sandsifter
Full Member
- Dec 14, 2007
- 177
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I have experience only with the minelabs.was considering at pro for backup.
at pro or at gold vs ex-cal or sov. gt beach hunting only
- Thread starter sandsifter
- Start date
- May 28, 2010
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- Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
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Single-frequency VLF machines like the AT-Pro are not even in the same class as multi-frequency VLF in wet saltwater sand. Why not get an inexpensive pulse induction machine (Tesoro Sand Shark; Whites Dual Field) as a "backup" for wet saltwater work?
- Jul 27, 2006
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- Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
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SS, the backup for my excal is another excal ....
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- Mar 19, 2012
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The AT Gold isn't recommended for saltwater beaches. The AT Pro will chatter a bit on some of our Texas beaches, but will work. The Excalibur II will do better than the others.
Wayne
www.metaldetectingstuff.com
Wayne
www.metaldetectingstuff.com
- Jul 27, 2006
- 48,465
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- Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
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I also have sov gt. If I'm not going into the water I use my siv gt...
OP
OP
sandsifter
Full Member
- Dec 14, 2007
- 177
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- SOV GT, EXCAL 1000
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- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks for the feedback.
penzfan
Bronze Member
- Apr 12, 2014
- 1,417
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- Detector(s) used
- CTX 3030 - Excal 1000 - Excal II - Sovereign GT - RTG/Oleg Scoops - XPointer
- Primary Interest:
- Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
I hunt the wet sand with my GT and the waters of the Gulf Stream with my Sand Shark and really enjoy the hunt.
LuckyLarry
Hero Member
- Dec 16, 2005
- 750
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- I had to sideline for awhile, too much quarreling, brand defensiveness, and seeing certain people waging war on others. It got to be too silly for me after awhile..
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I'm with Terry on this one concerning PI's, but a CZ outdoes the Sov GT, the Excal, and especially outdoes the single freq AT Pro series on salt beaches, especially if there is any black sand.. Even my cz-70 goes about one inch deeper in salt beaches, and 2" deeper in black sand/salt beaches. I've matched them side-by-side. Run a cz in no discrimination, w no notch, and it will blow the doors off of the other multi-freqs mentioned, and all one has to do is listen to the tone discrimination instead of watch the screen. If not run in that fashion, then they all get about the same depth, and discrimination is close too, although the Sov and Excal will miss some targets if swung too quickly. I had hoped for more from the Sov, but I didn't get it.. If looking for tiny gold though, all the above should be left in the truck and use a dedicated Whites or FT nugget machine, they will outdo every one of the others mentioned on small gold items..
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- Jul 27, 2006
- 48,465
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- Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
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Larry never seen you post anything that wasn't negative towards Minelab. I own both Excals and Sov GT and I have found .05 gram gold rings with both...
dirtscratcher
Bronze Member
- Mar 18, 2009
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When he says he worked designing detectors I'm guess it was not minelabs. Just a wild guess mind you.
LuckyLarry
Hero Member
- Dec 16, 2005
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Well TH, it's good that you aren't keeping a toll on me, but as I have said many times before and I'll say it again: I like the ExCal because it seems to have more power than the Sovereigns, although they both are excellent for searching rocky and boulder areas, because they run so very smoothly and quietly, but they MUST be swung v-e-r-y... s-l-o-w-l-y. I also like (A-L-L) Minelab PI's, {every one of them} for their brute power, and I have said that before too. However, I DO NOT like the idea of having to change search coils as in the case of the X-terra series, in order to achieve the same success that other Mfg's do with single frequencies. I don't like the weight of Etracs at all. The best Minelab I've ever had my hands on was an Excal (which too I have said before), and the worst one - was really pitiful, it being the Eureka Gold, and I've written about these two too. The 3030 is really poor for small gold and so is the eTrac, and I have not to this day seen a Sovereign that would give a reading on a BB-sized gold nugget, nor would a CZ. . I have considered trying out a 705, but I already own a detector made in the early 80's that beats it like a redheaded stepchild overall, and especially since I fine tuned it. There is no such thing as a perfect detector folks, nor is there such a thing as a perfect brand. I tell it like it is if I have actually compared one with another, and that's what I will always do. I'll always be fair in reiterating my experiences, but I will not give my opinions about the subject..since I do not have any.. And no, as you can plainly see, not all I post about Minelabs is negative, just the truth as I experience it..
And no, I have had nothing to do with Minelab, but I have noticed that those who own mostly Minelabs are also the most defensive about them too. My employment was with a company that did work on another well-known brand, and it like (all) detector mfg's made some good detectors, and some bad ones too.. The deepest single frequency detector right out of the factory I've ever seen in all-metal was a Garrett 2500 in some very nasty soil. The deepest single discriminating detector in mild soil was my Tesoro Tejon, but almost as noisy and annoying as an Ace 250. The best discriminator/cherry-picker was a Compass Coinscanner XP Pro, bar none. An interesting note too, is that I see more Minelabs in pawn shops in my State than any other brand, and I find that rather strange and suspicious.. but I can't say that I know why so many wind up there..especially since they aren't even made here, but Whites are, and right down the road from my house. I have no brand-loyalty at all, it would be ludicrous if I did that.
Here is an interesting video comparing the AT Pro, the Excal, and the Cz21. As would be expected, the CZ came out on top, and in salt (with black sand) it does even better.
And no, I have had nothing to do with Minelab, but I have noticed that those who own mostly Minelabs are also the most defensive about them too. My employment was with a company that did work on another well-known brand, and it like (all) detector mfg's made some good detectors, and some bad ones too.. The deepest single frequency detector right out of the factory I've ever seen in all-metal was a Garrett 2500 in some very nasty soil. The deepest single discriminating detector in mild soil was my Tesoro Tejon, but almost as noisy and annoying as an Ace 250. The best discriminator/cherry-picker was a Compass Coinscanner XP Pro, bar none. An interesting note too, is that I see more Minelabs in pawn shops in my State than any other brand, and I find that rather strange and suspicious.. but I can't say that I know why so many wind up there..especially since they aren't even made here, but Whites are, and right down the road from my house. I have no brand-loyalty at all, it would be ludicrous if I did that.
Here is an interesting video comparing the AT Pro, the Excal, and the Cz21. As would be expected, the CZ came out on top, and in salt (with black sand) it does even better.
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A twentieth of a gram! WOW thats small!
LuckyLarry
Hero Member
- Dec 16, 2005
- 750
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- I had to sideline for awhile, too much quarreling, brand defensiveness, and seeing certain people waging war on others. It got to be too silly for me after awhile..
- Primary Interest:
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Yes, that is small. One of these is 2.3 grams, and the other is 2.4 grams
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Nice, yet the .05 gram rings are only a 40th of that weight! Amazing! Unless the math is wrong!
LuckyLarry
Hero Member
- Dec 16, 2005
- 750
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- Detector(s) used
- I had to sideline for awhile, too much quarreling, brand defensiveness, and seeing certain people waging war on others. It got to be too silly for me after awhile..
- Primary Interest:
- Other
That was what I was wondering too, .05 gram would be 1/40 or 1/50 the size of one of the rings, but a .5 would only be 4 or 5x smaller. I found two little baby toe rings on a beach with my Compass GoldScanner Pro, both about 1/4 inch in diameter in 6" of sand.. No wonder they got lost, toes shrink in cold water
..
..
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Sandman
Gold Member
- Aug 6, 2005
- 13,398
- 3,992
- Detector(s) used
- Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
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How much does an earring back weigh? I find them with my EXCAL 1000 and not my EXCAL II.
- Jul 27, 2006
- 48,465
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- Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
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That was what I was wondering too, .05 gram would be 1/40 or 1/50 the size of one of the rings, but a .5 would only be 4 or 5x smaller. I found two little baby toe rings on a beach with my Compass GoldScanner Pro, both about 1/4 inch in diameter in 6" of sand.. No wonder they got lost, toes shrink in cold water
LL and Fella, they were tiny gold rings most likely for or babie's rings and yes talking 1/2 a gram, not .05, my mistake in typing... Sorry...
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