For the people who have both coils (8x11 and 5X8) on there AT PRO is there a big difference in the way they will detect? I'm a new owner and have not use either one yet. Thanks for the information
Dude.....Dont bother with the big coil...I used to run it for a year or so, and I found some good shiii, But once I got the smaller coil, it was night and day. The 5x8 is the way to go, very easy to pinpointer, great for trashy areas.
i know some say you lose depth, but when Im hunting slow with it, I can pull out lead pellets from a pellet gun at 8+"'s.
Good luck man! YOu will love that machine, I learn new stuff about it all the time. Just keep an eye out for the ranges (VDI) of the targets you are digging
I only have the large coil on my sons at pro.I will be grabing the small one soon.I really think having both is the way to go.You will get more depth and coverage from the larger coil,you can do easy test to check that.But you need the seperation of the small coil in the heavy trash,Iron.If you can only get one..well that depends on what type of sites you will be hunting the most.
i use the 5x8 90% of the time....only the big coil when hunting large fields with little trash or when max depth is needed. The 5x8 is best by far, and makes the pro way more comfortable to swing for long periods of time. It will find all but the tiniest of targets down to 8" or so in most ground. The large coil will find bullets and such down to a foot or so.
Over 3500 hours in with the at pro and standard coil. I have a 5x8 but have never put it on as the standard coil is awesome.(and, I have the at gold so if I want to swing the small coil I just grab the other machine.) Trash seperation works just great with it, no problem. SLOW DOWN.
I usually carry both the 8x11 and 5x8 in the car when I go to a spot. They both have their advantages. On a new site I will often use the 8x11 first to scan the area a few times as it covers more ground. I always follow up with the 5x8 as it sometimes can see past junk masking out a good target. The 5x8 is also makes hunting those trashy areas much easier.
The bigger coil is great for scanning a larger area, like a sports field, beach, or park. The smaller coil is very easy to pin point, much lighter than the 8x11, and performs well around trash and large metal objects. I spent a month detecting a construction site/sidewalk tear-out this summer. The ground was rough and full of large pieces of iron. My 5x8 performed great on this site and I was able to detect many places where the 8x11 would have been hard to use.
In my opinion, keep both of these coils in your arsenal. There are sites where one or the other will excel. If you have weakness or painful joins in the shoulder/arm you use to swing the detector, then the 5x8 would probably be much more comfortable to use.
Two months into using the AT Pro and I am definitely a fan of the 5x8 coil. The stock coil is too heavy and I have trouble pinpointing my target as a result I always end up digging a bigger hole than needed. I might use it in a super clean area where I am free to use a shovel like on private land but definitely not in parks or urban/trashy areas.
I'll vote for both, apples to oranges, special needs on both. Personally it depends on how and where you hunt, and how you use your detector. Both coils are great.
I bought an extra Pro so I wouldn't have to swap em out. I use the stock coil at the beach and in large areas with lil trash and the 5x8 everywhere else. They both have their advantages!
Since I got my 5x8 coil the stock coil hasn't been back on . I don't think I lose enough depth to make much of a difference and its so much better at finding targets in junky ground
What xr7ator said about slowing down really got my attention. When I go to the beach and watch guys detecting I'm always perplexed at the rapidity of the strokes they make. I often think they just want to finish off the area as quick as they can and get the hell out of there.
Slow down is the best piece of advice to every detector.