Another "What should I buy" thread

[YonathanZ]

Hi,

My father is looking to buy a metal detector to use in beaches (salty water) in hopes of finding coins and jewelry.
We live in Israel so it's sunny most of the time and humidity is relatively high, though most of the hunting will probably be conducted during the winter, which isn't very "wintery" at all (it barely rains).

Our budget is $400, maybe a little bit more (just a bit!), preferably something that's available on Amazon.

If I missed any specifications, please let me know.

Thanks in advance!

UPDATE: BUDGET INCREASED TO $650. Anything better than a Sea Hunter Mk II?

 

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[jeff of pa]

Welcome to TreasureNet Yon_

tuff call, Hopefully Someone can help

 

[Terry Soloman]

You are going to need a specialized machine, and new they start at US$600.00 (Tesoro Sand Shark Pulse Induction). A "VLF" or very low frequency type metal detector works extremely well on dry sand and in fresh water. It does not work as well in saltwater, or on wet ocean-water beaches. In highly conductive saltwater conditions pulse induction or "PI," and multi-frequency VLF "BBS" metal detectors excel.

The VLF metal detector sends 4,000 - 80,000 radio waves per-second into the ground. When the radio waves hit something conductive - like an iron nail, gold ring, coin or aluminum pull-tab, a magnetic field sets up around the object and a particular signal frequency is transmitted back to the detector's receiving coil. VLF metal detectors have the ability to "discriminate," or tell what type of metal they are seeing by "reading" the return signal frequency.

Radio or "sine" waves bounce off everything that is conductive in the sand or water. This is why VLF detectors must be "ground balanced" to work effectively in highly mineralized soil, or on highly conductive saltwater beaches. You must tune or adjust the machine to see through the "fog," or white-noise created by the salt and iron in the sand or water you are detecting. Unfortunately, this usually leads to a loss of depth and stability with most VLF detectors.

The Minelab Excalibur uses Broad Band Spectrum, or “BBS” technology (multi-frequency), and retails for about $1,500.00. According to Minelab, their BBS operating system, “simultaneously transmits, receives and analyses a broad band of multiple frequencies to deliver substantial detection depth, high sensitivity and accurate discrimination for a wide range of target types.” The key takeaway here is “multiple frequencies.” Unfortunately, radio waves regardless of their frequency still have to be filtered and balanced in heavily conductive wet-ocean sand and highly mineralized saltwater. That limits the systems depth capabilities.

The magnetic iron sands (“Black Sands”), salt, and high concentrations of other minerals in the water and sand conspire to bounce the radio waves away from the target. Conductivity and mineralization act like a shield around the target and create white noise that must be filtered electronically. Think of it as turning on your bright headlights in a heavy fog at night. All that powerful light is diffused and causes a complete white out – you can’t see anything three-feet past the hood of your car! However when you turn on your yellow fog lights, you can see a little further – not as far as you could in clear daylight, but further. That is why all radio wave machines must be “ground balanced” or tuned, to maximize their depth potential, and why BBS filters and multi-frequencies are so effective – yet still limited.

Unlike BBS and VLF metal detectors which constantly send and receive thousands of low frequency radio waves per second, a Pulse Induction (PI) metal detector fires high-voltage pulses into the sand several hundred times per second. If no metal is present the electric pulse decays at a uniform rate with no anomalies. When metal is present a small “eddy” current flows through it causing the voltage decay time to increase, which creates a measurable anomaly. Unlike VLF radio waves, electronic pulses are impervious to the effects of conductivity and mineralization, and are unaffected by salt or black sands.

Using the same heavy fog at night metaphor that I referred to earlier, pulse induction is like headlights that cut completely through the fog as if it were not there at all. The trade-off for that added depth and clarity is the inability to discriminate, or block out iron targets that you generally don’t want to waste time and energy digging. While a pulse induction machine detects all metals without discrimination, the minute differences in the signal tone and quality can give a skilled and experienced operator a clue as to what the target may, or may not be.

 

[YonathanZ]

Thank you everyone. Truth is, I posted this a day and a half ago and it took a while until the post was approved. I have since learned that what I need is a PI metal detector, since BBS is out of my budget. So we stretched the budget further enough and decided to get a Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II. There's an eBay auction going on at the moment, so we'll give it a try and if it doesn't work out we'll buy from Amazon or another online store.

The Sea Hunter Mark II is $637. Is there a competitor to this device at a similar price?

 

[cudamark]

Yes, in your price range, an inexpensive PI unit is about all you have to choose from in new detectors. Sand Shark or Sea Hunter. In used detectors, you might get lucky on a CZ20, a White's dual field, PI, or Beachhunter I.D. If you get a PI machine, hopefully, your beaches aren't too riddled with iron.

 

[jeff of pa]

Thank you everyone. Truth is, I posted this a day and a half ago and it took a while until the post was approved.

yes I'm not sure why your post was sent for approval.
normally this only happens when a first time member adds a link.

 

[Terry Soloman]

...
The Sea Hunter Mark II is $637. Is there a competitor to this device at a similar price?

Tesoro Sand Shark $580.00

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Welcome.

Terry (and cuda-mark too) gave good detailed answers. But don't miss the part where they ever-so-briefly warn you: the pulse type beach detectors can't knock out (ie.: discriminate) iron nails (especially bent nails!). This may not be a factor if you're on touristy clean beaches (that don't allow beach bonfires, and never had a history of industrial/commercial purposes). But if you run into a beach with a lot of nails, you could end up hating life.

As for the "ability in minerals" issue, I have found very few beaches I could not hack with other machines (the various type discriminators alluded to). But .... that's just me.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

In your price range quoted Garrett Ace 350 is an option... Understand your budget is really limiting your options when you include salt water beaches..

 

[Detector Wars]

Thank you everyone. Truth is, I posted this a day and a half ago and it took a while until the post was approved. I have since learned that what I need is a PI metal detector, since BBS is out of my budget. So we stretched the budget further enough and decided to get a Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II. There's an eBay auction going on at the moment, so we'll give it a try and if it doesn't work out we'll buy from Amazon or another online store.

The Sea Hunter Mark II is $637. Is there a competitor to this device at a similar price?

Do not get that, it is not very deep at all (had one). Any of the Surfmaster models are much much deeper. You could also get a second hand sovereign and also consider the Fisher CZ20/21, you should be able to find decent to very good prices on those.

 

[Detector Wars]

Tesoro Sand Shark $580.00

And much much deeper. Also quiet in the water.

 

[YonathanZ]

Do not get that, it is not very deep at all (had one). Any of the Surfmaster models are much much deeper. You could also get a second hand sovereign and also consider the Fisher CZ20/21, you should be able to find decent to very good prices on those.

I couldn't find any Surfmaster models on KellyCo or Amazon. Who does sell them?
The Sand Shark doesn't seem to be nearly as popular as the Sea Hunter Mk II.

 

[Detector Wars]

I couldn't find any Surfmaster models on KellyCo or Amazon. Who does sell them?
The Sand Shark doesn't seem to be nearly as popular as the Sea Hunter Mk II.

White's make them, the current model is the Surf Dual Field:

Surfmaster PI Dual Field

If you find these second hand, you can get them within your price range. Hard to search because there are different ways you can type the name, surf DF, surfmaster, Dual field etc. White's really shot themselves in the foot with their naming.

 

[Detector Wars]

Here's one:
Whites Surf Master II Beach or Underwater Detector | eBay

 

[YonathanZ]

Here's one:
Whites Surf Master II Beach or Underwater Detector | eBay

Is this the Surf PI Dual Field?

 

[Fletch88]

Another "What should I buy" thread

The dual field is great up on wet sand but it the water I much much prefer the 8" Sand Shark or 8" Cz. The gigantic, buoyant 12" coil on the Dually has too much drag for me in the water

 

[YonathanZ]

Bought a new Sea Hunter Mark II. Hopefully I'll have it within 2 weeks.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Bought a new Sea Hunter Mark II. Hopefully I'll have it within 2 weeks.

Good Luck and Big Gold!

 

[YonathanZ]

Thanks.

 

[algeus]

Hi Yonathan,

First of all - I wish you and your father a good luck with this hobby.
Second - just hope you are aware of the fact it's not too easy to import metal detector to Israel,and some taxes/bureaucracy are involved. If you are importing it legally(I can't think about any other option of course) - be ready.

I'm from Holon too btw, and can give you an advice or two about our local beaches and what to expect there.Making it short - you are going to dig a LOT with PI machine,as I do(I have Sand Shark).
Have fun!