Garrett ATX Information and Questions

[geof_junk]

Hi guys.
DAY ONE
Performance was great. My first outing was to a beach at Redcliffe, where my first target turned out to be about one third of the ring from a ring pull. Not much really, but still a decent signal considering it was about 55 to 60cm deep.
Cheers, Ron.
PS. I'm not getting any kickbacks or commissions from Garret, but if they were to offer,, well,,,,,,,

Go back to Redcliff, I got 60+ gold rings in 40 hr of detecting over a month. Get out in the water opposite the old lifesaver building on low tide. You will know you are on the right ground when you find soft clay covered with 6" or more with sand. I had to work up to my shorts in water. ATX is fully waterproof my detector was not.

 

[RottenRon]

Thanks for the review,I just posted a question in a thread above asking about this machine....What batteries where you using and how long did they last????

Cheers...Sparra

G'day Sparra.
I used the no rechargeable batteries that came with the detector. AAs, 8 of them. I didn't flatten them and they still registered 3/4 full after about 4hours on and off in total.
The rechargeables that came with it, went back full.
Battery life is reputed to be great. In any case, the package comes with a car charger and a plug in adapter (legal, in reference to an earlier remark on the subject), for the mains charging. If you were planning long hours swinging, I'd suggest another set of rechargeables, that way you could have one set on charge and ready for service.
Hope that helps.

Cheers, Ron.

 

[RottenRon]

Hi guys.
DAY ONE
Performance was great. My first outing was to a beach at Redcliffe, where my first target turned out to be about one third of the ring from a ring pull. Not much really, but still a decent signal considering it was about 55 to 60cm deep.
Cheers, Ron.
PS. I'm not getting any kickbacks or commissions from Garret, but if they were to offer,, well,,,,,,,

Go back to Redcliff, I got 60+ gold rings in 40 hr of detecting over a month. Get out in the water opposite the old lifesaver building on low tide. You will know you are on the right ground when you find soft clay covered with 6" or more with sand. I had to work up to my shorts in water. ATX is fully waterproof my detector was not.

Well done Geof.
Quite a haul by any ones standards.
I reckoned there had to be plenty to find there, but I didn't really have the time that day. Hell, I never even looked at the tide times, much less took a scoop. I only took my modified shovel which is ok in dry and damp sand, but not much chop under water. All I need to do now is butcher one of the wife's stainless saucpans and make a scoop. Cut, wed mesh, handle,,, sweet.

How do you get on with the legalities of finding stuff and keeping/selling it. Aren't you required to hand it to the cops for 3 months or something and then, if not claimed, apply to take ownership? I always wondered about that stuff.

The water proof properties of the ATX in another big factor in my decision to buy one. Besides the beach work, the creeks around the place are gunna get a workout as well.

The only trouble with that theory though is, around Creswick and Dayelsford, it appears there are those using suction dredges around the rock bars, particularly in quieter areas. Now these aren't meant to be used in the creeks in the Regional parks, so it kinda stuffs it for those that go about their fossicking the legal way. Anyway, I might have to get a mask, snorkel and maybe wetsuit. The creeks are shaded for a fair part of the day in that area so tend to be a little chilly. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Cheers, Ron.

 

[Goldtarget]

:| Awesome review and follow ups, don't shorten your word count Ron, that's exactly the sort of precision feedback I prefer, getting right into the nitty gritty. I would love to hear about any triangle Goldfields experience from you or others if they have a swing. Thanks again.

 

[RottenRon]

:| Awesome review and follow ups, don't shorten your word count Ron, that's exactly the sort of precision feedback I prefer, getting right into the nitty gritty. I would love to hear about any triangle Goldfields experience from you or others if they have a swing. Thanks again.

Glad to oblige.

Haven't got my ATX yet, and to be honest, it's depth on small or even large yellow targets has yet to be personally proven, but from what I've actually seen and done with the hired one I had, it looks promising, especially considering the points I mentioned in my earlier posts.

Going to Daylesford tomorrow. If there's bugger all water, my Xterra 705 will get a run sooner rather than later.

Should be able to knock up a report on Sunday.

Cheers, Ron.

 

[RottenRon]

Yep people are already giving up on them..

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/hill...eme-pulse-induction-metal-detector/1033559272

Why would one claimed to have been bought in Oz come with power point adapter for Oz 8)

Could this be a comment from someone who spent heaps on something else, not being able to bear the thought, that something nearly half the price, has the potential to do as well, or at least close to it, as the unit they bought. For the money it has a good many attractive features.

Oh yeah, a power adapter came with the unit I hired as well. It is after all, a yank machine. Seems fair enough to me. At least it had one.

Look don't get me wrong. I haven't used a 5000, but I've spoken to plenty who have. Considering their comments, I just figure I'm not going to be that parochial for such a huge difference in price. Like may people, I hate feeling like I've been ripped off.

If the ATX does what I suspect it will, then honestly, can we really say the 5000 is worth the extra money? At the very minimum, it's an excellent machine for shallow water use at the beach etc, which the 5000 can't do.

Just my opinion is all. Food for thought.

Cheers, Ron.

 

[Bull]

I have seen some videos and tests done with this detector, looks very promissing for a PI unit, has anybody here have one of these or know somebody with one, new shipment arrives sometime in Feb..

Cheers

 

[Tassie Daz]

Bull, My ATX arrived a couple of weeks ago and I've just been playing with it down the beach to get to know it. On the beach without ground-balancing it goes really deep. Don't have gold around here so I have to wait till I get to Vic in a few months. I especially like the IRON CHECK facility. press a button, wave the coil over the spot and if its iron, it grunts......Saves a helluva lot of unnecessary digging. Couple that with a Propointer, and mate you retrieval time is cut by about 80%. I'm sold mate, Garrett Rocks!!!!!!! And its half the price of the MLab

 

[kleinman98]

I've got one and aint about to get rid of it in a hurry. Seriously it is a great machine and worth the money. I cant wait to use it in the gold fields.

 

[Bull]

Thx heaps Tassie Daz and kleinman98
I have to sell my trommel and sluice b4 I get to own the ATX, But from what I have seen and heard, (I want it) lol

Can you guys let me know when you do find your first piece of gold ? would be much apprieciated .
Cheers

 

[MarcusBerlin]

So far so good...
any News about the ATX ?
Because Videos that I find where looking good

 

[RottenRon]

I only hired the ATX for a week over Christmas. Mine wont arrive till the middle of next month, then lookout.
Cheers, Ron.

 

[GEOBOY]

Hey Tassie Daz just curious how long it took for your Garrett ATX to get delivered from when you ordered it.

Bull, My ATX arrived a couple of weeks ago

 

[Redfin]

If I was in your position, I would wait a few days for the Minelab SDC 2300, which gets released in 2 days [31st]
There will be many comparative tests done shortly.

 

[Guest]

Things are about to get interesting.

I think a drop in price in the 2nd hand Pi market by about $500 from todays current prices will occur "if the ATX is a success at finding small deep Gold"
within 12 months.

The key is that Garrett needs to succeed for it to effect the current market.

Glossy brochures won't do the trick to sell the ATX but a field day out in the goldfields with free garrett atx hire and BBQ will.

Imagine a big green truck with Garrett marketing insignia arrives at the Gold fields. Doors swing open full of merchandise and ATX's,
prospectors excited free caps for everyone and you have 12 people walking around the bush trying out the new ATX.

This is how you create the BUZZ.

We are in mid summer my suggestion will be to wait. If you need a machine for the beach the Garrett Sea Hunter is a great PI for the beach.

Today you have a choice of plenty 2nd hand minelabs, the TDI Pro, Garrett ATX and shortly the new SDC2300.

If the ATX and 2300 become a success then its my opinion something needs to give and I think it will be the 2nd hand market.

Before it was simple. You had one main brand. Each time a new model was released it either cost the same or cost more.
You would then get a good price for your 2nd hand unit. At the same time you had no competition.

 

[roundup]

Hello all .I just joined the forum and firstly will introduce myself. My name is Ross and I hail from W.A.Was reading posts re the ATX and thought I would fill you all in on what I think after talking and reading all I could find about them.I looked for tests that were done by blokes from Aus with no ties to retailers or Garrett. Also read a lot from U.S as they have been out there for a while now.
I purchased mine last week from a business in W.A and I must say I am very happy with the deal I got.Still have to wait for deepseek pack but it's on the way.
They seem to me to be very sturdy and fairly well made but, a bit heavy if you were to carry them around for to long even with the supplied sholder harness fitted.I am looking at minelab pro swing but have been told Garrett are making one so will wait and see
Seem to be very easy to opperate with controll at finger tips and audio is good (even for someone like me who has to be fitted with two hearing aide in a couple of weeks)
Have only mucked around in the yard a few time as to hot to get dinkim in the field.I am tossing up between the Garrtee 5" coil or the infinium DD as a small coil but will wait and see when my deep pack comes and i can try it out in the firld.
There are a couple of little nitches I have found in it and though not serious' none the less they are there (1) When the skid plate is fitted you cannot tie the coil end into the soft case when the machine is put in as shown and if you turn it upside down the belt will slip undone no matter what you do.I have cut the belt off and will get someone to sew a strap from one side of the case to the other and (in the bottom of the case) that way I will be able to secure all the Garrett coils with the detector facing up or down.Another thing is the coil keeps creeping up from square to the ground and I have found the only way to stop it is to get it set with the screw loose then tightn it ,but don't over do it (it's only plastis in plastic)Think I have gabbeled enough for now so will see you all later

 

[trashmagnet]

hi ross
thanks for sharing mate, be glad to hear any more feedback once you have had a chance to play some more in the field with it.
it does sound like the skid plate was an after thought in the planning stage.
regards tm

 

[Tassie Daz]

Geo, I've had mine a few weeks now, but it took a while as I had to wait for the next shipment. It seems they are being sold as soon as, or even before they hit OZ. Don't worry man. When it comes you'll seriously have lots and lots of fun with it. Ive hit an old racetrack from the 1880's, many old copper areas and the beach and while I've not found much its does go deep. We are off to the Vic Gold fields in a few weeks and I am looking forward to it. Let you know how I go. My suggestion is to get onto YOUTUBE and save as many of the vids as you can and watch them over and over so you'll be up to speed as soon as it gets here.
NQExplorers does a lot on Utube.

 

[Guest]

Hi Daz,

I would love to meet you out in central Victoria. Would love to see the ATX in action.

If your interested let me know pls.

Thanks

Joe

 

[Redfin]

I'm in Dunolly every for 4 days or so every fortnight lads, Let me know when you are up.

Redfin