My opinion on the T2

[Bill W.]

For those of you interested in the T2... I currently have about 35 hours on the T2. My other machines are a Explorer, CZ-3D, and X-Terra 50 (no time on it yet). I hunt everything from fields to parks... but I have only hunted parks with the T2 so far. I recently took the T2 to a park I've hunted with my other machines. I concentrated on a very specific piece of the park about 30 yards square (at the most). This particular area has given up quite a few coins and has been pounded by my other machines from up-teen angles and coils. My end of day total was a merc, 6 wheaties, 1943 war nickel, 4 clad coins, and 3 rings (ID in coin range). To me, that is saying something since I am very experienced with my Explorer & 3D. I have 5 years of experience with my Explorer and have had the 3D since about a month after it's release. I haven't done it but plan to do a side-by-side test of at least the Explorer and T2 on an actual hunt... not a coin garden...

There are pro's and con's to every machine and the T2 is no exception. Some pro's can be con's too in a detector. Some of the pro's for the T2 (IMHO) are

Pros - The T2 seems pretty good in iron and is good at picking out targets close to iron. The T2 averages-up target ID close to iron which can be a pro or con. The T2 is quick at IDing which can help you pick out targets close to iron. The T2 is very sensitive to smaller thumb tack sized targets that other machines won't give a peep on. Respectable depth in my limited time on the T2. Super deep coins don't happen every outing. Time will tell about super deep coins. There are 7 different frequencies the T2 can shift to. Very light weight. Low battery usage. The T2 can hunt small earring sized gold easily. Mineralization varies alot around here (PA) and the T2 has done good at handling the mineralization.

Cons - Very sensitive to smaller targets. Small targets can ID like they're deep and cause some frustration. With more time on the T2, I may be able to pick out an indicator it's a small and not deep target. ID at depth is 'average'... this opinion may change as I learn the detector more. Round pulltabs that are deep can be 'pulled' up into the borderline ID range of an IH. I should add that these IH are hitting in the very low square tab range. The IHs also ID on my 3D as being the a relic catagory (second from the right). Shallow steel bottlecaps can ID like a dime. (There are ways to help ID those as not being a coin.) Interference from other 'things' can be bothersome. Sometimes I can't pinpoint the source of the interference. Shifting frequency helps sometimes.

Conclusion.... so far! The T2 would make an excellent relic machine and could hold it's own finding coins in iron and gold jewerly. The T2 wouldn't be my first choice as a clad coin-shooter... although I never look for clad... In hunted hard sites the T2 will turn up a surprise or two. You will dig more trash especially when digging deeper targets. BUT, that's how you get targets that everyone else missed. Am I saying the T2 is 'better' than my other machines? No, but I am not saying is 'less better' ... only capable of holding it own. The T2 is different from your typical machine in that it can go from hunting coins to picking up small gold without missing a beat. To me, the T2 is good machine (which I don't say about many machines) and is filling a niche' in my arsenal that I've been looking for. HH!

-Bill

 

[Bill W.]

I was able to get out today for a short hunt. Mid 30's in temps and 20-30 mph wind kind of limited how long I was willing it detect. I lowered the sensitivity down to 40. I ended up digging 3 nickels close to round pulltabs. The T2 was separation the targets really good and locking onto the nickels. That's pretty good considering this lot is pretty trashy and the T2 has an 11 inch coil. To be perfectly honest, in my first 25 hours of using the T2 I had some serious doubts about the T2 being effect in my area. I am at the point now I am really starting to know the T2 and know somewhat better what it's telling me. It's starting to be enjoyable to use. I am starting to find targets I passed up with my other machines.

-Bill

 

[bugg]

in that 90 x 90 ft area, that you pounded with the explorer, were these coins close to trash or deep, that you missed them with the other machines? TIA

 

[Bill W.]

Most of them were close to trash... mostly iron trash. The only thing I can owe it to is how fast the T2 IDs and it's separation abilities. I rarely run my Explorer with Fast on because I don't like the way it responses. I am going to have to do some head-to-head testing and see how both machines are IDing and acting with each target. The temps have dropped here into the 30s with 20-30 mph wind so note taking isn't going to happen... Next weekend doesn't look any better... so far. I did dig a round quarter sized copper ID tag last weekend that hit hard from about 9.5 inches. I don't know how I missed that one. One of the many mysteries of detecting.

-Bill

 

[pineapple]

Great read Bill and I believe the more you use the T2 and come to know it you'll change from liking it to loving it.

I think the one thing most of us that have been using the T2 for any time now has learned about the unit is it's great separation capabilities. Do me a favor and let me know what you think about it's shallow TID capabilities. I know it is awesome on the deep stuff though am trying to find neutral ground on the shallow stuff 1-3in.

Had a good day with IH's and silver today at a old homestead site. You can read about it and see the pics at my site. The post is on my Home Page and the pics are on My Photo's Pages 3 and 4. I was in hog heaven.

 

[Bill W.]

My opinion of the T2 definitely improved after the first 25 hours or so on it... as you know from my emails. I think my pulltab problem is partly my own doing in that I try to dig most hits in the upper 70's even if they're not locking. That in turn goes back to how my 3D locks on ID like a bulldog 85% of the time. As I've said many, many times in the years I've posted... Knowing your detector has alot to do with of being successful especially at getting coins at hunted hard parks like I hunt. Basically, what I am saying to the newbie T2 users out there is give the T2 alot of field time before judging it. My first impressions of the T2 remind me of my first impressions of my Explorer. Now that I've owned my Explorer for 5 years I am very comfortable with what it's telling me. But, I hate to think how many hours I have on it... The people that take the time to truely learn the T2 will be pleasantly surprised. It's a very versatile machine that can go from coins to finding small thin gold bracelets without missing a beat...

-Bill

 

[KCK]

a few things that the T2 is trying to tell me. Actually it ID's so fast that sometimes I wouldn't believe it was telling me the truth. Also it was ID'ing things over top of one another. Digging everything for a while seemed to solve my doubts....They were actually in the ground! But I had to dig everything for a while till I figured out that I could actually trust the T2.
I've been running side by side comparison tests with Garrett's GTI 2500. The T2 Id's so darn fast...It's just awesome. It holds it's own against the 2500, but I can not say it's better yet!
I need more time on the T2 before I'm putting the GTI up to rest. But it is a prime contender in my arsenal especially for planted competition hunts. I promise it will out hunt Garrett's machines in competition hunting. No doubt about it!

KCK

 

[mmcpeek]

I was curious Bill if you knew if George Payne was involved in the design of the Tek T2?
I have been using a Teknetics Mark 1 since they came out and I just recently saw the Tek T2 was on the market. George Payne was the engineer who designed the Tek Mark 1 and I buy whatever he designs religiously. Having used the Tek Mark 1 for close to two decades now, I have yet to see a machine like it.

Thanks

 

[Paul (Ca)]

Good post Bill,

I agree with you and maybe I need more time with the T-2 for coin hunting to give a better opinion.....As for now, I prefer to relic hunt over coin shooting so it may be a long while until I hit the old parks and schools for deep silver.

I went hunting this week with an old friend, He used the CZ 3-D and I used the T-2 at several old places even compared a few signals between the two machines. He used both the 5'' and 8'' coils with his CZ 3-D while I used the stock coil on the T-2, Most of the sites ''all 1850-80s'' were full of iron and the T-2 had better separation peeking between the iron even when he used the smaller 5'' coil. Hands down the T-2 gets excellent separation even with the super light weight stock coil it comes with.

My friend was really impressed with the T-2, So I let him borrow the unit for a week or so to get a good feel for the machine. He called me the other day after using the T-2 at his old places and said chances are he'll get a T-2 because of the mighty separation and depth it gets for relic hunting. He's a relic hunter as well and the unit fits him to a tee.

Plus, As I handed the T-2 to him to use almost at the end of our day hunt, I switched back to my Explorer which I hadn't used in over two weeks.....Boy! It's so heavy to swing and I don't know if any of you have ever seen my Explorer but I modified the unit to a lighter more balanced S-handle and different battery pack a couple of years ago, I feel for those guys still lugging the stock explorer around.....I already miss my T-2, Just another week I'll be using the T-2 again

HH, Paul

 

[coolcat7]

hi there, on the id'ing of non-coins, are there any tips you can give? for example, I threw down my wedding ring on the ground. the T2 would range from nickle to pulltab up to 25cents over and over. nothing really solid. I tried to check the Fe (?) meter to see if it would give a clue.. it was at .3

My settings were Discrimination mode, sens=40, 4 tones.

bottom line; any jewelry guidelines for the T2?
thank you!

 

[Eddie Currents]

Gold jewelry can read anywhere. That's true on any detector.

EC

 

[Ed in SoDak]

Hey, CC,

Did you check the ground first before tossing down the ring? With an FE reading, I'd suspect something else was under the coil as well.

Gold that I have checked had a consistent ID, the specific ID number depended on size.

If the center of the coil isn't in the same spot the reading may vary.

hh-Ed

 

[pineapple]

CC, I agree with EC totally regarding the fact that gold can show up within a wide range across the VDI spectrum. granted it will come in at the low end though there are so many things that could influence it's readings that they would be too many to list (i.e. purity, mass, weight, shape, soil conditions, placement, etc). I would suggest though that if working in the disc mode you keep you disc at more than 25. At 25 you will be able to pick up most small gold jewelry. If working the unit as a prospector would I would have to defer the setting to those that do it all the time. I would imagine they run in all metal or if in disc probably as low as they can go. I primarily coin and jewelry shoot, though will work relics and other stuff on occasion to break the pace and monotony.

 

[coolcat7]

hi and thanks for your input. I will do a more controlled test on my ring this weekend when it warms up to a balmy 45 around here, and I will report back. this week has been bone chilling.

thanks!

 

[coolcat7]

hi all, I made sure I had grounded the machine in a nonmetal area, threw down my ring and found it registered as a pull-tab and the number value was around 65. I was in discr mode. The 'fe' meter said no value.

So can we assume that if we get a pull tab reading, that we should be digging?

Or is there another indication and/or setting to double check on when we get the pull-tab reading ?


thank you!

 

[Mike Hillis]

I agree Bill,

In the area's where it excels, it really excels. In areas where it doesn't, it would be better to use something else that handles that particular site better.

I have two criteria now for deciding when to use the T2:

1. It has to run quiet. If it's not going to run quiet, I put it up.

2. Steel bottle caps are not a major trash target.

Thats it. I really like using it when it runs quiet and I don't have to contend with those stinking caps.

HH

 

[FrankMD]

George Payne works for an industrial metal detector company right now. I worked with him for a number of years and had something to do with him getting that job. He's an employee and not a consultant so as far as I know he's doing nothing with hobby detectors, at least officially. The company is Metal detectors, Inc.

Frank

 

[Eddie Currents]

[quote FrankMD]George Payne works for an industrial metal detector company right now. I worked with him for a number of years and had something to do with him getting that job. He's an employee and not a consultant so as far as I know he's doing nothing with hobby detectors, at least officially. The company is Metal detectors, Inc.

Frank[/quote]

Here is one of the machines that Metal Detectors, Inc. makes:
http://www.metaldetectorsinc.com/probe.htm

EC

 

[Ed in SoDak]

Hi CC,

It's as I and others stated, the ID will go up as the amount of gold is larger. A small, thin, pinky ring or nugget will have a very low ID. A large, honkin' man's ring or big nugget will read higher up. Add in tilted or on edge, broken or dented, big, thin, small, etc. and you'll find there is no single ID to cover it all. It's all based on how much conductive material is facing the coil.

The ID for any given ring or gold item will remain fairly consistent, like the 65 you got on yours, it will stay close to the same number as you swing and walk around the target to swing from different angles. Trash is going to jump around more in ID mumber.

hh-Ed