[size=large]Evaluating the Makro Racer ... A Compact & Functional Performer.[/size]
The basic Makro Racer: .. The new Makro Racer was quite a sight to behold when we first got a glimpse of it with Santa about two months ago. We could all sort of guess what it might be similar to, and depending upon which makes and models you have used in the past, or currently, I am sure you tried as I did to ‘best guess’ what was soon to appear. I mentioned to a good hunting buddy what I guessed it might have, what features I hoped it might have, and naturally wondered what consumer price it would be.
At that point I didn’t have a Nokta FORS CoRe in my arsenal so I wasn’t positive, other than reading others posts, what to expect. I did share my thoughts and wishes with him as I tried to guess what the new-look Racer might have. One competitor’s model I often related to was the Teknetics Omega which is one of my favorite detectors. I told him I like the Omega because it has a very informative display and is in a light weight and handy physical package. It also gave me the option of a ‘conventional’ processed Tone ID or what I liked to use, a 2-Tone option using a VCO audio for higher-conductive ranges.
Note, too, that even when I say a detector is a favorite of mine, that doesn’t necessarily mean I have one in my personal arsenal, although I have-had or do at times, it just means it is a favorite because I consider that model to be a worthy product for the dollar it is marketed at to provide a consumer with an above-average [size=small](in my opinion)[/size] general purpose detector. Another model that offers us a light weight detector with enough adjustment features to provide good in-the-field performance is the White’s MX5.
There are some other detectors in this “mid-price” group that I think are all decent detectors and can serve both a ‘typical hobbyist’ or ‘avid detectorist’ well … depending upon the type of site challenges they might face. Many of the detectors that fall in this mid-price group, however, can make a great Coin Hunting model, but struggle if they are called upon to handle some of the toughest iron-littered sites that I prefer to search.
Those are what I base the final pass/fail conditions on when trying to select a detector as a go-to all-purpose detector. Many models can do OK for most day-to-day urban Coin Hunting, and they might even do reasonably well in some mild-conditions with just occasional small iron debris at a site, but they can’t handle a really tough challenge. Often we find detectors in this group that come standard with a good ‘standard’ search coil for average conditions such as hunting a beach, a large grassy city park, or taking on an open woodsy area or plowed field. Some, like the MX5, come with a round 9” Concentric coil, others, such as the Omega, have an elliptical 5½X9¾ Concentric coil standard.
These are fine for open-area searches, and the ‘standard’ Racer search coil is a competitive elliptical 7X11 Double-D design. Most who know me are aware that I frequently favor a Concentric search coil design, and part of the reason for that is because models I like, such as the two just referred to, can usually work well in typical Coin Hunting sites with their ‘standard’ coils, but those search coils and detector circuitry designs often do not do all that well in a very trashy site, especially when nearby iron is encountered. For me to like a search coil, it has to be able to perform well with the detector it is attached to.
I have encountered many, many sites that abound in iron nails which, in my opinion, are the #1 biggest trash-target annoyance we have to deal with. They are found in urban environments, such as old lots or renovation work and building tear-down/burn-down sites. But they seem to be more plentiful, and in greater number and closer together, in most of the older sites I like to hunt. Ghost towns, homesteads, cellar holes, barn and out-building sites, stage stops, logging camps, and the list seems to have grown as the years have gone by and I am out seeking old-use places to hunt.
Iron nails, being the primary target I want to Discriminate, have-been and are what I use to do any serious comparisons of detector performance with an assortment of search coils, both Concentric and Double-D designed coils. My Nail Board Performance Test has been my primary test tool to help challenge any make or model detector, and any size and type of search coil, and has been used in it’s exact relationship since I encountered an Indian Head cent amid four iron nails in a Southern Utah ghost town in late May of 1994.
I can tell you that most often I have had detectors with smaller-size Concentric search coils out-perform the same detectors using Double-D search coils, and friends have tried that challenge themselves and came to appreciate using a smaller Concentric search coil in the 6” to 7” diameter size in dense iron trash and my NBPT. So back in December when I saw the first view we had of a Racer I was intrigued by it’s looks, appreciated what it appeared to offer in the form of an informational display, but questioned what it could do with a stock elliptical Double-D search coil.
I provide the above comments because I like people to know what types of detectors I like to use and what I expect out of a detector when it comes to real-world performance. I am not a big fan of the higher-dollar detectors that come complete with a lot of confusing and time-consuming adjustments, many of which are not really needed. I like to have a detector in my hand that is comfortable, provides me ease-of-adjustment with enough functional features and not a lot of flash, and that gets my attention and respect for winning results and performance in actual field use.
So two months ago I was like everyone else in this great sport, wondering if that colorful red Racer Santa had was a going to be a wonderful surprise present or just a lump of coal in disguise. Like you, I had no clue and could only hope. What I did know were the performance strengths and weaknesses of the Omega, using the stock coil, a larger 7½X11+ DD and the MX5 which, I presumed, would be close to the same suggested retail price. I knew that the MX5 and the higher-cost ‘M’ series models could handle the NBPT reasonably well, but the Omega, while a good Coin Hunting detector, couldn’t do well on the NBPT, even with the small round 5” DD coil.
Up until now, I have valued the Tesoro circuitry since the summer of ’83 to provide very good separation in a dense iron nail environment, and I have relied on a good Tesoro to be the detector by which I have compared all others on the NBPT. Many of them, most actually, regardless of their retail price have not done well in that tough challenge, so I was just hoping we might get a new market entry that had some serious design engineering behind it that could provide the avid detectorist an affordable and versatile detector.
Then things changed. I got the Nokta FORS Coin & Relic in hand and realized we had some serious competition in the general purpose detector category! Better yet, my FORS was the Pro Package. A value outfit, to be sure, but the real ‘winning ticket’ was the small DD coil. I wasn’t just pleased, I was more than impressed. So satisfied with the performance, especially in a dense iron nail infested site condition that, after some serious struggle, I moved the FORS CoRe into my #1 detector spot … Double-D coils and all!
So satisfied with performance in a number of older sites I was able to work in our wintry weather that it made me pause to think about the Makro Racer. The appearance looked good, but I abandoned my hope that it would compete with the other brands out there I enjoyed using. Instead, I wondered if they could really come close to providing FORS CoRe performance and features in such a sleek detector package.
Now, with the Racer Pro Package in hand and having been able to enjoy working the Racer in a variety of hunting scenarios, both urban Coin Hunting and some rural Relic Hunting sites for two weeks, I have wrapped up enough time afield, doing bench testing, and reviewing my notes to prepare a review of the Makro Racer. The basic Racer detector is definitely a compact and functional performer!
I usually save certain comments to share with a manufacturer and not openly discuss them, but in the case of the Racer and the popular Internet Forum chatter, I am going to hit on the questionable points first off to eliminate any questions readers of this evaluation post might have. So, let’s look at the Makro Racer’s physical design topics of recent comment/discussion.:
Defective search coil:.. A Standard search coil someone had that turned out to be defective. To me, this shouldn’t have even been an initial topic to comment on or discuss. It started with a discussion about the Racer not working properly at a sub-freezing temperature with the standard 7X11 coil. I think that should have been brought up directly with the Dealer, and if necessary with the Manufacturer and not on an open Forum as it was a simple incident.
It does happen. When the White’s Classic ID was first released I was alerted when they would be coming out of production and I was given a new Classic ID, new Pinpointer, and a new 4½” accessory search coil. The small coil I found to be defective and on a road trip in Colorado a Dealer just traded me a new coil. White’s took care of my faulty coil they returned, then they got it back to me. An uninvolved Dealer and the Manufacturer did what was necessary without any Forum discussion.
At a later date I bought a brand new White’s 6000 Pro XL when they were introduced, and heading off on a multi-state trip from NW Oregon to Utah and into Arizona, I took it with my 6½” coil, and a brand new, in-the-box, just picked up from a dealer, new Classic III SL. It had the stock 950 coil in case I needed a larger coil which I seldom used. I left the new detector in the unopened box for packing and travelling.
Along the way I was having a lot of problems with the new week-old 6000 Pro XL and my 6½” coil. That coil had been repaired and the cord shortened for me and I figured I had a defective search coil as I’d hear a faint electronic ‘click’ then nothing. Turned the detector off then on and it worked … for a few minutes. Well, I sure didn’t jump on a Forum and start complaining about having a problem because I didn’t know what the issue was, and certainly it was just an occasional glitch I HAD and not a mass-production issue for everyone.
On the beach at Lake Havasu, AZ it kept cutting out every sixty to ninety seconds so I trudged back to my vehicle to get my new 950 coil out of the new unopened box with the new Classic III and ditch that faulty 6½” coil. I mounted the new 950 and stepped over to enter the beach sand area and did a Ground Balance, and tossed a 25¢ coin on the ground to check my settings. It beeped, but the TID read it as a Pull Tab. I tossed a Dime on the ground and it read below a Nickel, and a Nickel coin read as Foil, just above Iron.
So, I broke out the brand new Classic III SL and put the brand new 950 coil on it and got absolutely nothing. No Threshold audio, no nothing. Even if I would have had a laptop with me I couldn’t have done anything to help me out if I jumped on a Forum and crabbed about something not working. Instead I went to the local White’s Dealer, who I hadn’t done business with since I was down on vacation from Oregon, and explained my problem to her. Actually two problems. One, my week and a half old 6000 Pro XL was defective with an internal short, and the new 950 coil for a different new detector was faulty right out of the box.
The Dealer made a call and the Manufacturer got me a new coil and a new detector in two days to Arizona. No Internet and Forum for assistance or discussions about what didn’t apply to anyone else. What I did use the Internet for was to send praise out about how well the manufacturer took care of me and the issues I had AFTER the problem was resolved. It appears we are dealing with the same type of situation here, and all that was needed was to deal with the issue to cure it, which the Nokta/Makro folks obviously did in an expeditions fashion.
Broken Coil Bolt:.. Many saw the first release of Gary’s Racer review video and noted the broken coil bolt. Hey, it’s a piece of plastic and things can happen! The positive thing to note was if that happened to you in an out-in-the-field situation, the Racer design provided a ‘quick fix’ in-the-field thanks to the way they designed the adjustable armcup as one of those bolts were used. I would have focused on the positive aspect of something like that happening.
I have worked with my Racer and the small coil, standard coil, 5½x10 coil and the larger coil and still haven’t had a problem with the bolt and nut with all the coil changes I have made. I am sure anyone might have a problem at some point if a piece of plastic was weak, too thin, or was over-tightened, etc. It happens, and as we’ve read the Nokta/Makro team is addressing that issue already.
’S’ Rod Grip Angle:.. The talk is the grip angle is rather abrupt. My thoughts? Yes, it kind of is. So is the Minelab E-Trac and some others I’ve handled, but they didn’t balance as well as the Racer. Then there have been models that, to me, had a too lazy angle like some of the Minelab Sovereigns that I found very uncomfortable and they caused me wrist pain and fatigue, but they also were heavier and didn’t balance that well, either.
Would I like a slightly more curved ‘S’ shape? To be honest, yes, it might be a little more comfortable to some people.
Do I find the current Racer ‘S’ grip annoying or unpleasant? Again to be honest, No, I don’t. Late yesterday afternoon I went back out while it was warmer to hit some hillside here in town. You see, Arlington was originally called Alkali and was started at the mouth of a draw along a big river in 1881. Then important people thought they’d build another dam in this big river and that would engulf the town. Locals decided they liked Arlington so they moved up the draw and built up the new town on the hillsides.
To hunt the hillsides where kids used to play fifty to a hundred years ago, you have to work along many spots on these steep hills with the detector almost right out in front of you, kind of ‘pointing’ at the hillsides. I did this a week ago as well and found that with the Racer’s light weight and nice balance, combined with the sort of abrupt grip angle, it was more comfortable that when I have used some of the detectors with a more traditional ‘S’ shape.
Now, let’s get down to what the Makro Racer does have for us on a positive note:.. The standard 7X11 DD search coil is a comfortable weight and acceptable balance, and the size is very practical for most ‘average’ day-to-day hunting conditions. It is held in place rigidly, and the heavy-duty cable wraps up the rods to a high quality connector. The rod-locks, like on the Nokta FORS CoRe, are a comfortable size to grip and they tighten snugly without any rod slop. The search coil cable connector on the back of the control housing is in an excellent position and it is easy to finger-tighten the connector nut without any interference from a housing or rod being in the way.
The control housing is also rigid on the top of the ‘S’ rod, but it is small and doesn’t present any top-heavy feel to this detector design. Under the rid and in front of the control, housing is a 3-position trigger-toggle switch. I like the fact that it has a proper-size ‘bat’ and isn’t too long. The trigger-toggle is spring-loaded to be a momentary hold to the rear or momentary press to the front and either direction returns it to the center search position upon release.
Pull and hold to the rear to activate the All Metal Pinpoint function with VCO audio that is static and no autotune. It also provided a couple of other functions as you can pull the trigger and press the UP pushbutton to turn the LED Flashlight On or Off. Pull the trigger and press the DOWN pushbutton to turn the display Backlight to continuous On or turn it Off.
Making your way from the control housing down the ‘S’ portion of the rod to the rear housing you find an excellent grip. It isn’t too short, and it isn’t a thin, squishy foam, either. It is a dense and firm and very comfortable feeling grip with “finger grooves.” When I first saw the photos of it I wondered if it would be a comfortable feel. Today, I wish more of my ‘S’ curved grip detectors had this grip on them. I find it comfortable and perhaps even more comfortable due to the ‘S’ angle, not sure. I just know I like it. The Racer is, as it appears and I have mentioned, light and comfortable, so I work it in a very relaxed, low-stress manner instead of a tight, over-controlling grip.
The stylish rear housing has the speaker and 4-AA battery compartment on the bottom, and at the rear is the variable On/Off and Volume control knob and the ¼” headphone jack with a very good rubber plug attached. The Racer arrived with the entire upper rod system completely assembled and ready-to-go. The armcup is a stiff but flexible plastic with thick, quality foam already applied. It is attached with two large plastic bolts and has cuts in the side so you can loosen the bolts and slide the armcup to a comfortable position to fit your arm.
It also has a wide and durable arm-strap and the size of the armcup has worked great on the chillier days and nights when I am wearing a coat, but is equally comfortable with a long-sleeved flannel shirt and fleece jacket or, in the 62° sun, wearing a short-sleeved shirt.
The Four Search Modes:.. The Makro Racer has the same four search modes as the company’s Nokta FORS CoRe, but relabeled They are very easy to understand, and are:
All Metal: A Threshold-based All Metal search mode.
Two Tone: A silent-search motion Discriminate mode with a static Low Tone for most ferrous targets and a higher VCO Audio response for most non-ferrous targets.
Three Tone: A silent-search motion Discriminate mode with a Low Tone for iron-range targets, a Mid-Tone for low-to-mid conductivity non-ferrous targets, and a High Tone for more conductive targets such as most US cents and above.
Beach: A silent-search Discriminate mode that could have two-tones, but the ferrous range is generally rejected at ‘40’ and you only hear the non-ferrous targets with a VCO Audio response.
The Mode selector and available adjustment functions are listed down the left-hand side and you use the UP and DOWN keypads to scroll to the feature you want to adjust. Once there, use the + and – keypads to adjust the desired setting for that function.
Gain: Commonly referred to as Sensitivity, can be adjusted from a setting of ‘1’ up to ‘99.’ The turn-on default Gain for each mode is ‘70’ which is more than many will want to use at a lot of sites, and while it can be increased as needed, remember, too, that it can be decreased as well. Might just end up with more performance and better results at some lower settings in some applications that you might imagine. The past three days I have used a lower-than-stock Gain setting due to a lot of trash on a pathway and hillsides, often set at Gain setting of ‘1’ to ‘20’ successfully. I didn’t need or want any added depth there.
Threshold: This function is only accessible when in the All Metal mode to adjust for a proper slight audio hum.
ID Filter: Commonly referred to as Discrimination and is only accessible in the three motion Discriminate modes. It lets you set the rejection point anywhere from ‘0’ to ’99.’
Tracking: This function let the operator select ‘00’ to have Auto-Tracking ‘Off’, or ‘01’ to turn Auto-Tracking ‘On.’ [size=small](Note:.. With Auto-Tracking turned ‘Off’ the operator can use the Automated Ground Balance, frequently called Ground Grab or Fast Grab, with the trigger-toggle and hold it forward while briskly bobbing the search coil from about 6” to 1”. Another option is to trigger-toggle forward and release, then use the + and – keypads to manually Ground Balance the Racer.)[/size]
Freq. Shift: Allows the operator to shift the frequency slightly to help address EMI issues. There are ‘5’ settings and the default is ‘3,’ so you can shift down one or two or up one or two from the default setting. So far I haven’t had any EMI issues when I have searched around a few urban locations and electrical power sources or when hunting by a few other brands of metal detectors.
Audio Tone: There are ‘5’ selectable audio tone levels [size=small](other than for the low-tone Iron audio which doesn’t change)[/size], that allow the operator to select a tone or pitch that is more pleasant and hearable for them in All Metal, Two Tone and Beach modes. The Three Tone mode is unchangeable.
Vibration: You can select ‘00’ for ‘Off’, or increase the Vibration level from ‘01’ to ‘05’ to adjust the duration of the vibration. I don’t need it, yet, because I have some impaired hearing left, but I have used it a time or two and liked it, especially hunting the hillside by the busy road. Even with my headphones on I found the vibration feature functional.
Backlight: The Racer backlight has six settings. A ‘00’ is ‘Off,’ and then you can increase the intensity from ‘01’ to ’05.’ With the Backlight in the ‘Off’ setting, it will come on Automatically when you: Get a strong enough target signal; adjust the Ground Balance; use the Pinpoint function. If you desire to have the Backlight ‘On’ all the time after dark, you can simply pull the trigger toggle and press the Down pushbutton and it will stay on. You can repeat that trigger & button action to turn the Backlight ‘Off.’
LED Flashlight: This handy flashlight, on both the Racer and FORS, does a decent job of lighting up the search coil and surrounding area when hunting at night in an unlit location. It isn’t super bright, but certainly functional. I have used it a few times just a while after sunset, but look forward to having it help me out during the hot summer months when the desert ghost towns when it is more comfortable weather at night.
Display Information: The Racer display is very easy-to-see and the Target ID numbers are large and in the center of the display. You will also see the Coin Depth read-out in this larger center-display reading.
When you adjust the Ground Balance you will see the large two-digit primary number for the Ground Phase read-out in the center, and in the upper-right you will see the fractional reading in fifths. For example, during the automated Ground Balance you might get a larger ‘78’ in the center of the display while bobbing the search coil, and in the upper right you could get a ‘20’ or ‘40’ read-out. The fractional ‘steps’ between each primary whole number are ‘20’, ‘40’, ‘60’ and ‘80’, and the next or 5th step would take you to the next whole number, and in this case that would be ’79.’
During the search you will note in the smaller upper right-hand display the two-digit Ground Phase reading. Below that is an 8-segment ‘pie chart’ that displays a rough percentage of the Ground Mineral. The more segments filled means the more challenging the ground mineral conditions are to deal with. Each segments would be about 12½%.
Below the Mineral % pie chart is a Battery Strength indicator with six segments in it. The manual claims the Racer will get about 25 to 30 hours on fully charged batteries. I don’t know how it will do as I won’t install my rechargeable set until the four Alkaline batteries I have in there now start to fail. I’m sure with longer days of improved weather I will put more stress on the batteries for longer durations, but for now, battery life ([size=small](mainly using headphones)[/size] is very good.
Under the main display is a window that has four notification prompts for the operator. Three are Warning messages, to include: Check Coil; Saturation; Pump the Coil. The fourth notification lets you know the Tracking ‘On’ or ‘Off’ status.
Above the lighted display is a color-coded Target ID and ID Filtering reference that breaks down most Rocks in the ‘0’ to ‘10’ range, Ferrous from ‘10’ to ‘40’, and Gold/Non-Ferrous targets in the ‘40’ to ‘99’ Target ID range.
Turn-On ID Filter Settings: The Two Tone and Three Tone ID Filter [size=small](Discrimination)[/size] default settings are ‘10’. This will mainly ignore most rock issues at a site and respond to most Iron. In this search set-up, the operator would rely heavily on the audio Tone ID to help classify potential Iron from Non-Iron. An ID Filter increase to about ‘23’ would be enough to reject more Iron nails and still allow some ferrous trash to be heard.
The Beach mode has a default ID Filter setting of ‘40’ which will then help to deal with mineralized ground, iron targets, and some of the wet salt component at a salt water environment. Again, it can be adjusted upward or downward as desired.
The Racer at Work: We can all develop our own styles of hunting based upon the sites we select, the targets we are after, and the detector, coil and settings used, and this includes the search modes. I like to hunt a lot of sites in the Threshold-based All metal mode, then quickly switch to a motion Discriminate mode to check a target response. Then there are times I hunt in the silent-search Discriminate mode and want to move into All metal for a longer duration than just using a Pinpoint function. Not all detectors allow this to be an easy and comfortable mode change, but the Racer is very simple, and actually more flexible than that.
After making any adjustment change you can pull and release the trigger to get back to the search mode you’re in, or you can pause for about 4 to 5 seconds and it will revert back to the search mode. Once you are in a search mode all you have to do is press the - or [/+[/b] keypad and it will immediately move the Mode selection down or up based upon the number of key-presses you use.
Example, I usually hunt in the Two Tone mode. If I get a target response and want to check it, without any hesitation or looking at the display, I can press the - keypad and shift back to the All Metal mode. Or, if I want a different Discrimination response, I can press the + keypad and advance to the Three Tone Discriminate mode and re-check the target. Very quick and easy, and once you're comfortable with the quick adjustments, you can easily tell which search mode you are in by sound and make any shift at any time.
How to Enhance the Racer’s Versatility? … Get the Pro Package: The Racer is a great detector at an excellent value and surpasses a lot of the competition in a similar or even greater price range, both with features and performance. That’s accomplished with just the stock 7X11 DD coil. The Racer Pro Package gets you the following items.:
1.. 4.5”X5” DD coil
2.. Backpack Carrying Bag
3.. Treasure Pouch
4.. Rain Covers for the Control Housing and the rear Battery/Speaker Housing under the armcup.
5.. 4 AA Rechargeable batteries with an AC and Car charger.
6.. Makro Logoed Cap and T-Shirt
Of these, while the weather covers are certainly important in drippier climates, the small DD search coil is absolutely the best thing you can add to the Racer.
In addition to the Pro Package I also have the 5½X10 DD coil which is a solid design to resist snagging. I have worked with all the search coils I have, in more and more varieties of sites as weather is slowly shifting more into Spring. The more I use the racer the more I like it. The more I like it the more I appreciate the great things about it and come to grips with little things that end up not really being a bother, such as the abrupt ‘S’ rod angle.
Most of the hunting I have done this past couple of weeks with the Racer using the standard 7X11 DD coil has been on a freshwater beach here in town, or a few grassy parks I have visited. The bulk of my site selection so far has been in some dense brush and/or old trashy areas and the smaller coil has remained on the Racer the bulk of the time. It has continued to provide me with performance that rivals or surpasses other detectors I have, or have now parted with, or have borrowed.
As I stated, I hunt a lot of nail infested locations and have used my Nail Board Performance Test to compare any and all detectors for over two decades. The Racer is matching the performance I have with my FORS Core, and that means both of these detectors have now bumped many from my personal arsenal, and continue to surprise me. The Racer’s overall handling and performance have made it essentially equal the FORS, and that means they share my #1 All Purpose Detector ranking together.
You can review my NBPT Evaluation of these two detectors and the most popular search coils here: http://www.findmall.com/read.php?100,2151779,2151779#msg-2151779
If you haven’t read the Makro Racer Owner’s Manual, maybe you ought to.: http://www.makrodedektor.com/files/racer/Racer_Kullanim_Kilavuzu_EN.pdf
I’m only at three silver coins recovered as of late yesterday, even though I have been trying to find more old sites to hunt, but believe me, I am not giving up on the effort I want to put out. Some interesting little artifacts come my way, but better still is just the sheer fun and relaxation I enjoy, encouraged by the Racer’s almost weightless feel. I hope you can all get out and enjoy some detecting, and if you haven’t handled a Racer, I encourage you to. The best way is to order one and use it and learn it.
Along the way if you have any questions, feel welcome to shoot me an e-mail.: monte@stinkwaterwells.com
Monte
