Tested out a Minelab CTX 3030...awesome detector!

[lost items recovery]

And then Minelab made the CTX 3030
And all others were obsolete.
What a perfect machine that needs nothing but a charge to go hunting...no modifications needed, it already has it's own straight from the factory.
Interchangeable coil connectors, pin point button, headphone connectors, excellent performance, stability, depth, depth readings, GPS, numerical target display, collapsable straight shaft, adjustable arm cuff, back packable breakdown, customizable programming.

What more could you want?!
The CTX 3030 was very well planned out and far surpasses my expectations!

I had a chance to test one out and I can honestly say that I am blown away.

Great job Minelab and all your technitions who designed this work of art!!!

I have owned many different brands, models, types of detectors for different
Hunting environments and must say you ladies and gentleman have managed to produce the best metaldetector I have ever used!!!

Hats off to all of you at Minelab..... You have certainly outdone yourselfs!you are definitely the worlds greatest in metal detector technology!

To those who are unfamiliar with the CTX 3030.....my advise is don't by anything but one of these!
Save yourself, the time and money of going from machine to machine and get out and dig those precious metals that the other machines leave behind.
Don't waste another day or dollar and I can guarantee you'll be glad you bought one!

 

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[jeepGold]

depth is nice but over rated. It's not how deep you can go, it's how you work it....

 

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[zigzag]

had one, hated it, sold it

same here

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Could it be, you have fallen madly in love and have lost all objectivity.
I have hunted with the CTX 3030 for more than a year and have found it far from being a perfect machine.
However, I did find it complementary, with my other metal detectors, as it has capabilities my other detectors do not have.

The CTX 3030, is a great all terrain detector, especially if you are searching for smaller targets like hammered silver coins in Europe as it is more sensitive and selective (better seperation of targets).

With it built in GPS, it is ideal for working with archeologists as you can accurately identify where the targets were recovered, plus you can navigate to the desired location thru way points.

Although it is heavy, it is well balanced, and flexible supporting different coil sizes as well as different headphones. It is especially powerful in that it has a built in Visual Display, plus you can change operating modes/filtering.

In addition you can connect it to your computer through a USB port to modify programs, and display where you have hunted or navigate to where you will be hunting.

So what is there not to like:

- The visual display is hard to see in direct sunlight (has to be shaded) plus you cannot look at the display when wearing poloroids (nausea) which for me are a must to see into the water when shallow water hunting.

- This detector lacks the ruggidness the Excalibur and other PIs have for diving and shallow water hunting in heavy surf / strong surges. Less just say that the battery seal, USB Port, and display / switch are problematic as designed.

- The shaft, which is wider, is diamond, has far more drag in the water than the smoother thinner shaft of the Excalibur.

- I find the mulivariable tones of the Excalibur superior for diving / shallow water hunting to the tones of the CTX 3030 which is a more visibly oriented detector.

I find the CTX 3030 best for dry sand and wet sand hunting and protected shallow water lagoons at salt water beaches.

I use the more rugged Excalibur, when I hunt where there are strong wave surges/currents or detecting in deeper water.

And then Minelab made the CTX 3030
And all others were obsolete.
What a perfect machine that needs nothing but a charge to go hunting...no modifications needed, it already has it's own straight from the factory.
Interchangeable coil connectors, pin point button, headphone connectors, excellent performance, stability, depth, depth readings, GPS, numerical target display, collapsable straight shaft, adjustable arm cuff, back packable breakdown, customizable programming.

What more could you want?!
The CTX 3030 was very well planned out and far surpasses my expectations!

I had a chance to test one out and I can honestly say that I am blown away.

Great job Minelab and all your technitions who designed this work of art!!!

I have owned many different brands, models, types of detectors for different
Hunting environments and must say you ladies and gentleman have managed to produce the best metaldetector I have ever used!!!

Hats off to all of you at Minelab..... You have certainly outdone yourselfs!you are definitely the worlds greatest in metal detector technology!

To those who are unfamiliar with the CTX 3030.....my advise is don't by anything but one of these!
Save yourself, the time and money of going from machine to machine and get out and dig those precious metals that the other machines leave behind.
Don't waste another day or dollar and I can guarantee you'll be glad you bought one!
View attachment 1220309

 

[dewcon4414]

Sir........ the first time i hunted with an Xcal i thought ...... oh man this thing is fragile. I kind of went on to prove it with everything i broke the first year. If it could break..... i did it. Id been using an Explorer for years.

Dew

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Details Please!
Why do you consider the X Cal fragile?

Sir........ the first time i hunted with an Xcal i thought ...... oh man this thing is fragile. I kind of went on to prove it with everything i broke the first year. If it could break..... i did it. Id been using an Explorer for years.

Dew

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Very simple to answer:


PP switch & on/off volume switch.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

If the seals are good they don't break, when seals dry out people turn knobs too hard and end up turning past the on or off positions and break the pots. If knobs are hard to turn the seals need to be changed..

 

[search and recovery]

Buy a Mirage PI machine. Dig small chains. 10 Us. CTX 3030 is a great machine if you replace factory gasket, but in my opinion over priced. I still like my Excal II's. Built right. Just fade in deeper water.

 

[dadori]

Don't want to hijack this thread but is there any rumors from Minelab on Excal III or some model which should replace the Excal II

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Don't want to hijack this thread but is there any rumors from Minelab on Excal III or some model which should replace the Excal II

No rumors on new Excal water detector..

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

If the seals are good they don't break, when seals dry out people turn knobs too hard and end up turning past the on or off positions and break the pots. If knobs are hard to turn the seals need to be changed..

Assuming the salinity does not change with depth:
How and how much do they fade in deeper water?
Is there a depth after which no more fading occurs?

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Never had a problem with either switch, which are still original, though I am careful not to overtorque (large knobs(
The two failures that I had were with the wire that connects to the battery pod.

Very simple to answer:


PP switch & on/off volume switch.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Assuming the salinity does not change with depth:
How and how much do they fade in deeper water?
Is there a depth after which no more fading occurs?

Sorry, not sure what your asking?

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

My bad:
My question should of went to Search and Recovery 's reply:
Buy a Mirage PI machine. Dig small chains. 10 Us. CTX 3030 is a great machine if you replace factory gasket, but in my opinion over priced.

I still like my Excal II's. Built right. Just fade in deeper water.
I assume that his statement that Excal's just fade in deeper water is about loosing sensitivity as the return from sea water over the top of the search coil has to be subtracted from the return of the bottom of the search coil. I am trying to determine the depth (say 10 ft where no further reduction in sensitivity is needed.

Sorry, not sure what your asking?

 

[GreenMeanie]

The really should put their FBS2 tech in a water machine.

Don't want to hijack this thread but is there any rumors from Minelab on Excal III or some model which should replace the Excal II

 

[RustyGold]

Now that I'm more familiar with the CTX and Excalibur, I have to agree that they both compliment each other. My two favorite detectors and wouldn't be without either of them.

 

[dewcon4414]

Sir i think its more about the salt content reducing the depth. Ive been wondering why ....... if they have done away with the Sov and 8" BBS that they havent used their so call better FBS in the Xcal. It will be interesting especially since the Xcal is a dive machine and the issue they initially had with the salt setting on the CTX if they can get it to work out there and not be chatty since right now there isnt a lot of adjustments we can make.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Their Sea Water mode setting corrected the salt issue in the water.

View attachment ctx-3030-upgrade-brochure.pdf

 

[dewcon4414]

TH....... i know that. But they MAY have to incorporate that since there isnt a sea setting currently. Hate to see them do away with the pod for the battery..... hate a water proof machine you have to open. That ALWAYS becomes an issue. Im sure open to a new machine.............. but, can they do it with enough adjustments now that people have gotten used to the CTX? And..... appearance and change to FBS alone without depth or sensitivity wont make me buy. Im looking for the wow factor which translates into increased gold finds.