Hi All. I was talking with my fisher dealer by me and I asked him about the CZ 5. He told me it was one of the best fishers ever made and would easily suffice for me the next 10 to 20 years. It's also one of three machines he peronally uses in his own arsenal, and would never part ways with. I was wondering what others thought on here about the machine and their own experiences? Also, is the learning curve big with this machine? Learning curve is important for me in a machine, and the smaller the better. Thanks All. Sincerely, Randy
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I'm thinking about purchasing a used CZ 5.
- Thread starter yogaguy
- Start date
I have been using a CZ-5 for a couple of years. So far this year I have found over 2000 coins and 14 silver rings, 1 gold ring and a gold pendant. Ground balancing is easy using the bobbing method and the display is right on the money except for gold items which can be displayed as foil or will bounce. It was a very easy detector to learn. I have upgraded mine with a Sunray 12" coil and probe. The probe is a real time saver and if the target is out of reach, just turn the sensitivity up to max and it will usually find the target at depths up to 4 or 5 inches. I think it is kind of heavy with everything I have added, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have a 1266X as a back up and for tot-lots. I use rechargeable batteries in the CZ-5 but it will run for a long long time on regular 9V batteries. The rechargeable batteries have a tendency to avalanche (they are good one moment and the next they are totally dead). Once a year we change the batteries in the smoke detectors in the house and I keep the old ones for the detector.
Hey John. Thanks for the reply. I take it the machine doesn't have an auto-ground balancing feature on it? I have heard of the bobbing method, but I really don't fully understand it yet. I have heard though it's a breeze once you know how to do it correctly. I've been so used too the auto-ground for so long. Is the target recovery time pretty quick with this machine or is a slower sweep speed the better way to go with it? Thanks John. Sincerely, Randy
Yoga,
I have been using a CZ6a ( which is the same as the 5 except is does not have a speaker) since the early 90's. These are slower sweep speed detectors, and you have to sweep very slow when you have the sensitivity raised up to limit the falsing. These are really sensitive and deep machines. Ground balancing can be done 2 ways, either using the pin point button or by bobbing. Either way, it takes between 5-15 seconds, and is very easy.
When using the CZ in discriminate mode, if the area is not too littered with tons of small iron targets, I suggest hunting with the discrimination set to 0. This way, you can hear the low tone of iron, and not be fooled by the low tone/high tone bounces of large or deep iron. If you hunt in the disrim mode where the low tone is muted ( 1 on up ) then you end up only hearing the high tone of the low tone/high tone bounces and think its a coin and end up digging a deep rusty nail.
One secret is using the pin point button to size a target. Lots of times iron will not pin point at the same spot when sizing, and iron almost always sizes wide. When you pin point a coin or small target, the pin point area is very small and pin points at the same spot when sweeping/pin pointing at multiple angles. Pin pointing and detuning the target to get an approximate size is very easy with the CZ.
Not sure if the 5 you are deciding to buy comes with the 5 inch small coil, but if you end up getting the machine ( I say GET IT !), then look to buy a used small coil. It's a killer coil in trash and can sniff out good targets ( deep silver coins) in between trash.
I think the CZs are still one of the best machines out there. Simple and deep. Yes, they have a penchant for deep iron, but once you learn how to distinguish these deep iron targets, you will dig less of them. I remember my first few times using my 6a and not using disrim of 0 and ending up digging lots of deep rusty nails because I was hearing the high tone only. I then figured out what was going on and used the setting of 0 and any low tone in between the high tones along with a wide sized pin pointed target, was always iron. After than, I dug A LOT less iron and rusty things.
Any repeatable, multiple high tone signal without any low tone....dig it. And, any soft, repeatable high tone ( you can use the volume boost to bring the deeper targets to sound louder...I like to hear the softer, deep targets so I leave my volume on 4) is almost always a good target and mostly a silver coin or ring.
One last thing...since the machine has the 3 tones, beach hunting is cool because you can just dig the mid tones if you want to concentrate on the lower conductive targets. That's another great thing about the CZ's...they are really good beach units too.
Good luck if you get one...I am sure you will like it.
JC
JC
I have been using a CZ6a ( which is the same as the 5 except is does not have a speaker) since the early 90's. These are slower sweep speed detectors, and you have to sweep very slow when you have the sensitivity raised up to limit the falsing. These are really sensitive and deep machines. Ground balancing can be done 2 ways, either using the pin point button or by bobbing. Either way, it takes between 5-15 seconds, and is very easy.
When using the CZ in discriminate mode, if the area is not too littered with tons of small iron targets, I suggest hunting with the discrimination set to 0. This way, you can hear the low tone of iron, and not be fooled by the low tone/high tone bounces of large or deep iron. If you hunt in the disrim mode where the low tone is muted ( 1 on up ) then you end up only hearing the high tone of the low tone/high tone bounces and think its a coin and end up digging a deep rusty nail.
One secret is using the pin point button to size a target. Lots of times iron will not pin point at the same spot when sizing, and iron almost always sizes wide. When you pin point a coin or small target, the pin point area is very small and pin points at the same spot when sweeping/pin pointing at multiple angles. Pin pointing and detuning the target to get an approximate size is very easy with the CZ.
Not sure if the 5 you are deciding to buy comes with the 5 inch small coil, but if you end up getting the machine ( I say GET IT !), then look to buy a used small coil. It's a killer coil in trash and can sniff out good targets ( deep silver coins) in between trash.
I think the CZs are still one of the best machines out there. Simple and deep. Yes, they have a penchant for deep iron, but once you learn how to distinguish these deep iron targets, you will dig less of them. I remember my first few times using my 6a and not using disrim of 0 and ending up digging lots of deep rusty nails because I was hearing the high tone only. I then figured out what was going on and used the setting of 0 and any low tone in between the high tones along with a wide sized pin pointed target, was always iron. After than, I dug A LOT less iron and rusty things.
Any repeatable, multiple high tone signal without any low tone....dig it. And, any soft, repeatable high tone ( you can use the volume boost to bring the deeper targets to sound louder...I like to hear the softer, deep targets so I leave my volume on 4) is almost always a good target and mostly a silver coin or ring.
One last thing...since the machine has the 3 tones, beach hunting is cool because you can just dig the mid tones if you want to concentrate on the lower conductive targets. That's another great thing about the CZ's...they are really good beach units too.
Good luck if you get one...I am sure you will like it.
JC
JC
Hey JC. Thanks for all the great info! I appreciate all of it. Yeah, I really think I'd like the CZ 5 or even the 6a like you have. I still consider myself an amateur in this hobby, so the more tips and suggestions the better. You mentioned using the pinpoint method with the CZ 5. How is that done? And also, you menyioned "detuning" a target. I have heard that word mentioned before, but what exactly is detuning a target, and how is it done? The tip on distinguishing between a good target and a deep rusty nail is absolutely brilliant. The home I hunt around mostly is up on the farm my relatives own, and it dates to about 1870. But there's lots and lots of tiny and large rusted nails in the ground around the house. So I have to give that a try. What sounds really cool too about the CZ is the target "boost" button for those low sounding targets. I'm not familar with a lot of other machines, but that feature just seemed like it should be standard on all detectors. Just my opinion on that. I used to own a Minelab Quattro a couple weeks ago, but I sold it. I bought it three years ago because of all the things I heard about it. I didn't realize though how big the learning curve was with it. I used it about a dozen times, and did find things, but for the most part I just couldn't get used to the all the tones on it. But I also just didn't want to put the time in learning to use it. I'm sure with patience I could have learned to use it better. I like the Fisher models now though. Their just the right type for me. Thanks again JC for all the cool info. and suggestions/tips. HH to ya. Sincerely, Randy
Yogaguy,
Detuning a target is where you continue to press and depress the pin point button as you sweep over the target. Because the CZ has VCO pin pointing, the target reponse gets louder the close the coil center is over the target. As you continue to size the target and press and de-press the pin point button, the sound of the target becomes shorter and shorter and the area over the target smaller and smaller until you get the approximate size of the target.
As and example, when sizing up a coin size target in pin point, the first time pin pointing and sizing, the area over the coin may size up and make a sound maybe 6 inches in diameter. As you let go of the pin point button and then press it again, still sweeping very slowly, the sound/size of the target may then be only 4 inches in diameter. You continue to do this until the sound of the target in pin point is very, very short, ( that is, it signals then goes away in a very short sweep...it does not continue to make a sound for 4-6 inches of a sweep) and the area over the target when pin pointing is about 2 inches in diameter.
Detuning is a very hard subject to explain, but very easy to do once you get the hang of it...its really continuing to press and depress the pin point button as you sweep over the target to get the sound to be as short as possible and as loud as possible ( due to the VCO ).
For ground balancing using the pin point method, all you do is set up the CZ with the discrimination mode in autotune, sensitivity on 10 ( to hear a threshold sound), volume at 9 or 10, ground balance setting at 10. Hold the coil about a foot in the air, parallel to the ground. Hold down the pin point button and lower the coil to the ground ( still holding the pin point button). Then, slowly turn the GB knob until you hear the threshold sound. Release the pin point button, and now you are ground balanced. You can use that method to get an approximate ground balance, and then start the bobbing method to adjust the GB knob to a more precise setting.
I think you can download a CZ manual and start reading about it. Its not hard at all to GB an CZ...or to detune a target.
JC
Detuning a target is where you continue to press and depress the pin point button as you sweep over the target. Because the CZ has VCO pin pointing, the target reponse gets louder the close the coil center is over the target. As you continue to size the target and press and de-press the pin point button, the sound of the target becomes shorter and shorter and the area over the target smaller and smaller until you get the approximate size of the target.
As and example, when sizing up a coin size target in pin point, the first time pin pointing and sizing, the area over the coin may size up and make a sound maybe 6 inches in diameter. As you let go of the pin point button and then press it again, still sweeping very slowly, the sound/size of the target may then be only 4 inches in diameter. You continue to do this until the sound of the target in pin point is very, very short, ( that is, it signals then goes away in a very short sweep...it does not continue to make a sound for 4-6 inches of a sweep) and the area over the target when pin pointing is about 2 inches in diameter.
Detuning is a very hard subject to explain, but very easy to do once you get the hang of it...its really continuing to press and depress the pin point button as you sweep over the target to get the sound to be as short as possible and as loud as possible ( due to the VCO ).
For ground balancing using the pin point method, all you do is set up the CZ with the discrimination mode in autotune, sensitivity on 10 ( to hear a threshold sound), volume at 9 or 10, ground balance setting at 10. Hold the coil about a foot in the air, parallel to the ground. Hold down the pin point button and lower the coil to the ground ( still holding the pin point button). Then, slowly turn the GB knob until you hear the threshold sound. Release the pin point button, and now you are ground balanced. You can use that method to get an approximate ground balance, and then start the bobbing method to adjust the GB knob to a more precise setting.
I think you can download a CZ manual and start reading about it. Its not hard at all to GB an CZ...or to detune a target.
JC
Hey Bill. I've heard that alot. My dealer says the same thing. He's had it for a number of years, and still uses it along with two others. I used to have a Minelab Quattro...to complicated, at least for me. I kinda' fell for all the advertising about it..."find everything that others have missed..." I did find stuff, but for the most part I just had a hard time getting used to all the tones. If I had more patience I'm sure it would have been fine, but ever since using a Fisher I love them now. I have used the I.D. Edge mostly, and have been fooling around with the Coinstrike, but the Edge I prefer, for now at least. Hey Bill, as far as "depth" goes, what have you found in using the CZ 5 and the Edge? I realize soil conditions means alot. But in your soil by you, have you found one to be a bit deeper than the other? Also, how's the Coinstrike video coming along? Thanks Bill, your great. Sincerely, Randy
Hey JC. Thanks for those great explanations on detuning and groundbalancing. I'll have to try them once I get a CZ, assuming I can still find one. I have used the I.D. Edge, and really liked it. I also have fooled around with the Coinstrike, but this machine still confuses me, really just the part on adjusting the sensitivity with the threshold controls. I have some high voltage power lines running about 300 yards from our home here. So I'm not sure if this is affecting my using the machine. I'm thinking about making my own video when I hunt. And when I come across possible targets, mark them somehow, and then asking all you guys and gals about if I should dig it or not dig it...just an idea. Thanks again JC, and HH to ya. Sincerely, Randy
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