Posted on Leave a comment

XP with panel or without?

The question is simple with or without a panel? ORX, DEUS, and DEUS II are available in the lite version, where the control electronics are replaced by wireless headphones, also with buttons and a display. So which set to choose? Logically, the best and full, unfortunately, the price difference is significant, and on the other hand, you have to pay more later to buy a panel. It is bad either way. So what decision to make?!

If it is to be the first detector, then we can safely give up this add-on. Why? For a simple reason, we have to go by ear and we don’t have a display with ID numbers or a graph. We learn organoleptically from scratch as it should be – that is, by ear! It only pays off and increases our skills. Such mastery of the equipment gives you a lot and allows you to avoid mistakes at the beginning of the road. The second plus is not wasting time on moving the device when we do not fully understand certain functions and dependencies – less chance for wrong setting and skipping items. Finally, the last thing is weight loss, we can live knowing that our equipment is the lightest in the world!

Are you advanced and want to update? Buy yourself a panel, this solution is for you! There is one more option to work with the equipment, first listening and then verification on the chart. That’s how some programs work, and it works.

We have experience and we understand how the detectors work, then the panel is a chance to squeeze out additional possibilities, change the audio or precisely adjust it to the conditions or your own preferences.

Posted on Leave a comment

The silent killer

There are days when all the monotony is dazzling. And this time it happened. A narrow strip of land, your own buried holes, footprints, and… bang! Signals appear coin by coin. Not that immediately some spectacular silverware. Popularity, but what satisfaction!

One clear thing came to me that has been bothering me for a long time, but let’s start from the very beginning. The premiere of XP Deus II and Nokta Makro The Legend, a number of videos and opinions, and in addition strongly divergent. I own both devices myself, so I started testing. It’s a bad time of year. Summer. Hot and a lot of UV radiation, which, as we know, negatively affects the probes. One place and still the same effect. The work is stable for a while, and then it is difficult to master the device. It does not indicate interference, only the ID jumps, it is difficult to track the target, and the identification scale closes from start to finish. Then I put it down to UV and temperature, and in part it certainly was, but I didn’t take into account the biggest problem of SMF technology … EMI interference, and the quiet ones that you can’t see.

In a regular VLF device, one frequency is easier to manage in terms of external interference, we can see more and we have more control. In the case of a multi-frequency and, moreover, simultaneous device, no longer.

For example, to put it simply, if the device uses two frequencies and one of them is disturbed and simply does not work, we have no chance for correct identification, tracking, and signaling of the target, and the depth performance can be forgotten.

A typical example from my tests is a Minelab Equinox 800 under two parallel high-voltage lines. Quiet and stable and at the same time 5 cm shallow!

The same thing happened to me with Deus II and The Legend. Hence the opinions on the Internet that the equipment does not work and sucks. Mistake! It’s EMI interference. How can you get rid of them and what can be done to make working with the SMF detector problem-free?

We start with detuning from interference (scanning is usually automatic). It is worth carrying out this process from time to time just in case. The next step is sensitivity, we go down to the level of stable operation of the detector and lack of interference, and excitation. All freaks twisting to the max will die in this place. The target’s signal will not cut through the interference. It’s like driving a car with a high beam in the fog. Suicide. The ground calibration, was corrected and checked. You can find how to do it on my YouTube channel.

How to verify? There is a method for this, apart from effective and stable work and a handful of coins in your pocket, you can use the so-called leading signal threshold. Stable means the detector is operating smoothly and the signal is set correctly.

you don’t believe? Video below of a man running XP on Deus I alongside Deus II. After this maneuver, the last version does not signal the coin in audio. After detuning, the coin signal is back!

YouTube player
Posted on Leave a comment

Nokta Makro The Legend real SMF

The Collins Dictionary defines the word “legend” as follows: When you refer to someone as a legend, it means that they are very famous and admired by many people. That’s a definition that certainly includes the Nokta metal detector – it means both famous and universally admired.

There are multi-frequency (MF) detectors and there are simultaneous multi-frequency (SMF) detectors. Both have their followers, so which is best? It depends entirely on where you regularly look and how you look, not forgetting other aspects of fun. These will include consideration of after-sales support, accessories such as probes, warranty repairs, and even dealer reputation.

MF detectors offer operators a range of frequencies from 4kHz to 81kHz, depending on make and model. What MFs don’t do is generate multiple frequencies at once, unlike SMF. Because MFs transmit one selected frequency at a time, their electronic target analysis systems are less complex and therefore less expensive to manufacture. This is usually reflected in their much lower price. Many seasoned MF aficionados prefer to tune their detectors to the frequency that best suits the type of target they are looking for… eg gold, minted silver, copper, and even iron objects.

Nokta Legend is a real SMF that transmits 4kHz, 10kHz, 15kHz, 20kHz, and 40kHz synchronously. Why? Straight. SMF is a catch-all system. Lower frequencies penetrate deeper into the ground/wet sand, while higher frequencies – although slightly less so – are more sensitive to small gold objects. A single MF frequency option is also available to the user.

At a price of around PLN 3,835 along with “promotional offers” that include additional probes and other accessories, it is hardly surprising that the Legend is so highly regarded. Don’t be fooled, this is a technologically advanced detector with features usually only available on the market for detectors worth over PLN 7,000. What makes it stand out is that it has an average price.

From a commercial point of view, it’s a damn strong mix. Nokta placed the Legend electronics in the same housing as the Simplex+ model. The build quality and architecture are typical of a Turkish manufacturer. The model is solid and based on the experience gained in the production of other detectors. As sailors say about yachts: “If it looks good, it will sail well.”

Where we have garbage and iron, a small probe should be used, and anyone who searches the shoreline knows what I’m talking about. Beach seekers often avoid cluttered areas like the plague. Other tough guys work in these conditions, pushing the capabilities of their devices to the limit.

Large-diameter probes are not my ideal choice in cluttered areas, due to one major disadvantage: vulnerability to “target masking”. In the case where we have two objects – one garbage and the other, e.g. a gold ring – both entering the field of work, and the garbage object is often the stronger signal of the two and “masks” gold. Some areas were not only loaded to the brim with garbage and all sorts of metal objects but also lost jewelry. Not surprisingly, these places are almost impossible to search with large-diameter probes, and I mean the 11-inch Legend probe as well. As you might expect, many Seekers steer clear of littered areas. The key to unlocking the loot is a probe with a small diameter of no more than six inches. The likelihood of two targets falling into the small diameter of a small probe is much less likely.

I hope the 6-inch NM probe (LG15) will stand out, as does the elliptical 9.5″x5″ (SP24) used in my Simplex+.

It’s obvious that electronics and water are a poor combination. So, if you’re taking your expensive metal detector anywhere near water, especially salt water, it needs to be waterproof to survive accidental submersion. The Legend is fully resistant up to three meters. For diving maniacs, you can buy headphones for diving on a cable. Same as Simplex+.

Posted on Leave a comment

Tarsacci MDT 8000 another decision

Łukasz Karmalita’s opinion:

☘️ Half a year with Tersacci and 2 months with a 12 “coil. I have flown a lot of hours, I think I used 10 batteries and one is enough for a very long time 18 hours at 6.4khz and over 30 at 18khz. There are rather no defects in the construction, the only holes in the seatpost howl in the wind ? but they are already wrapped. The traces of wear of the machine are negligible. As for the new coil and without the cover, it seemed to me that it would wear out very quickly, but nothing could be more wrong, only minor scratches came out and that’s it, and the areas were plowed fields, meadows and stones.

As for the handling, it is very strange because I have not yet met a detector that would be at maximum sensitivity all the time and was so stable ..! As with all detectors, you have to overlap and dig to understand what and where.

Posted on Leave a comment

Rutus Alter 71 vs Tarsacci MDT 8000

A quick visual comparison of Tarsacci MDT 800 and Rutus Alter 71 in heavy clay soil.

Posted on Leave a comment

Tarsacci MDT 8000

Another few interesting finds from a passing spot with Tarsacci MDT 8000.

Grapeshot ball
50 groszy aluminum post communist times…
They are waiting for us in sleep…
Posted on Leave a comment

Nokta Makro INVENIO PRO 3D visualization of objects hidden in the soil

Invenio Nokta Makro INVENIO PRO allows you to show the shape, dimensions, depth of deposition, and the type of metal from which the object is made.

Posted on Leave a comment

Fold and GO kit

Even the most expensive models of detectors have a problem with their dimensions. Fold and GO is a solution for all those who need compact sizes. Do you need to take your equipment in a backpack, fit it in a small trunk or pack it in hand luggage? Thanks to our solution, it is finally possible. Please click photo below:

 



Posted on Leave a comment

Minelab Manticore or XP DEUS II?

XP DEUS II vs Minelab Manticore who will win this duel? It depends … it depends on what we expect from both detectors because both are really good.

DEUS II is the king of ergonomics when it comes to the lack of cables, weight – 960 grams, and compactness, and there has been no competition in this category for years. What else? The audio was created by a real musician. Also undefeated for years, although Minelab created more pleasant tones and less tiring, also worse describing the subject. What is the difference? On nuances and additional sounds and their change and their modulation and volume. A piece of aluminum in the form of a can sounds differently than a coin, even if it is similar in its conductivity. It’s a lot. After a while, we know what is what. That’s what it’s supposed to be about. Disadvantage? In the long run, such audio can cause fatigue, especially in areas littered or full of iron. This is a minor difference, but for an experienced user, it is crucial.

Do we know anything more? Yes. Thomas Dankowski from the USA is a well-known American device tester before releasing them to the market. Over 40 years of experience is indisputable and his contribution to the development of many well-known devices is crucial. He has been testing Minelab Manticore for over a year and on the Dankowski forum (link: https://www.dankowskidetectors.com/discussions/index.php) he shared his observations with us, comparing it to devices such as XP DEUS II and Tarsacci MDT 8000 which also tested.

The Minelab Manticore was tested on the coast and on the beach, the inland tests simply did not take place and according to Thomas, the new Minelab is a slightly worse separating detector than the XP DEUSA II. Calabash Digger drew similar conclusions in his tests, which can be seen on his YouTube channel.

One important observation has been mentioned, the Manticore will be slightly deeper and it’s a matter of an inch or so (2-3 cm). This means performance at the level of the Tarsacci MDT 8000, which is a PI/VLF hybrid device and this means that such equipment is always deeper.

The 2D visualization of the Minelab detector in a clear field allows you to analyze the target, something more than the well-known XY plot from DEUSA XP. Unfortunately, with a large amount of iron, it does not work so perfectly and can lead to disappointment. As we know, everything requires learning.

The thing to check is the color spoof issue with heavy condensation of rusty items, but that takes time and fieldwork. It should be remembered that new software updates can change a lot for both manufacturers.