Makro Gold Racer reviews

[Don71]

Desert-Rat,

You said:
"with the new unit im picking up .05 grain down to about 2" and anything over about 1.5 grains im getting down at 3-4"

Did you mean 0.05 grams or grains?
If that is really 0.05 grains then that is pretty incredible.
I can get 0.03 grams about about 1" or so using the 5" round coil on my unit.

-Don

 

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[desert-rat]

Grams. sorry had kids bugging me when I wrote that. it will find things so small they wont register on the scale. right before dark I found a super thing piece of aluminum that was a good 2" down in black sand. it wouldn't register on the scale. im new to this whole thing so I don't have anything to compare this machine to but if it stays working like it is im impressed. just the junk I kept weighed 2 oz. I didn't keep the bigger stuff as it wouldn't go in the lid of the bottle I had.

 

[desert-rat]

can anyone tell me how much the frequency shift on this changes it? I know it runs at 56khz so what does it goto if you shift it? the factory default is 03 for the setting so what would the frequency be if you shift it? how will it affect the response you get from a target?

 

[Don71]

I have the AU Gold Finder which is the Gold Racer in a different Gold Bug type box. It doesn't offer frequency shift in this package. I know that in some Fors manuals, Nokta says to only frequency shift if EMI is a big problem. The machine is optimal at the default frequency. Maybe you can test it on your smallest test piece and see if the target response is reduced on a different frequency. -Don

 

[sycotoad]

I don't think you should be pointing any fingers until they release the 28 pages

Is buying a Racer actually supporting terrorism?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/reports-explosion-rocks-turkish-city-bursa-152159300.html?nhp=1

 

[kenpodetector]

I wanted to update you guys on whats going on with my Gold Racer. Dilek kindly sent me a top assembly for my headphone issue with fixed the problem. Unfortunately testing the detector some I found that if there is any movement on the 5 pin coil connector it will make the ID go all over and change the threshold along with it It does this for both the old and new assembly. (The connector is tightened down good) Cold solder joint or a rubbing connection to another in the 5 pin plug is what I surmise. Furthermore, in testing the old one still has the head phone issue and the new one doesn't just so you think the org problem is not just the cable. Dilek got the information along with the company i purchased the detector from. I am not happy having these problems but, I can say Dilek and Makro are fantastic about fixing any issues I am having and I commend Dilek on that, as she is fantastic. I just want to get this thing running how it supposed to so I can get to work. :-)

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Have you tried a different coil?

 

[kenpodetector]

No I do not have another coil nor am I buying one or spending another cent on this thing. The manufacturer claims this is normal. My expert opinion is (30 years using metal detectors) there is something not correct in design and or quality control of the product. The GMT doesn't do this. Anyhow that's the end of my comments on this thread good luck to all on the Gold Racer. They have great customer service but I will be sticking in the future with purchases from Whites, Minelab etc etc.. And think about it why such "great" customer service? Lots of complaints if you look on the forums so they are trying to fix all the problems and not get a bad name just my 2 cents. Mine is going back and I am done with it. I will have a review on one of my episodes of Internet Gold Miner this summer I will be honest about it and not bash.

 

[Nokta Detectors]

No I do not have another coil nor am I buying one or spending another cent on this thing. The manufacturer claims this is normal. My expert opinion is (30 years using metal detectors) there is something not correct in design and or quality control of the product. The GMT doesn't do this. Anyhow that's the end of my comments on this thread good luck to all on the Gold Racer. They have great customer service but I will be sticking in the future with purchases from Whites, Minelab etc etc.. And think about it why such "great" customer service? Lots of complaints if you look on the forums so they are trying to fix all the problems and not get a bad name just my 2 cents. Mine is going back and I am done with it. I will have a review on one of my episodes of Internet Gold Miner this summer I will be honest about it and not bash.

Hello. With all due respect, I would like to chime in here and make a comment. If there is an issue with any of our products, we never deny it and we fix it the fastest way we can. However, we are the manufacturer of the product and we are going based on what you showed us in a short video. In the video, you were moving the connector with your hand and the device was getting some noise. Our devices are very high gain devices and yes if you move the connector with your hand, it may receive some noise and this is totally normal. However, this will not happen during the normal use of the product, neither will it affect its performance. If you have any other complaints, we are still here to help you.

In addition, we also have many of the very famous competition models here that are doing the exact same thing. It would not be ethical for us to mention the models here and/or post a video but I can gladly email you to show you. When you are comparing devices, you should also consider other factors such as gain / depth etc so you are comparing apples to apples.

You are the customer and you have every right to choose any manufacturer and any product . However, all manufacturers including the ones mentioned in your post have had many issues as well. I also read the forums and talk to thousands of customers around the world. Mistakes or defects are inevitable for any manufacturer. Standing behind your product and customers is the most important thing. I don't think having great customer service is considered a negative in any industry.

Thank you for being our customer and should you need further assistance, please keep in mind that we are always here for you.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

No these are where they are trained dude. Re watch the video.

Casca please keep politics out of forum...

 

[kenpodetector]

I am not on here to argue I am a honest to the point fact based person. I will have a honest review of the product on one of my upcoming episodes of my show. And for those whom would like to see the video of the problem here is what is going on. (excuse the cell phone video) https://goo.gl/photos/1ma9U2fFpQtrRaYQA I can't produce the issue with any other metal detector here and the folks can make their own judgements.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

So I went out and spent 10 minutes detecting yesterday evening with the Gold Racer. Didn't notice anything out of the ordinary other than the ground sounded much different wet compared to dry. Dug a few bullets - was just wasting some time.

Before I put the detector away, I wiggled the connection to see what it did - it acted similar to the video (perhaps a little worse since it generated a target ID #). My connector nut was not tightened. Who knows how long I had been using it that way!
After tightening the connection, the behavior went away completely. I suppose if I molested the connection a bit, it may still have affected the threshold tone, but I have a policy of not wiggling connections unless something is broke.

I want to say that my Fisher Gold Bug 2 does something similar, where you can hear a change in threshold when you wiggle the connection.
I avoid doing that and keep on finding treasure. Truthfully, with the cable properly secured, and under normal use, I highly doubt your connection behavior would affect performance at all.

However if it were me and it WAS affecting performance I would do the following:

1.) Turn the detector off and remove batteries.
2.) Look at the threads of both ends of the connection. See if there is anything that is preventing the connection from threading on further.
3.) Lightly apply a little dioelectric grease onto the male threads and tighten and loosen the connection repeatably, working the threads. Don't over tighten!
4.) Remove the coil connection and with the connection pointed downward, heavily spray electrical cleaner into both sides of the connection to wash out any dust or residue that may be in there from normal use or manufacturing processes. Also wash off the grease from the threads.
5.) Immediately gently blow compressed air into the connections to evaporate the cleaner.
6.) Carefully secure your cable to the shaft at several locations, including the base by the coil and near the connection.
7.) Re-install batteries and check for improvement.

Personally I think that connection style could be updated and improved.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

You probably already know this...per your video, your cable was not properly secured to the shaft.

In my experience, leaving the cable to flap in the wind leads to false signals and eventual cable failures.
It gives it some leverage to "wiggle" connections at the coil and at the detector.
Especially if the detector is shook or bumped.

 

[desert-rat]

Audigger I thought about doing the same thing. The only problem is I make a living working on other peoples products that are torn up junk and I refuse to own a device I spend my leisure time working on instead of using. Now working on getting a refund to purchase something else. sorry if this post sounds a little bitter but I have had all of this im willing to take.

 

[kenpodetector]

The ring was tighten down much more even than I would normally. We can go at this all day because I can go attach the cable to the shaft as you stated and perform the same test and get the same results. And as far as your instructions above..... I NEVER had to do this with any of the metal detectors I have owned and bought new in the last 20 years. Its funny you said that about your GB2 also because I can't make my buddies do that. So as far as I am concerned I am finished. Its a new metal detector it should work out of the box period. As I said I have will have a honest review on my tv/internet show about the product in an up coming episode and that it going to be it for me here good luck to you guys.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Hopefully my comments didn't come across the wrong way.

I wasn't saying the problem was caused by the way you had the cable secured, only that in my opinion it will exaggerate the problem.
I have had numerous coils fail over the years due to cabling issues. I don't mean quit working, but false signal when bumped to the point of not being useful. Sometimes it is at the coil and other times at the box connection.
Just friendly suggestions.

Per the Gold Bug 2. The issues I had with the threshold changing when the cable was wiggled went away at some point when I purchased a new coil. General wear and tear over the course of miles of detecting in brush country.
Not sure if it still does it..

How does a person find your tv/internet show? Hey! I see your from Nevada - when I watched your video, I immediately thought that it looked like the area around Fallon. Am I close?
I go through there every couple years to race around Sand Mountain. I have always wanted to load up a 4X4 ATV and do some exploring with my detector, but never have the time.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Audigger I thought about doing the same thing. The only problem is I make a living working on other peoples products that are torn up junk and I refuse to own a device I spend my leisure time working on instead of using. Now working on getting a refund to purchase something else. sorry if this post sounds a little bitter but I have had all of this im willing to take.

desert-rat I'm confused. I thought that Makro sent you a replacement and that you were very pleased with how the second unit was working?
What happened?

 

[desert-rat]

desert-rat I'm confused. I thought that Makro sent you a replacement and that you were very pleased with how the second unit was working?
What happened?

I was pleased with it unit I was made aware of the cable issue. I air tested it and its so erratic I don't trust it at all. I think I could swing a stick and find as much. I did some test on the new unit with some pickers in the dirt and wasn't impressed don't know if its the bad connection or what. I tried to snug up the connector and that didn't help so off it shall go and the whites gmt will replace it if I don't give up on detecting all together.

 

[motohed]

Hi guys , I've been really busy ,so I have'nt been on much lately . I am wondering if there have been anymore updates on the Gold Racer

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Makro sent me a replacement detector to resolve my headphone issues.

Still finding stuff with it.
The detector seems to be more responsive to very small gold if the threshold tone is set to high, the audio boost on, and the sensitivity turned down a little bit until it's behaving.
Of course using the smaller coils makes a big difference in how well it hits on the small stuff.