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WM6
Monte,

as I understand from Sale folder you will shrink your current MD equipment to Garrett Apex only?

No, I could, but I'm not that limiting for places I'll hunt. I will say, however, that I have my 'selection' of Garrett Apex devices which are, as I like to do, each assigned a specific search coil so I can just grab-and-go. I've never enjoyed making in-the-field search coil swaps. Also, while many detectors can handle doing multiple tasks, I have certain favorite makes and models I prefer to grab for specific needs. That's usually based basically on how they handle site conditions, and also based on their operating frequency as well as search coil assignment or options.

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WM6
Assume your main move things here is weight, great adaptation to shallow coin hunting (no more willing/able to dig deep holes) and excellent wireless tone ID transfer to headphones?

Correct, it is mainly to get the lightest, handiest package I can, and do so with detectors & search coils for the different Coin & Jewelry Hunting sites I am now mainly shifting to. My health and mobility issues have really hampered my getting around a lot this past several years and I have simply needed or face reality. The doctors gave me a cane in early March in '93, just a couple of months before I turned 44, so for 27 years, this March, getting around has been getting slower and slower.

As for coins and coin depths, that often relates to where we might be hunting and the amount of ground disturbance there has been that can relocate desired targets. The bulk of my US coin finds, as I wrap up 56 years of hunting, have been in the surface-to-5" range. Those from 5" to 6" or so I consider 'mid-depth' and the 'deep' coins are generally about 7" to 9". I have found them deeper, but I seldom find them deeper.

You mentioned Headphones and I'll go a step or two farther and include both Batteries and Pinpointers since they go hand-in-hand with the importance of Headphones.

Headphones: I like my Killer-B Hornet & Wasp Headphones with models I like to plug-in such as my Tesoro's or Fisher F5. But I really like the Garrett MS-3 and Z-Lynk wireless connection, the Minelab ML-80's with their Vanquish 540, and the Nokta / Makro 'Green' wireless Headphones with my Simplex +. Additionally, I have the Garrett Tx & Rx package so, if I want, I can use the MS-3 Headphones with any of the detectors I have been settling into.

Batteries: As 2020 progressed and I thinned my detector outfit, I noticed that several devices use built-in Lithium batteries, or I could use NiMH rechargeable. Now, I do both with most of my detector selection.

Pin-Pointers: I use the AT Pro-Pointer w/Z-Lynk technology with all the Garrett's, and I have used them on models that need the Tx / Rx adapter, and they also sound quite good. The AT Pro-Pointer is my main-use Pin-Pointer, but I also use my Nokta / Makro Pulse-Dive Pin-Pointer with my Simplex + and a few other devices.

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WM6
Did you even consider XP ORX with elliptic HF coil as main future MD tool too?

Funny you should mention the XP ORX as I was talking with a couple of people today about XP. Yes, I have owner 3 of the XP ORX devices. Two of them with the new 5X9½ HF DD coil and the other with the 9" X35 coil. I preferred the 5X9½ HF coil. I liked the ORX with that coil for certain types of hunt sites. I learned what some of the strengths and weaknesses are ... for me ... with the ORX & elliptical HF coil, but for me the Negatives I have out-weighed the Positives and I sold or traded them all this past year.

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WM6
Best wishes to your full recovery
WM6

'Thank You' for your well-wishes and I am seriously working on a positive recovery soon.


My Regular-Use Team of Detectors: Listed alphabetically with comments:

Fisher F5: I keep a round 7" Concentric coil mounted full-time. The unit operates at 7.8 kHz and that's good because I often like a lower-range Operating Frequency, especially when trying to track down some Silver US coins or other higher-conductivity targets.

Garrett Apex: When some of my detectors sell, or I get a good trade, I am going to buy a 3rd Apex. They will be outfitted as follows:

• Apex w/5X8 'Ripper' DD coil is my primary-use Apex and I really love this detector & coil combination for most of the locations I'll be hunting.

• Apex w/8½X11 'Raider' DD coil for any Beach Hunting, but mainly for plowed fields or wide-open park or sports event sites.

• Apex w/5" NEL 'Sharp' DD coil for working some of the nastiest of trash sites where I might still be in very dense trash, heavy brush, building rubble, you name it.

Minelab Vanquish 540 Pro Pack: Favored coil is the 5X8 DD for general duty, but the light-feeling 9X12 DD can take on more open areas and get better depth in favorable conditions.

Nokta / Makro Simplex +: My favorite coil on this model is their 5X9½ DD open-frame design. A unit to grab if it might get showery, or if hunting in shallow water.

Tesoro Bandido II µMAX and Silver Sabre µMAX: On each I keep a 6" Concentric mounted 'full-time' because it works perfect for my needs. I grab the Bandido II µMAX for virtually any task but like it for some quick hunts in renovation projects, etc. The Silver Sabre µMAX is my #1 grab-and-go model to thin-out any Tot-Lot playgrounds and similar high-traffic areas for active young folks.

Monte

"Your EYES ... the only 100% accurate form of Discrimination!"
Stinkwater Wells Trading Post
Metal Detector Evaluations and Product ReviewsI'm now located in Clyde, Texas monte@ahrps.org ... or ... monte@stinkwaterwells.com 325-481-8147Detector Outfit: A selection of my favorite makes and models, with the best coils mounted, for the tasks I'll take on.Pinpointers: Pulse-Dive & ProPointer AT .. Headphones: 'Hornet' & 'Wasp' .. MS-3 Z-Lynk .. N/M Green edition*** All working well today to make memories for tomorrow. ***



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2021 06:19PM by Monte.