- Apr 27, 2015
- 127
- 295
- Detector(s) used
- Garrett Axiom and XP Deus
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
Hello Detectorists,
Sorry for the long post but I am seeking experienced help identifying a good metal detector model. I'm volunteering with an independent Archaeologist in the Southwest who has been making some history changing finds many hundreds of years old using metal detectors. The Archaeologist and most on the team utilize the Tesoro Lobo Super-Traq metal detector. They like this detector because it is very simple to use in the field and inexpensive in the used marketplace. No ground balance adjustment is needed and it is automatic depending upon 3 soil types. One only needs to pick the ground type, set to All-Metal, adjust the Threshold and Sensitivity and go. All searches are in all-metal mode and everything detected is dug. Typically the searches are in over-grown desert areas while walking quickly through the brush scanning areas in a non-thorough manner.
Recently I have done a few minor repairs of 3 of the Super-Traqs. Mostly electro-mechanical failures. I also ran some carefully prepared metal detector range tests in my back yard comparing the Tesoro to an XP Deus and Garrett Axiom. The testing was started because it is thought that some artifacts may be deeper than expected. Our primary target is a small horse shoe, 2-3 feet deep or more. The Tesoro capability appears somewhat dated when compared to other detectors with similar coil sizes.
I'd like to recommend a metal detector upgrade for the Archaeologist. If you have a suggestion for a simple to operate and effective all-metal detector please reply. Thank you for any comments or suggestions. Ed, Tucson, Az. Here are the specs:
1. All-metal mode, discrimination is not really needed at all.
2. Loud speaker. Headphones are not used. Rattlesnakes, cell phones and radios need to be heard.
3. Light as possible. The Tesoro is about 3.5 lbs. The Archaeologist thought the XP Deus was very light.
4. Elliptical coil makes it easier to walk through brush while detecting. Something like 11"x7" or similar would be a good compromise between depth ability and size.
5. Larger coil available for large deep targets the size of a horse shoe. What would be the optimum coil size for locating a horse shoe?
6. Minimum eight hours battery life, either rechargeable or Alkaline.
7. Very simple to operated. It needs to be almost turn-on and go. Any detector that requires lengthy start-up calibration, profile selection, ground balance selection and tuning, will be too complex for volunteer team members to use.
8. More sensitive or capable of deeper finds (horse shoe) than the Tesoro Lobo Super-Traq.
8. Obsolete detectors from the used marketplace are also candidates.
9. The search efforts are independent of University funding and all efforts are voluntary, so the cost needs to be as low as possible, less than $400 or so. Currently the Super-Traqs can be found used for a few hundred dollars.
Sorry for the long post but I am seeking experienced help identifying a good metal detector model. I'm volunteering with an independent Archaeologist in the Southwest who has been making some history changing finds many hundreds of years old using metal detectors. The Archaeologist and most on the team utilize the Tesoro Lobo Super-Traq metal detector. They like this detector because it is very simple to use in the field and inexpensive in the used marketplace. No ground balance adjustment is needed and it is automatic depending upon 3 soil types. One only needs to pick the ground type, set to All-Metal, adjust the Threshold and Sensitivity and go. All searches are in all-metal mode and everything detected is dug. Typically the searches are in over-grown desert areas while walking quickly through the brush scanning areas in a non-thorough manner.
Recently I have done a few minor repairs of 3 of the Super-Traqs. Mostly electro-mechanical failures. I also ran some carefully prepared metal detector range tests in my back yard comparing the Tesoro to an XP Deus and Garrett Axiom. The testing was started because it is thought that some artifacts may be deeper than expected. Our primary target is a small horse shoe, 2-3 feet deep or more. The Tesoro capability appears somewhat dated when compared to other detectors with similar coil sizes.
I'd like to recommend a metal detector upgrade for the Archaeologist. If you have a suggestion for a simple to operate and effective all-metal detector please reply. Thank you for any comments or suggestions. Ed, Tucson, Az. Here are the specs:
1. All-metal mode, discrimination is not really needed at all.
2. Loud speaker. Headphones are not used. Rattlesnakes, cell phones and radios need to be heard.
3. Light as possible. The Tesoro is about 3.5 lbs. The Archaeologist thought the XP Deus was very light.
4. Elliptical coil makes it easier to walk through brush while detecting. Something like 11"x7" or similar would be a good compromise between depth ability and size.
5. Larger coil available for large deep targets the size of a horse shoe. What would be the optimum coil size for locating a horse shoe?
6. Minimum eight hours battery life, either rechargeable or Alkaline.
7. Very simple to operated. It needs to be almost turn-on and go. Any detector that requires lengthy start-up calibration, profile selection, ground balance selection and tuning, will be too complex for volunteer team members to use.
8. More sensitive or capable of deeper finds (horse shoe) than the Tesoro Lobo Super-Traq.
8. Obsolete detectors from the used marketplace are also candidates.
9. The search efforts are independent of University funding and all efforts are voluntary, so the cost needs to be as low as possible, less than $400 or so. Currently the Super-Traqs can be found used for a few hundred dollars.
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@ #2 actually
