Ground Hawk Detector

[bayoukid]

I'm thinking about getting a Ground Hawk detector.

Anybody here have any experience with this American made brand?

Trouble?

Thanks,

--kid

 

[Ed SW Fla]

... there are quite a few American made brands with proven reputations for quality and durability at almost every price point.

If you are new to the hobby, I'd suggest you invest in a well known / proven machine / brand. JMHO.

 

[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

http://www.relichuntersupply.com/GroundHawkMetalDetectors.html

 

[bayoukid]

http://www.relichuntersupply.com/GroundHawkMetalDetectors.html

Thanks for the link.

I've never look into this machine before I guess because the company was always so small.

Now they're out of business but some dealers still have new machines they'd like very much to sell.

They originally sold for about $800 and then got down to about $650 I guess and now they run $500 new.

There's a used one for sale online now for $200 plus shipping.

One major dealer told me to pass on it.

This is sad to me because in was made in the U.S, and we need more of this sort of thing. But, with no warrenty coverage and no extra coil sizes out there it's just too far out of line for me.

Thanks again.

--kid

 

[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

n/t

 

[bayoukid]

n/t

Thanks buddy! I'll remember that advice.

But for now I ended up with the Ground Hawk.

I offered the owner a small amount and he accepted. Nice fellow. I was really surprised.

But it was all I could afford anyway.

So, the Hawk will be here this week.

When it gets here I'll put it up against my Tejon.

Thanks,

--kid

 

[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

n/t

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

n/t

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

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[Craig in Alabama]

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[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

n/t

 

[Craig in Alabama]

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[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

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[Craig in Alabama]

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[bayoukid]

like it.

The thing that most interests me is the discrimination.

It's seems it will discriminate out large iron but still hit hard on nickles and gold rings. I've never seen that before.

More later.

--kid

 

[Cupajo]

Hey Kid,

How much didja say you want fer it??

CJ

 

[bayoukid]

haha

But seriously, I bought this just to test and play with a bit but now I'm thinking seriously about selling my Tejon and keeping it.

The more I test it the more I like it.

Right now it appears I can discriminate out large iron and still detect nickles and gold chain. This was in air tests so now I have to get outdoors for the buried tests.

I have to run it through both dry and wet ground tests.

I can already say that this is diffinitely not just a relic machine. That never made any sense to me. How can a detector go deep for copper/brass flat buttons and not be good at detecting indian cents deep?

The maker pushed this as a relic machine to reach that limited market but it's a killer coin machine too.

Thanks for posting.

---kid

Hey Kid,

How much didja say you want fer it??

CJ

 

[bayoukid]

post today's findings in my soil.

Comparing the Ground Hawk to the Tesoro Tejon.

Depth: nearly the same on coin sized targets. A fresh buried clad quarter at 8 inches was a good solid signal on the Tejon and GH but the Tejon's signal was slightly louder. I therefore would say the Tejon is maybe 1/2 inch deeper on coins but also the Tejon's coil is larger than the coil on the Ground Hawk. So with equal coils maybe they're the same? Another thing to note is the GH has those sweet mellow vintage sounds on deep coins while the Tejon has beeps. Long time buried coins in undisturbed soil would probably detect deeper with both machines.

Discrimination: the Ground Hawk is supreior to the Tejon. The GH can discriminate out a silver dollar sized rusty washer and yet give a solid clear signal on a nickle and gold chain. The Tesoro Tejon can't duplicate this.

Balance and general quality: the Tejon is superior to the GH. The GH feels just like those famous vintage Fisher machines some still use. It's a little top heavy but the weight seems only a little heavier than the Tejon.

Warrenty and coil options: no contest--Tesoro all the way.

Extra notes:

If I could have only one machine and had to chose bewteen these two it would be the Tejon.

I see the Ground Hawk as a great backup machine for coin/relic hunters. I'd love to try the GH at some old park loaded with trash. I'd hunt in all-metal mode and pull the trigger back to check the target in discrimination mode. This seems to work best.

Ever notice that a target gets better or worse the more times you swing the coil over it? The target almost seems to charge with energy with each swing of the coil. Well, hunting in all-metal with the GH seems to charge the target and when you check it in discrimination mode it appears one gets a much more accurate discrimination reading.

Here's what I'd suggest: Hunt a new site with a faster machine and mark the hot spots. Then return with the Ground Hawk and while hunting slowly (like with the Explorer), hunt in all-metal mode using the discrimination trigger on each target.

I could see where this machine could pull targets out of very trashy sites where others might mask out.

That's it fer now.

--kid