I was looking for a low priced detector to be used as a clad magnet , that could be collapsed small to be carried on my service van at all times. Also the machine had to be easy to use as I want to have my 11 yr old son try detecting next year. I checked the you tube channels looking at different detectors under $300, and liked what I saw in the Quest 20. I ordered it from River Team 6 detectors.
It arrived earlier this past week,
Thursday,. I took it out to one of the local parks for 2 hours. I detected a 6' x 30' strip between a concession stand and a baseball field. I have used probably 6 different detectors over the last 5 years over this patch of ground. I picked up 11 clads coins , all older drops, from 2-5' deep. How in the heck did I miss these coins with the other higher dollar machines? 9 KHz a factor? The soil is bone dry, mostly orange clay and rocks, which makes for tough detecting with many machines. I really like the quick response on this machine. I found that swinging from right to left in about a second, second and a half to be a good speed for hitting the signals. Any faster and the audio starts to get clipped.
The coil on this machine seperates very well . I picked up a cent and nickel 2-3" from each other and the machine was telling me there were 2 targets. Zincolns were coming in at 77-79, copper cents at 80-82, the nickel was 57-58,dimes 83-84, quarters at 88-90. the deepest coin was a copper cent at 5" , and the numbers locked on , and the audio was great. Pulltabs were bouncing in the mid 60's to low 70's. I had one bounce a bit into the mid 70's and dug it, it was a pulltab at 6." One plated bottlecap read out like a cent, and an aluminum screwcap came thru in the zinc range. I used mostly the coins setting with the sensitivity at 80. The depth in the jewelry mode and coins mode seem to be the same. Both modes run quiet. I tried all metal, but its quite noisy, has one tone , , but the VDI still reads out the numbers of the target under the coil.
After the first 2 hour hunt, I had 19 coins in my pouch.
I did not like the detector tipping over when setting it down. So in the shop I drilled 2 holes in the plastic part under the handle, and screwed on a painted black piece of oak, 1"x 1/2" x6" long, to use as a detector stand. While the detector comes with a pair of inexpensive headphones, and they work alright, I went to radio shack and bought a 1/8" to 1/4" jack adapter so I could use my grey ghost phones. I also bought a 1/8" 90 degree plug, so the jack coming out of the housing lays next to the housing. that way the headphone cord comes from the back of the housing and only has to make a 90 degree curve up to my ear .cup.
Today, I went back to the same park for 2 more hours, only a different section. I hit some of the heavy trash sections , and still pulled out a bunch of coins among the pulltabs. Again, great separation, smooth operation, it really discriminates well. I dug a lot less trash than the first day. again the deepest coin was at 5" . I ended up with another 19 coins.
Tonite I went into my test garden, in the coins mode, sensitivity at 90, smooth operation, It nails my 6" dime, like its an inch deep. Moving up to the 7" dime, and the audio is getting clipped, and the vdi numbers are quite jumpy. I would not have dug this signal today in the park as I would have guessed deep trash. But I think with more practice, encountering a signal like this , at the bottom of the depth meter, I may take a chance and dig this signal. My 7" quarter this machines hits well also. I do not have an 8" quarter buried , so I'm not sure if this machine could hit it or not.
Now just for comparison sakes, I had a T2 a few years ago, and in 3 tone, I could hit my 7" dime , but not the 8" er. So this Q20 is not that far behind in the depth department. Again your results in your soil will vary. My rocky orange type clay is some nastier soil.
I am very pleased with this purchase @ $259, its a clad magnet for sure. It collapses down to 29" , and fits in my van nicely. Its a keeper.
It arrived earlier this past week,
Thursday,. I took it out to one of the local parks for 2 hours. I detected a 6' x 30' strip between a concession stand and a baseball field. I have used probably 6 different detectors over the last 5 years over this patch of ground. I picked up 11 clads coins , all older drops, from 2-5' deep. How in the heck did I miss these coins with the other higher dollar machines? 9 KHz a factor? The soil is bone dry, mostly orange clay and rocks, which makes for tough detecting with many machines. I really like the quick response on this machine. I found that swinging from right to left in about a second, second and a half to be a good speed for hitting the signals. Any faster and the audio starts to get clipped.
The coil on this machine seperates very well . I picked up a cent and nickel 2-3" from each other and the machine was telling me there were 2 targets. Zincolns were coming in at 77-79, copper cents at 80-82, the nickel was 57-58,dimes 83-84, quarters at 88-90. the deepest coin was a copper cent at 5" , and the numbers locked on , and the audio was great. Pulltabs were bouncing in the mid 60's to low 70's. I had one bounce a bit into the mid 70's and dug it, it was a pulltab at 6." One plated bottlecap read out like a cent, and an aluminum screwcap came thru in the zinc range. I used mostly the coins setting with the sensitivity at 80. The depth in the jewelry mode and coins mode seem to be the same. Both modes run quiet. I tried all metal, but its quite noisy, has one tone , , but the VDI still reads out the numbers of the target under the coil.
After the first 2 hour hunt, I had 19 coins in my pouch.
I did not like the detector tipping over when setting it down. So in the shop I drilled 2 holes in the plastic part under the handle, and screwed on a painted black piece of oak, 1"x 1/2" x6" long, to use as a detector stand. While the detector comes with a pair of inexpensive headphones, and they work alright, I went to radio shack and bought a 1/8" to 1/4" jack adapter so I could use my grey ghost phones. I also bought a 1/8" 90 degree plug, so the jack coming out of the housing lays next to the housing. that way the headphone cord comes from the back of the housing and only has to make a 90 degree curve up to my ear .cup.
Today, I went back to the same park for 2 more hours, only a different section. I hit some of the heavy trash sections , and still pulled out a bunch of coins among the pulltabs. Again, great separation, smooth operation, it really discriminates well. I dug a lot less trash than the first day. again the deepest coin was at 5" . I ended up with another 19 coins.
Tonite I went into my test garden, in the coins mode, sensitivity at 90, smooth operation, It nails my 6" dime, like its an inch deep. Moving up to the 7" dime, and the audio is getting clipped, and the vdi numbers are quite jumpy. I would not have dug this signal today in the park as I would have guessed deep trash. But I think with more practice, encountering a signal like this , at the bottom of the depth meter, I may take a chance and dig this signal. My 7" quarter this machines hits well also. I do not have an 8" quarter buried , so I'm not sure if this machine could hit it or not.
Now just for comparison sakes, I had a T2 a few years ago, and in 3 tone, I could hit my 7" dime , but not the 8" er. So this Q20 is not that far behind in the depth department. Again your results in your soil will vary. My rocky orange type clay is some nastier soil.
I am very pleased with this purchase @ $259, its a clad magnet for sure. It collapses down to 29" , and fits in my van nicely. Its a keeper.
