For those thinking about an Atpro and beach hunting

[Billieg]

I took my AT-Pro to the salt water beach today and yesterday and the day before. I was totally surprised that it was perfect for the beach. Zero pro, no dis and -2 sens and it preformed flawlessly. If I got an iffy hit I changed to std coin mode and listened. If it burped I passed and if it gave a good signal I dug. A few hits the coin didn't even pick up so I just had to make a decision on the Pro -zero mode. Didn't find anything worth printing but the unit was great.
I've read a few posts where they said it wouldn't work on the beach but they didn't know how to work it.

 

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[Back-of-the-boat]

On the beach it works fine but in the water is where it get's sketchy and doesn't work good.

 

[Billieg]

On the beach it works fine but in the water is where it get's sketchy and doesn't work good.

You may be right. I only went in about 2' to search. I don't think I'd trust it totally under water.

 

[Bayoutalker]

You are lucky you got that deep. Mine chirps like crazy unless the sens is extremely low. It works but not very deep. I guess it has to do with how much mineralization is in your water.

 

[lenmac65]

I think the performance can vary significantly depending on the beach. I used mine once at a Cape Cod Beach, and it worked really well, even in wet sand. I used it in Plymouth a few times, just north in the same bay, and it was exceptionally noisy and did not work well at all. I admit I am not that experienced on the beaches, but I used some tips I had read, and just could not get it to run a little more quietly. I love it in the woods, fields, and other similar environments.

 

[NowandThenTreasures]

I took my AT Pro on a cruise this past Spring and had great Success in the Bahamas and did it performed just fine at Cozumel for me too.
There was a lot of coral in both locations and
I had to adjust the settings, lower the sensitivity, etc. (I always hunt in Pro Zero mode though)

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/b...nt-1st-time-cruise-caribbean-gold-silver.html

 

[Nevada Prospector]

I can get mine to work on any beach I have visited but on some beaches I don't get very much depth. It depends a lot on the minerals at the beach.

 

[ElectricianFTT]

You may be right. I only went in about 2' to search. I don't think I'd trust it totally under water.

Don't trust it under water... I just wrecked mine Saturday. 2 drops amounts was enough. Seeped in through the 2 screws under the front plastic cover... Water wet the LCD screen and 2 drops below it. I noticed a couple of oxydized connections on the mainboard. I cleaned them and will attempt to resolder them. If it doesn't work, I'll send the case to Garrett. Guarantee is expired anyways.

 

[Iffy Signals]

Don't trust it under water... I just wrecked mine Saturday. 2 drops amounts was enough. Seeped in through the 2 screws under the front plastic cover... Water wet the LCD screen and 2 drops below it. I noticed a couple of oxydized connections on the mainboard. I cleaned them and will attempt to resolder them. If it doesn't work, I'll send the case to Garrett. Guarantee is expired anyways.

Even if expired im willing to bet they take care of you if you send it in.

 

[yammy]

I am only searching beaches at the moment and was considering an AT Pro but from what I am hearing it is not actually that great on wet sand? Apparently you can get it to work but because you need to back off the sens so much, the depth suffers and really what is the point of searching the wet sand area if you can only get an inch or two down? Also this water leaking issue concerns me. It is supposed to be waterproof so how can any water be getting in?

I don't "need" an AT Pro but have seen a used one at a reasonable price and thought I might give it a go.

 

[Bayoutalker]

I am only searching beaches at the moment and was considering an AT Pro but from what I am hearing it is not actually that great on wet sand? Apparently you can get it to work but because you need to back off the sens so much, the depth suffers and really what is the point of searching the wet sand area if you can only get an inch or two down? Also this water leaking issue concerns me. It is supposed to be waterproof so how can any water be getting in?

I don't "need" an AT Pro but have seen a used one at a reasonable price and thought I might give it a go.

I have an ATPro that I have tried at the beach and was not impressed in the wet sand and in the water it was almost useless. I bought an Equinox 800 and it is a totally different experience. I don't plan on getting rid of the ATP as it is a great machine everywhere else and my wife can use it but the Nox is my go to machine these days.

 

[yammy]

Thanks for the reply. This is what I keep hearing and which is very odd because Garrett describe it as:

Ideal for use in both fresh and saltwater AT Pro International will ground balance to saltwater

Just wondering how they manage to continue describing it like that when very clearly it does not work well in salt wet sand?

 

[Bayoutalker]

Thanks for the reply. This is what I keep hearing and which is very odd because Garrett describe it as:



Just wondering how they manage to continue describing it like that when very clearly it does not work well in salt wet sand?

I guess technically it will work just not as well. Also it might depend on where you are located with different mineralization.

Is there some difference in the International model?

 

[yammy]

I am not sure there is a lot of differences apart from the target guide on the screen which is more slanted toward European users.

 

[NWMP]

I have used my ATP international for years on prairie fresh water lakes. Two trips ago I got two gold rings from a lake. And I have never experienced a leak. On some lakes it works fantastically, on others with high mineralization the machine is virtually useless.

 

[Toecutter]

I took my AT-Pro to the salt water beach today and yesterday and the day before. I was totally surprised that it was perfect for the beach. Zero pro, no dis and -2 sens and it preformed flawlessly. If I got an iffy hit I changed to std coin mode and listened. If it burped I passed and if it gave a good signal I dug. A few hits the coin didn't even pick up so I just had to make a decision on the Pro -zero mode. Didn't find anything worth printing but the unit was great.
I've read a few posts where they said it wouldn't work on the beach but they didn't know how to work it.

Didnt find anything worth printing but the unit was great....Soooo in your situation any metal detector could be considered great Sounds like might have done just as good with a broom...LMAO

 

[BLK HOLE]

I used both my AT Pro and Max down in Nags Head last week, both performed pretty well in dry and wet sand, surf was to rough for me to take them out in the water. I tried the Pro last year in the water and it didn't perform very well. But since I only hunt the beach maybe two times a year max I just don't see myself buying another machine.

 

[Bayoutalker]

I used both my AT Pro and Max down in Nags Head last week, both performed pretty well in dry and wet sand, surf was to rough for me to take them out in the water. I tried the Pro last year in the water and it didn't perform very well. But since I only hunt the beach maybe two times a year max I just don't see myself buying another machine.

That's a fair thought. It really doesn't make sense to buy something that you don't need.

 

[smokeythecat]

I never had any issues in the salt water with my old Pro. I just turned down the sensitivity a little. I haven't had the machine in quite a while now.

 

[Doug H]

I have had mine about 5 years and felt like I knew it pretty good and I could never feel comfortable on the beach with it. It chattered badly unless i tuned it down and then I would get no depth. I buried things in the wet sand at 2 or 3 inches and barely got a peep if I got anything at all. On the dry sand it was awesome.