couple questions for Randy...

[aliensr]

hi Randy, I'm enjoying your candid answers to folks questions.
I've got a couple more for you:

What type of battery does the wireless unit take and how many hours can you get with it?
Is there a waterproof 'plug' provided to seal the proprietory headphone connector so that a person can wade in the shallows using the wireless setup and not worry about dropping the unit or even set it down in the shallow water if so desired.
Does the unit float? and if so is it straight up and down, ie weighted coil?
Is the 'smart' part of the smart coils simply to provide digital coil 'geometry' info (ie for proper depth) or is there more to it than that?
did you have the small coil mounted on its own rod and how quickly can you swap the coils?
Can you turn off GPS at the chip level so as to extend detecting time? same for wireless?

In areas reasonably close to me, the etrac is past the point of reasonable returns(keepers)/per hour(s) of detecting. In your opinion will the 3030 be able to allow a new 'experience' in these areas, ie did you hit similar areas also and surprised yourself with finds that the etrac missed.
I know that last question is tricky with a lot of variables but what the heck. If I bought it and hit all my old areas I 'cleaned' with the etrac and got very few or no new finds I know I'd be disappointed.......
Can one simply choose the 'silver' program (for example) without touching much else and do well as is? ie a turn on and go 'silver' machine out of the box?
this would imply that the preset programs are pretty sophisticated and carefully tuned (from your and others feedback?)....

cheers....

 

[Digger]

What type of battery does the wireless unit take and how many hours can you get with it?
The Wireless module has an Li-ion battery, just like the CTX 3030. It is recharged via a USB cable into the detector's charger or a standard USB port. I charge my CTX 3030 every couple days. When I do, I hook wireless module to the charger base, via a USB port. I can't tell you how many hours I can get with it because by charging them every 10 - 12 hours, I've not ran out of juice!


Is there a waterproof 'plug' provided to seal the proprietory headphone connector so that a person can wade in the shallows using the wireless setup and not worry about dropping the unit or even set it down in the shallow water if so desired.
No. But not to worry! It is tough to explain, but basically, the wired headphones plug into a jack, located in a module that fastens toward the back of the detector "housing". (If I recall, someone posted a couple pictures of the two headphone jacks.) If you remove that module, you will find the jack for the waterproof headphones. When the module is connected (fastened), the waterproof jack "feeds" the standard jack in the module. (when it is released) you find the manual will tell us to "hose the detector with clean water after use on the beach". For what it's worth, I soaked mine several times with no ill effects.

Does the unit float? and if so is it straight up and down, ie weighted coil?
Good question! The control housing I had while at the beach (last winter) was upgraded since returning home. So I'll have to contact Minelab to see if the "final" version floats. The picture on the cover of the brochure indicates a floating CTX 3030. Maybe that is for effect, I don't know. But I do know the coil is not weighted.

Is the 'smart' part of the smart coils simply to provide digital coil 'geometry' info (ie for proper depth) or is there more to it than that?
Not being privy to the techincal specifications of the equipment, I can only speculate that the microchip in the coil communicates to the microprocessor, establishing connection and establishing the parameters for that specific coil. (see VFEX on the X-TERRA for more information).


did you have the small coil mounted on its own rod and how quickly can you swap the coils?
I have lower rods for all my coils on all my detectors. As you implied, it takes far less time to change coils, which I do regularly. Although I've never timed myself, I would venture to say between 1 -2 minutes to complete the task on the CTX 3030.


Can you turn off GPS at the chip level so as to extend detecting time? same for wireless?
Both GPS and Wireless are in the Off position at Start up, by default. You implement either (for On and OFF) via the menu pad.

In areas reasonably close to me, the etrac is past the point of reasonable returns(keepers)/per hour(s) of detecting. In your opinion will the 3030 be able to allow a new 'experience' in these areas, ie did you hit similar areas also and surprised yourself with finds that the etrac missed.
Although I live in an area that could be considered rural by many standards, my brother and I have been detecting around here for over 40 years. Not to mention others in the area that detect many of the same places. I live in an area that wasn't "settled" until the mid 1800's. As such, unless the soil has been tilled, there are not many targets deeper than 8 - 10 inches. With that in mind, I am of the opinion that there are more old coins still hiding out there due to target masking than extreme depth. The "see through" capabilities of the CTX 3030 far surpassed what I had even imagined. Being able to identify multiple targets under the coil simultaneously not only provided some nice finds. But until I witnessed it, I would never have believed there was that much "junk" in the ground. I could have taken the CTX 3030 to places I'd not hunted previously. And I did a few, simply because it is a pleasure to use. But the majority of my "testing" was in places I've hit over and over again. As I said, the capabilities of FBS2 technology far surpassed what I could have imagined.


I know that last question is tricky with a lot of variables but what the heck. If I bought it and hit all my old areas I 'cleaned' with the etrac and got very few or no new finds I know I'd be disappointed.......
I suppose it would depend on whether those targets are beyond the reach of your E-TRAC or just being masked. I found the CTX 3030 has the edge over the E-TRAC on raw depth. Not a lot. But enough to make that determination through direct comparison. I don't know if can be attributed to the smart coil, the upgraded processor or the software running it. I simply don't know enough about the "secret workings" to even make a guess. But in the sites I put them "head to head", I found targets the E-TRAC could not locate, separate or identify with the accuracy of the CTX 3030. Some due to depth. Most due to separation and display information


Can one simply choose the 'silver' program (for example) without touching much else and do well as is? ie a turn on and go 'silver' machine out of the box?
Yes

this would imply that the preset programs are pretty sophisticated and carefully tuned (from your and others feedback?)....
Yes. Very much so!


Lots of questions.....hope I didn't have too many typos!

 

[CDDZ]

Randy,
So I understand the headphone jack correctly. Maybe I am not reading what you said properly. If One uses the wireless seup, aside from the wireless reciever, the unit is NOT waterproof? Or does it require you to use the underwater headphones to make the unit the 100% water proof to 3 Meters?

 

[Digger]

Wireless or not, the detector is waterproof.

 

[CDDZ]

Wireless or not, the detector is waterproof.

OKay, was a wee bit confused by what you were saying is all.

Thanks!

 

[markg]

Wow, being able to tell if there are two different targets under the coil is a vast improvement. Not sure any other detector can do this.

 

[aliensr]

thanks Randy! appreciate it.

one other thing: I imagine you used the 'remote' software/firmware upgrade process quite a bit during your eval. Was this a quick and smooth process over the internet? This must have made your 'work' much easier and the coordination between disparate testers really nice.

For the Minelab folks that might be reading this I'd like to suggest that 'beta' versions of upgrade SW be made available (optionally) to those users that choose to do so (well documented changes). This process could allow feedback that would definitely help provide better 'formal' updates. Moving back to previous updates should also be allowed.
I commend Minelab for providing the means for these updates, esp since the SW/FW complexity has increased so much. Knowing that fixes/improvements can be provided makes this user (retired EE) much more inclined to purchase one. Has there been any talk of how often updates might be provided?

 

[RichW]

The coil is not weighted ? Doesn't it want to push up and float to the surface ? If so that's something I really wouldn't like. I had a White's machine that did that and i really hated it.

 

[Digger]

Straight from OZ........Yes is does