I am not great when it comes to programing and complicated menus. That being said, does the CTX3030 have preset programs for coins, beach and jewelry that a basically novice hunter can use successfully? My hunting is mostly around parks, swimming areas and old house places. Would you recommend a CTX for me? My greatest success has come with the old Fisher CZ detectors. Thank you for your help.
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Thinking about a CTX3030
- Thread starter StephenA
- Start date
Jason in Enid
Active member
Yes, it does have presets for those types of hunting. No, I dont recommend it. You want an Equinox. It does everything the CTX does but it does it lighter and cheaper. Thats the reason this forum is almost dead. Its not that there is anything wrong or bad about the CTX, its a wonderful machine. Unless you are picking up a used one for a steal of a deal, the EQX is cheaper, faster and lighter. I still have my CTX, but I havent used it since I got my EQX.
The two detectors will likely hit the same targets but if you need discrimination and VID the CTX is better.
All Minelab has to do is to monitor the forum traffic and release a firmware update when things stagnate. Otherwise the next big thing will get the attention and sales.
All Minelab has to do is to monitor the forum traffic and release a firmware update when things stagnate. Otherwise the next big thing will get the attention and sales.
I have owned a few CTX's over the years since I like to keep them in warranty. I sold my last one 4 mos ago after using my Equinox 800, almost exclusively, for the past year. The 800 is a great machine that is light and deep with good ID.
One month ago I bought a used CTX with 1 yr warranty remaining at a great price. I missed the screen target detail, solid circle vs scattered array, when hunting newer parks & schools for shallow (1-4") coins & rings. I keep moving if the screen is mostly scattered. 50 tones will nearly mirror a solid or broken target display but I prefer 5 or custom tones so the display is helpful.
I use my Equinox 800 when chasing the old deep stuff especially with iron present.
I'd buy the Equinox if I could only buy one machine.
One month ago I bought a used CTX with 1 yr warranty remaining at a great price. I missed the screen target detail, solid circle vs scattered array, when hunting newer parks & schools for shallow (1-4") coins & rings. I keep moving if the screen is mostly scattered. 50 tones will nearly mirror a solid or broken target display but I prefer 5 or custom tones so the display is helpful.
I use my Equinox 800 when chasing the old deep stuff especially with iron present.
I'd buy the Equinox if I could only buy one machine.
Wandering Karl
New member
Just get Sabich's book with your CTX. Youll find settings and how to tweak them for your personal conditions in there. And if you can afford it, do get the CTX over the Eq. Tech is a bit different.
I personally don't worry about warranty. Have had mine since a year after they first came out and never have had a problem. I hunt about 200-250 hours a year fwiw. Mostly dirt with about 50 hrs of that on saltwater beaches.
I personally don't worry about warranty. Have had mine since a year after they first came out and never have had a problem. I hunt about 200-250 hours a year fwiw. Mostly dirt with about 50 hrs of that on saltwater beaches.
I've owned a CTX for a year now. I have no complaints other than I should have bought one 3 years ago instead of the F75. The F75 was a jump for me from what I was used to using. The CTX is light years ahead of it. It also helps that I hunt with someone that is well versed with a CTX.
I've been digging for 44 years. Owned several detectors. This is the second detector I've ever owned that I felt was the ONE! The other one was a Garrett Deepseeker II. I literally wore it out in 12 years. I sent it in and it was returned with a note that it was not worth repairing.
I can't say anything bad about it. Get a Pro Swing harness and you can hunt all day.
Keith
I've been digging for 44 years. Owned several detectors. This is the second detector I've ever owned that I felt was the ONE! The other one was a Garrett Deepseeker II. I literally wore it out in 12 years. I sent it in and it was returned with a note that it was not worth repairing.
I can't say anything bad about it. Get a Pro Swing harness and you can hunt all day.
Keith
IDXMonster
Well-known member
As long as you don’t mind the heavier CTX, you really can’t go wrong either way...at least that’s my view, because I have both and use each differently in different environments. We all have to accept that these are two different operating systems, albeit not horribly different. But OVERALL, for someone coming from a different brand or not having hunted before at all...it’s just hard to say one would be “bad”, because it wouldn’t be. I love the added features and ID stability of the CTX....I love the light weight, speed and performance of the EQX as well. If I were to be forced to own only one, it would be the CTX...because of what it has found me and like Keith above, I feel “as one” with it. Others have sold their other machines and only have an EQX, because they feel as if it does everything they need. This is our “collective individuality” demonstrating that more than one machine can be “the best”.
I also have both the nox and ctx and like them both .I hunt old fairgrounds thrash pits iron and tabs galore .I tried hunting the nox here it's great on silver but mid tones Indian cents are a problem the id scale seems to be stacked here they come in at 19 to 20 on the id scale BUT so do iron bolts most pull-tabs and they ring in at 19 to 20 also that's the problem with a stacked scale .Now the ctx on the other hand reads Indians at 12.33 to 12.36 with the rotten ones you can't read a date at 12,33 to 12.32 same as rotten zincets I really don't want to dig anyway .
The same pull-tabs that read 19 to 20 on the nox come in at 12.29 to 12.32 on the ctx better id because the scale is not as stacked . People well say to eliminate the zincets just dig deeper signals 6 inch and down that's fine and dandy but the deep gauge on the nox is inaccurate when you have co-related targets together .Seems the nox being such a high gain detector is averaging the co-related targets and good target together giving a inaccurate deep reading .The ctx gives a better depth reading than the nox I think because it's not as sensitive to the co-related targets.
It's the id that is my biggest problem with the nox on mid conductors other than that I like the nox great detector it has it's place .But for accurate id and depth the ctx is the way to go .If you don't dig Indians in a fairground environment or mid-tones in a junky place then I would say go for the nox .sube
The same pull-tabs that read 19 to 20 on the nox come in at 12.29 to 12.32 on the ctx better id because the scale is not as stacked . People well say to eliminate the zincets just dig deeper signals 6 inch and down that's fine and dandy but the deep gauge on the nox is inaccurate when you have co-related targets together .Seems the nox being such a high gain detector is averaging the co-related targets and good target together giving a inaccurate deep reading .The ctx gives a better depth reading than the nox I think because it's not as sensitive to the co-related targets.
It's the id that is my biggest problem with the nox on mid conductors other than that I like the nox great detector it has it's place .But for accurate id and depth the ctx is the way to go .If you don't dig Indians in a fairground environment or mid-tones in a junky place then I would say go for the nox .sube
masterjedi
New member
I have a F75 special edition, a Etrac, a EQ800 and a CTX with each one having all of the coils. Hands down the CTX is king, If you want to dig it all, the EQ800 is it, but if you are in a nice yard and want to cherry pick and not dig 100 holes because the EQ800 ID is not accurate, the CTX is it hands down, the best by far. I have the 17" coil on my CTX ready to go this afternoon... with my CTX, I can tell the difference between a Indian, a wheat, a copper Lincoln and a Zinc Lincoln. I leave all of the Zincs for someone else to dig up.
Gary from Oregon
Gary from Oregon
Jason in Enid
Active member
chasia said:
Hahaha, you JUST bought it. You havent even learned it yet.
Jason in Enid
Active member
chasia said:
Well, if you are coming from from another FBS machine and you are a turf hunter, then no, its nothing special. I think it does have a slight edge over those for performance.
What are you getting for the price? The ability to change settings on your computer and simply transfer them into the machine instead of spending half an hour punching buttons on the detector to edit your patterns.
You also get a "waterproof for wading" detector, coupled with specific seawater setting which makes it a WAAAAY more useful at beach hunting.
You also get a detector with better balance so that you can hunt all day without a bungee cord or backpack frame system and still not wear out your arm / shoulder.
You also get an upgradable detector. Although there are things we would LIKE, ML has still put out several improvements that you could install at home. Your other detectors were SOL. You had the software that was installed at the factory and that was all you got.
What about the ability to use your favorite headphone WITHOUT BEING TETHERED to the dang detector!! Thats pure gold right there! After going wireless on the CTX I can never go back to plugging into the machine for my hunting.
Although many dont use it, the GPS feature is OUTSTANDING for people who do understand its benefit and use it.
Id say you are still getting plenty for the increase difference in price!
IDXMonster
Well-known member
You can go to Dairy Queen and get a cone...or their biggest cake. If you have no intention of eating the whole cake, there’s no value in getting it. Confucious said that...
Jason in Enid
Active member
IDXMonster said:
I've always preferred the words of the llama
IDXMonster
Well-known member
Jason in Enid said:
How true...LawrencetheMDer
Active member
Had my CTX for 2 3/4 yrs and do sand and surf hunting about 275 - 325 hrs/yr. Perhaps 40 hrs/yr dirt digging. Sent CTX in for repair around 2 yrs old for water intrusion into the speaker system and than into the housing killing the screen. Fixed by Minelab right away and ran CTX all Summer dirt digging and had no problems. First time in Gulf this Dec and CTX died. About to send in for repair, again.
Got Nox 800 in May, also used all summer and now using in Gulf. CTX is better at target identification but 800 is better at detecting very small gold - just found a 0.54g gold and diamond ear ring w Nox the other day along with a 0.03g piece of scrap aluminum about 1 1/2 mm. Interestingly, Nox will allow some heavy pieces of iron to bleed into the non iron range. The CTX is better at screening out bottle caps than the 800.
Buy the Nox 800.
However, the Vanquish, 3 sizes, has just come out at they run from about $300 - $500. And they're multi frequency, so check them out as well.
Got Nox 800 in May, also used all summer and now using in Gulf. CTX is better at target identification but 800 is better at detecting very small gold - just found a 0.54g gold and diamond ear ring w Nox the other day along with a 0.03g piece of scrap aluminum about 1 1/2 mm. Interestingly, Nox will allow some heavy pieces of iron to bleed into the non iron range. The CTX is better at screening out bottle caps than the 800.
Buy the Nox 800.
However, the Vanquish, 3 sizes, has just come out at they run from about $300 - $500. And they're multi frequency, so check them out as well.