A.H. Pro

[silversmith]

Many years ago (early 70's) I was off metal detecting in a little park in Coalinga, Ca. Using a Gold Mountain metal detector at the time, I encountered a couple using a cute little machine. They bragged and bragged about this little "buzzer" chuckling and went on their way. I dismissed their zeal as silly buggerness, and forgot about it.....until I ran across one on E-bay the other day. Just for the "halibut" I bought the thing. Upon arrival I opened up the thoroughly beat up box with rips and rents threw the corners and found the detector just tossed in the box with a few layers of bubble pack wadded up and stuck over the top of it. Reluctantly, I screwed the coil in and turned it on.........it worked after what it'd been through. After a half hour of air testing the thing with coins, washers and other stuff, I can understand what the couple were making a fuss about! My opinion, the A.H. Pro was a stand alone detector in the early 70's period. It had discriminating capabilities bar none. I think it would give many of todays detectors a run for the money! What I'm curious about, does anyone have any idea what freq it runs at? I think it's way to early to be a VLF. This one doesn't even have a serial number and a sticker on the front says "Patent Applied For", has to be of the first run. Any comments, ideas or cussings welcomed. Thanks, Ron.

 

[thepest]

howdy ron....
is this your detector???
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-A-H-Pro-Metal-Detector-70s-Extreme-Rarity_W0QQitemZ180364457748QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item29fe8f3714&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A1%7C66%3A4%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A200

if it is .... i was watching it..... i'd go back and copy all the pictures before ebay takes the aution down.... if you ever cut it loose... that fellow allready did all the work for you....
i have two a.h. detectors...... it's my understanding that these detectors are dynamite relic hunters.... the web site for the company is http://www.intexsystemscorp.com/ahpro.htm and last talk i read is that they will do repairs..... i don't take mine out to play too often.... if i can steal any time ... i sneak out and coin shoot with my 6000/di pro sl.... but i got'em when i'm ready.....

 

[silversmith]

Hey pest.... thanks for the heads up. I did exactly that, saved the pics. Your input was appreciated. As you saw from...them, mine has a knob problem. One is missing and one is broken. They are pretty scarce knobs. I try to leave these vintage jewels stock, but until I can find more stock ones, I replace all four with some crude knobs off of an old ham transmitter that look like car cigarette lighters. They'll do for now! Yea, I agree, I'm pretty hooked on my Big Bud 220-D but I'll try to take this old dog out for a walk often. Happy hunting, Ron.

 

[vlad]

Best discriminator to be found, but extremely inefficient-you would need a little red wagon full of batteries to
get quantifiable depth. Then the other makers caught up with TR-discriminators and A.H. faded into the gray.
Still a great detector for pulling coins out of iron. [Did you get the thumb wheel retune or pin-point button? That wheel
could really let you hug the ground contours.]

 

[thepest]

howdy vlad....
i have the thumb wheel on my pro ( hard to see in my pics ).... none on the mini pro.... i don't know if ron has done either of those mods .... the pics from the auction link don't show any buttons on the handle.....

 

[silversmith]

Well thepest, I'm off on a new tangent now. A.H.Pro, and 220-D are in storage for a while, 'CAUSE my new Lobo just got here! Crazy, sounds a MineLab! My kid says it sounds like a Rubber Ducky. So, I'll be into that for some time. It's strange, on discriminate, keepers all detect to about 8 inches. Hey that just doubles the depth I'm used to (I'm speaking of air tests). Anyway, I'm off to the gold fields. See ya!