First real test run of the Platypus coil...

[Joe G]

Santa was very good... He dropped off a Platypus for me yesterday . Today was the first time I could give it a real good try out.

For all you water hunters, at first glance, this thing does NOT like the salt water. Once it touched the water, it started falsing all over the place. The jury is still out on this one though. Next weekend I'll have more of a chance to experiment with settings (I just worked the wet packed sand to the high tide mark for a while). Definitely had to lower the gain. Where I normally run around 7 (which can be noisy with the stock coil), I had to bring it down to 5 to give my ears a break. I'll know more by the end of next weekend when I do a comparison between the two, but I wasn't thrilled.

Fortunately, I wanted this coil for hunting parks and I can say it works as advertised. Target separation was very good. Not much of a need to use the pinpoint button with this coil, pinpointing while detecting is a snap. Depth was as good as the stock coil... I don't know, maybe better. I have a deepie planted in my backyard and while it's hard for the 10.5 to pick it out, after a little wiggle of the coil, the Platypus locks in.

All in all, in spite of the clouds and the on and off rain, I had a great day. It's been a while since I had the time to actually go out for a couple of hours. The beach was fairly bleak although I did manage some clad. The rest came from one of the parks I like to hunt. Here the take:

No gold...
1 junk ring (not pictured)
1 Chuck E. Cheese token
1 Miniature Habitat for Humanity hammer
1 '52 Washington (from a very trashy picnic area at 5 or 6")
1 '50 Wheatie
14 Quarters
15 Nickels
21 Dimes
58 Pennies

Total: 110 coins $7.19

<img src=http://images.snapfish.com/345886965%7Ffp338%3Enu%3D326%3B%3E%3A79%3E999%3EWSNRCG%3D32333%3A%3C284725nu0mrj>

<img src=http://images.snapfish.com/345886965%7Ffp338%3Enu%3D326%3B%3E%3A79%3E999%3EWSNRCG%3D32333%3A%3C284726nu0mrj>

 

[steve in so la]

what makes this coil different from others Joe ? Good haul for the outing, Steve in so az

 

[Randy Cosner]

n/t

 

[Joe G]

Well, it's a double D eliptical. Gets into nooks and crannies (near trees stumps, etc.) better than the stock 10.5 and because it's only 8.5" wide, there's better target separation. I was looking for something that would allow me to work in trashy areas but not give up depth. Since everything's been hunted to death around here (even clad is hard to find), you really have to work hard at finding the stuff others have missed.

I don't think I would have picked up that Washinton with the stock coil. Although it was surrounded by trash, I was able to get between it all and pick up the target. Made my day. Also, while I've gotten the hang out of pinpointing with the stock coil, the platypus really makes it easy.

Man, I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing silver come out of the ground

 

[Digdoug]

n/t

 

[steve in so la]

Sounds like a good one. I find that in trashy areas I can move my 8 inch coil real slow and detect in between things. Have to be real aware of sounds at all times tho, steve in so az

 

[Mike from MI "Iron Brigade"]

The Silver and the hammer are very cool! Been researching and possibly going to buy one for relic hunting. If you don't mind doing me a favor, could you put the stock coil on and air test silver dime and quarter then try the Platypus to see any difference in depth?

 

[Joe G]

I was going to try that eventually Maybe his week. Next weekend, weather permitting, I'll do some comparisons on targets at the beach.

 

[Joe G]

I like the 8" on the Fisher, the 10.5 makes hunting trashier areas a little more of a challange That's why I went with the eliptical. We'll see... so far so good though.

 

[SilverSeeker]

n/t

 

[Mike Chgo area]

n/t

 

[Joe G]

n/t

 

[MI$$OURI BETTY]

n/t