Find's Treasure Forums

Welcome to Find's Treasure Forums, Guests!

You are viewing this forums as a guest which limits you to read only status.

Only registered members may post stories, questions, classifieds, reply to other posts, contact other members using built in messaging and use many other features found on these forums.

Why not register and join us today? It's free! (We don't share your email addresses with anyone.) We keep email addresses of our users to protect them and others from bad people posting things they shouldn't.

Click here to register!



Need Support Help?

Cannot log in?, click here to have new password emailed to you

Changed email? Forgot to update your account with new email address? Need assistance with something else?, click here to go to Find's Support Form and fill out the form.

All you need to know on Garrett ATX

sharkchow

New member
I can't believe nobody's seen this: the Minelab F3 is the same thing as the ATX. Just compare the specs, then take a look. The F3 even has 13, that's right 13 LED's in an arc across the top of the handle. Plus, a durable plastic housing, collapsible shaft with concealed wires...........it goes on and on. OK of course there are a few very minor differences. If I didn't know better I would say one of these 2 companies is manufacturing for the other.

So if you want the "scoop" (no pun intended) on the ATX, just read Minelab data on the F3.
 
Oops...
 
I need to know a lot more before I would buy one but they sure do have the similarities. For a better comparison, look at the Garretts Recon Pro to the ATX.
 
They may look similar but will be quite different. I own a F3. It comes with an 8" mono coil. NO discrimination. It is non-motion only. Takes 6 D type batteries, weighs in at around 7.5llbs complete with batteries. However, batteries can be worn on your belt with a cable to the box bringing the weight of the detector to 5lbs. The F3 was made to clear minefields and built to a military spec. Garrett are just utilising the body work of there own mine detector (built to military spec) for the ATX..
 
Statistically, the odds of 2 completely isolated metal detector companies coming up with a collapsible shaft, hidden wiring, 10 ft water-proof , PI, all metal mode, green / camo, hard and soft case, water-proof internal-speaker detector with exactly 13 ! LED's for moderate discrimination / signal strength, arced across the top of the handle, which also contains push-buttons....all this, by "coincidence" is far too remote to have happened. There absolutely HAS to be a connection between these 2 detectors, even if its just to meet the same MIL SPEC requirements.

I agree the F3 is more like the Recon Pro. But OK, there is something more to this story! One thing I haven't found out yet is the cost.

Here's a purely hypothetical situation: Minelab has the world market on ridiculously expensive, and very good, PI detectors, but there is certainly room for a less expensive one. Why risk the Minelab name and GTX brand? Why not, instead, license the technology to Garrett, for a similar but slightly "dumbed-down" version. Those who want the very best and have unlimited funds will still buy a 5000. But the ATX will shock and awe for half the price, and no compromise to the brand?

Just a thought. I hope I'm wrong and the ATX is all new and competitive. But 13 LED's ? Really? Look at those photos of each........
 
there's a perfectly good explanation for the similarities...when the government writes up the RFP (request for proposal) there are standards and specifications written in the RFP. the US Govt defines what it wants in a minedetector and the companies build that according to the Govt specs, which explains why the F3 and Recon look, function and appear to be the same...because that's what the Govt. wanted.

I believe Garrett is simply utilizing and further developing existing PI technology (I believe it's a refinement of the infinium platform), tweaking a known technology for consumer use (thereby saving on R&D expense), and marketing it accordingly. I seriously doubt Minelab would cannibalize its GPX or CTX sales with a similar product launch for hobbyists, much less license the tech that it spent countless R&D money on to Garrett of all people...that just doesn't make ANY business sense. Minelab and Garrett are for-profit companies driven by the bottom line - Minelab would not be doing itself any favors by essentially giving Garrett precious R&D know-how for them to profit from.

whether or not the ATX fits the bill for us hobbyists has yet to be determined...eagerly awaiting field reports, but I'm not expecting miracles.
 
I don't think there's anything patentable about a telescoping pole with cam locks a water proof case and 13 LEDs in semicircle .... Inside they are quite different.

Cheers,

Tye
 
Agreed performance is everything. Still waiting for someone / detecting journal / forum leader etc to come up with an objective performance test for metal detectors. Steve, since you've owned practically all of them, maybe now's a god time to develope a test bed, with buried metal objects of different conductivity, different soils, etc and then add that info to your already-good nugget detector evaluations? Of course we know that even that's not perfect, but it would establish a baseline.

Or it could be that you would upset any number of manufacturers with this, and so maybe its not worth the resulting headache.
 
i just looked up some info on the f3. in my opinion they are different detectors. there is similarities in the packaging which could be gov, contract specs or something else. one person commenting thought the f3 was a 2200 stuck in an aluminum case. i watched a video of it being air tested and it did quite well. not out of sight. 1 gram gold ring about 5 inches. 6 gram gold ring 11 inches. it has high tone for hi conductor and low for low. gold comes in the low range. the weight would be the major factor at more than 7 lbs. they come up on sometimes ebay and sell for between $500.00 and $1500.00
 
sharkchow said:
Agreed performance is everything. Still waiting for someone / detecting journal / forum leader etc to come up with an objective performance test for metal detectors. Steve, since you've owned practically all of them, maybe now's a god time to develope a test bed, with buried metal objects of different conductivity, different soils, etc and then add that info to your already-good nugget detector evaluations? Of course we know that even that's not perfect, but it would establish a baseline.

Or it could be that you would upset any number of manufacturers with this, and so maybe its not worth the resulting headache.

Well, the only person I test detectors for is me. I have used test beds in the past but these days I prefer comparing detectors on actual found targets. I am not out to sell anyone on the ATX so I doubt I am going to put a lot of my time and effort into providing any kind of "proof" of performance. I will get one, use it, and if satisfied continue to use it. If it does not fill a gap in my existing lineup of detectors it will not last long.
 
Steve...

Would those found targets still be the undug when you do compariative testing ?

Cheers,

Tye
 
Hi Tye,

Method is simple. Take two detectors out. Use detector A to find target, then check with detector B. Note if either machine gets better signal or target ID. Now go find target with detector B. Check with detector A. Keep switching back and forth, main goal being to find target with one detector that other detector cannot find.

Real ground, real targets. More importantly, my ground, my targets. At some point lugging two detectors around gets tiring and I have to put one back in truck. The one I keep hunting with is the winner.

Often detectors are pretty equal in performance. Then it just comes down to how it feels on my arm and sounds to my ear.

I honestly usually blow all this "more depth" stuff off as irrelevant. VLF performance maxed around 1990 and has not changed much since. In the case of ground balancing PI however we have the Minelab GPX setting a standard. I think even Garrett and White's acknowledge the Infinium and TDI fall well short of that standard. If either company can span the remaining gap by even half it would be a measurable accomplishment.

The bottom line for me is simple. I have all my bases covered right now except for a waterproof PI, which I lack. I have been waiting for something newer than what we currently have, and the ATX looks to be it. I am cautiously optimistic at this point Garrett is going to make me a happy camper.
 
Steve,

I hope Garett does make you happy with the ATX.
That mini coil on the standard coil spooks me a little at this time.

Thanks for the info on your comparative testing methods.
I wanted to understand the exact process/procedures of the testing
so I can evaluate their relavence to my future plans.

Cheers,

Tye
 
Top