Diving with the CTX

[underwatermetalman]

I would like to share both good and bad news regarding diving with the CTX, I used it down to around fifteen feet, the O ring upgrade held up, I found no signs of seepage. The CTX has a much faster recovery in Disc mode than my Excal which lead to a few more finds working the same area. The bad news is my GG Underwater headphones were quiet on the first dive but I could still hear my signals, now, on my second dive the headphones have become too quiet making them impossible to use. Anyone else having this problem? are there known problems with GG headphone failures after approximately two years use? I used them on land and have noticed a definite drop in audio volume. I have perfect hearing are there better headphones available?

I should share my finds...four silver coins, two rings, a few wheat cents, and a few dollars in clad.

 

[amberjack]

I am putting a set together using these http://www.detectorpro.com/grayghost-amphibian.htm with a M12 connector search eBay M12 8pin IP68 Field-installable connector M12A-8PMM-IP68 for CTX 3030

one because I heard as you have said the ctx ones are not loud enough and I want what works and so the ctx remains a princess when it comes to headphones

thanks for the feedback on the bigger o rings that's good news, I want to have the best possible water detecting experience and not be worried about frying my out of warranty machine so yep spending more money on this machine than any other I have ever owned , but as you said it works well once the mods are done

dam reminds me of my ex high maintenance

AJ

 

[underwatermetalman]

AJ, thanks for the response let me know how they work out, I would consider doing the same....Have you used the GG's on any other machine such as the Excal, I am considering using my old GG's on that.

 

[amberjack]

AJ, thanks for the response let me know how they work out, I would consider doing the same....Have you used the GG's on any other machine such as the Excal, I am considering using my old GG's on that.

no worries will do still getting the parts together myself but will let you know, no haven't used the GGUW on any machine, I know the ctx has volume problems though and from some reading around the GGUW for ctx were not so flash so I went with the new tech GGA fingers crossed hey

AJ

 

[Overvoltage]

How are the yellow Minelab uw headphones? They seem to work fine for the excal zI can't see why they wouldn't work well for the CTX

 

[amberjack]

whole different beast suffers from low volume which is a pain in the ctx , and has been sense day dot.

AJ

 

[RichW]

I use them and like them but I don't dive. They don't fit as well as the GG but I like the sound better.

 

[underwatermetalman]

I have a set of Koss headphones on my Excal and they are uncomfortable, I ordered a set of GG Ampnibians that will arrive sometime this week, I need the CTX connector, when I get them done I will post my results.

 

[h.m.scoop]

I DID IT!!!!!!!!! This is going to be a strange report but I have finally figured it out... I have had the GG headphones for my CTX and have been very frustrated with the very low volume when I dive. I don't know why I didn't do this earlier but I have been hunting with my Excals for several years and I absolutely hate the stock headphones and I have tried the GG headpnones for the Excal but they are not much louder. I use to hunt with a Garrett Seahunter and loved how loud they were while diving so I tried hard wiring the Garrett headphones to my Excal and those suckers were really loud, crisp sound, and they stay on my head even in rough waters. Last night I was trying to figure out how I can make an extra pair of Garrett headphones that I had work on the CTX... So I took apart the GG headphones and I took out the chip that is in the silicon and I installed it in the Garrett headphones and wired everything back up. I just got back from the beach after doing a short test run in the water I am so stoked to report that I can hear every test target loud and clear! To give you an Idea how much better it is. With the GG while submerged I had to have the threshold on 40 to hear it and now with the Garretts I can hear it submerged at 30 I would estimate that I am getting about 20 % more volume than the GG... Not sure why the Garretts are louder but I know that the speaker is bigger. Now I feel that I have the perfect water machine...

 

[underwatermetalman]

Great post! excellent work, how did you figure out how to wire the chip? I just bought a pair of GG amphibians that I am going to wire once I get the connector. I will post the difference if any. I used my CTX again this past weekend and once again went over an area I hunted with my Excal, once again I found things I missed. The problem remains I have to hold my breath in order to hear targets because the volume is so poor with the threshold and volume .maxed out. I will do whatever it takes to overcome this problem. Where did you get your CTX connectors? I see one on Ebay but it is from the UK

 

[amberjack]

try mouser http://au.mouser.com/ProductDetail/TE-Connectivity/1838275-4/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMs%252bIvBGHsxjAxtEpUNUtNFk

not 100% sure its the right one but specs sound right.

was cheaper for me to buy from the UK shipping on one plug mouser 30 odd bucks for me, think I have found some over here if needed.

keep us updated on how you go !!

AJ

 

[h.m.scoop]

UWMM, I cheated. I had a broken pair of GG headphones the I bought for the CTX so I just used the chip out of it and I used the connector and wire... I just needed to connect the Garrett speakers to the chip. I did go out today for a 1 hour hunt and so just cherry picked in about 12' of water and I could hear the low tones so well and got a small 14k with some diamonds... Not sure if the GGA has the chip in it already. Just pop off the can and see if it is siliconed... I don't think that it will work on the CTX without the chip. I think if you hook it up and it doesn't have the chip then it will not recognize that headphones are hooked up (I could be wrong).

 

[amberjack]

have to wire a jumper on the plug as the GGA only has 2 wires.

AJ

 

[amberjack]

what really needs to happen is minelab need to step up and issue a software update for the ctx to solve this volume problem after all its why we paid top dollar and clearly there is an issue here that needs fixing all the users of the ctx in the water can not be wrong.

so for mine this is a minelab problem and minelab need to fix it, we are doing our best here trying to get this machine to work how it is meant too with the options available to us, we are going above and beyond to fix this "problem" with sound out of the 8 pin water proof plug, now I am sure others will agree its time for minelab to step up and do their bit to fix this issue with their product.

we can not be relying on another detectorist in old beach nut or any other user who dabbles in the headphone area to rectify this problem they are not always available and can not be expected to solve a minelab problem with very limited options as neither are any of us, we do not possess the tools or electrical equipment or know the inner make up of how this detector functions so without minelabs intervention in solving this problem, we are laymen trying to fix a complex problem with a hammer.

so I would suggest its time for minelab to step up to the plate and make a fix for their detector the most expensive VLF on the market, surely as consumers we are entitled to a fully functioning product as laid out in consumer law.

i am sure minelab can and will produce a software update regarding the issue of volume to their flagship detector and in turn stand back up as the bench mark in the detector industry.

as of this point they are losing ground and some creditability as a company that cares about the quality of their products and most of all their loyal customers.

AJ

 

[h.m.scoop]

I agree 100% on everything that you said Amberjack!

 

[RichW]

Amen ! This forum is full of posts about bad volume, limited headphone options and better o-rings to keep the CTX from leaking. Minelab doesn't seem interested in dealing with any issues or improvements to make the CTX better. They build a $2500 machine designed to hunt in almost any environment and offer only 3 coil choices. ( 4 choices now thanks thanks to Coiltek)

 

[underwatermetalman]

AJ,

Well put, they charged us for a do all machine that I feel was not sufficiently proven before its release. Mine, will shut down for no reason, other times it will not shut off without pulling the battery, then there's the low sound level when diving, the battery leak while wading, and last but not least the USB port leak.

While diving I have to hold my breath when I think I have a signal or I can't tell for sure if I have a signal. I am positive I have missed targets because I could not hear them. The good thing is I can stay down longer because I hold my breath so much, my wife timed me at 2 hrs. twenty minutes on an 85lb LP tank on my last dive.

I should be receiving my GG Amphibians tomorrow, I ordered the connector which should be here next week. I will let you all know how well they work once they have been in the water down to around 15'

I must comment on the O ring mod by Frogman, thus far it is the best mod prior to that I waded to about five feet when I came home there was water in my battery box fortunatly I caught it right away so there was no damage. Now I can wade and dive with no problems., too bad it took a layman to figure it out we are fortunate he shared it with the rest of us...a five dollar O ring swap solved the problem on a 2,500.00 detector.

 

[amberjack]

wow underwatermetalman you have some issues there with on off will they fix it for you?

I know if I bought a freezer and the seals didn't seal I would be taking it back for one that worked, if I bough a stereo and it piddled out some soft sound I would do the same some how Codan (minelab) are immune to offering a product that works as the label states, very sad and cant be a good ad for them?

not to worry as you have stated its laymen who have more experience with these detectors and are fixing the experts mistakes, I am sure testing was mainly done in the dirt and so none of these issues were found, so 3 years I am sure is enough time for them to rectify the problems, but it seems not

my GGA and plug arrived today I will put in on tonight and I sure hope you cant here me screaming from where you are

so we battle on, I have the o rings, GGA and plug, some aviator gel muffs, and if worst comes to worst a set of kobitone sd-150's that may fit in the speaker housing in the GGA but I sure hope it doesn't come to that

this is my end game with this detector if this doesn't work its going to be sold and I will await the new fisher CZ , cira 2016.

I think we have gone above and beyond what we are meant to with this detector to be used as advertised.

AJ

 

[amberjack]

I'm out wired it up all I could hear sounded like a mouse down a drain pipe, maybe its me and if it is I don't care spent more money on this thing than I have needed too and I really don't need this 3 years of wrestling this machine has wore me out.

so off she goes to market and I will stick with what works NO more minelabs for me

have fun guys !!

AJ

 

[amberjack]

after my graphic release and wiring it wrong

if you are looking at the pins on the back of the connector plugged in to the machine, you would connect the red wire to the first pin to the left of top centre. you then need to jump the 2nd and 3rd pins to the left of the first one together and connect the black wire to either of those two pins you just jumped together. this is for GGA.

needless to say I stuffed up the plug so will order some more.

I did put a mono jack on to test the headphones and they are plenty loud enough with that connected so fingers crossed for round 2 and lucky I am not in a hurry.

we learn as we go I guess and after my vent I went again and at least I know how to wire right next time, then there's the epoxy fun to come.

still way over this minilab drama and I meant minilab not minelab because I am sure they are running some pea brains in there.

AJ