take more naps.

One more technical question. I have the 5x8 and the standard coil. Does the coil make a difference in the amount of falsing I might get? The beach is HUGE and I've heard pritine, so I don't think trash will be an issue, but might the smaller coil be better in the salt?

 

[Lifes A Garden...Dig IT]

Thank you, really, its good advice, however, she is encouraging me...I wanted to go somewhere else and she said the Carib and that I should bring my MD!

WHAT A WOMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[shawninNY]

Let us know how you do , it's awesome to be able to share your hobby!

 

[JackCox]

Hi Henry, I've never used the Atpro on salty beaches. I have used other vlf detectors on them. You should be fine in the dry sand. The etyetwet sand might give you some problems. You will probably get alot of false signals in the wet sand. There is still some good stuff in the dry sand. A friend of mine found a nice platinum ring in the dry sand a few years ago in the Caribbean. Good luck. And congratulations!

I just started using my AT PRO on the beach and it did have chatter , even when I used the ground reduction. I am using the 8x11 coil and was told the 5 x. 8 coil was better for water and wet sand. Got one ordered

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

You will get more falsing and may have to lower sensitivity with the larger standard coil as the detector sees the return from conductive sand as a target. Your wife should be able to handle the smaller coil as it is lighter. How much I could not determine, but the AT PRO with the standard coil is only .6 lb heavier than the Ace 150.
Normally you would use your standard coil (the one the AT PRO came with) as your GO TO BEACH detector as it would be the right choice 70% to 90% of the time. If your are search a very large beach with little trash you would use a larger coil so that you could cover more area in a given search. If the area is very trash, or you need to detect between large rocks or cloe to the fence, you are better off using a smaller coil as it is more sensitive to small targets, easier to pinpoint and is more selective – the trade off is in a loss in detecting depth.
I would take both coils, myself.

Thanks again for all the replies and Boatlode your advice. I did pry a bit harder and low and behold she does have some concerns about it being a MDing destination and not a Honeymoon!

This is why I love this forum, it opens my mind! I came in thinking one thing and all of a sudden I have a new plan. The ATP will be coming, but I will be limited my hunt time and including her more when I do go if she is up for it. She is tiny though and prefers the Ace 150, but that one isn't coming (without GB it would be useless...but maybe in the dry?). She does have a pretty good sweep though and loves to treasure hunt and explore...that's one of the reasons I'm marrying her!

I appreciate the feedback on the ATP in the salt. I plan to go slow and only dig repeating signals...if it drives me too crazy I'll put it away and just take more naps.

One more technical question. I have the 5x8 and the standard coil. Does the coil make a difference in the amount of falsing I might get? The beach is HUGE and I've heard pritine, so I don't think trash will be an issue, but might the smaller coil be better in the salt?

 

[tcornel]

In South Carolina I am able to use the ATP in the ocean using a NEL 15" Attack coil with sensitivity 4th notch from right. Ground balancing is tricky (big coil)
but doable. Stock coil would be easier.

It was quite quiet in the water. I had the same results in the Ft. Lauderdale area a month ago.

It will work if you don't want to spend the $ (or learning curve) on an Excal and want to avoid the dig everything of a pulse.

If something is under your coil it will let you know.

Of course you are on your own as far as taking time away from your honeymoon!

 

[Sandman]

Not all beaches are alike in salt content. You will be OK in the dry sand but I expect the ATP will chatter even with low sens due to EMI from the hotels with Wi-Fi. BTW, Even if you find her a nice ring, she'll remember the ATP was better for your company than her. Her wanting you to take it is a test........just saying.