Trick question of the day???

[beachguy777]

I know this is the Quatro forum and I think we all love our Quatros, but if you only had the Quatro and you had a chance to get a second detector, which one would you buy and why? I'm just curious, because I know a lot of you have more than one detector, but if you ONLY had the Quatro, what would be the other one you'd get and why would you choose it? You know why I'm asking this, is because I'm thinking of getting a second unit, and I'm torn between an Explorer or an Excalibur. I also just read where a guy here in California who wrote the Beach Hunters Guide likes a Whites pulse induction machine for dry sand because he says it goes very deep. Sounds interesting. Just thought I'd ask your opinion on that..

 

[Sand Shagger (NMB)]

Hello,

There is NO doubt in my mind that it would/will be an Excalibur! I can't even imagine a way that I would need an Explorer. I detect the beach. The few times that I "may" go inland in the future (if at all), the Quattro would do enough for me. I am thinking that I would like the Excalibur for shallow water hunting by next spring. Now I am very hesitant to even get my feet wet in fear of the Quattro ending-up getting wet! I believe I would have two of the best beach detectors available. Based on my experience with the Quattro I can't even imagine wanting anything that will go deeper unless I have a couple of people digging for me, or I find that backhoe mentioned in previous posts. Perhaps the west Coast beaches do not have any ferrous items? I would hate the thought of using a "PI" type machine and digging everything that is down there!

 

[surfrat]

Definitly the Excalibur. I've talked to other people at the beach who hunt in the water and it seems all the good loot is there. I feel I don't need a different land machine as this is the best on the market for me.

There's times where the ocean is flat as a pancake and I know that I'd find a lot of jewelry there. When the ocean is to rough, I'll have my Quattro to hunt the wet sand to the high tide line.

Hope to have a Excalibur by this spring, hopefully sooner!! Plus it's a Minelab!!



HH surfrat

 

[Frank in NH]

I use two, one with 8" coil set up for diving and one with 10" coil and straight shaft for wading. Great detectors!

 

[Frank in NH]

What settings do you find on the Quattro are the best for beach hunting ?

 

[Sand Shagger (NMB)]

n/t

 

[Sand Shagger (NMB)]

Hello,

I use Coin and Jewelry and Relic. If I am in Coin and Jewelry and hear something "questionable" I switch to relic and check it (and visa-versa). I have tried manual Sensitivity (17 about as high as I can run) and can tell little to no difference between it and Auto in "wet" sand. I heard a very faint signal and backed-off, switched to Manual and could tell no difference.

I have dug a "bunch" of targets 18" down and some even deeper in Wet sand.

I have found that you must hold the coil completely still on the sand (no target) and run the Noise Cancel. That does make a big difference in performance. I do it if I go from Wet to dry or back. If I start "questioning" sounds, I'll stop and do it also.

"That's my story and I'm sticking to it!"

 

[beachguy777]

I agree with you, heartily here, even though I havn't tried an Excalibur yet, I've heard enough about them to think, "That's the one for the water, especially salt water and mineralization, where you could get a lot of falsing without the multi frequencies like Excalibur has". So I guess your saying that a pulse unit doesn't discriminate that good, or maybe even not at all??? Forgive my ignorance on that one, I don't hardly know a thing about pulse induction. WELL, by golly, I think I know what I need to be saving my coins for here, and I guess if it's good enought for you and Mike and the other guys, it's pretty darn good. Thanks a million, all of you, for your comments on this. Secretely, I was hoping The Excalibur was the answer I was gonna here from you guys. I also think it makes a lot of sense, because even as a second "land machine", God forbid, if the Quatro has to go into the shop, I hear it's pretty amazing even in the parks and schools, and stuff. Thanks again everyone.

 

[beachguy777]

I generally use coin mode and with factory settings and cross save to ferrous audio or I use all metal and just dig everything. I usually like to try and dig every thing between 1 and 40 if I'm not to tired or lazy that day, because Mike said that gold can come in at several different numbers. I just air tested two ladies gold rings last night and one was a 7 and the other was a 14. How's that grab ya. Scares me to think that a lot of the pulltabs I get are 14 or 15 so, I think Mike's right, especially on the beach where it's not too hard to dig. What are you using on the beach, might I ask for numbers or settings.?

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

...that being "Get the Excalibur" and "Use Coin and Jewelry" because it accepts 1 to 40. And you could certainly even use Relic. Best policy on the beach is to "dig all" but I do like leaving the iron out (0 to -10) at the beach or you may as well have a PI unit. And as you guess, with a PI unit you generally have no discrimination. So you dig a lot of fish hooks, bobby pins, jean snaps, bottle caps, and other garbage.

 

[beachguy777]

You know what Shagger? By God, I'll back you 100% on that one!!! The only part I'm a little lame at is: I need to start switching between coin and relic too, to check out the different audio sounds, I keep forgetting to do that, but I'll work on it. I think I need to do another session where I just listen to different audio sounds of different targets, and try and tell the difference and see what's what. I did that once before and had big trouble telling between a nickel and a #14 pull tab, but Mike swears he can tell, I just need to work real hard on it and maybe try some different nickels and tabs and such. I think some of the bottle caps I get are a lower number but a higher pitched audio in Ferrous mode. Don't take that verbatum, cause I'll need to check on it, but I'm thrilled to hear those stories of 18" deep in the sand, and I absolutely agree with you on the noise cancel. I don't think you can noise cancel too much, especially if your changing areas or types of ground like your talking about. Maybe it was you who told me I should take off the coil cover at the beach because I was having so much falsing in the shallow water, at any rate, I did and it seems to make a big difference. I use noise canceling less often now. I noticed when I took the cover off the first time there was wet sand in between it and the coil. I'll bet that's the culprit, so I'm either gonna keep taking it off at the beach or maybe seal it on (semi-permanantly) with silicone sealer. By the way, Shagger, just for kicks, have you ever heard that country and western song, "That's my story and I'm sticking to it" Man what a dilly!!! It'll get you laughin if you havn't heard it yet, check it out. I have the feeling you may have already heard it.

 

[beachguy777]

You betcha, surf rat, me too on that whole message!!! I wish I could get one now for the tourist season, but can't pull it together yet, but I'll work on it.

 

[beachguy777]

Well right-a-roony there Shaggie!!!Sounds like your on line too. Hey, hope things are goin goood for you there, and keep up the good sense of humor too.

 

[beachguy777]

I just wanted to say one Q U I C K tid bit, (God help me When I was trying to make a decision on the Quatro, it was a toss up between the Quatro, Explorer and the EXcalibur. Don't get me wrong, I love the Quatro, but I had Wanda on the line at Kellyco and she started telling me "beach stories" about her and the Excalibur, and boy, was I ever tempted right then to go for the Excalibur. I guess she's found some incredable stuff way out in the surf and thereabouts. Sure makes me want one for that kind of stuff. Makes a lot of sense. Honestly, I think the main reason I decided to get the Quatro first was the cheaper price(I'm on a pretty tight budjet) and the numeric ID and the ability to notch discriminate anything you want. I don't regret the decision except when I'm at the beach and wish I could get out further in the surf, but I'll "just suffer", (just kidding) with the old Blue Beast, heck at least we can take it out a little ways and especially at low tide you get a little more milage. Have a good one all!!!.

 

[MajaPalra]

I feel like a boy again -- knowing he's getting a bike for Christmas
and just can't wait. Care to guess why?

The reason for the post is to ask about MDing in the water (at the beach).
It sounds interesting but somehow I doubt you're digging 12 inch holes.
I'm assuming you're using a sand scoop of some kind but that would mean
the target would have to be fairly close to the top. I'm imagining
becoming very frustrated with detecting targets deeper than I could expect
to extract, Whereas on land, one can dig targets as deep as one chooses.
Anyone care to shed some light?

 

[Sand Shagger (NMB)]

That's where it "came from"!

Have now become a "Big and Rich" fan after hearing their CD. They are some "cool" songs on it.

(Buffet is my all time favorite artist. I believe I have every Cassette and CD that he made!)

 

[Sand Shagger (NMB)]

Hello,

I have probably dug over 100 targets 18" deep. I do not get into water, but have done so in Wet sand. In "Damp Sand" I have dug targets 24" deep! There is no exaggeration!

I use a small shovel head on a 46" wood handle. I have measured several of above in Damp Sand. I have markings on my shovel.

True, in Wet Sand I have trouble with a "scoop". Instead, based on depth gauge on the Quattro, I dig fast shovels full allowing me to keep ahead of the back-fill problem.

As far as in the water, most use a "Giant Water Scoop", angled to be used with a foot kick-in. I have not used one, but one scoop could possible go 12".

Anyone that has used the Quattro a lot will tell you the same thing as far as depth. On the Beach, most agree that it identifies targets a little deeper than the Explorer.

If you do not believe this, I suggest that you purchase a Quattro and you will!

 

[beachguy777]

I'm not quite sure what your saying here, but I'll vouch for Mike, this bad boy goes deep. I know I dug a target in the wet sand the other day that was a foot deep. Of course the more surface area the target has the deeper you can detect it, but I'm sure I doug a penny one time that was 10 or 12 inches deep, and that's with the standard 10.5 inch coil. I hear the bigger coils go even deeper. I don't think it matters whether its sand or soil as far as depth goes, I think it's mainly the size and surface area of the target. Hope I'm right on that, but I think I am.

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

Indeed, the Quattro goes mad-crazy deep at the beach. Pretty amazing. I've seen it get a respectable dime or quarter signal off a target at least 18" deep that my Excalibur wouldn't even break threshold going over. And the Excal goes pretty gosh darn deep.

I had somebody suggest over on the Beach and Water forum (Funny how Beachguy doesn't hang out there much) that maybe the reason that some of my targets SEEM so deep is that it's really in the side of the hole and eventually falls in the bottom. I had to laugh at that because although that is a popular "Newbie" trick, I'm no newbie and I happen to prize myself on my stellar pinpointing abilities (Thanks in part to Minelab), so I KNOW where MY targets are. And I know when a target is an inch deep and when it's foot or more deep. And when I dig STRAIGHT DOWN and I can tell that the target is dead-center in the middle of the hole and subsequently scoop it out from deep down in the middle of that hole, I know it wasn't in the sidewall of the hole. Has that EVER happened to me? Sure it has, but it's the EXCEPTION ad by no means the RULE. In my opinion, the Quattro is a pinpointing demon...at least with the 10.5 coil or smaller. Actually, I had no problem with the 12.5 for that matter. ANd I never need to use "Pinpoint" with the Excal...it's THAT easy.

 

[beachguy777]

You got me Mike. I admit I havn't even looked far enough into the from to find the Beach and WAter Forum, but now I will. Thanks for the tip big fella. I just hope I can keep up with the "bad boys" over on the Beach Forum. I don't know but I'll give it a run, cause that's one of my main hunting grounds. Thanks again.