:ausflag::veryangry:What a disaster :veryangry::ausflag:

[kooksnz]

Well I went out and tried my Tracker for a shallow water hunt today and followed the instructions as given to me by Bounty Hunter.
Message that was sent to me :

Salt-water detecting is the most challenging application.
This machine was not specifically engineered for salt-water hunting, although it will function in this environment, at reduced sensitivity.
You will need to combine a reduction in sensitivity and an increase in discrimination. By trial and error, find the lowest level of sensitivity and highest level of discrimination at which the detector is quite.
No matter what you do, touching the wet sand, touching the water level, or having waves crash over the coil will result in beeps. Keep the coil from making direct contact with the sand. If searching with the coil under water, keep it under the water. Do not move in and out of the water.

I did this and now the thing wont shut up even though the sensitivity is at zero and is six foot off the ground.
I rang dave cooper who i bought the thin from and he reckons you need to have it in the water for atleast 5 to 10 minutes before I start detecting.
Is he full of crap or is this true ?
Any help would be great
Cheers
Andy

 

[Dig]

Maybe you should bury it and then buy an excal and come back for it

 

[w6pea]

I would buy a Sovereign Gt, Sorry to hear you had a bad trip. Maybe next time will be better.

 

[Bling]

n/t

 

[lazyaussie]

ether hunt the dry sand or hunt parks or get a new detector it's really as simple as that if ya do get a new detector the sovereign & excal are the kings of the beach & salt water i"v also heard good things about the Garrett infinuim i know it will cost a lot more but ya get what ya pay for. if ya don't have enough $$ to buy one start hitting the bark tot lots ( kids play grounds ) at your local parks & save all the coins ya find & hopefully with all the $1-$2 coins ya get you"ll have a new detector in no time this is how i pay for all my new detectors.
lazyaussie
PS as far as i know theres no time frame for warming up a detector in the water ( so it may be poo )

 

[kooksnz]

I was talking to marco at miners den in sydney and he reckons the new mine lab 305 is the way to go. And only an extra $100 on top of what I paid for the Tracker IV and with better coil selection. Considering I only just bought it on 17 April this year and only third time out I will be returning it for a refund as I am covered under consumer protection law as the product was not as described.
Will see how it goes

 

[Charles (Montreal Canada)]

Like Lazyaussie said, no single frenquncy will work in salty water, only PI or multi-frequncy like Minelab's, sorry. This happen just too often, newbie buy something thinking it will be great based on the advertisement, but the machine do not delivered. I hope you are not turn-off from this hobby by this experience, there's much more into it. Just go buy a better machine, turn the page on this and enjoy. Many of us have made this mistake (buying a machine that was not adapt to the type of hunt we target to do) and ends up selling the machine after. No big deal, BUT before you get another machine, come to the forum, read the articles and users comments and develop your knowledge about the different brands and designated uses, be critical about advertisement, specially if it's for a made in china toy. There's a lot that are mentioned here, this place is probably one of the best place to start your detection journey, then later the second step will be to get a new machine, no rush in this, like all of us be patient and it will pay off. Good luck and don't give-up.
Charles

 

[Charles (Montreal Canada)]

Minelab 305 is another single frequency, good brand but single frequency, maybe someone else here can comment on this machine in salt water?

But for a newbie, I think it's a way better choice than the T-IV, it's just two different world. If your only type of detection will be salty water, you should get a multi-frenquncy or a PI. If you want to do a little of everything (as all newbie usually wants to do), the 305 is good but will most likely false in salty water. You need to understand that salty water detection is a world appart in the detection hobby, great "salty water hunters" have expensive equipment (specially the detector) and usually have a few years of experience. You probably start on the right foot with a 305 as it will give a chance to understand how detector works and fonctions, then when you know you like the hobby enough, go get a high-end machine.

About returning the T-IV; I think it's your better option, if you can return it, don't mist your chance. Or you can keep it for coin hunting in the park.

Charles

 

[aushunter]

go for a soveriegn or excal, you won't be dissappointed.
Aushunter

 

[sand turner]

I'd advise you to get a secondhand Sovereign. Don't be afraid to buy an old one, some say the newer one's deeper, but if it is, it's a very negligible difference

You'll get great depth at the beach, a multitude of coil options, no interference from salt environment and you'll not break the bank either. With respect to dealers, most of them (not all) are more interested in selling something new like the X Terra series etc.

Whilst they're good and innovative machines, they're not in multi frequency machines league at the beach These guys in the forums are end users at the sharp end. Listen to them and you'll get the tools to do the job

 

[kooksnz]

I wish that i had discovered this website before i went and got ripped off with the tracker. I wont be diving into buying my next detector in a hurry but i think i will be buying a minelab when i do.
Got a couple of questions:
Is the sovereign a good detector for nugget hunting as well as beach?
What different coils are available?
and What sort of price can i expect to pay for a 2nd hand unit?

Cheers all
Andy

 

[BigCatDaddy]

Run, don't walk, back to the dealer and get that refund!! JMHO, but I wouldn't use a BH for much more than a tomato stake. Find a good used Excal for the beaches and maybe a Garrett 250 for land hunts, if you are so inclined. When buying used, I start myself at 50% of what a new unit will cost and go up to 60% if I really want it or it's in real good condition. It takes a bit of patience sometimes to get what you're looking for, but stick with it.

 

[kered]

The Sovereign GT can be used for prospecting for gold, how well it works i don't know but it is a great beach detector(out of the water) if you intend on hunting in the surf get the Excalibur, which is basicaly a waterproof Sovereign. if you drop the GT and it gets wet its dead.

Now youv'e found this site do some reading before you decide on the next move, all the info you need is here somewhere.

Re bounty hunter, you get what you pay for, but holding the coil 6 foot in he air(any land detector) after being in the water or wet , water tends to run up the shaft and into the control box and fries it, standing in the water for 10 minutes before starting is rubish

Good luck on whatever you decide

 

[doindadiggin]

Hi kooksnz mate let us know what the dealer says ,as i had a guy tell me once that he {dealer} was being sued for that exact same thing he wound up giving the guy a minelab sovereign new to shut him up, so let us all know the outcome .ps you might have to get heavy with this guy.terry in oz

 

[surf fisherman]

I would buy a used Excal and never look back. Bought mine used here on the forums that was used only a few times and never regreted it. Just a piece of mind knowing that if it gets wet or sand gets on it you know it will keep on ticking. Got a killer deal on a new GT with 180 meter as my backup, park and dry sand machine and both detectors cost me less then a new Excal !

If you decide on the Excal get a aftermarket straight shaft also.

Another thought is it paying for itself in the long run.

Good luck and HH.

surf fisherman >)))">

 

[kooksnz]

Hi all I went and saw the dealer regarding all the problems i was having and it has been sorted. He was ever so nice and aplogetic about my situation. The problem was the coil itself which had not been sealed properly when it came from the factory. Have got a replacement coil now so i will battle with it till I can afford a sovereign. The kids can have it after that.
Thanks for everyone's help and input with this matter and i will start posting pics of my finds.
Cheers All
Andy

 

[GENE EDWARDS]

Kooksnz,

Man what ever you do listen to these guys, they know the ropes and what they are talking about. The excal is the boss in the water, and on the wet and dry sand. It has 17 frequencies, and great discrimination for iron. I've found a lot of Gold and silver rings with this machine. So please listen to these guys and dont get burned again. Good luck, Gene

 

[lazyaussie]

good to hear ya got the detector sorted mate the BH gets a bad wrap it"s good at what it was made for which is finding newly lost coins in parks & play grounds & that's it.
i had one years ago & i found tons of new coins around the 0-4 inch deep mark so just get out use it learn all ya can about it & when ya feel confident with it buy a better detector.
good luck to ya & cant wait ta see all your great finds.
lazyaussie

 

[Furious T]

Hi, David Cooper has a long history of metal detecting and my son has used a Tracker IV with good success. I've used its little brother the Fast Tracker and found it a great coin machine...even found a small gold ring with it. But being successful in parks or in the dry sand at beaches is completely different to hunting in salt water surf. not many land single frequency detectors cope well in the surf, partly due to the fact that you have to be continually on the lookout for that wave that's going to swamp your detector. Buying a detector which is not entirely suitable for some of the uses you intend for it is not always the dealer's fault. There are times when our own inexperience can contribute to mistakes being made. Whether a detector works at all or works well under certain circumstances can be a very subjective thing i.e. it can depend on the experience/techmique of the user...you may have to rely to some degree on the goodwill of the dealer if you are going to ask for a full refund. Whether or not your situation falls within consumer protection legislation or the Trade Practices Act needs a lot more advice than I'm prepared to give on a forum.... All the best, Sapper.

 

[Furious T]

good to hear that you've sorted it out...As I said above, we've had good success with the BH Tracker family..not top of the range, but very handy detectors to have as backups or just to have some fun.. Good luck, Sapper.