Best Bang for your Buck!

[atomicscott]

This is a very good and informative thread. I would like to add to it, though it may not be accepted.

I have owned a lot of the detectors discussed. In my own "personal" view, I have found my QDP to outperform my F2. The way I have my arsenal, I can quickly change my 11" dd on my LRP to my QDP and vice versa. The QDP gets 3" deeper than my F2 with the 8" coil. 4" with the DD. That is quite a bit. If I need GB, of course I use the LRP. Now, as Larry said, this is an air test comparison, and in the ground the 7.8 khz may lose a bit more than 5.9 khz. But I don't believe 3" worth.

Truly, the BH line has some negativity to overcome. But the newer Pros are the Fratbros design process used in the Teknetics Greeks (Including the Eurotek Pro) and Fisher F5.

I'm not challenging the others as much as justifying my own selection by proof positive of comparing most through actual usage. These BH Pro's are sleepers and there are some waking up to their potential at a very good price.

They do make some decent performing detectors. Do they still have the push-in coil connector? When they convert to screw-on, I will take them more seriously.

 

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[Phantasman]

To me, it doesn't matter. My Fisher F5 was push in (changed later to screw on) and I used it for 6 years as my main detector with no problems. My F2 gets frustrating trying to change coils and tightening that collar with my big hands. I can see how brush hunters might see it differently though.

 

[atomicscott]

To me, it doesn't matter. My Fisher F5 was push in (changed later to screw on) and I used it for 6 years as my main detector with no problems. My F2 gets frustrating trying to change coils and tightening that collar with my big hands. I can see how brush hunters might see it differently though.

Not sure if the connector was at fault or just luck of the draw, but I had an F2 4 years ago with push in connector. It was great but at many sites I could only run 2-3 bars on sens or it was susceptible to emi. Once or twice the connector came unplugged or halfway unplugged, not sure why. I bought another F2 less than 2 years ago with screw on connector. Definitely less emi probs with the newer F2 I can run full sens in many of the sites that the old one would go crazy in on full sensitivity. I dont like the lack of space on the screw on connector F2. It is a pain and I would prefer the push in connector at least for that reason.

 

[Phantasman]

I can crank my F2 all the way up and it's quiet and hits a quarter at 6" maybe 7" (Sharpshooter coil). I can crank up my QDP all the way, it's quiet and hit's a quarter at 9". I cannot max out my LRP without it chirping at me. But even at a quiet 8 sensitivity, it hits quarters at 10" (unbalanced default). So I don't know if the Land Ranger Pro is picking up EMI or just unstable at a higher level.

 

[atomicscott]

I can crank my F2 all the way up and it's quiet and hits a quarter at 6" maybe 7" (Sharpshooter coil). I can crank up my QDP all the way, it's quiet and hit's a quarter at 9". I cannot max out my LRP without it chirping at me. But even at a quiet 8 sensitivity, it hits quarters at 10" (unbalanced default). So I don't know if the Land Ranger Pro is picking up EMI or just unstable at a higher level.

Wow, maybe you got a bad F2? Mine hits an easy 8" in air on a quarter. I have found dimes in good ground at 8" with the 4" coil. Buried the Lesche past the handle on more than one dime with the stock coil. In good ground of course.

 

[DiggerinVA]

A machine may perform different in Tennessee than Californina.....heck, i can go 30 miles from my house and lose half my depth on my machines! Culpeper, VA. has some of the worst ground in the U.S.

 

[Fletch88]

That's pretty much adjustable ground balance PI territory in the hammered out spots.

 

[atomicscott]

A machine may perform different in Tennessee than Californina.....heck, i can go 30 miles from my house and lose half my depth on my machines! Culpeper, VA. has some of the worst ground in the U.S.

I feel ya. Try hitting some of these nugget patches out here in Dale mining district, lol. Lotsa of nuggets found, but extreme mineralization, & black sand everywhere.

 

[Phantasman]

Wow, maybe you got a bad F2? Mine hits an easy 8" in air on a quarter. I have found dimes in good ground at 8" with the 4" coil. Buried the Lesche past the handle on more than one dime with the stock coil. In good ground of course.

I have the NEL Sharpshooter on it. The concentric 4" gets me almost 6" in air tests, which to me is good for a puck. The 8" coil may get me 7" to 8" in the sweet spot of the cone. So I leave the SS on it since my other two perform better on depth, and the F2 has a constant 6" in a wider sweep (9.5") rather than 8" in the very center. Air tests isn't just how far the coin is away from the coil, but the width of detection as well. At least that's the way I judge a coils overall effectiveness.