ATX users BEWARE! My experience.

[WaterWalker]

I was well insulated to stay warm in 37F degree water chest deep, in the dark trying to get a ring out of my scoop and safely onto my carabiner WHEN...
my arm pressed all the buttons on the control panel. All kinds of beeping from the ATX and not knowing what happened had me concerned.
It only took me another minute or so in the dark to figure out what happened to the ATX.
A reset, readjusting the sensitivity and threshold to get back to detecting. I am glad the ocean was dead calm and I did not have to worry about waves.
This experience was just part of the learning curve. It should only takes once to learn that more care in this situation is needed and how to correct another possible stressful situation.
I can also see this happening if the control panel was pushed against a protrusion of some kind while detecting in the field or woods.
Just a bit of my learned information, hope it helps.

Boy am I loving the ATX over the Infinium, except for the cam locks locking up with silt. I have rinsed with tap water while working them back and forth, letting them dry and then using compressed air to clean any fine silt out, This seems to work the best I have found, still not perfect. The push buttons are much easier to use (almost too much so) then the Infinium's and give more control over the detector's operating parameters. If the Infinium is mounted under your forearm the headphone connectors are in the same location on the detector. However, the Infinium's shaft does offer protection to the connector.

May the ring of gold be in your ears and the glitter in your scoop!
WaterWalker

 

[Night Crawler]

At least you have one to monkey with WW, others like myself are still on the sidelines waiting. Thanks for your input much appreciated. This is all we have at the moment.

 

[WaterWalker]

Good things come to those who wait.

Right now I am waiting for Mother Nature to end her relentless cold, rain, snow, and wind.

I hate to hibernate. So I went out today, bought a work bench at Harbor Freight that will replace my card table for working on i.e. cleaning cam locks, charging batteries, air compressor, and changing coils and headphones as needed. It has 4 drawers to hold all my detectors spare parts and chargers. Tomorrow I will move it into place, load it up, and get rid of the card table.

You have to fill your time with something. I tried finding new beaches and have a list, probably too many to get to all of them this summer.

I will just have to wait.

 

[Night Crawler]

I don't mind the wait WW, but what exactly am I waiting for is the million dollar question, hehe.

I'll take your advice though WW, thanks.

 

[D-Tex]

Everyone learns best from experience, I can only hope you wear a PFD so you don't have to learn there value from it.

 

[WaterWalker]

You know you are the third person to offer up the advice about a PFD. I have worn a life jacket, but there is just too much bulk.
I know there are smaller ones the I have not research in the past 10 or so years. It is time to look at what the technology has to offer. Anyone have advice on a brand/model?

I love my Ice-Water-Rescue (Gumby) suit on the really cold, choppy days, I could float to Nantucket and back with the tide.I do use a top of the wader "belt" at times. However, it has a tendency to slip down. A practice dunk while in a swimming pool with the waders on is a great experience and doing it every couple of years is a good reminder of how it feels to fill the boots with water and how to get out of the situation, by yourself. I have heard of a couple of detectorists drowning while wearing waders, something I do not want to do.

I try not to go detecting alone during the winter months and we stay in water that is just below chest deep. We know the areas we hunt in very well and have the path back in around the gully well memorized. If you have never detected in the dark of a cold, clear, windless night with no moonshine so you can see the stars, you have missed one beautiful experience. It is awesome!

 

[D-Tex]

There are several PFD's out there now that will work very well for detectors, they are very light and are not bulky

like the old ones. Any large sporting goods store or marine supply should have them. They run around $100.00 +/_

worth every cent if you ever need it. They inflate with a co2 charge with just a yank of a cord. Do your self a favor and

look them up, then buy one just in case !