Need advice on which detector to buy???

[juantonio]

I love in Miami and I wabt to buy a dependable saltwater machine used for around $500. In Miami we have little to no black sand. Can you please help me. I can't break the bank.

 

[southFLdigger]

Look in the used classifieds, you need a multifrequency machine such as CZ-20/21, Excalibur, Whites Beach Hunter ID, Sand Shark, or other PI units. Read the forums !

 

[dewcon4414]

U dont have black sand...but u sure have bottle caps. How deep u wanting to hunt? Knee deep chest mount a Sov. The Xcal is the one machine that really can id a bottle cap fairly well.

 

[Nuke em]

If you are not going in the water or at least only a couple of feet and trust you wont drop it then the Explorer 11 or SE is a good machine in salt , the E.Trac would be better but that will break the bank.
The Garrett AT Pro might be good too but I have not used mine in the salt wet yet though people say it will work in the wet salt, it is waterproof to 10 feet.
Sovereign is a great machine and is hip mountable . Cant think of any other not already mentioned here at the moment.

 

[dewcon4414]

The problem with the Explorers near the surf is their false tones and small gold tones sounds very much the same. Where as the Sov has a bit better separated tones in that range. Also i found myself using the TID screen to NOT dig targets. Target ID can change a lot on a salt water beach.... especially if it has rained. On a beach ive found it best to keep it simple and dig everything but a shallow bottle cap. Diggings easy..... and dont wander, figure out how you are going to hunt the beach..... grid it or hit the active areas.

Dew

 

[Nuke em]

I didn't have any problem using an Explorer in the surf , if set up right then its rock solid like an E.Trac . Though the sensitivity has to be lowered very slightly . Gold will come in at many different numbers , on an E.Trac that could be from 8 to 14 Ferrous and 01 to 40 Conductivity , its the same for the Explorer with its numbers . If its a low tone then in the surf where you have found Gold or suspect it then dig .

 

[dobbratacus]

Juntonio, I was in your shoes once. This is what I've learned. Save your money and buy the best you can afford. If you limit yourself to 500 you're still gonna fall in love with the hobby but, you're gonna kick yourself later and wish you had a better detector than the one you originally bought. There's an old saying about being to poor to buy cheap. I have two excaliburs. I couldn't afford to buy brand new so I searched the forums religiously. I got each for less than half new. Not in the spring or summer either.. That's when everyone is getting the bug and units go for high dollar. After the water cools this fall there will be deals on all the forums. If you gotta have it now I'd get a used Pulse induction machine. You should be able to find one easily for around 500 and below. Now, it's not gonna discriminate anything, but that's ok if you're gonna hunt the Miami beaches. From my experience they are clean and there is not a lot of iron bits in the sand. On the beach even with a great discriminating detector I still dig anything that beeps. After a couple of gold rings and especially chains that the PI excels in finding, then buy an excal. You'll have two detectors in your arsenal that will enable you to hunt anywhere, anytime. Don't forget you gotta get a quality scoop. I'd even go so far so say the scoop is even more important than the detector itself. I envy you, I absolutely loved detecting there. Still have a nice watch I found and my mom still wears a beautiful gold bracelet. The views of the South American women with their 1/2 bikinis is worth the parking fees alone. When you find your first gold ring we will welcome you to the Varsity. Good luck.

 

[dewcon4414]

That wasnt my experience..... hunting in PP at Lauderdel and Miami theres more iron than you think and a LOT of bottle caps. BUT i dont disagree that a PI will pay for its self or that you should buy the best you can afford especially if you water hunt. A disc machine how ever will allow you to hunt any beach much faster and with recent drops right now i believe a disc would pay you back much faster...... then get a PI. Not a lot of difference on chains.... except high conductors or those with SS spring clasps/charms between what a PI and disc can find when you are talking gold..... other targets really goes to a PI. Both have to adjust to properly hunt in salt. Most use between 15 and 22 uS..... the higher the palse delay the smaller the gold you knock out. In reality ..... the majority of the gold being found is rings. The reason many go to a disc machine is it saves time and you cover ground...... same thought for a larger coil cover as much ground as you can. You are going to miss smaller targets..... but at the end of the day you may well be ahead of the game letting those earring studs and chains you cant find anyway go. Everyone is looking for an edge and on a crowded beach with lots of competition im not sure id bring a PI..... buy it later and do clean up when there arent as many targets. Heck..... get a disc that you can hunt in PP with like an Xcal or CZ then you will get some idea just how much stuff is there. those machines LEAVE a lot of trash and if you get a good bit more depth with a PI especially on iron. Its like using a disc machine in the water..... then moving to the dry sand..... huge difference in the amount of targets you have to check. Most people dont have 6 to 8 hours like i do to hunt......... so use your time wisely and except that no one gets it all. Unless you are a young buck..... digging takes a physical tole as well.

Dew