Took the Racer 2 on its Maiden Voyage.

[OregonGregg]

Ill be patiently waiting by the window watching for the fedex dude

LOL ya right, you'll prob wear a path in the carpet checking out the window every few seconds When you get the machine let us know and give us your thoughts. Looking forward to seeing you again when we all meet up for the May WTHO in Wells.

I sure am liking the new R2. The original Red Racer was a great performer, but now with the new features and new ergonomics and new standard coil design, really makes for a nice machine. The only possible complaint I might have is the grip is a bit skinny. But that isn't a big deal. I have these canvas made wraps that go around the grip and Velcro together to keep them on so works out great.

I also just received in the mail, the new NEL Snake coil.( 3.5" x 6.5" ) The little coil seems to work pretty good. Went over to Montes and worked it on the nail board test. It easily hit 8 for 8. The one thing we did notice , that the little "oor" coil will easily hit the penny but a majority of the time also gave a high tone ( I have my tone break set to allow most pennies to be a high tone) and on the NEL coil, even though it easily hit the penny 8 times. Of the 8 hits only a couple sounded in the high tone and the rest a mid tone. But I suspect the coil is seeing a bit more of the iron nails and is bringing the VDI numbers down a bit. Even Monte made the comment that the coil did far better then he expected and said it did pretty good, at that point I clutched my heart , fell to the ground ..........that comment almost sent me to that Big Ghost Town in the Sky. Would I replace my oor coil with it...no. I feel on what I have seen so far the oor still would be the better coil in dense iron. But other then the nail board I still have to take it out. Hopefully Sunday, Monte and I can hit a site and I'll give the NEL a workout.

Also now that the weather is improving, I might take you up on your offer, if it is still available, load the dogs up and come down your way for a visit. Worst case if detecting doesn't work out, we could always hit the Stockmans and Commercial Casinos......maybe find some treasure there ...........or lose a little treasure

 

[amberjack]

I noticed on the F19 the snake brings the numbers down a few digits on a zinc maybe that will throw the penny in to mid tone? just a thought.

AJ

 

[OregonGregg]

I think you may be right Amberjack. The NEL by its very nature might drop the VDI's a few digits or more.

 

[Kickindirt]

I agree with u Gregg on the handle being a little thin, easy fix tho. All and all I really like the machine, am very impressed on how well the stock coil does in the iron and trash. Can easily tell when it's a coin sized object just by the tone alone. I think that coil is my new favorite coil. Made it out today for a few hours. Didn't find anything to special. Had fun though learning the new machine tho. Wireless headphones sound great on the R2

 

[amberjack]

black mcnett on the grip like a bought one

AJ

 

[Monte]

The original Red Racer was a great performer, but now with the new features and new ergonomics and new standard coil design, really makes for a nice machine. The only possible complaint I might have is the grip is a bit skinny. But that isn't a big deal. I have these canvas made wraps that go around the grip and Velcro together to keep them on so works out great.

First, the Racer 2 and Gold Racer improved grip angle. I love it and find it very pleasant and quite similar to many former models I used to use, or similar to my Tesoro's.

Comments surfaced early on about the 'grip size' and new traditional design compared with the 'finger-groove' contoured grip of the original Racer. Well, yes, I notice they are a little thinner, and I liked the denser feel of the original Racer grip and slightly thicker size. That said, I still find the Racer 2/Gold Racer grip to be comfortable, and after having several people hold and handle my 'S' curved Racer series models, I didn't find anyone who really complained about the thinner design, and instead had a comment from a few females with smaller-size hands who said they liked it.

I do as well, but I am going to start using the nifty grip-wrap that Oregon Gregg pictured and uses, probably on the Racer 2 when I am working with the standard 7X11 DD and cruising open parks and such.

Oregon Gregg: Please inform forum readers where they can purchase these nice grip-wraps as I think many who find the grip too skinny will like these. Very comfortable.

I also just received in the mail, the new NEL Snake coil.( 3.5" x 6.5" ) The little coil seems to work pretty good.

For what it is, I agree it works well, and appears to be a solid build design ... but ....

Went over to Montes and worked it on the nail board test. It easily hit 8 for 8.

Yes, it did, and many detectors on the market will not get even 5 or 6 out-of 8 with a standard size or smaller-size search coil. In this case the NEL Snake got 8 out-of 8.

However, so does the 'OOR' DD coil, the 5½" DD coil, the 5½X10 DD and Concentric coils, and the standard 7X11 DD coils that are designed to work on the Racer, Racer 2, Gold Racer, Nokta FORS CoRe, Gold + and Relic models. The main reason the NEL Snake coil can work as well as it does is mainly credited to the excellent circuitry design of these Makro and Nokta Detector models.

The one thing we did notice , that the little "oor" coil will easily hit the penny but a majority of the time also gave a high tone ( I have my tone break set to allow most pennies to be a high tone) and on the NEL coil, even though it easily hit the penny 8 times. Of the 8 hits only a couple sounded in the high tone and the rest a mid tone.

On the Nokta FORS CoRe, Gold + and Relic, as well as the Makro Racer, Racer 2 and Gold Racer, I have found all of their smaller-size coils, either the 4.[size=small]7[/size]X5.[size=small]2[/size] 'OOR' DD or the round 5½" DD, to work very well. I haven't found anything I would want to use to replace them as they work terrific in the dense iron trash sites I seem to find more than clean sites.

But I suspect the coil is seeing a bit more of the iron nails and is bringing the VDI numbers down a bit.

That can happen, and you notice some target degrading when using any larger-size search coil, but that's kind of normal.

Even Monte made the comment that the coil did far better then he expected and said it did pretty good, at that point I clutched my heart , fell to the ground ..........that comment almost sent me to that Big Ghost Town in the Sky.

Yes, the NEL Snake works on your Racer 2. It would work on my Racer 2 as well, and better than some other after-market search coils, I am sure. But I like to reference things at times, so in this case let me use food.

An aftermarket search coil that lacks sufficient performance, or is unable to 'get-the-job-done' at the very iron infested sites where most of my Relic Hunting takes place, would be about as handy and desired as a bowl of warm, melted ice cream.

Your NEL Snake coil works, as I noted, and was as satisfying as a bowl of cold Vanilla ice cream on a warm day.

That said, I happen to enjoy the flavor of performance I get from the Makro/Nokta team-designed 'OOR' and 5½" search coils, which are more like relaxing on a hot day with a bowl of cold, Premium, Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ice Cream or Cherry Jubilee, Pralines & Cream, or some other choice preferred flavor. [size=small](Gosh, I just induced a craving and I haven't even had breakfast yet!)[/size]

Would I replace my oor coil with it...no. I feel on what I have seen so far the oor still would be the better coil in dense iron.

I agree. I will be working the 'OOR' and 5½" DD coils in dense iron in the four close-by ghost towns we enjoy hunting and you can tinker with the NEL Snake.

But other then the nail board I still have to take it out. Hopefully Sunday, Monte and I can hit a site and I'll give the NEL a workout.

Yep, and we worked Eldorado, Malheur City and Lost yesterday and ought to hit Phil's Place tomorrow or Wednesday so you can give it more evaluation time. It night provide very slightly more shallow-target coverage in the less trashy/more open areas ... but that's what the 5½X10 and 7X11 coils are best for, in my opinion.

[size=small](PS: I have 'names' assigned to certain locations so as not to openly reveal a specific site, such as Phil's Place and Lost in Oregon, or Twin Flats, Overlook and 'S' Mint in Utah, or T.G. in Wyoming.)[/size]

Also now that the weather is improving, I might take you up on your offer, if it is still available, load the dogs up and come down your way for a visit. Worst case if detecting doesn't work out, we could always hit the Stockmans and Commercial Casinos......maybe find some treasure there ...........or lose a little treasure

Hey, there's an idea. If I can get invited, I might try to get out of work as well to make a trip.

Monte

 

[OregonGregg]

As far as the "grip-wraps" I found them on ebay a few years back. A lady out of New York State made them as well as TID Display covers etc. I did a quick search on ebay, but couldn't find a listing. I suggest just keep an eye on ebay, they pop up now and then.

I'm sure Kickindirt wouldn't mind. What worries me is You and I and Casinos lol but I'm sure we will still find some time to do a little detecting

As far as the NEL coil, it is in the mail as we speak, headed down to KickinDirt. He wanted to try a NEL Snake coil on his new Racer 2 so I told him I would send it and for him to give it a good workout. So hopefully soon we will get some feedback from him and his thoughts about the coil.

 

[amberjack]

not sure how other company's think? read Dave J. he said Fisher are in the making metal detector business and coils are not high on the list of things we make and sell they are a pain in the butt and there's no money in them or something along those lines.

they he said welcome aftermarket coils as the coil company's have to make great coils or they go broke , we have to make great detectors or we go broke and the more after market coils the better for our detector sales.

see a lot of people as an example haven't gone from an etrac to a ctx because minelab have made it impossible for after market coil makers to crack the code on the ctx , and its sort of good in a way as I have 2 choices big or small.

all my Tesoro coils except one are Tesoro coils, come to think of it sense I got rid of my etrac I don't have many after market coils but am interested in them some are better than others

what ever works at the end of the day.



AJ

 

[OregonGregg]

Monte and I went out today. Racer 2 snagged me a chauffeurs license (badge) today, a first. Guess I can start a second job now . Monte got a 1928s Wheat. Only a few things found today, but is always fun to get out detect and let the dogs run.

 

[amberjack]

KOOL nice find !!\\

AJ

 

[Cal_Cobra]

I've been after a California chauffeurs badge for a while, that's a nice find! Heck a bad day detecting is better then a good day of working

Monte and I went out today. Racer 2 snagged me a chauffeurs license (badge) today, a first. Guess I can start a second job now . Monte got a 1928s Wheat. Only a few things found today, but is always fun to get out detect and let the dogs run.