DFX air test request

moonshine

Sr. Member
Dec 29, 2006
300
7
Detector(s) used
White's 6000 Di/Pro, E-Trac
If you dont mind, i would like to know something.

take your DFX and set it to the standard coin shooting program, with all settings, especially the sensitivity setting, set to a normal mode that you normally use. (also, using the stock coil!)

take a clad quarter, and see how far you can air test it, a passing air test meaning its giving you a reading (audio/visual) that you WOULD actually dig.

try to measure this distance or get a close idea with an actual tape measure.

thank you!

(i dont own a dfx, im trying to get an idea of how the dfx compares to my detector, also i do understand the limitations of an air test)
 

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spez401

Hero Member
Jul 13, 2006
521
9
Coventry, RI
Detector(s) used
Excal
moonshine,

for any info on the dfx, try www.dfxonly.com. Its a site dedicated to that machine, and you wouldn't believe the information that is there, from technical stuff, to specialty programs. If anyone owns the DFX, you should DEFINITELY check out that site.

As for the Air test, I would test mine for you... but unfortunately I was in a car accident on Halloween of '06 and my DFX and Excalibur were smashed into about 1000 pieces when some moron rear-ended me doing about 60 mph (I was a a dead stop in traffic). After 2 months of arguing with the insurance company, they finally wrote me a check for the two detectors (full replacement value too). I replaced my excal, but not the DFX... yet
steve
 

Born2Dtect

Bronze Member
Jun 11, 2004
1,683
68
Hurlock, Maryland
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Excalibur II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
An air test will only give you a level of response, IE:, VDI number or similar. You cannot determine the depth in the air. Most detectors pick up badly in the air (2-3 ") at a short distance only to pick up the coin in the ground at much greater distances (6-10"). The only good way to check depth is with a test garden or while actually hunting.

Ed D.
 

Jason in TN

Bronze Member
Oct 29, 2004
1,253
19
East Tennessee
I have not checked a Quarter. Set up to run hot I can hit a nickel on a air test at 14in. I would guess you would get a little more on a Quarter.
 

U.K. Brian

Bronze Member
Oct 11, 2005
1,629
153
Detector(s) used
XLT, Whites D.F., Treasure Baron, Deepstar, Goldquest, Beachscan, T.D.I., Sovereign, 2x Nautilus, various Arado's, Ixcus Diver, Altek Quadtone, T2, Beach Hunter I.D, GS 5 pulse, Searchman 2 ,V3i
Primary Interest:
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You have to be careful how you do the air test. If your sweeping the coin across the coil where it gives a reasonable audio then back away so the response gets gradually weaker the end result will be a 'air depth' thats more than if you start from far away where there is no signal and then start bring the coin nearer to the coil.
Any one else think air tests only give a few inches on most machines as in Born2Dtect's example ? Most of my machines will far exceed 14 inches in air. Soil then cuts back the air test result. What detectors do it the other way round (apart from some P.I.'s on wet salt).
 

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moonshine

moonshine

Sr. Member
Dec 29, 2006
300
7
Detector(s) used
White's 6000 Di/Pro, E-Trac
thank you for the comments folks.
spez im really sorry to hear about that accident! glad youre ok.
 

Jason in TN

Bronze Member
Oct 29, 2004
1,253
19
East Tennessee
I do not think a detector will hit a coin deeper in the ground than in a air test. I know the HALO effect. I think the Halo Effect is horse hockey. I do think that a coin that has not had the ground disturbed will pick up deeper than a freshly planted coin but this is because of the soil not being tight and compact. Just my thoughts.
 

U.K. Brian

Bronze Member
Oct 11, 2005
1,629
153
Detector(s) used
XLT, Whites D.F., Treasure Baron, Deepstar, Goldquest, Beachscan, T.D.I., Sovereign, 2x Nautilus, various Arado's, Ixcus Diver, Altek Quadtone, T2, Beach Hunter I.D, GS 5 pulse, Searchman 2 ,V3i
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You win the prize. I've been nearly thirty years trying to prove halo effect and have always failed except with iron.
 

neilo

Sr. Member
Aug 23, 2005
390
1
When doing air test lay your coil on the ground and wave your coin over the top of the coil.At least this way your machine is having to cope with some ground conditions.
seeya neilo ;D
 

dewcon4414

Bronze Member
Mar 22, 2006
2,138
1,237
Gulf Coast, Fl
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
4
Detector(s) used
MDT, Nox, Blue Xcals and CTX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
dont waste your time air testing the DFX it doesnt do well. However, it does great in soil. you might get a better reading using the threshold. turn it up and move the coin toward the coil not across it. you should be able to hear it change and find the cent of your coil as well.
 

Mirage

Silver Member
Sep 16, 2005
3,718
38
Cleveland, OH
The one gripe I had with the DFX is that the factory settings will only give you about 4 inches. All they needed to do was boost the preamp setting to 3 and you get more depth. Typically Nate and I hunt with the preamp at 4(highest).

Bob
 

Colorado2

Hero Member
Dec 26, 2004
597
6
Berthoud CO
Detector(s) used
White's DFX, White's MXT, Fisher Gold Bug II
I'm with Ed on this one. When I air tested my DFX (with a 1400 deep scan coil), I was surprised that a quarter only read (with tone or graph) at about 3"!!! With this same coil, at the same settings, I was pulling coins all last summer at 6" to 9" range. Just trust your machine and go hunt....Air tests don't count for much when it comes to depth indication. If you're looking to see what different objects register on your graph or VDI, then by all means air test away! HH~CO2
 

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moonshine

moonshine

Sr. Member
Dec 29, 2006
300
7
Detector(s) used
White's 6000 Di/Pro, E-Trac
thank you guys again for helping me.
 

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