My old faithfull detector

Anyone on this board still detecting with old equipment? I have a C-Scope
Metadec3 that i love to bits,its like part of my brain now, but im worried i
might be missing out with all the new computerised stuff that's out now.

Old equipment?
I'm still using the dowsing rods my dad made me 40 years ago,
and I'm still finding stuff with them.
Regarding computerised detectors, you certainly are missing a lot of stuff
with the Metadec. If you went over to a Minelab Explorer XS you would wonder
what hit you!

On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 09:28:18 GMT, Theo
<theodore.twyler@ntlworld.com>
was popularly supposed to have said:

> Old equipment?
> I'm still using the dowsing rods my dad made me 40 years ago,
> and I'm still finding stuff with them.
> Regarding computerised detectors, you certainly are missing a lot of stuff
> with the Metadec. If you went over to a Minelab Explorer XS you would wonder
> what hit you!

Get a Schiebel AR19/2 and you will also wonder what hit you, until the
rusty reddish colour tips you off to the fact that it is scrap iron.

Seriously, commerical landmine detectors like this are quite good, but
only if you want to find EVERYTHING, including every bit of plough the
farmers ever lost on that particular field.

Oh, and if you get a mine detector, get a pinpoint probe too;
pinpointing's a real bugger with a pulse induction machine. Finally,
never, ever, whatever you do, not even if you want a laugh; NEVER try
detecting with a PI machine whilst wearing steel toecap boots.

--
Dan Holdsworth PhD dan1701usenet@ntlworld.com
By caffeine alone I set my mind in motion, By the beans of Java
do thoughts acquire speed, hands acquire shaking, the shaking
becomes a warning, By caffeine alone do I set my mind in motion

Seriously im wondering how far detectors have come over the last ten years,
the Metadec still finds stuff 8-10 inches down, i can usually tell by the
sound if its any good or not, what depth do the new detectors go? Are the id
features accurate on them , or do they get confused. I dig everthing that
gives a good signal so i suppose id isnt for me.

Bill,

Have a think about computers, I bought one in 1999 for £1800 pounds and I
get now go out and get something ten times quicker for a third of the price.
I used an IB in 1977 built by a clever uncle then had a break so I can't
vouch for detectors built in the 80s and early 90s but most new detectors
have on board mini computers instead of the old solid state technology. I
think you would be surprised!!!
I suppose your old faithful is like an old pair of slippers and you are
familiar with all the bleeps and squeaks but one shouldn't get nostalgic
about such things. Look at the cars of 10 years ago too, the latest models
are more efficient and reliable.
I would be tempted to use your old one as a back up and take the plunge. It
will take you weeks or even months to get the confidence you have with your
old detector but I guarantee you will wish you made the move up years ago.

Steve

"bill" <william@billystevo.plus.com> wrote in message
news:4253273a$0$27829$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net...
> Seriously im wondering how far detectors have come over the last ten
> years, the Metadec still finds stuff 8-10 inches down, i can usually tell
> by the sound if its any good or not, what depth do the new detectors go?
> Are the id features accurate on them , or do they get confused. I dig
> everthing that gives a good signal so i suppose id isnt for me.
>

Thanks Steve for your opinion but i don't see the point in paying £1000 for
something that is only marginally better than my old faithful. Digging 8-10
inches is about as deep as i want to go,What im asking is do the new
machines give an accurate description of what you have found before you dig
or not? I might be tempted if it said Hammered and it was and not a ring
pull lol.
"Steve Wright" <steve@minelab.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:d30l39$85q$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Bill,
>
> Have a think about computers, I bought one in 1999 for £1800 pounds and I
> get now go out and get something ten times quicker for a third of the
> price. I used an IB in 1977 built by a clever uncle then had a break so I
> can't vouch for detectors built in the 80s and early 90s but most new
> detectors have on board mini computers instead of the old solid state
> technology. I think you would be surprised!!!
> I suppose your old faithful is like an old pair of slippers and you are
> familiar with all the bleeps and squeaks but one shouldn't get nostalgic
> about such things. Look at the cars of 10 years ago too, the latest models
> are more efficient and reliable.
> I would be tempted to use your old one as a back up and take the plunge.
> It will take you weeks or even months to get the confidence you have with
> your old detector but I guarantee you will wish you made the move up years
> ago.
>
>
> Steve
>
> "bill" <william@billystevo.plus.com> wrote in message
> news:4253273a$0$27829$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net...
>> Seriously im wondering how far detectors have come over the last ten
>> years, the Metadec still finds stuff 8-10 inches down, i can usually
>> tell by the sound if its any good or not, what depth do the new detectors
>> go? Are the id features accurate on them , or do they get confused. I dig
>> everthing that gives a good signal so i suppose id isnt for me.
>>
>
>

Bill,

I've got the Explorer II and I can 99 times out of 100 recognise a shotty
cap from a hammered and what is a copper coin piece of lead etc. The display
is very accurate with hammered coming at the bottom of the screen near the
middle and the cut halves and quarters moving over to left of centre, again
at the bottom of the screen.
They are so sophisticated you can edit responses and block out unwanted
stuff, eg if you went on car boot site and just wanted £1 pound and £2 pound
coins you could block absolutely everything else out.
I wouldn't pay £1000 either, You can pick a new one up, as it comes, for
about £750 now.
I've had over 200 hammered with my new faithful so it must be something
right

Regards

Steve

"bill" <william@billystevo.plus.com> wrote in message
news:4254751a$0$27860$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net...
> Thanks Steve for your opinion but i don't see the point in paying £1000
> for something that is only marginally better than my old faithful. Digging
> 8-10 inches is about as deep as i want to go,What im asking is do the new
> machines give an accurate description of what you have found before you
> dig or not? I might be tempted if it said Hammered and it was and not a
> ring pull lol.
> "Steve Wright" <steve@minelab.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:d30l39$85q$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>> Bill,
>>
>> Have a think about computers, I bought one in 1999 for £1800 pounds and I
>> get now go out and get something ten times quicker for a third of the
>> price. I used an IB in 1977 built by a clever uncle then had a break so I
>> can't vouch for detectors built in the 80s and early 90s but most new
>> detectors have on board mini computers instead of the old solid state
>> technology. I think you would be surprised!!!
>> I suppose your old faithful is like an old pair of slippers and you are
>> familiar with all the bleeps and squeaks but one shouldn't get nostalgic
>> about such things. Look at the cars of 10 years ago too, the latest
>> models are more efficient and reliable.
>> I would be tempted to use your old one as a back up and take the plunge.
>> It will take you weeks or even months to get the confidence you have with
>> your old detector but I guarantee you will wish you made the move up
>> years ago.
>>
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> "bill" <william@billystevo.plus.com> wrote in message
>> news:4253273a$0$27829$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net...
>>> Seriously im wondering how far detectors have come over the last ten
>>> years, the Metadec still finds stuff 8-10 inches down, i can usually
>>> tell by the sound if its any good or not, what depth do the new
>>> detectors go? Are the id features accurate on them , or do they get
>>> confused. I dig everthing that gives a good signal so i suppose id isnt
>>> for me.
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

"Steve Wright" <steve@minelab.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:d321ba$iqu$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...

<snip>
I've had over 200 hammered with my new faithful so it must be something
right.

We'll all be following you on your next detecting trip!!

Theo,

I must confess that I have been lucky enough to find an unrecorded medieval
market site that I share with a mate and half a dozen hammered in a trip is
not unusual.
Success is mostly down to equipment, the site you are on, and how much time
you spend out there in the field. It does'nt take a rocket scientist to
swing a coil over the ground does it?, however it does take a while to learn
what your detector is telling you.
I definitely think that the Explorer has winkled out small hammered where
other detectors have failed me but it's difficult to tell unless you have
more than one machine with you and you swing both over the ground when you
get a response and compare the signals, something I've never done or am
likely to do.

Steve

)

"Theo" <theodore.twyler@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Ht65e.12991$il.642@newsfe5-win.ntli.net...
>
> "Steve Wright" <steve@minelab.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:d321ba$iqu$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> <snip>
> I've had over 200 hammered with my new faithful so it must be something
> right.
>
> We'll all be following you on your next detecting trip!!
>
>

Thanks for your reply Steve , you lucky chap, ive been detecting about 15
years now with the old faithfull and only found a dozen hammered coins ,
mostly badly worn. I have a good collection of copper coins, tokens and lots
of lead artifacts. I live in Derbyshire, its got some history , but finds
are few , i think Lincolnshire gives you more chance of finding
things.Perhaps its time to get rid of old faithfull and move into the 21st
century, what to buy is the problem, every machine claims to be the best
DOH.

Bill,

You're obviously a very experienced user so I don't think it would take you
long to learn the ropes of a new model. Depending on your age and how strong
your arm is the Minelab Explorer is a proven detector and is a very popular
machine. The Explorer MkI had many build faults and lots of people are
ditching them for the newer model which is a vast improvement. I wouldn't go
for a second hand MkI personally. The Whites machines are very good and I
would consider buying a second hand XLT 1.1 or E series, I don't know much
about the DFX but I believe it's a little more complicated than the XLT and
E series.The advantage of the Whites is that they are a lot lighter and in
my opinion, better build quality than Minelab machines. With the correct
program in an XLT it really is a switch on go machine, you just have to
perform a simple ground balance before you set off and remember the
different parts of a field may necessitate further ground balance checks.
The advantage of the Explorer over the Whites machines is that they are
unaffected by coke (hot rocks) and can be used on wet sand all day without
interference.
Whatever you do mate, good luck out there and maybe one day you will come
across an extremely productive site in Derbyshire....

Steve

"bill" <william@billystevo.plus.com> wrote in message
news:4255d45c$0$42328$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
> Thanks for your reply Steve , you lucky chap, ive been detecting about 15
> years now with the old faithfull and only found a dozen hammered coins ,
> mostly badly worn. I have a good collection of copper coins, tokens and
> lots of lead artifacts. I live in Derbyshire, its got some history , but
> finds are few , i think Lincolnshire gives you more chance of finding
> things.Perhaps its time to get rid of old faithfull and move into the 21st
> century, what to buy is the problem, every machine claims to be the best
> DOH.
>

Steve, thanks for your advice, but having pondered the situation im afraid i
cant let go of old faithful. Ok i wont get as deep as the new detectors but
i love the Metadec 3 its heavy but lets you know when you have found
something, i can switch between motion and non motion on low mineralised
sites, in non motion you can hear a hammered on its side. I think the
enjoyment for me is just getting out in the fields , even if i only find
grot.Anyway if i scoop the Lotto ill be back asking about the best. Thanks
and byeeee.

	#1
bill	My old faithfull detector Anyone on this board still detecting with old equipment? I have a C-Scope Metadec3 that i love to bits,its like part of my brain now, but im worried i might be missing out with all the new computerised stuff that's out now.

	#2
Theo	Re: My old faithfull detector Old equipment? I'm still using the dowsing rods my dad made me 40 years ago, and I'm still finding stuff with them. Regarding computerised detectors, you certainly are missing a lot of stuff with the Metadec. If you went over to a Minelab Explorer XS you would wonder what hit you!

	#3
Dan Holdsworth	Re: My old faithfull detector On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 09:28:18 GMT, Theo <theodore.twyler@ntlworld.com> was popularly supposed to have said: > Old equipment? > I'm still using the dowsing rods my dad made me 40 years ago, > and I'm still finding stuff with them. > Regarding computerised detectors, you certainly are missing a lot of stuff > with the Metadec. If you went over to a Minelab Explorer XS you would wonder > what hit you! Get a Schiebel AR19/2 and you will also wonder what hit you, until the rusty reddish colour tips you off to the fact that it is scrap iron. Seriously, commerical landmine detectors like this are quite good, but only if you want to find EVERYTHING, including every bit of plough the farmers ever lost on that particular field. Oh, and if you get a mine detector, get a pinpoint probe too; pinpointing's a real bugger with a pulse induction machine. Finally, never, ever, whatever you do, not even if you want a laugh; NEVER try detecting with a PI machine whilst wearing steel toecap boots. -- Dan Holdsworth PhD dan1701usenet@ntlworld.com By caffeine alone I set my mind in motion, By the beans of Java do thoughts acquire speed, hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning, By caffeine alone do I set my mind in motion

	#4
bill	Re: My old faithfull detector Seriously im wondering how far detectors have come over the last ten years, the Metadec still finds stuff 8-10 inches down, i can usually tell by the sound if its any good or not, what depth do the new detectors go? Are the id features accurate on them , or do they get confused. I dig everthing that gives a good signal so i suppose id isnt for me.

	#5
Steve Wright	Re: My old faithfull detector Bill, Have a think about computers, I bought one in 1999 for £1800 pounds and I get now go out and get something ten times quicker for a third of the price. I used an IB in 1977 built by a clever uncle then had a break so I can't vouch for detectors built in the 80s and early 90s but most new detectors have on board mini computers instead of the old solid state technology. I think you would be surprised!!! I suppose your old faithful is like an old pair of slippers and you are familiar with all the bleeps and squeaks but one shouldn't get nostalgic about such things. Look at the cars of 10 years ago too, the latest models are more efficient and reliable. I would be tempted to use your old one as a back up and take the plunge. It will take you weeks or even months to get the confidence you have with your old detector but I guarantee you will wish you made the move up years ago. Steve "bill" <william@billystevo.plus.com> wrote in message news:4253273a$0$27829$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net... > Seriously im wondering how far detectors have come over the last ten > years, the Metadec still finds stuff 8-10 inches down, i can usually tell > by the sound if its any good or not, what depth do the new detectors go? > Are the id features accurate on them , or do they get confused. I dig > everthing that gives a good signal so i suppose id isnt for me. >

	#6
bill	Re: My old faithfull detector Thanks Steve for your opinion but i don't see the point in paying £1000 for something that is only marginally better than my old faithful. Digging 8-10 inches is about as deep as i want to go,What im asking is do the new machines give an accurate description of what you have found before you dig or not? I might be tempted if it said Hammered and it was and not a ring pull lol. "Steve Wright" <steve@minelab.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message news:d30l39$85q$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk... > Bill, > > Have a think about computers, I bought one in 1999 for £1800 pounds and I > get now go out and get something ten times quicker for a third of the > price. I used an IB in 1977 built by a clever uncle then had a break so I > can't vouch for detectors built in the 80s and early 90s but most new > detectors have on board mini computers instead of the old solid state > technology. I think you would be surprised!!! > I suppose your old faithful is like an old pair of slippers and you are > familiar with all the bleeps and squeaks but one shouldn't get nostalgic > about such things. Look at the cars of 10 years ago too, the latest models > are more efficient and reliable. > I would be tempted to use your old one as a back up and take the plunge. > It will take you weeks or even months to get the confidence you have with > your old detector but I guarantee you will wish you made the move up years > ago. > > > Steve > > "bill" <william@billystevo.plus.com> wrote in message > news:4253273a$0$27829$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net... >> Seriously im wondering how far detectors have come over the last ten >> years, the Metadec still finds stuff 8-10 inches down, i can usually >> tell by the sound if its any good or not, what depth do the new detectors >> go? Are the id features accurate on them , or do they get confused. I dig >> everthing that gives a good signal so i suppose id isnt for me. >> > >

	#8
Theo	Re: My old faithfull detector "Steve Wright" <steve@minelab.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message news:d321ba$iqu$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk... <snip> I've had over 200 hammered with my new faithful so it must be something right. We'll all be following you on your next detecting trip!!

	#9
Steve Wright	Re: My old faithfull detector Theo, I must confess that I have been lucky enough to find an unrecorded medieval market site that I share with a mate and half a dozen hammered in a trip is not unusual. Success is mostly down to equipment, the site you are on, and how much time you spend out there in the field. It does'nt take a rocket scientist to swing a coil over the ground does it?, however it does take a while to learn what your detector is telling you. I definitely think that the Explorer has winkled out small hammered where other detectors have failed me but it's difficult to tell unless you have more than one machine with you and you swing both over the ground when you get a response and compare the signals, something I've never done or am likely to do. Steve ) "Theo" <theodore.twyler@ntlworld.com> wrote in message news:Ht65e.12991$il.642@newsfe5-win.ntli.net... > > "Steve Wright" <steve@minelab.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message > news:d321ba$iqu$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk... > > <snip> > I've had over 200 hammered with my new faithful so it must be something > right. > > We'll all be following you on your next detecting trip!! > >

	#12
bill	Re: My old faithfull detector Steve, thanks for your advice, but having pondered the situation im afraid i cant let go of old faithful. Ok i wont get as deep as the new detectors but i love the Metadec 3 its heavy but lets you know when you have found something, i can switch between motion and non motion on low mineralised sites, in non motion you can hear a hammered on its side. I think the enjoyment for me is just getting out in the fields , even if i only find grot.Anyway if i scoop the Lotto ill be back asking about the best. Thanks and byeeee.