Which metal detectors work better where strong EMI interference exists .....

[SpudDaddy]

I am looking at getting back into Metal Detecting after 25 years ..... The last detector I used back in the day was a Bounty Hunter RB-7. I did own a Garret Ace 250 I bought to locate property markers but I did not like it - it did not pinpoint in the center of the coil.

So the 250 is gone and I am looking at a new detector. I have permission to detect on two farms - one will have a cell tower placed on it in the next 6 months and another has a major electrical transmission line running through it. So I assume I will need a metal detector that will tolerate EMI interference.

I have been looking at Teknetics, Fisher, Minelab and Whites. Can users share which current models are good and bad with EMI based off of your experience? I can't afford to buy a new model until I get it right ...... Looking for useful feedback - not flame war type stuff xyz brand sucks .....

I am not sure how much I will spend yet - looking at detectors from $300 (Eurotek, F44) to mid/high (T2,VX3). I am really interested in feedback on the VX3 and Eurotek.

Any feedback/advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

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[RustyGold]

Welcome to TNet SD!
I have the Eurotek Pro and live near a military base and across the street are some residential power lines. The Eurotek Pro sometimes gets a little noisy but after a few clicks (maybe 2) of the Sensitivity button it quiets right down and is good to go. I still find items at 6-8".
A great little machine IMHO, for it's ease of use, features and price.

 

[SpudDaddy]

Thanks Rusty!

 

[bzbadger]

I've had my hands on several machines and until recently I had figured you are just going to have to deal with Emi as best you can..as I said until recently and that's because I stepped out of my garrett/fisher/whites etc comfort zone did research and watched hours of video and bought a Nokta Fors gold. Its made in turkey sold here in the states by Kellycodetectors and has become the best detector I've ever owned or had in hand. I've actually started selling off my other detectors because I've come to a point that I found the best balanced all around machine (for me). As far as Emi a group of us recently hit an area where there was so much Emi it affected my pacemaker and forced me to leave( have one from getting Lyme disease) and the Emi messed with everyone..garrett fisher etc however my nokta quickly adjusted and I went on until the pacer forced me to leave. The nokta Fors core machine being sold at $600 normally a $1200 machine but nokta is pushing hard to establish in the states but ate already huge over the red of the world. Check them out

 

[doninbrewster]

What you may find is you can use just about any detector that has a sensitivity control. I hunt one large beach and near one end there is a cell tower. As I get closer to the tower I have to turn down the sensitivity. You also have to make sure your coil is kept level to the ground while sweeping. If you raise it up at an angle at the end of a sweep it may pick up interference from the tower. Hope this helps.

 

[SpudDaddy]

Thanks otrkid - so I assume the reason for the better find was better discrimination or better depth with the VX3?

 

[SpudDaddy]

Thanks Doninbrewster - I will make sure the sensitivity is adjustable. Does the frequency shift help with EMI from power lines or only from other metal detectors? Also do the multi-frequency detectors like the Vx3 and Minelab 705 help with EMI?

 

[Keppy]

I think they all will if adjusted right.. But i could be wrong

 

[sonnar28]

I am looking at getting back into Metal Detecting after 25 years ..... The last detector I used back in the day was a Bounty Hunter RB-7. I did own a Garret Ace 250 I bought to locate property markers but I did not like it - it did not pinpoint in the center of the coil.

So the 250 is gone and I am looking at a new detector. I have permission to detect on two farms - one will have a cell tower placed on it in the next 6 months and another has a major electrical transmission line running through it. So I assume I will need a metal detector that will tolerate EMI interference.

I have been looking at Teknetics, Fisher, Minelab and Whites. Can users share which current models are good and bad with EMI based off of your experience? I can't afford to buy a new model until I get it right ...... Looking for useful feedback - not flame war type stuff xyz brand sucks .....

I am not sure how much I will spend yet - looking at detectors from $300 (Eurotek, F44) to mid/high (T2,VX3). I am really interested in feedback on the VX3 and Eurotek.

Any feedback/advice would be greatly appreciated!

I unfortunately have to deal with EMI at many of the locations that I hunt.

There are several ways to address high EMI. A universal way is to place clip-on ferrite beads (from internet auction or electronics store) at the coil cable and/or at the control box cable, or simply lower the gain on the detector. Lower frequencies (as single frequency option) seem more stable under high EMI conditions, at least with the Whites Spectra (using 2.5 kHz) and DFX (using 3 kHz). Coil choice plays a big role, large coils are more sensitive to EMI than smaller coils.

Some coils are intrinsically resisant to EMI. The Bigfoot coil is virtually immune to EMI. The Jimmy Sierra/Applied Creativity Eliminator coil is also fairly resistant to EMI. The Coil Tek 11 inch anti-interference coil (that will also work on a Whites TDI) is another option.
I have used the DFX/Bigfoot underneath low hanging powerlines and very near a cell tower with no change in my usual setup except being a little more careful with coil control.

In response to your question about the Vx3 and Eurotek:
I have never used either one. A V3i in 2.5 kHz single frequency mode and 10 inch DD coil was usable in a high EMI park area but at normal sensitivity only, it kept falsing at high; I wish I had brought the DFX/Bigfoot. I have never used a Eurotek.

I did try using a Sovereign GT/WOT coil at a salt water beach high EMI site, it was a frustrating experience.
Good luck with your detecting!
Charles
By the way, if the farm you are hunting has an electric fence, see if it can be turned off while you are detecting. That will help a little.

 

[cudamark]

Any EMI I've run across with my E-trac, I was able to adjust out and bring it back to being stable again. You tend to lose a bit of depth doing that depending on how much adjusting you need to do.

 

[Fletch88]

The only detector I've ever had problems with that could not be adjusted out of with a few shift was the Omega. I think the Xterras, Etrac and CTX have been the absolute best at ignoring emi.

 

[SpudDaddy]

Thanks for the information on the 3rd party coils - it is something for me to research on the detectors I am considering purchasing.

 

[SpudDaddy]

Are the E-Trac and Minelabs in general harder to learn to use? Reading the reviews it seemed to be a trend. I was looking at the Minelabs 705 .... Thanks!

 

[nigel]

some will laugh at what i,m about to say,but if they are laughing its coz they have never owned one.
Gold Century GC-1023, in among trash and emi its killer . dont know how much they cost these days ,i know they used to be $60 before word got out how well they work.some guys with several top machines prefere this machine when trash or emi are present.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/other-brands/121908-gold-century-imported-detectors.html

 

[Fletch88]

The Xterras are great machines. The etrac has a little learning curve but can be a turn on and go machine. The ones who I'm not sure it complicated start jacking around with settings before they know exactly what it does.

 

[foiler]

Minelab X-terra is the way to go. I've never had an EMI issue with my 705 and I hunt in urban settings exclusively. Great flexibility with multiply coils and frequencies.

 

[cudamark]

Are the E-Trac and Minelabs in general harder to learn to use? Reading the reviews it seemed to be a trend. I was looking at the Minelabs 705 .... Thanks!

Easier than most. Like all detectors, you need at least 100 hours on it before you start talking the same language.

 

[gtfm2345]

At what price range? For under$ 1000 fisher f75 DST is about the best machine out. I would expect a CTX would out preform @ $2500 I personally feel NEL coils offer best shielding if you just want to boost your current machine

 

[SpudDaddy]

I am still figuring out what I want to spend. I will look at the Fisher F75 DST & NEL coils. Thanks for the post.

 

[Dirtslinger]

My Teknetics machines get chatty around pad mount transformers, under some power lines and around some running engines. I listed those in worst to least offenders, obviously every situation is different, and so far only the transformers on the ground have not allowed me to work around them. Everything else, I just knock the sensitivity back until it nearly disappears and go on about my business. If I'm in all metal mode, I tend to run into threshold numbers, so that's wide open sensitivity, I have heard tek machines are "talkers", I don't own anything else to compare them to, so I can't compare them to anything else.