First significant find with the CTX

TrpnBils

Hero Member
Jan 2, 2005
870
1,234
Western PA
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Detector(s) used
CTX 3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
1816 large cent - not exactly a rarity, but I'm considering it a significant find for me for a couple of reasons. I moved from the Etrac to the CTX in February or so and haven't been able to hunt much with it yet so I'm still learning every single time I pick it up. One of the reasons I wanted to get it this year was because of how much quicker it is in processing than the Etrac and how much better it allegedly handled iron. I have a site that I figured would be the ultimate test of "I'll be impressed if it can pick up anything here I haven't already found". It's a colonial site that I've pulled about a dozen coins dated from 1794 through the early 1900s last year. I haven't dug a coin out of it in 11 months and have been over and over and over it. The square nails there are so thick that you can run the pinpointer across the ground on minimum sensitivity and pick up nails at the surface. No coin I've ever dug there has been deeper than 4" and I know the iron was masking the coins that were undoubtedly still there. I have been on that site with the CTX three times now and managed to squeak out this coin tonight at 3". I'm learning lots of stuff along the way, and I feel this is progress.
 

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Upvote 17
Oct 5, 2014
31,886
35,425
Massachusetts
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Garrett: AT Pro, AT Gold & Infinium; Minelab: Explorer SE, II; Simplex; Tesoro: Tejon & Outlaw; White's: V3i
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Congratualtions! Keep up the good work; learning a new machine can be frustrating at times, but well worth the effort! :occasion14:
 

ScubaDetector

Silver Member
Mar 1, 2016
3,668
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Port Huron MI
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2 Fisher CZ-21's 8 and 10" coils
Tesoro Tiger Shark 8 and 10" coils (Interchangeable)
Minelab E-Trac with Sun Ray Probe
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Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Very nice old copper. Congrats
 

can

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Dec 26, 2015
979
460
NC
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xp DEUS, excal sword,ctx 3030, garrett carrot
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DeepseekerADS

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Mar 3, 2013
14,880
21,725
SW, VA - Bull Mountain
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Other
Great job! I'd say you're starting to get the handle on that CTX.
 

Gaspipe

Bronze Member
Sep 6, 2013
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1,246
New England
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Garrett AT Pro; F75
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Good job and post. I hope as you continue to learn this machine you keep updating and share some of your tips to lower the learning curve for those of us (like me) who are thinking of getting a CTX.
 

oxbowbarefoot

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May 25, 2011
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I'm still on the learning curve with my CTX too. I like it a lot, but I think it will be my dedicated water machine. I've just invested so much time on land learning my Deus that I don't want to go through it again with the CTX. Nice copper!
 

Mach1Pilot

Silver Member
Jul 21, 2008
3,000
1,160
Bedford County, PA
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Nice one Jeff! There undoubtedly are a few more good coppers waiting there for you to find... :)
 

against the wind

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Jul 27, 2015
24,797
24,977
Port Allegheny, Pennsylvania
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Very nice find,
The CTX is a fun machine.
I know that the Etrac will scream at you when the coil goes over silver but it seems like I'm getting a little bit extra when the CTX goes over silver also. Maybe it is just me but my CTX yelled at me the other day when I found 3 silvers.
Congrats on the 1816 LC.
 

Scrappy

Gold Member
Mar 6, 2014
9,204
14,019
17th century
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That CTX will work wonders in the right hands with lots of practice. Congrats on the LC. That first find with a new machine is an important hurdle.

Congrats!
 

DeepseekerADS

Gold Member
Mar 3, 2013
14,880
21,725
SW, VA - Bull Mountain
Detector(s) used
CTX, Excal II, EQ800, Fisher 1260X, Tesoro Royal Sabre, Tejon, Garrett ADSIII, Carrot, Stealth 920iX, Keene A52
Primary Interest:
Other
I won't say that I've learned enough about my CTX yet - won't say that at all.

I still dig pull tabs, and I will continue to do so. My last hunt a couple days ago, I dug only one pull tab (would have dug more if there'd been more there) - and that was the only trash I dug. There was lots of foil and other trash - the sounds gave them away. My approach is serious listening to the sounds, in multiple directions. I want repeatable sounds, and am quite patient and forgiving about that - knowing the there's other stuff in the grounds adding complexity. Each time I go out, when I've the time to put in the hunt, I'll dig stuff to verify my belief it is trash. Doing that over and over and you gradually learn the signals.

It takes more time - that's why my hunting partner always beats me on the number of finds. I did come back from my last hunt thinking I need to start checking those lower CO numbers like 12-03 range. I'd just taken another look at that FE-CO chart, had forgotten that small gold will often be there, and I've yet to find gold with the CTX. I should have gone back to that chart much earlier!

Learn, learn, learn! Maybe someday I'll be an expert. Right now I'm just a spurt!

ETrac Target Card Sheet.jpg

Keep the faith!
 

OP
OP
TrpnBils

TrpnBils

Hero Member
Jan 2, 2005
870
1,234
Western PA
🥇 Banner finds
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🏆 Honorable Mentions:
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Detector(s) used
CTX 3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I'm still on the learning curve with my CTX too. I like it a lot, but I think it will be my dedicated water machine. I've just invested so much time on land learning my Deus that I don't want to go through it again with the CTX. Nice copper!
I went through that conflict when deciding whether or not to get this. I put so much time into the Etrac that I didn't know if I wanted to start over from scratch with a new machine. I'm not 100% sold on it yet, but I know it's just a matter of getting more time in on it.

Nice one Jeff! There undoubtedly are a few more good coppers waiting there for you to find... :)
No doubt in my mind. I wish the guy would plow it....or let me plow it or something. This is that place I was telling you about where they logged it earlier this year. It's ripped up pretty bad and the dirt in the main tract of productive land is all packed down, so I'm hoping he'll plow it up again before hay time.

Very nice find,
The CTX is a fun machine.
I know that the Etrac will scream at you when the coil goes over silver but it seems like I'm getting a little bit extra when the CTX goes over silver also. Maybe it is just me but my CTX yelled at me the other day when I found 3 silvers.
Congrats on the 1816 LC.
I got two massive screaming signals today...one was a foil drink lid and the other was a 2004 lincoln cent. I'm not a big fan of how high this machine rings up zinc pennies. That one was a solid 12-45!

That CTX will work wonders in the right hands with lots of practice. Congrats on the LC. That first find with a new machine is an important hurdle.

Congrats!
Thanks - I have found a handful of silver dimes and a war nickel too since I got this machine but this one meant something to me because I know how hard I've hit that area with my Etrac (and my one buddy with his ATP). This was a litmus test to see what the CTX could do. I know there's more there yet!
 

beerguy

Bronze Member
May 6, 2004
1,138
1,174
Camano Island, WA
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CTX3030,
Many more on a rotating basis.
Park Ranger and Pack Mule pouches by Freeloader!
Nice job TrpnBils. Learning the CTX is a joy.
 

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