According to past posts made by another aftermarket coil manufacturer, Minelab has not released (and likely will not release) the right to market coils for the X-TERRA.
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?50,684175,684199#msg-684199
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?55,684717,690238#msg-690238
VFLEX technology, including the microchip in the X-TERRA coils, is patented. According to what I found online, Australia has two kinds of patents available: a standard patent with a term of 20 years, or an innovation patent (with a lower threshold for inventiveness) at a maximum term of 8 years. I don't know which applies to VFLEX. But I do know the X-TERRA has been out for less than 6 years. In this world of global high tech, we come face to face with the fact that having the ability to build something is not the same as having the legal right to market it. A bigger question might be, what happens to your X-TERRA warranty if something goes wrong when using (what appears to be) an unlicensed coil? JMHO HH Randy
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?50,684175,684199#msg-684199
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?55,684717,690238#msg-690238
VFLEX technology, including the microchip in the X-TERRA coils, is patented. According to what I found online, Australia has two kinds of patents available: a standard patent with a term of 20 years, or an innovation patent (with a lower threshold for inventiveness) at a maximum term of 8 years. I don't know which applies to VFLEX. But I do know the X-TERRA has been out for less than 6 years. In this world of global high tech, we come face to face with the fact that having the ability to build something is not the same as having the legal right to market it. A bigger question might be, what happens to your X-TERRA warranty if something goes wrong when using (what appears to be) an unlicensed coil? JMHO HH Randy