info on detector Garrett BFO

[phototom1]

Need info on a Garrett BFO all purpose unit. My father at one time used this detector. The unit works and every thing seems to function fine I know this is a old unit . Just curious if it is worth using , I am aware that the newer units are much better. Thanks for any and all info.

Tom H

 

[DavHut]

Go to GeoTech and ask around. Heres the link:

http://thunting.com/geotech/forums/

David

 

[Cody]

Garrett make one of the best BFO detectors on the market back in teh early seventies. He stuck with them after other manufactures had pretty much switched to a TR type detector. They had what he called a zero drift oscillator which meant when tuned to a slow beat it would keep that setting. They did not have much depth and reacted to soil minerals like the old TR type detectors. When a target is detected the put put put of the threshold speeds up. It will slow down if over soil minerals.

They never could achieve the depth as the TR so he discontinued them and made the transition to a TR type detector and now the VLF. The old BFO is fun to play with but has no where near the depth of a VLF or does it have discrimination.

 

[Uncle Willy]

The BFO was the only detector in its day and we all had to use it and suffer with it. today's detectors are light years ahead of the old BFO,s and other than a conversation piece they aren't worth much for detecting.

Years ago I described an old Bounty Hunter BFO I had back in the late sixties and my phrase, " It wouldn't find a cannon ball in a tub of oatmeal" became a standard on the forums. Don't waste your time unless you just want something to play with.

Bill

 

[UK Brian]

Well I would give it a try because when I first came to the States detecting the BFO was THE general purpose machine and the Garrett was the top of the pile with its zero drift stability, two coils in one so you could deep seek or flick to the smaller coil insert for coins/ease of pinpointing and it had fully adjustable discrimination by meter.
I remember the Garrett 'All Purpose' still being sold well after the introduction of the Master Hunter/Coin Hunter etc VLF/TR's to the market...they just changed the advertising to something like 'for those who realise the BFO will not produce the depth of the VLF but prefer the operating characteristics'.
You know its drawbacks but how facinating to be able to try it on different sites/ground conditions. Mineralisation was a no no due to the lack of a ground balance system but on the other hand it was insensitive to small pieces of man made iron.
Let us know how you get on.