turtlefoot
New member
PLEASE NOTE: This is a long post.
Hi All,
I had a chance to get out for twice in the last 10 days and decided to put the two coils to the test.
Here is what I used in one set of tests:
Tracker IV
10" Magnum Coil
11" DD Fisher F4 Coil
Here is what I used in a second test about a week ago:
Fast Tracker
10" Magnum Coil
11" DD Fisher F4 Coil
Here are my results (however unscientific they may be):
On the Trackier IV
1. I could not find a target that was too deep for one coil to pick up that the other could not. Sooner or later, I hope that I do, so I can tell which is deeper (or are they both approximately the same?).
2. The 11" DD coil was able to pick up tiny pieces of wire that the 10" coil could not or would barely pick up. There were times that the 11" DD would give a solid beep and the 10" coil would only chirp and twice that I could not get anything out of the 10" coil when the 11" DD would chirp.
3. The 10" coil was more accurate with metal disc than the 11" DD, which surprised me a little. With the Tracker IV in all metal mode, the sensitivity all the way up and the disc. all the way down, both would sound off on rusted metal. When I flipped the toggle switch to disc mode, leaving everything else the same, I would sometimes get a chirp with the 11" DD coil while the 10" coil would stay silent. If I turned the disc. up at all both would be silent. I am not sure why this is.
4. As expected, on deeper targets, I was able to get a beep on more surface area of the 11" DD than on the 10" coil. On shallow targets, there was not much of a difference.
On the Fast Tracker:
1. Both coils picked up the same targets (depth wise) but once again, the 11" DD coil was able to find smaller bits of rusted wire.
2. Both coils were nearly identical when switching out of all metal mode on discriminating iron out. Maybe a very slight advantage to the 10" coil.
3. Once again, as expected, on deeper targets, I was able to get a beep on more surface area of the 11" DD than on the 10" coil. On shallow targets, there was not much of a difference.
Fast Tracker vs Tracker IV:
This is a little off the subject but my older Fast Tracker seems to be able to hit deeper iron targets than the Tracker IV. I have not taken them out side by side yet, but I have found horseshoes @ 9"+ with the Fast Tracker and only around 6" with the Tracker IV. My deepest target to date with the Fast Tracker is an oil can top at over 18" (measured) still lodged in the dirt and with the Tracker IV only right at 9" (measured) on a large logger's hook.
On the flip side though, I think that the Tracker IV is better at hitting the "good" metal targets. It still screams on a shotgun brass @ 4" with the disc. at the 3:00 position while the Fast Tracker starts breaking up on shotgun brass 2"-3" deep, with the disc. at the 12:00 position.
For me personally, I like the 11" DD coil better for overall hunting. If I am relic hunting in an area that has lots of tiny bits of iron, I feel that the 10" coil will have the advantage though because it is NOT as sensitive on picking them up. I will still be able to hunt in all metal mode and not have to worry about continually digging tiny bits of wire.
From personal experience, I think that I will be using the 11" DD/Fast Tracker combination as my general relic machine and the Tracker IV with the 11" DD & 4" coils for coinshooting/park hunting. I really like the 8" coil for in town house yards though too.
ANY feedback or questions are welcome. Thanks for your time.
Doug
Hi All,
I had a chance to get out for twice in the last 10 days and decided to put the two coils to the test.
Here is what I used in one set of tests:
Tracker IV
10" Magnum Coil
11" DD Fisher F4 Coil
Here is what I used in a second test about a week ago:
Fast Tracker
10" Magnum Coil
11" DD Fisher F4 Coil
Here are my results (however unscientific they may be):
On the Trackier IV
1. I could not find a target that was too deep for one coil to pick up that the other could not. Sooner or later, I hope that I do, so I can tell which is deeper (or are they both approximately the same?).
2. The 11" DD coil was able to pick up tiny pieces of wire that the 10" coil could not or would barely pick up. There were times that the 11" DD would give a solid beep and the 10" coil would only chirp and twice that I could not get anything out of the 10" coil when the 11" DD would chirp.
3. The 10" coil was more accurate with metal disc than the 11" DD, which surprised me a little. With the Tracker IV in all metal mode, the sensitivity all the way up and the disc. all the way down, both would sound off on rusted metal. When I flipped the toggle switch to disc mode, leaving everything else the same, I would sometimes get a chirp with the 11" DD coil while the 10" coil would stay silent. If I turned the disc. up at all both would be silent. I am not sure why this is.
4. As expected, on deeper targets, I was able to get a beep on more surface area of the 11" DD than on the 10" coil. On shallow targets, there was not much of a difference.
On the Fast Tracker:
1. Both coils picked up the same targets (depth wise) but once again, the 11" DD coil was able to find smaller bits of rusted wire.
2. Both coils were nearly identical when switching out of all metal mode on discriminating iron out. Maybe a very slight advantage to the 10" coil.
3. Once again, as expected, on deeper targets, I was able to get a beep on more surface area of the 11" DD than on the 10" coil. On shallow targets, there was not much of a difference.
Fast Tracker vs Tracker IV:
This is a little off the subject but my older Fast Tracker seems to be able to hit deeper iron targets than the Tracker IV. I have not taken them out side by side yet, but I have found horseshoes @ 9"+ with the Fast Tracker and only around 6" with the Tracker IV. My deepest target to date with the Fast Tracker is an oil can top at over 18" (measured) still lodged in the dirt and with the Tracker IV only right at 9" (measured) on a large logger's hook.
On the flip side though, I think that the Tracker IV is better at hitting the "good" metal targets. It still screams on a shotgun brass @ 4" with the disc. at the 3:00 position while the Fast Tracker starts breaking up on shotgun brass 2"-3" deep, with the disc. at the 12:00 position.
For me personally, I like the 11" DD coil better for overall hunting. If I am relic hunting in an area that has lots of tiny bits of iron, I feel that the 10" coil will have the advantage though because it is NOT as sensitive on picking them up. I will still be able to hunt in all metal mode and not have to worry about continually digging tiny bits of wire.
From personal experience, I think that I will be using the 11" DD/Fast Tracker combination as my general relic machine and the Tracker IV with the 11" DD & 4" coils for coinshooting/park hunting. I really like the 8" coil for in town house yards though too.
ANY feedback or questions are welcome. Thanks for your time.
Doug