X-terra v Fisher F5

[NightStalker]

Looking at buying either detector to search local beaches, both apparently have fast tracking speeds and faster recovery as compared to my Whites Prizm IV.

Any ideas which way to go? Mainly hunt the beach at night and try again very old parks around where I live, The X-terra would most likely be a 305 or a 505.

Thanks for any ideas.

Melbourne-Australia.

 

[Digger]

As you might expect, you will find those of us on the X-Terra forum to be totally unbiased. But seriously, you won't go wrong with any X-Terra. I've compared them to a F5 that I use to have, and the depth of detection and stability of the TID is much better on the X-Terra. Either the 305 or 505 will find coins in parks and treasures on the beach. However, if you can swing the few extra bucks for a 705 or a used X-70, you might find the added functionality well worth the investment. The 705 offers a back lighted display for those nights you spend digging jewelry on the beach. And both offer tracking as well as a Tracking Beach mode. Great for when you move back and forth between wet and dry sand. As I said, any of the models will find coins and jewelry. And the ability of chosing a different operating frequency couldn't be easier. You simply strap on a different coil! But based on where you said you'd be hunting, I'd seriously consider spending a few bucks to get the "upscale" model. Those dollars will be a short term investment, when the added functionality pays off in your success. If the budget doesn't allow for the 705 or 70, I'd probably go with the 305 and spend the extra money on a high freq coil for the beach. Chances are, with the Australian mineralization, you wouldn't benefit from having the capability of using the 3 kHz concentric anyway. JMHO HH Randy

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

Hi NightStalker.
If you are going for an X-Terra for coin hunting, then you can't go wrong with the 305. I've had both the X-Terra 30 for around 3.5 years and an X-terra 70 since April. The only real benefit that the 705 has is the prospecting mode and a back light. Our $1 coins come in at 32 on the 705 and the $2 coins will either lock in at 30 or can give an even bounce down to 28. On the 305 both gold coins will lock in at 32 and like the 70 a $2 coin can give an even bounce down to 28. The 12 notch system works very well. They are wide enough to give fairly stable locks on good targets, but narrow enough that you'll see most junk bounce around. As with all brands of detectors, pull tabs and screw caps are the hardest to work out. Screw caps do show up in the same range as our Goldie's ( they can bounce higher) and if shallow, screw caps give a louder pinpoint than a coin. $1 coins because of their size are louder than a $2 coin but slightly quieter than most screw caps.
Good luck with whichever detector you go with.
Mick Evans.
P.S. With one tone for each notch you can learn to live without looking at the meter, so a back light can be less important.

 

[Trackerman]

Xterra 305 no doubt better quallity than the fishers and 2 hunting frequencies versus 1.