How much of a difference between F2 with 8" coil and 11" double D?

[mikeraydj]

I hear that a lot of people have upgraded to the 11' DD coil on their F2's. Does it make a big difference? If so how?

 

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[steve1357]

I hear that a lot of people have upgraded to the 11' DD coil on their F2's. Does it make a big difference? If so how?

I think it's a couple of inches, I can check for you.

My opinion was don't waste $150 for a coil to add to a $200 detector as I did.

An old post of mine...

I have an F2, F5, and a F70.

Based upon the depths I've observed, putting a 11DD coil on an F2 won't make it an F5 or F70/F75. Putting a 11DD coil on the F5 won't make it a F70/F75.

To get a usable increase in depth, you need to move up to a detector you can ground balance. To increase further, a higher frequency does better.

My best guess to answer your question, you might see a couple more inches, maybe three if you add a bigger coil that costs almost as much as the detector.

I've done it, buying an expensive coil to be disappointed, I'm not doing it again. I've done well buying used detectors, so that's another consideration in moving up.
fwiw

 

[mikeraydj]

Thanks Steve, You are a great help and a wealth of knowledge as always.

 

[christo000]

Thanks Steve, You are a great help and a wealth of knowledge as always.

Definetly a good guy he is always willing to help

 

[mikeraydj]

Yeah. Would definitely love to go on a F2 hunt with him. He would school me on this machine.

 

[christo000]

As long as ur having fun its all not really a competition but has its benefits over many hobbies, keep in mind as u get more involved in the hobby just cuz a machine might be $2,000+ doesn't mean it'll find anymore then a $500 one I've had those $2,000+ ones v3i deus xp & my f75ltd is finding me awesome relics & silver coins the others didnt, learn what u got & ull be successful

 

[Opie]

Mike, its not so much the depth, but target separation, swing style and speed, amount of ground covered and less ground balancing issues. I'm one of the so called nutz who put that $135 dollar coil on an $80 dollar machine. I use a NEL Hunter coil on my old Tracker IV. (I hunt near the Great Salt Lake, and most high dollar units do not work well there) I use a NEL Sharpshooter and Hunter coil on my F-2 and I'm very happy with them. Steve is right, a F-2 is no F-5 or F70, but then again, the F-5 is no F-2 either. Three different units for three different styles types, and metal detecting. The F-2 in one company's answer to another company's $200 dollar turn on and go detector, and its a great answer! You don't put the large DD coil on the F-2 for depth, though you will add some, you add it for enhanced target separation, better ground coverage, less ground balance issues.

 

[mikeraydj]

I am looking at a double D coil for those reasons as we have high mineralization here and getting a stable ID on my machine is hard to do unless it is shallow or on the surface. Would the coil help with that as the F2 has no ground balance?

 

[fella]

As long as ur having fun its all not really a competition but has its benefits over many hobbies, keep in mind as u get more involved in the hobby just cuz a machine might be $2,000+ doesn't mean it'll find anymore then a $500 one I've had those $2,000+ ones v3i deus xp & my f75ltd is finding me awesome relics & silver coins the others didnt, learn what u got & ull be successful

Exactly right! I've been out hunted, more than once and by complete noobs, swinging much cheaper machines than I. I've also been on the other end, out pacing much "better" machines hunting the same ground.

OP, if you can gain 2" by swapping to the 11"dd, you'll have a nice unit that will do 90+% of any other detector out there. I have an F2 and I also have enough time on the EuroTek Pro to know how good they can be.

 

[steve1357]

Exactly right! I've been out hunted, more than once and by complete noobs, swinging much cheaper machines than I. I've also been on the other end, out pacing much "better" machines hunting the same ground.

OP, if you can gain 2" by swapping to the 11"dd, you'll have a nice unit that will do 90+% of any other detector out there. I have an F2 and I also have enough time on the EuroTek Pro to know how good they can be.

Right on.

My point was, you buy the 11DD now $150, and then you want an NEL coil $200, and then you read about a MARS coil, and then you need to find that 5DD coil $100, and a 4" sniper coil, before you know it, you've got an F2 costing more than buying a T2 or "choose your model" better detector which goes twice as deep on it's stock coil.

 

[Opie]

I agree with Steve that one can go broke adding coils. Years ago, the industry stepped away from DD coils, I don't really know why, I'm guessing it was a cost to make reason. However there are some advantages to all the coil types. Concentric, DD, Mono. Its just been recent that the DD is become popular again, years ago, no one made them. The research going into the products has really helped, and finding out the reviews of the different coils, types, and kinds is almost instant on the information highway. My best advice to everyone, learn how your machine works, and learn what its telling you. It really does no good to own a high end anything if you can't operate it.

 

[Opie]

fella, your right. both mentioned machines are great machines, and you make a great statement when you say "enough time on a machine" you can pay a gazillion dollars for a machine, it doesn't make it better. But add the time needed to understand the machine, and now you have something. Sure adding the DD coil will change things with the detector, it has to because its a completely different transmitter and receiver set up. My Tracker IV has no VID numbers, no depth detector, but when it was the only detector I used, I could tell you what I found and how deep with the way the machine talked to me. That machine still amazes me on how well it works.

 

[rks1949]

My Uncle used to say! "It's the Indian,not the Arrow,that makes the difference"! I've seen F2's suck up coins like a pig at a acorn tree!

 

[mikeraydj]

My concern is that I have been hunting several parks and as you said the F2 will find the clad like nobody's business. The thing is, some of these parks have existed since the late 1800's. I have found a total of 5 wheat pennies from these parks. Now someone may have gotten all the old stuff before me. Which is hard to believe, because I have not seen anyone with a detector in the last 5 years. Or my machine is not getting deep enough to see the old stuff. Would the depth increase of a DD coil justify the cost or would I be better served to save up for a proven deeper detector with ground balance?

 

[Opie]

mike, I live a few miles away from a couple of the main Bear River crossings the pioneers used going to California along the California trail, I have yet to find anything of any value anywhere near there. Thousands of pioneers crossed at these places. A old local explained to me one day, quote "people been seeing whats there since I was a boy" not sure your park would be any different. This guy just recently passed away a month ago, he was 86 yrs old. I never seen anyone at these places either, and recently myself and a couple other people on here were given exclusive permission to a couple of these sites, and we don't have much to show for it. Metal detectors have been an attractive hobby for wood-bee, fortune hunters since the 1970's. I can remember helping my uncle look for gold with detectors back in 78-79. Just sayying maybe its been gone through.

 

[Opie]

Sorry got off track on yer question, It would not hurt to add a coil, will it make huge differences, it might and it might not. The crazy thing about metal detecting is so much depends on so much that what works for me here in Northern Utah, may "not" work on a beach in California. This is why I have and still use my old Tracker IV. It works in places other high dollar detectors don't, and other detectors I own work better in places then the tracker IV. I will quote what a very well respected person in our hobby once told me. "No one detector does everything well, that's why so many beeper fans have multiple machines." New coils never hurt, its a cheap alternative, but you don't need (4) 11-12" DD coils of different makes, unless your writing a review. My best advice, if you don't have a DD coil, get one. Why? Cuz you don't have one, and or you have never used one. It might make the difference you need might not, but at least you can now pass along the information you have learned. And that hundred bucks is really not that big a ding if your saving for the high end machine that's $800 plus dollars. I will tell you I have hunted next to a G2 and a T2 got the same depth with my F2, different readings on targets tho. This could have been the ground, the day, my luck, anything. I will also tell you that you have to like what you are using. I had a At Pro, and I just could not warm up to it, nothing personal, nothing against the unit, just the bell sounds the interface, just didn't work for me. I've also had Whites XT, and couldn't warm up to how it balanced and swung, but my friend luvs it. I have been happy with my coil purchases, again they make the machine a different machine, but then there totally different antennas from what was on it. Also DD is not always deeper, concentrics are deeper in some ground but only around the center.

 

[gleaner1]

Its deeper. And heavier. That's it.

 

[mikeraydj]

Thank you for all of your advice. I do like my F2. The more I swing it the better I am at identifying targets. I am going to save up for an F5. Everything I see addresses the shortcomings of the F2. Some have told me to go for the F70 or F75. I would love to, but I think the best balance of performance and budget would be the F5. Need ground balance bad.

 

[christo000]

Thank you for all of your advice. I do like my F2. The more I swing it the better I am at identifying targets. I am going to save up for an F5. Everything I see addresses the shortcomings of the F2. Some have told me to go for the F70 or F75. I would love to, but I think the best balance of performance and budget would be the F5. Need ground balance bad.

Good for you half the battle is seeing exactly what u need and what's gonna be best for you to do that with. The f5 is a great machine I for one love the carbon fiber interface. My only only peice of advice to ad would be if u like the fishers & they are awesome I've had a lot of higher end machines but loving &finding more with my f75ltd then tg he higher models my suggestion keep an eye out u can probably find a used f75ltd 0r f70 used at a price around the f5 bought mine used got the 11" &5" dd coils there's nothing gonna bable able to hide in the ground under 11" all day any day. Fisher has awesome customer service if needed good luck