final 3 choices

[piratediver]

I finally narrowed my choice of first new detector since my early 80's Compass. After lots of research and a budget of about $600. I am thinking of 1. Omega 8000, 2. Tejon, 3. X-Terra 505.

I will be doing coin and relic hunting in R.I.-Mass. in fields, woods and maybe a little along the shore so a waterproof coil would be good.

Are these three good choices or am I missing something and why?


Thanks a lot, my birthday is May 29 and this will be my present.


Pirate Diver

[John (Ma)]

I really like the Tejon out of those three myself. However, I would almost consider the Tesoro Vaquero which would handle the coins and relics. I like the V better for the shore. The Vaquero is a great all around detector. If you were primarily going for relics and coins, go with the Tejon, just not sure if it will do well on the shore.

[jhnbaker41]

I love the Tejon. The reason is that it is rugged, light and goes very deep. I also like the alt discrimination ability. Can't go wrong with a Tejon.

[Boilermaker27]

I also would go with the Tejon for relics. However, if you consider the Minelab, go one step further and purchase the X-terra 705, it really won't be that much costlier and you might as well go with the best in that series.

[bradsguns]

I would go with the Tejon...VERY DEEP on relics. I prefer the multi tones and dual discrimination over the Vaquero, but the V is a great detector too.
I had a minelab xterra 70 (705) and just prefer the simplicity, weight and depth of the tesoro. If you are going to be relic hunting, you will be digging iron, so you dont need the ID anyway. Sweep, Beep, Dig !!! You will find some good stuff !!
Brad

[piratediver]

Thanks for all the input! If you get to R.I.-Mass. let me know and maybe we can do some hunting.


Pirate diver

[BamaBill]

I agree wholeheartedly with the recommendations as I've had experience with all three. I still have my X-terra 70 (is deeper than the 705 I had), but my son uses it when we hunt together and I use it when coinshooting in real trashy areas. The Tejon is the better machine IF you learn to use it and really listen to the information that the beep will give you and learn to work the discrimination. The machine may seem a little noisy, but work with it and you'll get it. Also, if you're going to coinshoot with it, get the 5.75" coil, as its the best thing for trashy areas. The TID machines, like the Omega 8000 are easier to learn and use, but they simply don't have the depth and you'll walk over a lot of good targets IMHO because, in my experience, TID is simply not that good at real depth.

[piratediver]

Thanks a lot Bill, I wonder about what TID machines give up in depth if any?


Pirate diver

[BamaBill]

The Minelab Explorers and Etracs are equivalent in depth to the best beep-dig machines, I'm sure. But, you're gonna pay for that TID and depth capability. In my experience the more moderately priced TID machines are about 1-2" shallower than a high-gain Tejon. The problem here is comparing apples to apples, since most of these machines we're talking about have different capabilities, with some good in bad dirt and some only getting their best depth in good ground. It all comes down to what you're gonna use the machine for. If you want a do-it-all type of machine you will most likely compromise on some things. However, if you're going to be doing a certain type of hunting more than 75% of the time you'd be wise to choose the machine based on that type of hunting. Hunting for raw gold is different than hunting for jewelry. Coinshooting (depends on if its clad or old coins too) is way different than relic hunting. I have two different machines for relic hunting and coinshooting, since I figured out that TID is actually a drawback for me when relic hunting.

[piratediver]

Thanks again. When you first get a TID machine how long does it take before you have confidence in what it is telling you. I'm sure if I get one I will dig everything for a while until I'm certain it isn't lying to me!


Pirate diver

[BamaBill]

When most of us say TID is lying to us, its more like we're being misled because the machine is IDing the target as well as its programming will allow. The absolute best ID is your eyes after you dig the target, but with a TID machine its all about separating the targets and IDing them. The best TID machines ($$$) have the best ability to separate or average targets to give you a good idea that something is there worth digging, in an easy to read format. All machines have a form of TID really, its just that without a screen its the beep you get from the target and the quality of that signal that will begin to educate you on what the target might be. After you've been using that beep dig for a while, there is the potential to hear more information from a target than is provided by numbers on a digital TID machine. A good TID machine takes no time at all to start finding goodies with, but due to a whole host of variables you can get coins IDing as iron below a certain depth and iron IDing as a coin. So, its actually necessary to dig more trash to get more goodies and we start questioning the value of Target ID when you're not sure you can trust it. It becomes most valuable, in my experience, when you learn what bouncing numbers will often signify or coupled with the sound a target makes, you can make an intelligent decision on dig or not dig and because of the amount of trash you're not worried about missing a good target or two. But, if you're relic hunting a lot of good relics are made out of iron or are deep enough that it will register as iron. Target ID machines have their place, but they're not the complete answer either if you want to get a lot of the good targets in the ground you're working. You'll never get them all because of masking and stuff that's too deep to detect.

[piratediver]

Bill: very informative post, thanks again. Tomorrow is my birthday so the detector is my present. I'll keep you posted on my progress.


Have a good Memorial Day.


Pirate Diver.

UDT 12

[MSCOTT]

Be careful of the Tejon if you are in the Northeast like MA, CT and RI-It has lots of trouble with hotrocks in that region.

I have used all 3 detectors-My first choice would easily be Omega which is the newest technology, deeper, easier to use, faster, better warranty, and made in the USA not Malaysia like all the Xteras-Omega especially with the DD coil is hard to beat even with units costing way more. Omega gives all the information you need on the screen in real time. I love the depth and sensitivity of the Tejon and can work around it liking hotrocks in the Northeast but it took a lot of practice and I would still occasionally dig one. The Omega pretty much beats the 705 in performance and smokes the 505.

Mike

[vaquero44]

i can attest to that for sure having a vaquero and trying to do a little prospecting up here in maine

[piratediver]

Thanks everyone, just ordered the Omega. I'll keep all posted on my progress learning the machine.


Pirate Diver