Texas_Meteorite_Hunter
Jr. Member
- Feb 27, 2006
- 82
- 1
- Detector(s) used
- Pulse Star II
- Primary Interest:
- Cache Hunting
As I have not seen a review of this detector, I feel an obligation to give it a fair review as a trail hardened user. Because I'm not technically a treasure hunter, I think I can give an unbiased review.
Lets start first with the manufacture's website at:
http://www.tb-electronic.de/start/index2.html
In the US the only distibutor is the excellent Kellyco people.
http://www.kellycodetectors.com
I'm a meteorite field researcher and hunter, so I can say with authority that this unit is great for meteorites. Its price point is at $2,000 vs $5000 for the competitor's Lorentz unit.
Second, the technology. This is a PI machine. As in Pulse Induction, that gives you greater depth and less trouble from minerals. The coils are induction auto-matched to the unit to give greatest performance. Those who have tried to build PI units, you will understand the benifits. Battery life is 10 hours before recharge. Recharger is supplied for dual 220/110 voltages.
Third, the coils. The unit comes with a 1m x 1m coil. Thats 3.28'x3.28' for those not up to speed yet. This is not a rod mounted coil, but one that must be put on a frame or carried. There is a 2m x 2m coil that can be bought to cover ground faster. The exciting thing about this coil is that it can be converted into a 1m x 3m coil to cover a 3m swath of ground and only forfeit depth back to a 1mx1m coil. The coils work best when mounted on a PVC pipe frame with all plastic wheels and parts. It is possible to attach a frame to an ATV and drive. But you must drive VERY SLOWLY or you miss targets, as in walking speeds. I know, I've missed some meteorites this way; then found the one I missed when I rechecked by walking the coil later.
For DIY people, a 3m x 3m coil is possible, similar to the 3x3 coil available with the Lorentz unit. However, unless your after a buried Sherman Tank, there's really no need for bigger coils, the 2x2 is great. Remember most man-buried targets are at 1m or less. Also, at 2m x 2m interference becomes more of a problem.
When locating a target, the big coil is not good for pinpointing. Best thing to do is use a landscape flag and flag several targets. After 10 or so you need to use smaller coil (or your trusty hand held detector) to find the targets. The unit comes with 3 other coil options a 45cm coil a 25cm coil (recommended by me) and a probe. The 45cm and 25cm coils are rod mounted just like a normal hand held. I like the 25cm coil as it really goes deep and its small enough for pinpointing. On coils I give it 4 stars. I'd like to have seen a 1.5 x 1.5m coil and a standard 3x3m coil.
Fourth, the control unit. The unit is well engineered for rough use. The control box is in a leather protective case, the plugs and speakers are smartly positioned. The control box has 4 knobs of which you only tweek one - the tuner during field operation. It has a reset button that must be used when the ground mineralization changes drasticly, otherwise it ignores mineralization. Coverering burnt earth is one thing it reacts too as if it were high mineralization. Burnt ground is common here in Texas when brush is pushed into a pile and burnt to clear land. Just don't reset the unit over metal/burnt ground or you desensitize it, just like a VLF detector. So for simplicity, I give it 5 stars.
OK, the Depth issue. With a 2m x 2m coil the depth is advertized at 5 meters. In this case, the reality is the same - my friend in South America has retrieved a iron meteorite at 5m depth. I forgot to ask him the size of the target. But I did mention that that's not metal detecting, that's mining!
From my own experience, the 1m x 1m coil detected a corroded chain at 1.25m depth which I dug with great expectation and although disappointed by the target, I gave the unit new respect. Another friend found a iron meteorite at a fairly shallow 2.6m (~8 ft). In my field experience this detector has great depth to smaller targets than advertized. That's a rare trait in a manufacturer.
Discrimination. Well, this is a PI unit, so the discrimination is poor. Thats a systemic shortcoming of all PI units. the Pulse Star has 2 LEDs that will come on if the target is big enough and you are using the 1mx1m coil. FERROUS and NON-FERROUS. Basicly, its a conductivity measurement. On Descrim, I give it 2 star. They did what they could.
Support and Warrenty. There is a US 1year warrenty. The manufacturer will also provide some tech support for those who have already bought a Pulse Star II unit. I know this first hand, as I corresponded with their engineer about some optimization issues.
Overall I give this 4.5 stars.
(attached is a picture of a 1.35kg iron meteorite - If you stumble across something like this - write me)
Lets start first with the manufacture's website at:
http://www.tb-electronic.de/start/index2.html
In the US the only distibutor is the excellent Kellyco people.
http://www.kellycodetectors.com
I'm a meteorite field researcher and hunter, so I can say with authority that this unit is great for meteorites. Its price point is at $2,000 vs $5000 for the competitor's Lorentz unit.
Second, the technology. This is a PI machine. As in Pulse Induction, that gives you greater depth and less trouble from minerals. The coils are induction auto-matched to the unit to give greatest performance. Those who have tried to build PI units, you will understand the benifits. Battery life is 10 hours before recharge. Recharger is supplied for dual 220/110 voltages.
Third, the coils. The unit comes with a 1m x 1m coil. Thats 3.28'x3.28' for those not up to speed yet. This is not a rod mounted coil, but one that must be put on a frame or carried. There is a 2m x 2m coil that can be bought to cover ground faster. The exciting thing about this coil is that it can be converted into a 1m x 3m coil to cover a 3m swath of ground and only forfeit depth back to a 1mx1m coil. The coils work best when mounted on a PVC pipe frame with all plastic wheels and parts. It is possible to attach a frame to an ATV and drive. But you must drive VERY SLOWLY or you miss targets, as in walking speeds. I know, I've missed some meteorites this way; then found the one I missed when I rechecked by walking the coil later.
For DIY people, a 3m x 3m coil is possible, similar to the 3x3 coil available with the Lorentz unit. However, unless your after a buried Sherman Tank, there's really no need for bigger coils, the 2x2 is great. Remember most man-buried targets are at 1m or less. Also, at 2m x 2m interference becomes more of a problem.
When locating a target, the big coil is not good for pinpointing. Best thing to do is use a landscape flag and flag several targets. After 10 or so you need to use smaller coil (or your trusty hand held detector) to find the targets. The unit comes with 3 other coil options a 45cm coil a 25cm coil (recommended by me) and a probe. The 45cm and 25cm coils are rod mounted just like a normal hand held. I like the 25cm coil as it really goes deep and its small enough for pinpointing. On coils I give it 4 stars. I'd like to have seen a 1.5 x 1.5m coil and a standard 3x3m coil.
Fourth, the control unit. The unit is well engineered for rough use. The control box is in a leather protective case, the plugs and speakers are smartly positioned. The control box has 4 knobs of which you only tweek one - the tuner during field operation. It has a reset button that must be used when the ground mineralization changes drasticly, otherwise it ignores mineralization. Coverering burnt earth is one thing it reacts too as if it were high mineralization. Burnt ground is common here in Texas when brush is pushed into a pile and burnt to clear land. Just don't reset the unit over metal/burnt ground or you desensitize it, just like a VLF detector. So for simplicity, I give it 5 stars.
OK, the Depth issue. With a 2m x 2m coil the depth is advertized at 5 meters. In this case, the reality is the same - my friend in South America has retrieved a iron meteorite at 5m depth. I forgot to ask him the size of the target. But I did mention that that's not metal detecting, that's mining!
From my own experience, the 1m x 1m coil detected a corroded chain at 1.25m depth which I dug with great expectation and although disappointed by the target, I gave the unit new respect. Another friend found a iron meteorite at a fairly shallow 2.6m (~8 ft). In my field experience this detector has great depth to smaller targets than advertized. That's a rare trait in a manufacturer.
Discrimination. Well, this is a PI unit, so the discrimination is poor. Thats a systemic shortcoming of all PI units. the Pulse Star has 2 LEDs that will come on if the target is big enough and you are using the 1mx1m coil. FERROUS and NON-FERROUS. Basicly, its a conductivity measurement. On Descrim, I give it 2 star. They did what they could.
Support and Warrenty. There is a US 1year warrenty. The manufacturer will also provide some tech support for those who have already bought a Pulse Star II unit. I know this first hand, as I corresponded with their engineer about some optimization issues.
Overall I give this 4.5 stars.
(attached is a picture of a 1.35kg iron meteorite - If you stumble across something like this - write me)
