I have owned, tested and used too many detectors over the years, mostly due to the fact that I want my own opinion in my own dirt and hunting conditions. i have come up with a nice way to test detectors that shows me what to expect in the field from two different detectors.
The test shows if the detectors are very different, then i need both or one cant do better then one i already own so it can be sold or it does allot better and it can replace one i own.
The test is more about what to expect in the finds pouch at the end of the day then about depth and separation between targets. It is fully aimed at detecting and having fun. I have all kind of testbeds and bench test results but the 3 f s matter most ( field-fun-finds) lol...
Testing :
Find a new field or any out hunted field you trust to contain a wide range of objects.
Mark off two areas 20 by 100 yards. With markers.
Day one: Detect area 1 with your first detector and use it as you would in any field. Dig the targets that sound good to you as always and also iffys if you want but not necessarily. A iffy can sound good on your second detector and you will not know if you dug it with nr 1. save all finds you dig even if it is pure trash. Mark it as finds 1-1
Day two : Detect area 2 with your second detector. Save all finds as before and mark them as 2-2
Day 3 : Now it is getting interesting what detector 1 missed cause you will take detector 2 on field 1.... All finds saved and marked as 1-2
Day 4 : You guessed it. Detector 1 will be used on field 2. mark finds as 2-1
To make it even more interesting and to show more real life result from your detectors, set a time for each session. Say maybe 2 hours for each session. That will show if one of the detector has slower recovery speed then the other one. Try to avoid giving a obviously slow detector more time then you would have in a real field search at an event or a competition.
Day 5. Explore all 4 finds pouches and you will immediately see if the detectors are very different and what detector is best for smaller finds or deeper finds and what finds that will be its force and what it can find that the other didn't.
Sometimes it is obvious, sometimes it is an eyeopener and sometimes you don't see a difference....
edited : yes, this test can also be used for testing of new coils or different coils.... I forgot that
Happy hunting
Bjorn
The test shows if the detectors are very different, then i need both or one cant do better then one i already own so it can be sold or it does allot better and it can replace one i own.
The test is more about what to expect in the finds pouch at the end of the day then about depth and separation between targets. It is fully aimed at detecting and having fun. I have all kind of testbeds and bench test results but the 3 f s matter most ( field-fun-finds) lol...
Testing :
Find a new field or any out hunted field you trust to contain a wide range of objects.
Mark off two areas 20 by 100 yards. With markers.
Day one: Detect area 1 with your first detector and use it as you would in any field. Dig the targets that sound good to you as always and also iffys if you want but not necessarily. A iffy can sound good on your second detector and you will not know if you dug it with nr 1. save all finds you dig even if it is pure trash. Mark it as finds 1-1
Day two : Detect area 2 with your second detector. Save all finds as before and mark them as 2-2
Day 3 : Now it is getting interesting what detector 1 missed cause you will take detector 2 on field 1.... All finds saved and marked as 1-2
Day 4 : You guessed it. Detector 1 will be used on field 2. mark finds as 2-1
To make it even more interesting and to show more real life result from your detectors, set a time for each session. Say maybe 2 hours for each session. That will show if one of the detector has slower recovery speed then the other one. Try to avoid giving a obviously slow detector more time then you would have in a real field search at an event or a competition.
Day 5. Explore all 4 finds pouches and you will immediately see if the detectors are very different and what detector is best for smaller finds or deeper finds and what finds that will be its force and what it can find that the other didn't.
Sometimes it is obvious, sometimes it is an eyeopener and sometimes you don't see a difference....
edited : yes, this test can also be used for testing of new coils or different coils.... I forgot that
Happy hunting
Bjorn
I am not anti minelab at all and love Explorers and the ET. I used the DFX for many years aswell as the MXT so it is great to see whites come out with a detector like the V3.