A Few CTX Beach Tips

[cjc]

These area few things that worked well for me--I don't expect them to apply everywhere. This is a machine that because of it's complex signal and processing does not like viscosity--fast water or black sand. The answer is coil control and tuning. I set the sens in open screen in the worst interference zone--the wave break, or on an incline to deeper water. I test with a slightly fast sweep speed--that way there's less chasing down of partials. I stay away from Auto--based upon some testing that "JohhnyAngelo" did showing that "22" manual is optimum although "20" or with the 17"-- "19" are more typical. Having set the sens in open screen, where there is really bad ground I go to a second screen that has some rejection--like Jays gold or the box that Andy uses for his gold prog. Jays pattern makes a great screener although nearby iron or the depth of a response may make a good target sound off weakly. Going between open and closed screen will give a lot of information about a response too. I also like Evan's method of going between combined and 50TC to get an idea of how consistent a response is. As a search mode, these screeners require an even slower sweep speed. The "Previous Mode" setting is handy in that it lets you test a second program alongside what you are running to compare--both depth and stabilty. I tested several this way. Andy's gold was a bit deeper than my standard Jay's open screen but the Pitch Hold changed a lot over non-signals at high sens settings. Drayon's 4TC was a lively sounding program owing I guess to there being no low tones to process as with combined. However, it had to be run low to stop ground noises from continually coming in. I will say though that these "dud, dud dud" sound were not the same as the low conductor "hum" of a "12-01/2/3...." that could be a chain (or rotten glasses). I also tested some of the placer gold set ups I got from Steve Hershbach's Detector Prospector site "Gold High Trash / Gold TTF/ Gold High Mineral" this way. These all high toned a lot although they may have been okay down at "19" sens or lower that wasn't the level of sensitivity I wanted to run. I learned a ton of very effective stuff on this trip wish more had gone into the book although a second one is not out of the question.
cjc
clivesgoldpage.com

 

[Nauti]

That all seems a very complicated way to hunt the beach.Open screen/closed screen,gold high trash blah blah,program this,program that.Crikey,i'll stick with my simple dual frequency detector with 3 knobs and no screen i think lol.
All you need is a sensitivity knob,a discrim knob,good depth and stability on the wet sand to find the gold,not loads of programs and useless settings that can work against you.That is why the excal is still regarded as the best beach machine.......simple to operate with great depth and discrim,it will find anything the ctx will in a far more straightforward way,the ctx is just a fashion statement lol.
This post is in no way mean't to cause offence to ctx owners,it was written by a miserable old git who can't afford a ctx.........piece of junk.

 

[Gerry]

Nauti, I agree with you on the simplicity of a beep and go type machine. I have CZ 21 and an Excaliber, like them both. For all us Aviation types operating a CTX would be like flying a French Airbus,. most often spoken words by the flight crew is" why is it doing that"?
For all you techie guys I am envious, the CTX might bend my mind.

Gerry

 

[cjc]

Im a pulse guy myself--but you can't argue with the CTX's accuracy. Puts you on the money like nothing else--including the Excal
cjc

 

[sonnar28]

Hi Clive,

Thanks for sharing your insights, I am sure they are the product of many hours of testing. I will certainly try what you suggest.

Please write a second CTX book, and let me know so I can get the first copy!

Charles

 

[cjc]

Thanks, kindly, Charles. This trip I did some ten hour days in the water. When I ran the CTX, getting back to the hotel--did I want food? Did I want rest? No, I wanted to get my notes down on the CTX.
In the environment you could spend days digging foreign coins and never see any gold--even with an Excal. This machine certainly put you on the money.
Good Luck Detecting,
clive