Impact - Racer 2 which one ?

[GroundScanner]

I am getting the itch for a new machine. Impact or Racer 2 ? Also thinking of waiting for the new Minelab Equinox . I was thinking selling off a few of mine and thought a new Impact and Equinox. To many chooses. GS

 

[CCadrin]

I would go with the Impact but I also have to say that I only took the racer 2 out for 3 hunts when the Impact was announced and I sold the Racer 2. The features of the Impact are incredible. You can navigate the any of the 12 modes very easily and to change frequencies is just pressing twice.

I only use it for park hunting. The depth is incredible once you learn the machine and what it is telling you. It easily out performs my CTX 3030 in finding deep targets. The CTX is great in identifying targets with VDI but the impact provides a very clean tone on desirable targets. I had hunted the same hunted park well over 50 times in the past two years and the Impact is still producing. My latest fine was a .8 gram 18k ring and it was down 9 inches. I heard two targets close to each other with one of the targets provided a very clean sound which was the ring. The second target was an iron nail 3 to 4 inches away.

 

[GroundScanner]

Thanks CCadrin. The Impact does sound impressive. I do have the Red Racer and it is a great detector. I just don't like the grouping at vdi# 82. However I like it in old iron sites where all non ferrous sound off. GS ( Anyone else have any feedback ? )

 

[Dave_E]

I used the Racer.2 for a year and a half and loved it.
I traded it in and now own the Impact.
There’s really no comparison unless you’re factoring in price.

Both are great values for the money but if price isn’t an issue you should get the Impact.

 

[Sataro]

I've owned the Racer 2 & really enjoyed it. Great coin machine in trashy areas. I just sold it recently & purchased an Impact.

 

[cladcanada]

Is the Impact or racer2 ok to use in totlots or woodchips?

 

[Monte]

[size=medium]Is the Impact or racer2 ok to use in totlots or woodchips?[/size]

Both the Nokta Impact and Makro Racer 2 [size=small](as well as the Nokta FORS CoRe & FORS Relic and the Marko Racer)[/size] have worked just fine for me when hunting tot-lots and playgrounds made up of woodchips, barkchips, pea gravel, dark and light-colored sand, shredded rubber tire hunks, processed cherry pits and other assorted media. I can't think of any reason why they shouldn't since they provide all we need. 'Simple' ease-of-use; 'Functional' Discrimination range and adjustment; Quick-response and fast-recover for handling a lot of discarded debris in a close association with a lot of lost coins, jewelry and other items of interest.

Additionally, these detectors have an excellent selection of factory-produced search coils that help isolate desirables in cluttered trash, as well as allow the operator to work close to and around the metal structures they have to deal with. In more open areas, out away from the metal playground structures, where I always seem to find a lot of undetected targets because many/most others seem to have ignored the more open spaces I like to use the new 5X9½ open-frame DD coil for coverage. In and around the most used playground structures my favorite coil is the round 5" DD and a 2nd pick would be the 4X7½ elliptical DD coil.

The new 7" Concentric coil, however, is my most-used coil on the Impact and does excellent service in the more opened-up areas as well, and handles most anywhere I want to hunt with my Impact, be it in any urban setting, to include parks and yards and such, or out in the wilds where I spend the bulk of my detecting time. Just set the Impact up as you prefer by selecting the search mode and preferred settings, Ground Balance, then hunt away! keep the coil ±2' off any soil or rocks, and use a slow and methodical sweep.

Monte

[size=small]PS: I hope you're living and hunting in areas where I am not planning to travel during the remainder of the year because I want all those playground tot-lots to be as full as possible and keep me busy as I wrap up 2017. I'm way behind on my Annual Coin Count since I live in a very small town and have been working ghost towns when I have had the chance most of the year. I think my Impact & I are taking a Coin Hunting drive to the adjacent state tomorrow when I go for a flu shot and while pleasant fall weather continues. I live in far Eastern Oregon but plan to be working Western Oregon, Idaho, Utah and possibly Arizona before we 2018 arrives, so I hope you live elsewhere.[/size]

 

[cladcanada]

west coast of canada, The reason i asked is i have seen a few machines not be able to go near metal playground equipment.

 

[Monte]

[size=medium]west coast of canada, The reason i asked is i have seen a few machines not be able to go near metal playground equipment.[/size]

There are a LOT of detectors that have difficulty searching close to metal playground structures, and quite often the problems are connected to the following:

1.. The search coil size is too large, therefore producing a much larger EMF.

2.. The search coil type [size=small](Concentric or Double-D)[/size] and/or shape of a particular coil.

3.. The operator hasn't reduced the detector's Sensitivity or Gain control enough to allow the device to be worked closer to metal structures. That includes things other than playground equipment as well, such as metal sprinkler heads and underground metal sprinkler pipes; metal fences and fence posts; metal signage; water meter and valve covers; rebar in sidewalks, driveways and other cemented areas, etc., etc.

4.. The search coil sweep and presentation when working close to metal structures. This is not really a detector or coil issue, but operator skill or technique ... or really the lack of using the proper technique.

Playground structures can be made of some very challenging or unusual material. You might have wooden structures but they require large metal bolts, nuts and washers. Some equipment is made up of wood or plastic but also uses metal pipes/poles to support them. Then there are the metal playground structures that have the larger metal pieces like slides, perforated platforms and other challenges.

The best methods to work in and around any metal object include the following considerations:

a.. Reduce the Gain/Sensitivity as low as necessary to work as close as possible.

b.. Use a smaller-size search coil. My personal favorite is a 4½" - 6" diameter Concentric type coil. My 2nd pick would be to use a smaller-size Double-D coil such as a round 5" or maybe something in the 3½X6 to 4X7½ range.

c.. Never sweep a search coil towards-and-away from a challenging metal structure. Always position the search coil as close as possible, then slowly and methodically move the search coil with the metal structure, such as maintaining a uniform distance of the coil to a pole as you work around the pole, sprinkler head or metal plate cover and not edging past a it. If working near a metal wire fence, a pole or rod length such as a piece of rebar, sprinkler line, or other horizontal metal object, again get the coil close and work with the metal following it at a uniform coil-to-object distance.

Once a person works an offending metal structure as mentioned, back the coil an inch or so farther away and repeat the process of slowly moving the coil around or along the offending metal at a uniform distance. This can be done several times until the search coil is several inches away for the bothersome metal and can be worked normally at the site in more open areas.

I like to use my Nokta FORS CoRe w/'OOR' DD coil, or FORS Relic w/5" DD coil, or Impact w/5" DD coil mainly, but also with the 7" Concentric and 4X7½ DD when hitting playgrounds with a lot of metal structures. No perfect detector or perfect coil, but we can use the best we have on-hand. Still, we can't forget that a lot of the necessary methods for success really relate to operstor knowledge and search techniques and skills. They all can improve over time.

Monte