Making the transition to the CTX from a V3i

[PokerShark]

Ok, ready or not, here I come!!

I truly love my V3i but I'm packing the box right now and shipping it off as a trade-in for a CTX standard package. (stopping to wipe away tears and blow my nose) I'm not going to discuss the deal I am getting because I know it is good, and I promised the seller that I would not shop it at all and waste his time. And I don't really want to spend time comparing the two because they are very different and great in their own ways. I'll be very honest, my Whites experience was simply outstanding. I just want to water/land hunt with the same machine, interface with my computer, and leverage the power of GPS and Google Maps. I don't get that in the V3i, but it does many other things very well. Like I said, very different detectors.

So when the brand new CTX 3030 arrives, what should I do first? Well beyond taking it out of the box, charging the batteries, and putting it together that is....... I want to hear from folks that have made the same or a close transition to the one I am making.

What differences did you notice?
What would you do differently now that you know your CTX better?
How do I best get off to a running start?
I'm an experienced detectorist, but every machine is unique so I need to know about the bumps and cracks so to speak.

Thanks,

The Shark

 

[Larry (IL)]

I think the best you can do is turn it on and take it hunting Shark. The factory programs are great and if you are new to the Minelab family, you have a new language to learn and you can easily learn by doing with the CTX. There are tons of tips here on the resource center, http://www.findmall.com/list.php?87 to help you learn, but don't be too eager to make to many changes right off the bat. On my first hunt with the CTX right out of the box, I was finding IH's at 7 to 8 inches in a worked out park. Good luck with your new toy

 

[Downdeep]

Read the manual..its quite a simple machine compared to the V, and quite more capable. Try to relate what the ctx manual tells you in relation to what you already knew about the V It will all make sense.

 

[jtalley007]

I think you will find the ctx very versatile. One thing you will love is how noise cancel will block EMI unlike the V3. I loved certain things about the V3 but had serious issues with EMI. My bullet patch that I dug a measured 16" bullet with the ctx running 28-30 sensitivity is a place I could not run the V3i in 3 frequency, the low or high just medium while in boost. I did dig some 14" deep bullets with the V3i in this spot. If you are a beach hunter the ctx shines over the V3i as well since the seawater update. You will also love the battery life on the ctx and if you know how to use google maps you will love the ctx. This forum and the guys here are great so enjoy.

 

[flhunter]

I have a CTX 3030, I'll have a V3i next month.

I'm a whites man, been hunting with whites for 15 years. I love the CTX 3030, and I believe both machines have their place.

A majority of the time I'll be using the CTX, and my wife will be using the V3I, but sometimes I'll want to use the Whites.

definitely keeping the CTX, the Google maps waypoints feature is awesome.

 

[PokerShark]

Hi Larry!

There is a guy I recognize in this forum. Good to see you and thanks for the sage advice.

The Shark

 

[PokerShark]

I think you will find the ctx very versatile. One thing you will love is how noise cancel will block EMI unlike the V3. I loved certain things about the V3 but had serious issues with EMI. My bullet patch that I dug a measured 16" bullet with the ctx running 28-30 sensitivity is a place I could not run the V3i in 3 frequency, the low or high just medium while in boost. I did dig some 14" deep bullets with the V3i in this spot. If you are a beach hunter the ctx shines over the V3i as well since the seawater update. You will also love the battery life on the ctx and if you know how to use google maps you will love the ctx. This forum and the guys here are great so enjoy.

Yep, I hear you, although I did not have much trouble with my V3i when it comes to EMI or anything else really. It was pretty solid in my experience. And it dealt with the mineralized soil here in California very well. But it is really good to know it can cope with EMI.

Google Maps?!? LOL as a computer technologist for the past 25 years I am very comfortable with all aspects of the Internet. So I guess you could say this detector is the way to go for me at this point.

Thanks for the tips,

The Shark

 

[PokerShark]

I have a CTX 3030, I'll have a V3i next month.

I'm a whites man, been hunting with whites for 15 years. I love the CTX 3030, and I believe both machines have their place.

A majority of the time I'll be using the CTX, and my wife will be using the V3I, but sometimes I'll want to use the Whites.

definitely keeping the CTX, the Google maps waypoints feature is awesome.

Hi,

I will admit that I am a Whites man as well. I have said it many times on this site that when I had issues, Whites treated me like royalty and that is hard to forget. My customer support experiences with them where extraordinary. For example, I have never, never, never in my 25 years as a technologist seen a tech based company advance replace anything under warranty without a credit card, blood sample and your first born on deposit. But when I had a headphone glitch last year Whites had a replacement on my doorstep in two days without any advance payment! I had a DD coil that was acting a little odd a couple years ago and they just sent me another one, no muss, no fuss. There is no doubt I will own another Whites machine, of that I am sure. And the only reason my V3i went in that box is I am still recovering financially from a span of unemployment (late 2008 to early 2010) where I had no income for 18 months, but paid everything due on-time. Long story, and I don't want to go into it.

When that V3i arrives, you sir will own the 2 finest detectors in this hobby. That of course being my humble opinion, but I have no doubt I could garner quite a few "amens" to that comment. I can't wait for the CTX to arrive because it will open up a new chapter for me. I have used a detector every way you can except water hunting, and that will be my next challenge.

Thanks,

The Shark

 

[PokerShark]

Read the manual..its quite a simple machine compared to the V, and quite more capable. Try to relate what the ctx manual tells you in relation to what you already knew about the V It will all make sense.

Thanks Deep,

I have nearly finished the manual (I downloaded the PDF version from the Minelab site). Good advice, I'll do my best to relate the two.

The Shark

 

[Howard Snell]

A guy I work with has a V3I I begged him not to tell me about it as I didn't want to own a secound expensive machine.

 

[Downdeep]

I gave up my V so I had money toward the ctx and am quite happy I did. Going from a less capable over engineered slug to a beautifully engineered rocket was an easy transition.

 

[PokerShark]

I gave up my V so I had money toward the ctx and am quite happy I did. Going from a less capable over engineered slug to a beautifully engineered rocket was an easy transition.

My CTX will be here Wednesday May 1st, but I would never call my V a "slug, over engineered, or less capable." It was at the very least a solid machine, and I seriously doubt there will be an earth shaking difference between the two machines (CTX and V). I used to go out with a group of friends; 2 with Minelab machines (Etrac and Safari) and one with a Fisher F-75. I always seemed to finish our hunts with the most good finds and the least amount of trash (including zincons) of anyone in the group. Frank, the F-75 owner, got so upset with his he swore he was gonna wrap it around a tree!! And I have owned Fisher machines that were just fine IMHO. But when I first got the V everyone in that group went on about how I over spent, remarked "oh what a pretty color TV it has", where's the cup holders, and on and on. They all swore their machines were the alpha and omega of detectors and all others were total junk. Of course those opinions were like most barn yards, more full of !@#$ than legitimate technical evaluations and in the end I quietly let the results do the talking. Of course while laughing my way home each afternoon.

But it is good to see you are so happy with the CTX and I look forward to getting it. Best of luck on your hunt Deepdown and thanks so much for the reply.

The Shark

 

[Downdeep]

I'm able to get faster recovery and much better at depth ID with the new machine with far less fiddling with the programs. Couple that with an extreme ability to handle EMI in spots i couldnt keep the V quiet to save my life. The V really is a great machine and I found a ton of stuff with it but the CTX is so capable, it does make the V look like a slug to me. I had mine from the beginning, it was a Vision to give a hint on how long I had it, and it did receive the software update when it came out. I have friends that used an etrac and a safari both and have since moved to the CTX and are very happy they did.

I'm looking forward to your evaluation once you've had the machine in your hands for a few hunts. I hope your finds triple in bad ground as mine have.

 

[Coinstar]

I currently have the CTX and came from a V3i. They are both amazing. However the first thing I noticed as mentioned in previous posts, is the ability to hunt in heavy EMI. There is a park in my area that is right up against a fire station. With the V3i, as soon as I got close to the fire station the thing would go nuts! Offsetting helped a little, but still was very unstable. The CTX still had chatter, however, it would still function enough to where I could tell if something was in the ground. The other thing is depth right out of the box. The V3i can go deep, but you do have to make adjustments to get it "honed" in. I was pulling coins out of my pounded backyard at about 8 inches (all clad sadly), with the stock coil and factory coin program. Overall I would have loved to keep them both,