GPS on CTX 3030

Goldfleks

Sr. Member
Jan 30, 2016
490
791
California
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT-300, Tesoro Sand Shark 10.5", Bazooka Sniper, Bazooka Prospector
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Wont happen. The assembly line is already set up to build the current design. They would have to spend money to change the operation to leave the receiver chip off, which would cost money, so it wouldn't save the end buyer anything.

Nah, they just program in some encrypted code# from Minelab that turns it on and off if they ever wanted to offer different levels of the machine. It's like my Car. The car is equipped with GPS and Navigation systems already built in. But I decided not to purchase those features from the dealer so they are turned off. But I can take my car to the dealer at any time and have it turned on if i decide to pay for it. Same with my tablet. I can take it to Verizon at any time and have it turned into a phone. All the hardware is already installed. It's cheaper from a manufacturing point of view to have the hardware identical and just code the software to turn things on an off. But I'm guessing since GPS and detecting is rather new, most hobbyists would opt out of the GPS if it saved them $500 off the asking price, thinking it as fluff. The question is, is do they sell more CTX3030's at $2000, to make up for the lost sales of selling them at $2500. I'm sure some bean counter figured it out.

I'm REALLY surprised that there isn't a "find my detector" feature on the CTX3030 (Maybe there is and I don't know about it) like when you lose your phone or your phone is stolen. Seems like something that should be automatically included on technology that's over $500. Especially since it's on EVERY phone these days. Seeing posts about stolen Minelabs that cost thousands of dollars that don't have that simple feature of today's technology is really shocking.
 

ChampFerguson/TN

Bronze Member
Nov 22, 2013
1,181
1,620
TN
Detector(s) used
Minelab Safari .......... Minelab Excalibur II ....... ........Minelab CTX 3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Goldfleks, if I was you, I'd be on the Internet looking at hacks to turn my car on even if I didn't particularly want it. You KNOW that info is out there.
 

Goldfleks

Sr. Member
Jan 30, 2016
490
791
California
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT-300, Tesoro Sand Shark 10.5", Bazooka Sniper, Bazooka Prospector
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Goldfleks, if I was you, I'd be on the Internet looking at hacks to turn my car on even if I didn't particularly want it. You KNOW that info is out there.

I prefer my phone for navigation, which is why I never bothered with the feature lol
 

OP
OP
Geobound

Geobound

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2017
614
867
Ontario
Detector(s) used
XP Deus (2019)
Fisher CZ-21 (2019)
CTX 3030 (April 2017)
AT Pro
Garrett Carrot
Pro Pointer
Stavr Scoop Moonstrik 6
Stealth 720i (BNIB)
Home made beach scoop
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have a 2013 Ram 1500 and paid the upgrade to have the GPS activated as it wasn't part of the original purchase price.

I sure wish I had saved the money and just used my phone.

Admittedly its nice to have the big screen on my truck to see where I'm going, but voice prompts don't work half the time, and you have to pay big bucks to get the maps updated.

Off topic I realize, but you mentioned it, so I jumped on it. LOL.....
 

Truth

Gold Member
Apr 13, 2016
14,332
32,142
Abita Springs La....Born in New Orleans
🥇 Banner finds
2
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
EQUINOX 800
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Just look at it is the CTX is the price itself and you get the GPS for free it'll help you sleep better :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ChampFerguson/TN

Bronze Member
Nov 22, 2013
1,181
1,620
TN
Detector(s) used
Minelab Safari .......... Minelab Excalibur II ....... ........Minelab CTX 3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I prefer my phone for navigation, which is why I never bothered with the feature lol


I'm the kind of guy that when they tell me, "im going to set this here so you cant use it even tho it comes with the vehicle", I promptly find a hack around it.
And I don't even listen to Sirius.
Yeah, I guess im like a 6 yr old at times.
 

Jason in Enid

Gold Member
Oct 10, 2009
9,593
9,229
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
can you imagine how much worse the repair backlog would be if there were factory features that could be turned on later? First off, you know they make it some proprietary item that had to be installed to make it work. Second, that item would never be sold and could only be installed by a certified tech (with access to the part). the kelleyco repair center cant keep up as it is, imagine how much worse it would get!
 

beerguy

Bronze Member
May 6, 2004
1,138
1,174
Camano Island, WA
Detector(s) used
CTX3030,
Many more on a rotating basis.
Park Ranger and Pack Mule pouches by Freeloader!
I used mine today at a park where I did not want to recover any targets since there were people everywhere.

I hunted a little over an hour, and marked 5 deep coin targets.

I will return later to recover them when it is less crowded.
 

RVRoamer73

Silver Member
Apr 19, 2016
4,283
8,064
Georgia
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030 Nox 800
Stealth 720i ,RTG 6"
Lesche GS 36
Predator Raptor
TRX pp
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I used mine today at a park where I did not want to recover any targets since there were people everywhere.

I hunted a little over an hour, and marked 5 deep coin targets.

I will return later to recover them when it is less crowded.

yeah, hate to hunt the parks at the wrong times. Everyone around here knows me, and i'd rather keep under the radar most times.
I did hunt a school again for a couple hours, several fairly deep coins. I also am hunting the deeper targets.Pulled one wheaty, a Canadian 67 penny , a kids ring, and the rest clad....

GL HH
 

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OP
Geobound

Geobound

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2017
614
867
Ontario
Detector(s) used
XP Deus (2019)
Fisher CZ-21 (2019)
CTX 3030 (April 2017)
AT Pro
Garrett Carrot
Pro Pointer
Stavr Scoop Moonstrik 6
Stealth 720i (BNIB)
Home made beach scoop
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I used mine today at a park where I did not want to recover any targets since there were people everywhere.

I hunted a little over an hour, and marked 5 deep coin targets.

I will return later to recover them when it is less crowded.

I actually like that logic......or at least a variant of it.

The ground here is still too hard to dig as the snow is just melting, but to go around and mark the good signals will save time later.

I'm thinking there could be a use for the GPS after all? LOL......
 

Jason in Enid

Gold Member
Oct 10, 2009
9,593
9,229
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I used mine today at a park where I did not want to recover any targets since there were people everywhere.

I hunted a little over an hour, and marked 5 deep coin targets.

I will return later to recover them when it is less crowded.

It's a good plan, just keep in mind that the GPS won't always walk you back to the point of standing on the target but it will get you to within a few feet. So when you get to "ground zero" just start a circular search pattern and you should find it in a few minutes.

Let us know how it goes!
 

adamBomb

Hero Member
May 30, 2014
645
551
Wilmington NC
Detector(s) used
Nox 700;
Past: Nox 600; CTX; CZ21; Excal II; White's DF;
920i Stealth Scoop
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
I use it every hunt. I am looking for patterns of good finds. I think its very helpful. Now if it was easier to use it to identify the target and connected to a cell app it would be 100x better but I am sure thats coming at some point to all machines as GPS chips are super small and cheap now.
 

ChampFerguson/TN

Bronze Member
Nov 22, 2013
1,181
1,620
TN
Detector(s) used
Minelab Safari .......... Minelab Excalibur II ....... ........Minelab CTX 3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I used mine today at a park where I did not want to recover any targets since there were people everywhere.

I hunted a little over an hour, and marked 5 deep coin targets.

I will return later to recover them when it is less crowded.
I've done that too with frozen ground, but as Jason said, GPS isn't going to give you inches in accuracy when you return. If I am GPS-marking targets for later digging, I also use orange golf tees to mark the spot. If you are paranoid, you can offset them from the actual target.
 

beerguy

Bronze Member
May 6, 2004
1,138
1,174
Camano Island, WA
Detector(s) used
CTX3030,
Many more on a rotating basis.
Park Ranger and Pack Mule pouches by Freeloader!
I will get back to the site this week after work, so I will let you know.

If this is efficient, I could see covering a site with the 17", marking targets and returning with the 11" or 6" to recover.

Here in Washington, Winter are the muddy months. I get filthy recovering targets.

This way, I could stop for beer on my way home. :laughing7:
 

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