CTX Questions

[penzfan]

First question: Noticed a Red "X" on my screen on several occasions where it usually shows a stick man(me walking)while in Geo mode. I was hunting in about 5' of water. Is this a warning of some type like don't submerge the CTX much deeper or an indication the GPS signal has been lost?

Second question: Has anyone found a deeper All-Metal Mode to hunt in than Relic Pattern #2?

Thanks!

 

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[DeepseekerADS]

Good questions! I'll be looking forward to answers as well. Ya just can't know enough!

 

[IDXMonster]

I would have to think a completely open screen would be the deepest....with all signals as true as they can be...wouldn't that be running in Combined?

 

[jyt2017]

Relic mode 2 is what I mainly hunt in. I think thats as deep as it gets. Faint signals can be heard, its just getting it the way your best with the tones. I use combined 4 tone. Ferrous coin.

Also. I started pretty much digging it all anyway. I caught the machine nulling out in my discriminate mode and it shouldn't have. I forget the numbers, but I went back to all metal mode and just started digging them.

3 times in one day I bagged the machine nulling out deep buffalo nickels. 3 times. So I just stick with the open screen and pretty much investigate everything.

I am not sure about the red x. I have not seen it myself, or read about it anywhere.

Do you have Andys book? Its more important than the manual itself. Arguably, theres a bit of misinformation or some oversimplified information in it [the manual].

A link to the book...just look up the title.
[h=1]The Minelab CTX 3030 Metal Detector Handbook by Andy Sabisch [/h]
-Joe

First question: Noticed a Red "X" on my screen on several occasions where it usually shows a stick man(me walking)while in Geo mode. I was hunting in about 5' of water. Is this a warning of some type like don't submerge the CTX much deeper or an indication the GPS signal has been lost?

Second question: Has anyone found a deeper All-Metal Mode to hunt in than Relic Pattern #2?

Thanks!

 

[penzfan]

Thanks for the response joeb. I've run mine in Relic Pattern 2 with 35 Ferrous tones. Does Combined 4 tone work better? I have Andy's book but have not seen anything about the Red "X" which happened again today when I was in water up to my neck. I'm thinking it's a loss of GPS but I'm sure someone will respond with the answer. Thanks again, Tony

Relic mode 2 is what I mainly hunt in. I think thats as deep as it gets. Faint signals can be heard, its just getting it the way your best with the tones. I use combined 4 tone. Ferrous coin.

Also. I started pretty much digging it all anyway. I caught the machine nulling out in my discriminate mode and it shouldn't have. I forget the numbers, but I went back to all metal mode and just started digging them.

3 times in one day I bagged the machine nulling out deep buffalo nickels. 3 times. So I just stick with the open screen and pretty much investigate everything.

I am not sure about the red x. I have not seen it myself, or read about it anywhere.

Do you have Andys book? Its more important than the manual itself. Arguably, theres a bit of misinformation or some oversimplified information in it [the manual].

A link to the book...just look up the title.
[h=1]The Minelab CTX 3030 Metal Detector Handbook by Andy Sabisch [/h]
-Joe

 

[IDXMonster]

Tony,a Google search about the red X states that it happens with a loss of GPS signal on the Tom Tom and other GPS units...it may be a "universal" thing whereas anything running GPS and the signal gets lost will display what you're seeing. I see nowhere that the CTX has a provision or mechanism by which it sees how deep in the water you are. Ten feet I believe is the rating...

 

[penzfan]

I'll go with that IDX. Thanks...

Tony,a Google search about the red X states that it happens with a loss of GPS signal on the Tom Tom and other GPS units...it may be a "universal" thing whereas anything running GPS and the signal gets lost will display what you're seeing. I see nowhere that the CTX has a provision or mechanism by which it sees how deep in the water you are. Ten feet I believe is the rating...

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Good info guys! Like I said earlier, you just can't learn enough! Please keep the comments coming. What you may see as insignificant may add to a further understanding of the machine. Yeah, I understand the language the beast is speaking to me, but there's far more than that to be learned. The CTX is a machine of science.

 

[IDXMonster]

Good info guys! Like I said earlier, you just can't learn enough! Please keep the comments coming. What you may see as insignificant may add to a further understanding of the machine. Yeah, I understand the language the beast is speaking to me, but there's far more than that to be learned. The CTX is a machine of science.

Deep seeker-I agree,it's a machine of science! Never mind the frills,the way it processes information and how that relates to more and better finds is really something! The ML engineers really outdid themselves with this one....

 

[penzfan]

Like I said earlier, you just can't learn enough! The CTX is a machine of science.

One of my favorite aspects of the CTX...

 

[DeepseekerADS]

The way I see the machine really excels is in the multi-frequencies, kinda like a normal single frequency detector, you just get one analysis of the target. With the 28 different frequencies, you're getting 28 total "evaluations" - it's like the signal is in 3D, and you know each time there's a good target hiding there in all the trash & ground noise.

 

[gordonquixote]

Th GPS receiver in in the screen head. When it is submerged, it loses signal.

 

[IDXMonster]

Th GPS receiver in in the screen head. When it is submerged, it loses signal.

Thank you GQ,that explains that! I still have to fart around with my GPS,I am absolutely LOVING this machine!! In my mind it's bordering black magic....in MY mind,taking into consideration it is not that large...

 

[penzfan]

I've only owned my CTX for a couple of months, but I have nothing negative to say about it. It's an awesome piece of technology...

 

[IDXMonster]

I've only owned my CTX for a couple of months, but I have nothing negative to say about it. It's an awesome piece of technology...

Same here....it didn't take me but about 5 seconds to fall in love with its abilities. I also run Explorers which are VERY capable but the CTX is UNBELIEVABLE at sniffing stuff out of trash and actually telling you about it in an easy to understand way. It's almost TOO easy...if such a thing is possible with detecting!

 

[CCadrin]

I want to chime in about so basic principles with the CTX. The modes supplied by Minelab are just names to kind of correspond with a style of hunting. In reality there are 4 types of 'target separations' which are like 4 different detectors. The patterns is what you want to discriminate out. Also there are deep settings, fast and seawater to compliment the target separation. The defaults for the pattern 2 in Minelabs defaults are pretty much an open screen with limited discrimination.

When you are relic hunting, basically you are looking for anything metal since the ground you are pretty metal free from bottle caps and other garbage. Your pattern 1 has very little discrimination and pattern 2 has none.

When you are hunting in other modes you really don't want to be hunting nails and other iron things that is why the is a lot of discrimination in the pattern 1.

The depth from the ctx is the same in all modes and patterns but your discrimination is what sets what you want to hear. Due note that the deeper a target is, the less accurate the Ctx is unless you hit is just right. Therefore the more open screen you use the most likely chance of hearing a target that will then bring you to investigate it with multiple swings and zeroing in on the target and doing the 'wiggle'.

 

[IDXMonster]

I want to chime in about so basic principles with the CTX. The modes supplied by Minelab are just names to kind of correspond with a style of hunting. In reality there are 4 types of 'target separations' which are like 4 different detectors. The patterns is what you want to discriminate out. Also there are deep settings, fast and seawater to compliment the target separation. The defaults for the pattern 2 in Minelabs defaults are pretty much an open screen with limited discrimination.

When you are relic hunting, basically you are looking for anything metal since the ground you are pretty metal free from bottle caps and other garbage. Your pattern 1 has very little discrimination and pattern 2 has none.

When you are hunting in other modes you really don't want to be hunting nails and other iron things that is why the is a lot of discrimination in the pattern 1.

The depth from the ctx is the same in all modes and patterns but your discrimination is what sets what you want to hear. Due note that the deeper a target is, the less accurate the Ctx is unless you hit is just right. Therefore the more open screen you use the most likely chance of hearing a target that will then bring you to investigate it with multiple swings and zeroing in on the target and doing the 'wiggle'.

VERY well put in all. The last part is exactly why discrimination can be a dirty little word,if you're going to use it you'd better sweep thoroughly and then again. That's on most any machine,though the MLs seem to be a bit more forgiving about it,at least that I've seen. I do some serious overlapping of swings though,probably more than the average bear.