Nevada Silver
New member
Brand new CTX3030 arrived April 9th! I'd like to think that I am an experienced metal detector operator -- started years ago with a Garrett (don't remember the model); then more recently with a Whites DFX, and now the CTX3030. I had downloaded the owner's manual for the CTX long before it arrived and read it thoroughly -- but without the machine in my hands, I probably was spinning my wheels a bit.
My first outing was on April 10th and I was a bit frustrated that I only was able to find 1 Jefferson nickel and 7 pennies in about 3 hours of searching a "trashy" park. My younger brother with his new Garrett ACE 350 skunked me badly.
Went back to the drawing board that evening and watched lots of CTX videos and reading this forum preparing for my second outing. Then it dawned on me....I did not ground balance the CTX on my first outing! (I live in the Reno/Sparks area here in northern Nevada and our soil -- even in the parks is very mineralized)
So on my second outing on April 11th at another park in Carson City, Nevada -- the first thing I did was ground balance the detector. Again, about a 3 hour outing but the results were a bit better: 2 quarters, 3 dimes, and 13 pennies (all recent coins).
Third outing was April 15th at a local fresh water reservoir beach using Harry's CTX3030 Search Mode 1. Again a bit better: 4 clad quarters, 4 clad dimes, 1 silver Rosey dime, and 5 recent pennies.
I am very excited about this new detector and its capabilities and I know I will not be very accomplished with the CTX3030 until I have had 60 to 100 outings with it -- I am just learning and loving it. AND I am very grateful for this forum and the sharing of all of the collective wisdom and techniques in using this great detector!!
Best regards and happy hunting,
Paul
My oldest and best previous finds (pre CTX) are: 1 - 1865 2 Cent Piece; 1 - 1898 silver Liberty Head dime; 1 - 1907 V nickel; 1 - 1908 silver Liberty Head half dollar; and 1 - 1945 silver Mercury dime.
My first outing was on April 10th and I was a bit frustrated that I only was able to find 1 Jefferson nickel and 7 pennies in about 3 hours of searching a "trashy" park. My younger brother with his new Garrett ACE 350 skunked me badly.
Went back to the drawing board that evening and watched lots of CTX videos and reading this forum preparing for my second outing. Then it dawned on me....I did not ground balance the CTX on my first outing! (I live in the Reno/Sparks area here in northern Nevada and our soil -- even in the parks is very mineralized)
So on my second outing on April 11th at another park in Carson City, Nevada -- the first thing I did was ground balance the detector. Again, about a 3 hour outing but the results were a bit better: 2 quarters, 3 dimes, and 13 pennies (all recent coins).
Third outing was April 15th at a local fresh water reservoir beach using Harry's CTX3030 Search Mode 1. Again a bit better: 4 clad quarters, 4 clad dimes, 1 silver Rosey dime, and 5 recent pennies.
I am very excited about this new detector and its capabilities and I know I will not be very accomplished with the CTX3030 until I have had 60 to 100 outings with it -- I am just learning and loving it. AND I am very grateful for this forum and the sharing of all of the collective wisdom and techniques in using this great detector!!
Best regards and happy hunting,
Paul
My oldest and best previous finds (pre CTX) are: 1 - 1865 2 Cent Piece; 1 - 1898 silver Liberty Head dime; 1 - 1907 V nickel; 1 - 1908 silver Liberty Head half dollar; and 1 - 1945 silver Mercury dime.
