Talk me out of a CTX3030

[8Keeper]

I have found enough to upgrade without remorse. Looking at a CTX 3030. I primarily hunt the beaches of N.E. Florida. If you were in my situation what alternatives would you look at?

 

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[ColonelDan]

Easily done...Your hunting area is virtually the same as mine so I suggest the Equinox 800 or Excal as alternatives to the CTX.

99% of my hunting is on our east coast Florida beaches and I've learned to stick with multi frequency waterproof machines.

Although a PI detector will work in saltwater environments also, there is no discrimination and they've taken me down 20 inches or more for a bottle cap or even a bobby pin. At 70 years of age, I can do without that much exercise!

My preferred detectors are the CTX, Excal and the Equinox 800 but as I always say, that's just the view from my foxhole...

 

[against the wind]

Although the CTX is submersible to 10 feet, I have never taken it into salt water. I used the Excalibur for that. The reports coming back on the Equinox 800 are making me start to lean in that direction.

 

[basssmann]

Post on here and other detecting sights, for a used CTX.... I bought mine on line for 1/2 price, it was a back up machine, and it was like new..... Sooooo, happy with it....
Hoover Boys.... NY Detecting... Kentucky Dirt Diggers.......

 

[IDXMonster]

Personally I can’t talk you out of it,maybe others can. I’m glad someone did NOT talk me out of mine,as a turf hunter I need accurate ID in trash and at depth. Maybe beach hunting is different...I’m incredibly happy with the CTX. Not so happy with the 15 degrees we have this Saturday morning. This winter blows so bad I could absolutely PUKE right now.

 

[8Keeper]

Although a PI detector will work in saltwater environments also, there is no discrimination and they've taken me down 20 inches or more for a bottle cap or even a bobby pin. At 70 years of age, I can do without that much exercise!

PI machine is out of the question. In capable hands they can be great. Unfortunatly I am not that capable

 

[redcobra8u]

I have the Excal and the CTX. I personally feel the Excal is a deeper machine and you can get it wet without worry. The wireless module on the CTX can't get wet which is a liability. The com on the Excal is if you are in all metal mode, you will dig more junk targets. I enjoy both machines but if there is a erosion event, the Excal comes with me. If I'm going to be in the dry sands, the CTX gets to come.

Maybe you need both lol.

 

[8Keeper]

I have heard older machines had flooding issues with the USB port. Not sure if it is true or not. Will definitely look for a used one first.

IDXMonster 15 degrees would kill me!

Will take another look at the 800 and weigh the pros and cons a bit more.

 

[Ammoman]

I looked at the CTX for over a year. The downside to the CTX is the weight and slow recovery. You have to swing slow. Some people even have to wear a harness to handle the weight. If your looking at beach machines i would look at the Equinox-800 or Makro multi Kruzer. So far everything out there puts these two machines equal and i am undecided on which one to go with. I do know the Kruzer is better balanced over the 800 and i also know the kruzer is cheaper. Still, a few people swear the multi iq on the nox is better than single frequency. I have seen videos that prove it and other videos that contradict it so in my eyes, the jury is still out on this subject.

 

[8Keeper]

I looked at the CTX for over a year. The downside to the CTX is the weight and slow recovery. You have to swing slow. Some people even have to wear a harness to handle the weight. If your looking at beach machines i would look at the Equinox-800 or Makro multi Kruzer. So far everything out there puts these two machines equal and i am undecided on which one to go with. I do know the Kruzer is better balanced over the 800 and i also know the kruzer is cheaper. Still, a few people swear the multi iq on the nox is better than single frequency. I have seen videos that prove it and other videos that contradict it so in my eyes, the jury is still out on this subject.

Would tweaking the CTX program provide faster recovery? It is running 28 Freqs vs 6 on the nox and 1 one the kruzer.
Weight is not a factor for me as long as it feels right and is balanced. I have swung light machines that would kill me in a hour because of poor design.

 

[beerguy]

I love my CTX. I use the 17" coil almost exclusively. I have never used a harness.

 

[LawrencetheMDer]

I have used the Excal for 6 yrs on east and west coast Florida surf and CTX 3030 past 14 months on east coast. Like Beerguy, I use the CTX 3030 almost exclusively with the 17"coil and most time in surf w/o harness. I swing the CTX 3030 with 17" coil for up to 8 hrs in surf or beach and change hands/arms every hr or two. I, too, first had reservations of using it in water but have overcome that hesitation (although I put Tampons in battery compartment to absorb any water entry, that hasn't happen so far).and love the machine in the surf. Unlike the Excal, I almost never dig bottle caps anymore with the CTX; whereas in the past w the Excal I'd dig 30-50% targets as bottle caps in the surf. The target ID on CTX for coins runs around 80-90% and when time is limited (e.g., low tide, or limited time) I feel confident in passing-up zinc cents at 12:37 and copper cents at 12:40, with the realization that there is a small possibility of passing on good targets like the silver and jade ring I just found at 12:40. Pull tabs at 12:15-16 also run around 80-90% accuracy and I'll also pass on them when time is limited and I'm concentrating on gold. Results speak louder than words:

2018 Finds to date (April 8th, 2018):
Gold Rings - 10
Gold teeth (6) caps - 1
Silver, inc rings - 22
Coins: +2100
Knives: 2
Sunglasses: Too many to mention

 

[8Keeper]

Didn't think I could be talked out of it. Will be going to Kellyco next week. Thank you all for your input I am off to read the manual now.

 

[1942 merc]

You and I both . I just got six inches of snow . I can not talk you out of the CTX however your arm will after you buy it . I would wait til I could find an equinox 800 . Much cheaper much lighter and new technology .

Personally I can’t talk you out of it,maybe others can. I’m glad someone did NOT talk me out of mine,as a turf hunter I need accurate ID in trash and at depth. Maybe beach hunting is different...I’m incredibly happy with the CTX. Not so happy with the 15 degrees we have this Saturday morning. This winter blows so bad I could absolutely PUKE right now.

 

[8Keeper]

You and I both . I just got six inches of snow . I can not talk you out of the CTX however your arm will after you buy it . I would wait til I could find an equinox 800 . Much cheaper much lighter and new technology .

I am a pretty solid boy in good shape (professional endurance beer drinker) but even with a light weight machine I switch arms about every hour. Being ambidextrous is huge for 8+ hour hunts.

 

[Terry Soloman]

After spending all that beer money on the 3030, it is gonna tee you off when some geezer swinging an Equinox pulls up behind you to show you what you missed.

 

[gamiller]

You can by an Equinox and an Excal for the price of a 3030.
Always good to have a good back up.

 

[8Keeper]

After spending all that beer money on the 3030, it is gonna tee you off when some geezer swinging an Equinox pulls up behind you to show you what you missed.

Not wealthy but I never stress the price. And I will always leave a little on the beach for the geezers

 

[beerguy]

I am a pretty solid boy in good shape (professional endurance beer drinker) but even with a light weight machine I switch arms about every hour. Being ambidextrous is huge for 8+ hour hunts.

I would give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

 

[beerguy]

After spending all that beer money on the 3030, it is gonna tee you off when some geezer swinging an Equinox pulls up behind you to show you what you missed.

I dig some deep targets. If someone is catching what I miss, they got some work to do. I doubt that the Equinox will exceed the CTX depth at all. Especially with my 17" coil.

I dug a silver quarter last weekend that was a solid foot deep.