Garrett ATX Information and Questions

[Pete_The_Prospector]

How do you go with ground balancing the thing. With the GPX you ground balancing every couple of metres or so, sometimes. How often do you have to ground balance the ATX?

 

[joe]

Not sure about the gpx, with my sd2000 I would have to g-balance every 10-15metres (using small mono) with the atx I g-balance maybe 4 or 5 times a day and that's going from dry creek beds to hilly area or extreme terrain using the standard dd coil.

 

[Pete_The_Prospector]

So you don't have to ground balance as often as with the Minelabs.
I'm going to get another machine soon and still deciding whether to get the ATX
or a CTX. I've been hearing some pretty sad stories about the 3030 of late. :/

 

[joe]

If you are in the area, say tuena next outing more than happy to lend you the atx for a test run.

 

[Ben78]

still deciding whether to get the ATX
or a CTX. I've been hearing some pretty sad stories about the 3030 of late. :/

Completely different machines for different purposes...

 

[Pete_The_Prospector]

That would be cool thanks Joe. Heading out Hill End way next month. Hopefully

 

[dave14110]

I was thinking of getting ATX also pete but after month of bad reports about NO coil skid plates & poor service. I changed my mind I have now decided to get CTX instead. I haven't seen too many problems with CTX, some pro's on other forum's use them and I know of 2 people that are now both on 8 sovereigns each. Some pro's are now on their 3rd CTX but they have more than paid for machines. Some pro's have publicly earn' t more than $18,000.
My choice was service is better. the CTX has skid plates when machine was made. The CTX is water proof to 3m and has discrimination which not many waterproof machines have. So to me it is a no brainer & I pick it up this week.
Back on topic yes the ATX has gone very quiet I am in a the Victorian Metal Detector & Prospecting Association with about a hundred members & nobody that has come to one of our monthly camps has an ATX . I have been to every camp in the last year but one.

 

[XIV]

They have Now, finally got skid plates.
And to most people this was the main issue.
After speaking to a dearler who sells both ML and garret
He said the atx is a lot of the time better on small gold.
Does not out preform better than the gpx but is par with it on gold.
The gpx how ever is a lot better on big deep gold.
On the beach he prefers the CTX 3030 over the ATX. As he finds the atx to heavy to swing all day.
He also think the ctx is a little better on the beach too.
Cheers Kane.

 

[Pete_The_Prospector]

still deciding whether to get the ATX
or a CTX. I've been hearing some pretty sad stories about the 3030 of late. :/

Completely different machines for different purposes...

Hi Ben,
I realise that, I should have said that the machine will be used for mainly beach and relic hunting. :8
I use a 5000 in the goldfields, but would probably use the other machine as a back up if the need arises.

 

[Pete_The_Prospector]

I was thinking of getting ATX also pete but after month of bad reports about NO coil skid plates & poor service. I changed my mind I have now decided to get CTX instead. I haven't seen too many problems with CTX, some pro's on other forum's use them and I know of 2 people that are now both on 8 sovereigns each. Some pro's are now on their 3rd CTX but they have more than paid for machines. Some pro's have publicly earn' t more than $18,000.
My choice was service is better. the CTX has skid plates when machine was made. The CTX is water proof to 3m and has discrimination which not many waterproof machines have. So to me it is a no brainer & I pick it up this week.
Back on topic yes the ATX has gone very quiet I am in a the Victorian Metal Detector & Prospecting Association with about a hundred members & nobody that has come to one of our monthly camps has an ATX . I have been to every camp in the last year but one.

Hi Dave,
I think with I've read good and bad reports on both machines :/ The problems with Garretts service,
and the problems with the CTX's water seal, and now the problem with the CTX's battery. I bet not many people
know about the cheap crap Chinese batteries in their Minelabs :|
I know about all the Sov's being found on the other forum as I'm a member on their as well, awesome finds.

 

[loamer]

The ATX is getting good reports on the Vic fields with the DD on small shallow gold, which is about the same as any SD or GPX. The 20" mono coil is reported as being very expensive ($700 - $800??) and the detector itself is heavier, due I believe to the waterproofing. I was at a testing of the 20" mono on an ATX against a 17" mono on a 5000 - the 17" was far better at depth BUT to be fair, it was a hand-mad coil that had amazing balance. The skid plates issue is puzzling - as the coils have the extra resin for the waterproofing, is this really required?

 

[NavyBob]

Hi,

I must agree with the remarks about CTX water seal as I too have had an issue with it so went to an aircraft parts supplier with the seals in hand and got aircraft quality ones $11-16 each and have had no problems at all, plus got the O-ring removal tool for $5 to make removal and reinstalling easy. As far as the battery issue that too I had an issue with also fixed by getting better quality rechargeable batteries, these new batteries last twice as long as the originals. Yes I use my CTX 3-4 nights a week just about every week. I have a park I am hunting in that is about 1Km long and about 1/2 a kilometre wide, so will be here for some time, even know the council workers by their first names - cool.

Yes have tried the ATX on the gold fields as said above, I agree with, last trip three nugs under .9 gram and above .4 gram. That was my ninth trip, third with this detector.

Bob.

 

[GOLD Billyen]

That's a good question. It says 10 Feet but if your underwater...how do you hear the sounds or do you just use the readout?

 

[Ramjet]

That's a good question. It says 10 Feet but if your underwater...how do you hear the sounds or do you just use the readout?

Garrett make waterproof headphones. Nugget did have a pair for sale.

 

[beach detecting addict]

Yes nugget did have a set of waterproof headphones for sale but I bought them . Just to let you know sound travels 4 times faster in the water than it does in the air,suppose it just depends on the detector that you use.

cheers Rob

That's a good question. It says 10 Feet but if your underwater...how do you hear the sounds or do you just use the readout?

Garrett make waterproof headphones. Nugget did have a pair for sale.

 

[joe]

Hi all just wanted to know if anybody has used a garrett ATX under water and how it went? Thanks

I wasn't game enough not because it said waterproof but because of leaches I did have it in the water to about gumboots

 

[GOLD Billyen]

I wonder if your screams interfere with the signal when you look down and see 5 leaches stuck to you? That would a gold youtube vid.

 

[Diggerdude]

I wonder if your screams interfere with the VLF signal when you look down and see 5 leaches stuck to you? That would a gold youtube vid.

It's not a vlf

 

[GOLD Billyen]

I wonder if your screams interfere with the VLF signal when you look down and see 5 leaches stuck to you? That would a gold youtube vid.

It's not a vlf

Don't take away from my humor! I made a funny.

 

[joe]

I wonder if your screams interfere with the VLF signal when you look down and see 5 leaches stuck to you? That would a gold youtube vid.

It's not a vlf

Don't take away from my humor! I made a funny.

we know what you meant VLF= very low fat and yes depending where they would be stuck would determine the signal (scream) that would definitely override the peep peep atx produces lol