I have talked about how difficult the 800 was for me to learn in other posts. I am curious to hear of the experiences of others maybe having trouble learning a more sophisticated detector.
As for me I got into metal detecting by using the Fisher gold bug to locate corroded bird and buck shot in the small branches in the North Georgia gold district SW of Dalonegha, GA. That always told me that was a good area do dig for nuggets. The fisher gold bug was built for gold nugget hunting and was easy to use. Many years went by until I got my AT Pro. That was one good machine that was easy to learn and it did produce on relics and coins.
Then I got really caught up in the Nox 800 frenzy on the MD forums. Remember those days? I thought it was going to be the answer to my MD dreams. I had no idea about the difference in complexity and number of features between the AT Pro and 800.
I also did not realize that I had no real understanding of any of the metal detecting theories that you needed to understand if you were going to use and adjust those 800 advanced settings. So for about a year and a half I was using a detuned detector due to my ignorance. Yes this is hard to admit out on a public forum but it was true.
The other factor was they 800 can really lock on the smallest piece of metal, I mean like a very small piece of copper doorbell wire 1/8" long 4-5" deep. So hunting trashy parks sounded like a machine gun of audible signals.
In hindsight, I now know that the 800 was/is a great detector and was pretty much the leader of the back of SMF detectors when introduced. The whole problem was me. Thinking I could understand a sophisticated modern SMF detector with out the basic MD knowledge. With a lot of kind help from other Friendly forum members, I have filled a lot of the gaps in my detecting theory education.
I now have an XP2 with a 9" coils and love it. Have I mastered it? No I don't think I will every use the term Master, but I have learn a whole lot from my struggles with my 800. I have learned to tailor some of the settings to match my hunting environment.
So, I am wondering am I the only one who hit the learning wall with a particular detector? If so which detector.