Happy CTX Owner

[moreb]

I'm starting my second year with the CTX and I couldn't be happier.

Been diggin since 1975 and have owned several machine over the past 45 years. Up until now the only other machine I've owned that I felt comfortable with was a 1982 Garrett Deepseeker ADS II. I flat wore it out and was not repairable, so I was told when I sent it in for repairs in 1992. Since then I've had Garrets, Fishers, a Troy and a Sovereign GT. The GT probably has less than 20 hours on it never felt comfortable with it.

MidMoTreasure invited me to hunt a battlefield in the spring of 2018. I was using a F75 and I thought I was having a good day until I saw what the CTX was finding and his trash bag wasn't near as full as mine. I asked some questions and watched and then let that eat on me till the next fall. I was skeptical of the price of the CTX, but I kept reading and watching videos of the CTX. I emailed MidMotreasure in Sept of 2018 and it would be my turn to take him relic hunting at one of my sites. I asked him what he thought of the Nox 800. He said I would be better off with the CTX. I gulped and ordered one. Got it the first of October and then had to wait about 2 weeks till we could go out. I played with it out in the yard and was like holy cow I think I just spent whole lot of money for a unsolvable puzzle.

The hunt day finally came and he showed my a few things and we took off. A few of us have hunted this site for 30+ years. I find a couple of bullets, he finds a wedding band, a button back, a complete button, some drops and 2 half dimes in the same hole about 3" deep. Now I know I bought the right detector, I just need to figure it out.

I have not been a coin hunter in over 35 years Just a relic hunter. Now I'm coin hunting again and enjoying it. I've dug 27 silver coins from 1853 to 1964. From half dimes to half dollars. I've dug rings sterling silver to 18K gold. bullets, buttons, Indian heads, buffalo's, tokens. The CTX has opened all kinds of areas to hunt, old ones and new ones.

If you you are thinking about getting a mew machine or wanting to renew your hunting look at the CTX.

Hopefully this will generate some more posts in the CTX forum.

moreb

 

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[Jason in Enid]

While I agree that the CTX is a hell of a great detector, there is a reason the CTX forum has died. Its been replaced by the Equinox which is lighter, cheaper and just as capable. DVI is different and I understand some really prefer to see the 2D display of the CTX, but as far as finding targets, the EQX edges out the CTX for adjustability. Now dont get me wrong, for someone who has a CTX and is happy with it, there is no reason to change. But most established CTX users jumped on the EQX when it came out so the discussions has trailed off.

 

[moreb]

Hello Jason,

I enjoy reading your posts on the forum. Always informative. Thanks for your insight. That explains a lot why the forum has died.

moreb

 

[Dan(NM)]

Yep, former CTX user here, bailed out when I got the Nox and was digging as deep and moving along faster and lighter.

 

[MidMoTreasure]

I, for one, have not jumped over to the Nox. While it is a capable and powerful machine, I prefer to swing my CTX. I got it in the first wave, Memorial Day 2012, and have not looked back. It really wasn't until about 5 years of use (HEAVY use, and experimentation, and testing settings and functions) that I felt like I fully unlocked all of its potential. It is so customizable that I can "make" it the perfect machine for each site by switching patterns and settings.

When the Nox came out, my friend got an 800. After he had used it a bit, we went out to an old fairground where I have dug 10+ inch deep silver dimes. I spent about an hour sweeping and flagging deep targets. I concentrated on high tones that I believed were coins. Then, we hit them with the Nox and my E-Trac. The Nox struggled to hit some of the really deep ones, and the ID was inaccurate. We repeated this test at an old hospital site with similar results. The Nox couldn't detect a 9" Indian cent that the CTX locked on to. Now, this is my experience in my dirt. Y'alls results may (and likely will) vary.

Moreb is a great detectorist and it has been a pleasure learnin' him on the CTX. He has taught me a thing it two about detecting in general and about Civil War campsites (the honey hole is always right over that next hill!). Ultimately, the best detector on the market is the one you are familiar with and comfortable using. You will dig more with that machine than anything else. For me, that is the CTX.

 

[Jason in Enid]

MidMo, you said it took you 5 years to REALLY learn the CTX. Do you think you could have known how to setup your CTX to hit those ultra deep coins at the beginning? Do you think its possible that someone with a lot less time on an EQX might not have learned yet how to maximize its potential or learn what those ultra deep coins sounds like? I've seen people post videos about their "iffy, bad signal" turning out to be a coin, but the target they are saying was so bad is a perfect example of a deep coin signal on this detector. I dont know if thats applicable you your hunts, but its worth considering.

 

[HighVDI]

MidMo, you said it took you 5 years to REALLY learn the CTX. Do you think you could have known how to setup your CTX to hit those ultra deep coins at the beginning? Do you think its possible that someone with a lot less time on an EQX might not have learned yet how to maximize its potential or learn what those ultra deep coins sounds like? I've seen people post videos about their "iffy, bad signal" turning out to be a coin, but the target they are saying was so bad is a perfect example of a deep coin signal on this detector. I dont know if thats applicable you your hunts, but its worth considering.

My thoughts exactly. I saw so many FBS users seem to write off the Equinox too quickly.

Besides, not all sites are loaded with only deep coins.....not that those spots don't exist but you never seem to see people comparing signals between the two in cellar hole iron. IMO, the Equinox will rip the CTX to shreds.

I've compared signals with both and I can see where the FBS users might feel threatened over price to value.

 

[Jason in Enid]

My thoughts exactly. I saw so many FBS users seem to write off the Equinox too quickly.

Besides, not all sites are loaded with only deep coins.....not that those spots don't exist but you never seem to see people comparing signals between the two in cellar hole iron. IMO, the Equinox will rip the CTX to shreds.

I've compared signals with both and I can see where the FBS users might feel threatened over price to value.

I've owned the CTX since its release. Its a hell of a great detector. I originally bought the EQX because of its separation speed in thick trash. I was wanting the ultra-fast machine to compliment the deep silver slayer of my CTX. What I found was that my EQX was just as deep as my CTX, plus it was faster and way lighter. For anyone who has the CTX and is happy, I advise them to keep it. Unless you are hunting super trashy sites, you arent likely to see a performance benefit.

 

[MidMoTreasure]

MidMo, you said it took you 5 years to REALLY learn the CTX. Do you think you could have known how to setup your CTX to hit those ultra deep coins at the beginning? Do you think its possible that someone with a lot less time on an EQX might not have learned yet how to maximize its potential or learn what those ultra deep coins sounds like? I've seen people post videos about their "iffy, bad signal" turning out to be a coin, but the target they are saying was so bad is a perfect example of a deep coin signal on this detector. I dont know if thats applicable you your hunts, but its worth considering.

I came from the E-Trac, so I had experience with creating patterns and FBS technology. As a result, I had success right off the bat. I understand what you mean about the CTX not being a "turn on and go" machine for someone who hasn't picked up a Minelab FBS machine before. It is programmable and customizable with numerous different possible search modes. What I meant by taking 5 years is that there are so many settings and features that it takes a LOT of experimentation in the field to develop the right pattern and setup for every detecting situation (e.g., parks, fields, home tear-down sites, freshwater, ocean, naturally mineralized ground, ground mineralized by fertilizer or animal waste, etc.). You don't have that level of customization with the Equinox. What you lose in flexibility, you gain in simplicity.

Again, not trashing the Nox at all. But in my dirt in Central Missouri, an Equinox misses or does not correctly identify deep coins that the CTX nails and the CTX accurately identifies targets at depth. I guarantee that the results will be different in different dirt. I would also give the Nox the edge in very trashy sites with moderately shallow targets. Those sites are tough for the CTX. You basically have to strap on a small coil, go slow, and block off your entire afternoon.