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Finally upgraded today! ATPro and a White's TRX

Utahoutdoors

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Messages
364
Location
Utah County
I've spent the last two years with low end machines and have done well, but I have been wanting more. I was going to buy a Vaquero, but got the ATPro instead as I plan oh water hunting a bit this summer.

First impressions after Two hours with each:

TRX: I have 2 ProPointers and love them, but the TRX is a big step up in my opinion! First it is faster and easier to turn on, next it is way deeper and can be supercharge just like a PP to pinpoint even deeper targets. I also love the "ratcheting down" detuning, it is much better than detuning a PP and way faster! It really does save a lot of time (I didn't realize what a pain the Garret's double beep, hold the button down, and still not turn on lots of times, powering up deal is) There was almost no learning curve. Lastly I love the fact that it can take AA batteries becuase I'm sick of the expense of 9volts! If the TRX holds up I'm sold!!!

ATPro: I dug $1.29 tonight in 2 hours so I still have a lot to learn but I did not have too much trouble finding coins, but the foil is killing me. I also am not sure I'm ground balancing it right and man I can't believe how much iron is in the ground around here. I was turning the iron descrimination way up and it was still screeching all the time ( maybe I'm not GBing it right)!
With my silver umax, f2, delta 4000 and coinmaster I try to dig foil signals looking for gold, but the ATPro finds foil EVERYWHARE! Can I descrimination it out somehow? Also I can't believe how many mid tone targets I was digging. I have not figured that out yet either. The large DD coil is too big for around here so I'm going to get the smaller DD coil. The local shop didn't have the two coil pack instock or I'd have bought it.

I was going to buy from one of our sponcers but the local shop has been very good to me and gave me a good deal (I think I could have saved a little online but I didn't want to wait).

I'm excited to learn the ATPro! I just know silver coins are going to start jumping out of my plugs at the rate of 1-2 a year! Lol

Oh ya my first coin was a Bicentenial Quarter so that's cool!
 
Learning the ATP is not as difficult as it seems. Like any other detector you have to learn the sounds. For me when I was just starting out with mine I went into Pro mode, no discrimination and only looked for coins because I wanted to learn exactly what a penny, dime, and quarter sounded like. Digging everything in the beginning only leads to frustration when starting out. Once you learn what a coin sounds like you'lll be able to tell with 90% accuracy what it is you're digging prior to putting your lesche in the ground.

GB is also important but really not that important in terms of how to do it. Find a clean patch of ground and pump it up and down until the sound dies down or becomes quiet. Remember that number, take your finger of the GB and then hit the GB button again and back it down 5 spots from say an 89 back to an 84. Go hunt.

Next thing I'd do is take one hunt and simply look for nickels. They hit on mine at 52-53 almost 99% of the time. This is also the area where you'll find the most gold and about 1000 pull tabs. Again learn the sounds and watch your VDI. There will come a time when you'll be able to predict a nickel is coming out of the ground rather than a pull tab.

Lastly slow down and move around the target. I consistently out hunt my buddies and get more out of a site because I take my time and thoroughly investigate the sound and VDI before I dig. Swing speed is critical when determining if a target is going to get dug.

It's really an investment of time. I've swung an MXT, Silver Umax, V3i, Sov GT and now the ATP for the past 18 months and it's taken all of that 18 months to really get to know my machine.

HH,

Skate
 
Thanks Skate

I am wondering if the big coil is too big for 99% of parks. I just got back from three hours in the park and I was totally overwhelmed with iron and foil! I did find 96 cents and a little silver plated ring but my ears hurt from all the noise! Lol. The little coil will be on its way as soon as the tax man sends me back my overpayment.:p
 
I used the stock coil exclusively until a month ago when i bought the 5x8. In parks where there is a lot of trash the smaller coil works great but the greatest coil is the one between your ears.

I know you mentioned foil and for me it rings in the 40's and if I'm in a park I just ignore it. If I'm at the beach I dig it or if I'm at a old turn of the century home I dig it. It's all about your surroundings and the history behind where you're hunting.

In terms of finding the good stuff it's all about location. You've heard this before but the best places for finding silver are older homes, homesteads, older schools, and of course older parks. My best places for jewelry are soccer fields and softball fields.

I think you'll end up loving the ATP. It's a great detector and it didn't cost so much that you can't afford to buy other accessories like the TRX.

Best,

Skate
 
First off turn your iron audio off. I dont have it on unless im in a pretty clean park. Secondly. Gold has come for my friend and I anywhere from 45 up to 69 or so. My 22k gold ring (size aprox 7) 1 1/4 " down rang up a very solid 60/61 with NO buzz or other numbers. Crisp clear ping. Finding nickels is hard. They come up right with canslaw and melted aluminum cans from fire pits. Also brass valve stem pieces from tires being ground up for playground areas will ring kind of the same depending on size. I also have my iron discrim all the way up to 35 as I am not interested in relic's made of iron and the like where I'm hunting. PRO zero mode for me. Took me a while to learn what it was saying. Remember, the machine wont lie, It tells you what's down there but it's up to to to determine more precisely. Good luck and have fun with it.
 
Better keep those 2 away from each other! Whites and Garrett will fight each other when you aren't looking. You might open your bag one day and find one of them torn up! :lol:
 
Better keep those 2 away from each other! Whites and Garrett will fight each other when you aren't looking. You might open your bag one day and find one of them torn up! :lol:

Probably not true, it is the likes that repel and unlike s that attract so you are very safe with the new toys.
 
First off turn your iron audio off. I dont have it on unless im in a pretty clean park. Secondly. Gold has come for my friend and I anywhere from 45 up to 69 or so. My 22k gold ring (size aprox 7) 1 1/4 " down rang up a very solid 60/61 with NO buzz or other numbers. Crisp clear ping. Finding nickels is hard. They come up right with canslaw and melted aluminum cans from fire pits. Also brass valve stem pieces from tires being ground up for playground areas will ring kind of the same depending on size. I also have my iron discrim all the way up to 35 as I am not interested in relic's made of iron and the like where I'm hunting. PRO zero mode for me. Took me a while to learn what it was saying. Remember, the machine wont lie, It tells you what's down there but it's up to to to determine more precisely. Good luck and have fun with it.

Thank you. My 10 year old is headed out to the school across the street right now and I'll set it up like you have advised.

I'm so dumb, I didn't even think to turn off the iron audio!
 
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