Field Testing The New Whites Spectra V3

JerV3

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Feb 28, 2005
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Minelab Etrac ,Xp Deus, Ctx 3030, Vanquish 440 X 2, Equinox 600, Equinox 800
Hello everyone,

Figured I would pop in here and give some thoughts on the new whites spectra V3. I picked one up about 3 weeks ago. Weather has been bad but Saturday I was able to get out for about 5 hrs or so with the unit.

Nothing great yet to speak of. Did however pull a nice key date indian a 69. Also found a neat token for the pittsburgh gazette. Got a thick copper coin unknown looks to be about 24 mm. No silver yet. Just trying to familarize myself with the new tones and such. This is alot of unit even coming from a dfx. I had close to 10 yrs exp on the dfx. I was close to master on that unit. maybe even a master.

Well not the same yet for the V3. Gonna take me some time to master this unit. I really like it so far. It has a wealth of info to use. The wireless headphones are great. I'm a woods hunter and brush is a real pain with wires. Balance is very good on the unit. It is very sensitive this unit. Like the fact that the dpeth is on the fly with this unit.

I had the sef 18X15 coil on the unit. Decided to go to a heavily hunted out park by myself and others. The coil is very heavy and one I won't be swinging all the time. Wanted to get a feel for it. I lasted hunting with it for 3 hrs or so at a time. But man my bicep was sore the next day. Gonna invest in some more coils in the future.

The spectra does very well in bad soils. Most coins I pulled out were in bad soil conditions. The indian came from down about 8 to 9 inches. Had a decent response and hit a vdi of 47. Very similar to the dfx. I think I'm gonna really like this unit. I can't say right now it is better than the dfx.

Once I learn more and can get the adjustments were I want them. And I start popping out some silver I can make a more accurate judgement. Can't wait till the spring to put this unit through the test.

HH Jer
 

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Upvote 0
Nice Injun...Yep I have a feeling that machine will do ya just fine. :thumbsup: jgas
 

Hey thanks guys.

Allen you are right. I couldn't pass up the deal. I had to part with the dfx though to get this upgrade. Would have been nice to have had it also. Wanted to try something new but was scared of having to learn a new unit again. These whites units take awhile to learn. But time is what I have.

I really wanted to get a minelab. But was out bid on a few nice one's at the time. I seen a really decent deal on the local craigslist for a not even 60 day old spectra with wireless headphones and sef coil for 1200 that same day I lost the explorers. I told the guy I would give him 1100 so I took it and ran.

Was a good deal for me to upgrade. I know overtime it will pay for itself. Wanted to have the best at hand technology for hunting. I will report back more further about this unit in the spring. I will let you know what it can and can't do and is it really worth the 1600 they cost.

Take care

Jeremy
 

Hi JerDfx this is jhenry in Ohio my sister recently bought one as upgrade from DFX and the jury is still out but I`m thinking about upgrading from my XLT so keep us posted on the learning curve thanks Jeff
 

No matter what machine you use Jer, you'll find the goodies! 8) I know sometimes I think I'd like to try a different one, but I don't want to lose any hunting time trying to learn a new machine. :P :D

Excellent finds!

Nana :)
 

Thanks alot everyone

Alot has to do with location. One could do very well with a ace 250. I like to use top of the lines because they are more stable and simplify hunting for you.

I will let you guys know more when I get the chance to really start using this unit. Want to take it through some pounded sites first and see what it can do. That is how I tell if a new unit is good or not.

The dfx however is a super unit. Nothing bad to say at all about that unit. It is and was the best unit I ever used. I think the spectra will top it in time. I have a feeling the spectra goes pretty deep. But I will have to wait and see.

I didn't want to upgrade for the simple fact that finds may decline off slightly for the first yr or two. Or until I get pretty good with this unit. I got a decent grasp on it so far. I remeber the dfx taking me about 2 yrs to really start to know what it was saying.

Learning curve is long and hard on the whites top of the lines. I think once they are learned they may be the best all around units you can buy. They do it all and do it all pretty well. Overall from relics coins and jewlery they seem to get a little of it all. I don't want my unit to be one dimensional.

Looks like I am going to be in the market for a new user name. I hope everyone will still know who I am. How do you change your name but hold your identity on here.

Thanks again

Jeremy
 

Nice token and IH. Nate and I hardly ever find 60's IH's. Yours looks decent too. :icon_thumleft:

Dan told me you picked up a Spectra. Does it have a pinpointing probe?

I would snag one if I could get it for $1000. (without the wireless headphones). I'm not sure I'm ready to shell out the $1400 or so for a new one. I do need a new toy though.......

Bob
 

Thanks guys,

Good to hear from you Bob. The guy would have taken 1000 for just the unit. I told him I'd give him 1100 for the sef coil 18X15 and the wireless headphones. He wanted 1200 to start for everything. Wasn't easy getting the cash all together. But the guy waited a week for me and I was able to get it.

First impressions were man this thing is alot newer of technology than the dfx. But then I realized to that there is a whole lot to learn again. It really rings a nice high flutty sound on silver. I like units that have tone id. I think I'll get the feel for it over a summer of hunting with it. I watched 2 sell on e-bay for 1450 and 1425.

No probe with the unit. I gotta get a new one here soon. Cost me another 80 this week for coil covers weather beaters. I also want to ship it out and have it recallibrated while under warranty and be ready to go in the spring.

I have found alot of indians over the yrs. The 1860's are about a 30 to 1 find. This is only the second 69 I have ever found. I got the 66 a few times and the 67 and some of the fatties. I 'm still waiting on the 77.

I think you would like the V3 bob. Just get ready to sit back and learn again. It is exciting and it sucks at the same time. When your used to just walking through sites saying to your self that's a tab that's a screw cap.

Its not the same right now with the spectra the spectra sings alot of songs on every alloy. Pull tabs sound great right now. Gonna have to watch the vdi scale closely. Once I master that again and the tones it will all come together.

HH Jer
 

Thanks for posting your experience so far with the V3.
I always thought it might be just the ticket for finding jewelry, mostly gold.
Looking forward to your updates.
Mike
 

No problem,

I think the spectra would be great on gold. It is very sensitive. They also said they built these units to find gold easily. I will go into further depth as I can get more hrs out in the field. I will be able to give more info on what I think the unit can and will do. I know one thing right now. It works great in bad soils.

Gets nice depth also right out of the box. Dug a few screw caps in the backyard at 9 inches or so with a loud audio tone. Dug the 69 indian at about 8 to 9 with a nice audio tone. I'll be reporting back soon hopefully. This weather needs to break again.

Take care

Jeremy
 

Not sure how you have any fatties if you walk through sites telling yourself that youre walking over a pulltab ??? Nice finds, hope the new machine pans out :icon_thumleft:
 

I also do a lot of forest, brush hunting, probably 80% of my time, the rest around old houses and buildings in the forest. My area is filled with blackberry thorn bushes, and to get around them the darn earphone wire is forever getting snagged. Plus, since I have to dig in awkward positions often, I have to continuously remove the earphones, set them out of the way, dig, replace the earphones, re-check the location of the find (hole or clump), etc., etc. but have gotten the procedure down.

Though Wireless is the way to go. Good luck with your new toy.
 

A few people out here i know have a Spectra 3 with wireless head phones they seem to all agree the batteries go dead very fast in the head phones but thats the only flaw so far they all say its a great detector , i still like my DFX .
 

I went from an xlt to the v3, and cant say I regret it. Ive been using sunray pro headphones and have had some nice finds, I just need more free time.
 

"I also want to ship it out and have it recallibrated while under warranty and be ready to go in the spring."

Interesting you mentioned this.......My 8 year old XLT is probably ready for a tune-up, of course not under warranty any more..........do you happen to know what exactly they do to the unit?.....I'd like to send mine out as well.....

Good luck with the V3.

HH all!

Greg
 

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