FNG with a question: Is my 1970s Garrett Groundhog at all useful?

Zemog

Newbie
Oct 28, 2010
2
0
Bartlett, IL
FNG with a question: Is my 1970's Garrett Groundhog at all useful?

Hello, FNG here.

I've had a Garrett Groundhog since the mid-70's. I have attempted a few treasure-hunting excursions over the years, but in all that time, the only "treasure" I've found was a single penny that was on top of the sand on a beach. Mk I eyeball would have found that one...

Mostly, my father and I used the Groundhog to locate property corners (he was a Civil Engineer/Land Developer, and we did most of the surveying work on his subdivisions).

I'm starting to get the urge to go detecting (out of work at the moment; might as well make SOME use of my time). Would I get any traction at all with the old machine, or is it laughably obsolete?

-Paul

Bartlett, IL
 

Tom_in_CA

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Mar 23, 2007
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Re: FNG with a question: Is my 1970's Garrett Groundhog at all useful?

The Groundhog was made obsolete at the end of the TR disc. era (around 1980 or '81-ish). The all-metal VLF is still competitive, if you have a place where you can hunt all-metal. Like the beach, for instance. But you would be driven mad trying to use vlf all-metal in most land sites, as you would probably want to at least eliminate nails and iron.

The TR disc. on that is what's a dinasour. In the earlier days of motion disc. (aka "GEB disc." or "SPD"), there was some debate over whether or not the TR disc. was actually still as deep, or more dependable, etc.... That's because the earlier motion disc. in those days (late 1970s) was very fast sweep, prone to masking, and wasn't as deep as it was to become later on. But by the mid 1980s, the swing speed had been slowed down enough, and the depth increased enough, that TR disc. really DID become a dinasour, if it wasn't already.

TR disc. doesn't do well in more mineralized ground, and is a bear to keep balanced if you're not familiar with it.

Most any machine today (even the cheapo ones) will out-hunt that. But for its time, it was one of the better VLF/TR's out there.
 

U.K. Brian

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Oct 11, 2005
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Re: FNG with a question: Is my 1970's Garrett Groundhog at all useful?

Here's a Pro's comment on the Groundhog in 1980....."Pro's call it the go anywhere machine. It gives superb performance on ANY type of ground and is equally good whether your after antique coins in vast open spaces or Victorian jewellery in a silver paper infested car park. If I could own only ONE detector it would have to be this one. I recommend it without hesitation to all professionals; also to patient beginners who are prepared to accept it will take at least three months to learn to operate the unit to its full advantage ....but once you know its secrets this machine will talk to you". The definition of "Pro" at that time was someone finding at least 10.000 coins per year.

If you have one working to spec. its still an excellent machine with a few drawbacks which include weight/balance, it doesn't cope with high mineralisation (the user quoted above was not in really bad ground), had to be used in TR mode on wet salt beaches with the TR mode used to ground balance out the positive salt effect which did cut depth and in no way competes with multifrequency or P.I.
On the other hand the all metal mode remains deeper than cheaper motion machines of today and does have a degree of iron rejection and the TR discrimination mode can be used at any sweep speed and isn't fooled by crown caps as most modern detectors are.

As you already have one why not try to get to grips with it this time ?
 

homefires

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May 20, 2008
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Re: FNG with a question: Is my 1970's Garrett Groundhog at all useful?

Other then being like carrying a brick around, it's a kick but machine.

You can do things with that beast the new ones just can't do.

Look up Reverse Discrimination.

If you don't want it , You can send it here! LOL!
 

liftloop

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May 7, 2008
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Re: FNG with a question: Is my 1970's Garrett Groundhog at all useful?

ANY MANUAL GROUND BALANCE MECHIANE I'M FINDING OUT IS BETTER THAN A FIX GROUND BALANCE MECHINE...WHEN IT COMES TO HIGH MINERALSATION COUNDITIONS..AUTO GRAB IS THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE AS LONG AS IT'S NOT A FIX GROUND BALANCE....THATS MY SPIN ON THINGS.... LIFTLOOP
 

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