Please help me decide on a metal detector!

[chaselarkin123]

Hello everyone,

I am completely new to the beach metal detecting world. I have met some cool people that hunt for treasure in Florida(where I live), so I decided that I am going to purchase a PI metal detector tomorrow before my first metal detecting outing this weekend. They are avid divers and treasure salvagers, and use aquapulse aqb1 units. I had originally debated going all out and also purchasing since this is going to be a lifelong hobby for me. After reading some information from forum members, it sounds as if the aqb1 is not as adequate for smaller targets or lower karat rings(commonly found from 1715 fleet). They mentioned that the higher (delay?)wont pick up lower karat and smaller items, but will detect larger and deeper objects. Can anyone confirm or deny this allegations? After reading this I'm wondering if I should just buy a entry level such as the Tesoro Sand Shark, since I will be searching wet sand and surf in florida 75% of the time and diving with it mayne 25%. Is anyone familiar with the specific units that work best with the specific mineralization of south florida waters? Thank you and any advice would be great as I am completely new and I'm only basing this off of what I've read. Thank you!!

 

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[penzfan]

Chase, I'll be hunting in PBC over the next 3 days. Would be willing to let you try out my Sand Shark and Excal if that would help you. Just send me a PM. Tony

 

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[chaselarkin123]

PM'd you!

 

[dewcon4414]

I dont agree on the Xcal being a foil/bottle cap magnet. I rarely dig a bottle cap unless im chasing a really deep target ....then a small scoop and i know and move on. I dig my fair share of pull tabs..... why, i have no idea since most of the time i know what it is especially on a shallow one. Pay special attention to what ever you buy to ensure its pressure ready if you intend to dive with it. I guess you dont know what you missed if you missed it, or it might be your coins Frog, but i can pick up most coins better in PP.... especially deep quarters that just aint there in in disc. It might also be the salt content in the water out there so deep. Im not a PI guy, but i know from hunting in PP with the Xcal, dry sand to head deep water there can be a LOT of targets to dig if you cant ID some of them. How many gold rings do most of us find at one time One....maybe two? So its going to depend how busy do you want to be with the time you have?

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Diving with Excalibur is ok, just need to put an Andersen short shaft + short down shaft. Need to replace the buttons as well or salt will quickly kill the buttons. Like all the time, many mods are avaialble for Excalibur.

PS: I just found a Latching switch for the Excalibur for remote Pinpointing/All Metal mode, 316L S Steel, waterproof IP69K minimum. Tested @-250ft without any issue.

19mm diameter - latching mode => 1 press switch to PP mode, 1 more press switch back to discrimination mode

 

[MrMikeJackie]

Frog, please explain you're set up. Did you make a hole in the original Anderson plastic cap? And then attached the switch? That's looks like an awesome job!

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

No just removed the plastic cap and mesasire the diameter: 19mm. I am just going to use epoxy glue to fill in the really small remaining gap + protect the wire connections and that's it.

Simple, reliable, waterproof!

NB: there is no movement on the swicht, it uses pressure difference 5Nm to engage a switching position. This should definitly solve the reliabitlity issu of all PP switchs

 

[MrMikeJackie]

How many wires for the switch, 2?

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Latching switch = 4 wires

2 for On/Off
2 for powering the switch, here it is a 24v version that I will use with 4c lipo on my exca. I will put a little regulator that will ensure a proprer 24v voltage in the main pod or in the battery pod of the excalibur

 

[chaselarkin123]

Wow frogmaster-riviera, you are the man!!! That set-up looks amazing!! Where did you get the awesome stainless steel latching switch?! Do you ever use the belt harness for the Excal control module when diving? I was debating if that would help with mobility.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Wow frogmaster-riviera, you are the man!!! That set-up looks amazing!! Where did you get the awesome stainless steel latching switch?! Do you ever use the belt harness for the Excal control module when diving? I was debating if that would help with mobility.

At first, the "man in charge" of Excalibur questions (and much more) is Sir OBN. OBN as been ennobled for his overall contributation to the Exalibur MOD practice

My latest Excalibur is still under development but will be finished shortly!

To answer to your question, I have never used side mount (hip hipe) with my exclibur underwater. I try to avoid to have extra cables on me that could bring extra mess in case of emergency (I would have to cut them to gain time). Don't know if you have already worked underwater, but side vision is always a problem so i do think that Pete from Anderson shaft did a great job with this over under version and let you detects for hours without any issue. I have used the excalibur for over 3h underwater (beach detection, less then 20ft) and wasn't tired of spinning the diving shaft (carbon fiber) of Pete Anderson.

 

[chaselarkin123]

I'm going to have to take a look at Sir OBN's posts to see what he has to say also it sounds like! Its great to hear from so many people with so much experience. It's always hard picking up a hobby that you know nothing about. All this knowledge has been very very helpful, and I'm looking forward to getting out there and becoming more knowledgeable myself. It's sounds like having several different detectors is a common practice. I am thinking that the Excal's ability to be so heavily modded makes it the most logical decision. I can always change coils, which is a huge benefit to me, since I will be using the detector for various applications.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

An Excalibur II with a 10´ coil is a good start. Just need to by the buttons and a descent shaft and there you go... Mods will come when you'll get used to it.

If you don't dive, consider the cz-21! You can have look to my Youtube channel if you wnat Excalibur dive test or CTX high pressure test.

https://m.youtube.com/#/channel/UC3bu-wgMga6_XgkK5FvTdfQ

 

[chaselarkin123]

frogmaster-riviera
I'm thinking the Excal II is looking better and better. Now I'm just debating if the shallow somewhat rocky bottom would work best with an 8" or 10" coil. Have you ever used one of those coil covers, or do they cut down on the sensitivity? The link didn't work for me, but I searched your name and found more of your videos. Did I mention how perfect of a location you have to dive for antiquities?!

I have family in Ireland and travel there occasionally. I have friends in the south of France also and plan to dive that area soon! Scandinavia and the east coast of the U.K. are extremely high on my list also. If I ever make it over there, we will have to do some diving! Do you always dive very deep when you metal detect, or are some of them more shallow? I've been diving for 15+years, but I've never got around to getting my nitrox certification. I think I'll have to do that before I start travelling.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

frogmaster-riviera
I'm thinking the Excal II is looking better and better. Now I'm just debating if the shallow somewhat rocky bottom would work best with an 8" or 10" coil. Have you ever used one of those coil covers, or do they cut down on the sensitivity? The link didn't work for me, but I searched your name and found more of your videos. Did I mention how perfect of a location you have to dive for antiquities?!

I have family in Ireland and travel there occasionally. I have friends in the south of France also and plan to dive that area soon! Scandinavia and the east coast of the U.K. are extremely high on my list also. If I ever make it over there, we will have to do some diving! Do you always dive very deep when you metal detect, or are some of them more shallow? I've been diving for 15+years, but I've never got around to getting my nitrox certification. I think I'll have to do that before I start travelling.

If you dive in south of france.. I won't be far LoL you can come and see my latest Metal detector http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/b...atest-ultimate-detector-deep-tracker-rov.html

I don't think you have the choice right now, 10" coil lis the only version you can get. If you need the 8" coil, just buy the one of the Sovereign,... it is the same. The OBN coil MOD is great.
Any way the difference between the 10" & 8" coil is really small when travelling. I like the 8" for rocky areas... 10" for the rest and if I use the CTX I even use the 11" coil underwater...

 

[chaselarkin123]

That thing looks awesome! They sell both the 8" and 10" models at Kellyco where I'm going. It's going to be a tough call on which one to use!
Definitely post some videos of that little ROV in action!

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

If you only dive, 8" is fine. If you want to use it also on the land (beach & land), take the 10" version. Anyway the 10" version is also good underwater.



This is the 10" coil with "almost" stock excalibur

 

[chaselarkin123]

Okay, very good advice. It's sounding like the 10" would be the best all around.

I have to ask out of pure curiosity. How many ancient gold staters have you found since you started metal detecting? That has to be amazing, bringing up a gold coin that has been there for not hundreds, but THOUSANDS of years! I have always been a collector of ancient coins, and it would be incredible to find something yourself that has been there since it was dropped originally. I think that I'm going to have to secure a European work visa and follow your lead HAHA! How far off the coast do you usually search when you go?

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

What a curiosity...

On land, antique coins (from -500BC to +150) are "common" due to the quality of the compound. Most of them are in bronze, silver and gold. i have found several hundred of them ;-)

Underwater its an other story, the Med Sea is full of wrecks. We think that when you follow the coast line, you have a wreck almost every 500ft. (On the land, you have an antic roman or grec site every half a mile). Any posidonia accumulation can cover a wreck made of wood and we are looking for traces of stones that where use for ballasts. No need to go far from the shore, maximum is 5/10 miles away... Med sea is deep so depend of the place, bu I don't dive below 450ft. I'm getting older now and I dive less deep that I was used to. I also use Trimix now from 230ft (i start to be reasonable) and i have to admit that I preffer to use Nitrox and remain not deeper 120ft.


Photos of an Excalibur II with anderson shaft + protection of my buddy (photos where taken with my gopro helmet, 2 month ago, Sardinia)

 

[chaselarkin123]

That is a lot of awesome finds it sounds like!!! I would absolutely love to dive this region. That is crazy how deep you dive!! I'm thinking the nitrox and <120 feet is more for me HAHA!

It looks like another coil in the bottom left of the first pic. Is that another Excal with upgraded coils, or something else?

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Nitrox is for "fathers becoming resonable"

Yes it is the coil of my CTX 3030, diving at "out of warranty" depth

If you want to take a look to the CTX waterproofing guide: