Please help me decide on a metal detector!

[chaselarkin123]

Hello everyone,

I am completely new to the beach metal detecting world. I have met some cool people that hunt for treasure in Florida(where I live), so I decided that I am going to purchase a PI metal detector tomorrow before my first metal detecting outing this weekend. They are avid divers and treasure salvagers, and use aquapulse aqb1 units. I had originally debated going all out and also purchasing since this is going to be a lifelong hobby for me. After reading some information from forum members, it sounds as if the aqb1 is not as adequate for smaller targets or lower karat rings(commonly found from 1715 fleet). They mentioned that the higher (delay?)wont pick up lower karat and smaller items, but will detect larger and deeper objects. Can anyone confirm or deny this allegations? After reading this I'm wondering if I should just buy a entry level such as the Tesoro Sand Shark, since I will be searching wet sand and surf in florida 75% of the time and diving with it mayne 25%. Is anyone familiar with the specific units that work best with the specific mineralization of south florida waters? Thank you and any advice would be great as I am completely new and I'm only basing this off of what I've read. Thank you!!

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

Dew, i am digging targets many times 15-20" with the excal mods and 15 inch coil in all metal mode on mine.. Tin foil like your bobby pins are usually easy to tell as are new bottle caps, it is the corroded caps that fool you. Dig lots of pull tabs, no getting around them. Found plenty of gold that sounded like tabs and can salad us a curse..

I am not putting PIs down, hunters like you are experts with them and can find a knats butt with them, but they aren't for everyone just like the excals aren't for everyone...

 

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[chaselarkin123]

What about the strength of the coils on an Excal II on a rocky bottom? Are they fragile enough to break from some bumping around and going in between rocks? Does the Fisher CZ21 have a much stronger coil? I don't want to have to be super gentle with it, though I'm also not going to be swinging it like a golf club.

 

[chaselarkin123]

You hear quite a bit about PI machines finding iron. Once you learn your machine, you will learn its signal and be able to pass it if you prefer. Make no mistake about the excal however, as with it you'll be digging way more than your fair share of tin foil, bottle caps and pull tabs, and, without the depth of a PI.

I originally was in the market for a PI system before I found I could discriminate against iron. I will be purchasing my detector tomorrow so I need to make up my mind. If I was to purchase a PI system, after seeing the depth tests, the Garret infinium seems to be the most powerful depth wise by far. I just watched youtube video of someone testing it next to the whites dual field and tesoro sandshark and the depth seemed far superior Do you have any input about that model? I know that I will eventually purchase whatever type system I don't purchase tomorrow in the future. I just need to decide which one is first!

 

[Sleepy]

My CZ21 is pretty rugged and tough. I think Casper will chime in on this when he sees it. I saw his post a while back where his CZ21 actually protected him from being injured when he fell on it and the detector held up well. They are pretty tough machines.

 

[Hydro Man]

Chase I went through this same dilemma between the CZ and Excal myself a few years ago.
Just by the loyalty they invoke in these posts you know they are both great machines, but they are also very different, so it really boils down to hunting preference.
When I was compiling research on the two I copied this post from I don't know who or where now, but it simplified things.

I quote;

" 4 main differences between them.

1 - Silent search (CZ) vs threshold based (Excal) in discrimination mode

2 - Concentric coil (CZ) vs DD coil (Excal)

3 - 3 tone (CZ) vz multi tone (Excal)

4 - Manual ground balance (CZ) vs automatic (Excal)

Depth wise/performance wise, they are too close to call, and you will hear opinions on both sides as to which one is deeper or more sensitive to gold or smaller targets, but that is a moot point since conditions play a huge role in that. So it really depends on your preference and how you want your unit to run.

The CZ, in my opinion is easier to hip or chest mount, easier to pin point with and built more solidly. The Excal has better iron discrimination abilities."

End quote

So which way did I go?

I got the Excal and love it!
That being said I've never used a CZ21

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

First thing, without a descent background detection just forget about PI machine or it is the best way to stop this new hobby shortly after discovering it!

I use PI machine "to finish the job" on areas that have been hammed and already cleaned up by Deus, CTX or Similar VLF machines.

If you really want a PI, don't buy an average one, you won't go deeper then an Excalibur: you will have all the bad side of a PI detector without the best=depth.The best price/power PI on the market for beach detection is the Whites TDI Pro or the SL version running with 14,4v batteries. This machine doesn't suffer if compared to a Minelab GPX at all for 1/4 of the price. The only difference you will have is a little less ability of masking heavy iron.

NB: PI masking iron is just a way to sound, "try to sound" differently on iron.
Nb2 : every target that is deep will sound like iron on a PI or a VLF in trashy environnement=98% of the places you will hunt

 

[chaselarkin123]

fogmaster-riviera:

In regards to pulse detectors, what do you think about the Aquapulse AQ1B? I hear its the deepest PI, and I also notice all the pro's and salvagers seem to prefer them. Im told they are great in the surf and shallows also by salvagers with 10+ years experience with them. They said that its a myth about missing smaller or lower karat items with the AQ1B. Any input or thoughts on this?

First thing, without a descent background detection just forget about PI machine or it is the best way to stop this new hobby shortly after discovering it!

I use PI machine "to finish the job" on areas that have been hammed and already cleaned up by Deus, CTX or Similar VLF machines.

If you really want a PI, don't buy an average one, you won't go deeper then an Excalibur: you will have all the bad side of a PI detector without the best=depth.The best price/power PI on the market for beach detection is the Whites TDI Pro or the SL version running with 14,4v batteries. This machine doesn't suffer if compared to a Minelab GPX at all for 1/4 of the price. The only difference you will have is a little less ability of masking heavy iron.

NB: PI masking iron is just a way to sound, "try to sound" differently on iron.
Nb2 : every target that is deep will sound like iron on a PI or a VLF in trashy environnement=98% of the places you will hunt

 

[chaselarkin123]

And does anyone else have any thoughts on what was said about the AQ1B?

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

It is expensive, and really not developed for our uses. Did a few try with it, but definitely it is not for me

If your are looking for underwater pipes, burried cable, wreacks... it is the perfect detector!

 

[chaselarkin123]

No underwater pipes or cables, but wrecks for sure! If you dont mind me asking, what didnt you like about it? I'm having a hard time deciding on the "perfect" unit for detecting at deep depths. I will be doing less beach combing for modern treasure, and more wading and shallow water searching for spanish treasure here in florida. Whats your opinion? Thank you!

 

[chaselarkin123]

Let me rephrase that. I want to find a unit that detects items buried at deep depths, not diving at extreme depths like i made that sound.

 

[lost items recovery]

Casper I totally agree with you.

On land, when I am detecting on roman sites, poteries are behaving like iron, you just can't detect what is under or just next to it. It sound siron and you hav eto digg it first and check if there is nothing around.

Some detectors might help you a bit to ditinguish some targets next to iron or poteries, but it is amarginal help, 95% of the time tou need to clear the rubbish to be sure...

Frogmaster
Are you in Italy?

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

It arrives yes... roman and grecs have occupied most of the med borders! You have traces of their civilization all around europe, even in Africa and the Middle East.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Let me rephrase that. I want to find a unit that detects items buried at deep depths, not diving at extreme depths like i made that sound.

My favorite detection is underwater hunting (scuba). I scuba detect at various depth and did a few tries on wreaks <450ft down using trimix. Generally, underwater you just can't digg deep and you don't have a lot of time.

=> So I prefer to use a detector that will screen 1 ft down and gives me feedback = > let me choose the targets rather then use detector that goes 2ft down with poor feedback!

Poor feedback underwater => 1 dive, 1 hole!

AQ1B is not designed for small gold at all, its Pulse delay is over 20/30ms which is only for big objects. Whites TDI Pro is 10ms and even lower which is better for small gold, Goldscan, Pulspower are 10ms delay also ... Trust me, Garrett infinium vs Excalibur II are about the same on field in terms of depth.

At the end of the day, treasure are not always deep! I have found hundred of coin that are over 2000 years old in silver, bronze, gold, relics , status etc... most of the time they are between 1/2 ft and 1.5ft down...It just depends of the field and how deep is the rocky soil.

If you really want to know a bit about PI detectors, I mean the "good ones", have a look to the video of MANTA METAL DETECTOR. He his a French Eng. and he has all the creations of Eric Fosters (father of modern PI, Goldscan, Pulsepower etc...) and he is developing the MANTA....

Enjoy, take your time to watch and keep in mind that all the detectors shown are "the best you can get" on the Pulse market.
PS: Garrett ATX wasn't lunched at this time, it would have been equivalent to the GPX 5000 on this field

 

[chaselarkin123]

Wow frogmaster-riviera!

That is awesome that you are able to dive for treasure in the Mediterranean! That is my dream, along with the U.K. and most of Europe actually. So much history, and artifacts are much much older. I am very jealous and will be able to hunt there someday hopefully!

It's sounding like the Excal II would be my best bet. I will be in shallow water wading and not diving at all most of the time, so time wouldn't be an issue. Most of my dives will be shallow, >50 feet, when I do dive though. I was set on the Excal II, until I talked to a very successful treasure salvager here in Florida who told me that he loved the Aquapulse AQ1B in shallow and surf as well, and had found small shipwreck coins and rings/jewellery with it that were even low in karat occasionally. Since the pulse delay is higher, does this mean that the signal for smaller objects would be quiet, or that their wouldn't be a signal for smaller objects? I asked him the same question, and he showed me pictures of tons of little artifacts he had found, and had never heard anyone say that. He also has a Excal and a CZ21, and says he prefers the AQ1B in all situations. Since treasure salvagers in Florida use the AQ1B frequently, I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss small items? I noticed that the 1715 fleet salvagers that post on this forum use them as well. I feel like the more that I research, the more confused I become! Everyone's opinion seems to be different. It seem's like you have had incredible success with your Excal II though! Hearing that I could miss small items does make me very nervous, as I don't want to miss anything good!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

This is the reason many of us have multiple detectors.😉

Posted From My $50 Tablet....

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

We always finish the cleaning with a PI! On land or underwater. We don't really have the choice for real underwater PI to be honest.....

Professional hunter use aq1b to locate the wreack then they use vacums to clear the soil...... Trust me you can't dig deep underwater, even at 10ft down, a hole of 1ft down will take you at least 5 minutes....a hole of 2ft down, you need to be 2 and I can't remember a hole of this size underwater.

AT 50ft down, you will only have 60 minutes with Air mix, 65 with nitrox and +2hours with a Short circuit (rebreather).... it is still a short time to dig deep target and check all of them.....

CZ-21 is a good choice as long as you don't dive with it: just imagine how you will be tired to spin around this massive control box underwater !

I use my CTX till 40 ft down , then Excalibur for deeper hunt.

 

[chaselarkin123]

Okay, thank you for all your help! Out of curiosity, what size coil do you prefer? Yes the CZ21 looks like it would be very heavy and hard to move with! I would need some type of harness for it!

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Okay, thank you for all your help! Out of curiosity, what size coil do you prefer? Yes the CZ21 looks like it would be very heavy and hard to move with! I would need some type of harness for it!

Coil size depends of the us and terrain. A good all around coil size for underwater will range from 8 to 12´. In trashy areas and rocky areas, small is better.

 

[chaselarkin123]

Okay thanks! I'm thinking the rocky areas that I will be searching might work best with the 8 inch. I'll keep that in mind. Regardless of what model I get on Monday, I'm ready to do some hunting!!!