F-75 LTD field info

Tom, as you probably already know I have been using my F-75 LTD fopr a little over a week. How best could I provide the info I've learned to your forum? Perhaps just field some questions until you get yours?

Hi Brad,

Guess I'll start...

1) Can you please tell us how the Boost mode performs on deep copper and silver coins in clean soil? Depth/ID?
2) How does the Boost mode perform in trashy sites, ie, is there any loss in separation or ID?
3) Do the other modes act the same as the pre-LTD?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2009 01:40PM by go-rebels.

1. With the original F-75, I think the deepest dime I ever dug was between 10 and 11" and it didn't have anything to spare. With boost engaged, you can hold the coil off the ground another 6 to 8" and still hear it fine with a fluxuating ID that experience would tell you it more than likely is a coin. I have yet to actually dig a coin sized target that was at the fringe depth of the boost mode capability. I'm quite confident that when that happens, it'll be more than just a couple inches deeper than what a similar setup would deliver in DE or even JE.
2. More than likely, you'll have to turn down when in trashy areas. I know I did and at first I was concerned that I might be forfeiting any advantage the boost mode offered. I was definitely wrong. I wish I could post an audio file of one site I frequent where there is a near constant ferrous presence and I was able to run BP there with reduced sensitivity and net significant depth gains. Speed and separation has not changed and ID is virtually the same as far as fluxuation but of course with much more ID at depth capability than the original modes.
3. Yes. I spent a fair amount of time comparing my original F-75 and this new one.

Thanks Brad for the quick response!

Have you found any downside to the new Boost mode, maybe a slight degredation in sound quality???

It sounds like all the other modes might be obsolete if you're looking for anything under a few inches. Other than for hunting for a recently lost item, the BP mode seems like the way to go.

If you are getting a minimum of 2" more depth compared to the original F75, then this is a quantum breakrough in metal detecting!

Actually the audio seems to be better in boost. And there's more to it than just the added ability to hear targets deeper or so it seems. For example, several times I was over a coin target and running 6 disc. The ground was VERY dry and the edge audio of the target was tending to have a little iron signature in it. In DE,disc-6, the audio was good but noticably choppy. When I dropped to disc "0", the audio was back to normal. Same target...in BP disc 6, the audio was almost as smooth as was DE disc "0". It could be as simple as signal strength but I think there is more to it and maybe boost is just more apt to show nuances of the ID and audio being separate.

As for mode obsolescence, depends how you look at it. In my coin hunts in BP, I usually opted to dial in disc 6 for just that added stability. I like to run wide open at times especially when there isn't too much of a noise penalty, so providing I'm confident there aren't any gut wrenchinging deep targets at a site and I want max unmasking, I might still opt to run DE disc "0" with enough gain to get the job done. Might do BP disc "0" with the gain appropriately backed off too. Don't get me wrong, the boost is a hoot when using it and after you've witnessed the benefits first handedly,you might catch yourself going around singing "I got the pow-ah" but sometimes an elephant gun is unnecessary overkill. That's the cool thing about the original modes now....instead of still having to do it all, they're now more in a back-up position wheras at other times they might still be the go to.

Thats a good point Brad . If your at a site with old targets at 3 - 6 inches
Why would you max boost and try for the 8 - 12 inch targets first.
The F 75 is light and fast so now we can hit the strata
one layer at a time



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2009 06:36PM by gman.

G-man...Exactly!! There are many times in our pursuits that less is more. I don't know how many times early on in the hobby that I would go out using the crank-o-matic mode with whatever detector/coil combo I was swinging at the time and then because I didn't know any better but was curious, go back with much milder settings only to find the latter actually produced more when the bulk of what I was searching for was between 4 and 8 ". Just part of the learning process in order to become more successful more of the time. It never ends.

"Less is More"... yes!

But to the argument of making DE and JE obsolete, if you run DE, D-6, Mono, S-70, for example, you could run BP, D-6, Mono, S-35 and maybe get the same performance with less chatter (or JE, D-6, Mono, S-50 for that matter).

Same performance, less chatter... what's the benefit of the old modes when you can run BP at low sensitivities?

Even with a lot of testing it might come down to your machine
your soil and your custom setting that work for you. HH Mike

VERY good info. Keep it coming Brad. Candid/honest/valid/truthful/factual. I must say this...... you may be able to detect a 11" deep dime and have the ability to swing the coil still/yet another 6"-8" above this 11" deep dime; but that does NOT NECESSARILY equate to a unit capable of detecting the dime to depths of 11" + 6"-or-8" add'l depth in real dirt. If the unit will truly detect a dime just 2 inches deeper vs. standard F75.... this is a tremendous/revolutionizing breakthrough. Lower conductors (of which the F75 is notorious for).....like nickels is yet another unit-of-measure of the F75 Ltd relic hunting performance.

Tom

I understand and I completely agree with you Tom. That's why I'm waiting with great anticipation for that defining, well semi-defining moment where I get that first true fringe target in boost. Should be very interesting.

Good point Tom
I agree



NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> VERY good info. Keep it coming Brad.
> Candid/honest/valid/truthful/factual. I must say
> this...... you may be able to detect a 11" deep
> dime and have the ability to swing the coil
> still/yet another 6"-8" above this 11" deep dime;
> but that does NOT NECESSARILY equate to a unit
> capable of detecting the dime to depths of 11" +
> 6"-or-8" add'l depth in real dirt. If the unit
> will truly detect a dime just 2 inches deeper vs.
> standard F75.... this is a
> tremendous/revolutionizing breakthrough. Lower
> conductors (of which the F75 is notorious
> for).....like nickels is yet another
> unit-of-measure of the F75 Ltd relic hunting
> performance.
>
> Tom

Good info BuckeyeBrad. If you happen to have both your original F75 and F75LTD with you when that moment happens, it would be great to resist the temptation to immediately dig the fringe depth target, not before you have the chance to swing both machines over the target, with various settings, taking notes all the while. The only true measure of how much (if any) improvement the LTD is depth-wise. - Jim

BuckeyeBrad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I understand and I completely agree with you Tom.
> That's why I'm waiting with great anticipation for
> that defining, well semi-defining moment where I
> get that first true fringe target in boost. Should
> be very interesting.

How would the F75LTD boost be in all metal versus all metal in the F75? I often use the F75 in all metal for its depth and just to be able to get any signal at depth.

The boost mode is available for use only on the discrimination side. For my relic hunting under difficult situations especially, I've always used all metal in order to initially hear the target then investigate further. Since I've witnessed that it is possible to now hear targets using BP that are virtually inaudible with AM (and yes, I know how ridiculous that sounds but I've done it) I have little problem adopting BP as a primary mode. I'm sure there will still be times when I opt for AM.....it's not obsolete by any means.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2009 07:33PM by BuckeyeBrad.

I hope to do just that for "official" reference and to confirm a little more in a data driven manner so as to know just how close the original modes can come to boost modes via optimum settings, but based on what I've seen so far, I'm quite confident it'll be just another target the originals won't hear. I'll be sure and share details when that day comes.

But can you, or will you do some simple comparison air test for us regular users?

and I have something I want to look into further before I do any air tests. Hang in there ...we have a little time. Go ahead and say what you're looking for and I'll get it back to you when I'm done.

One of the first things I will verify...... is to positively verify that the Ltd in Sens '99', Disc '0' PF and/or DE mode will perform EXACTLY the same as a standard F75. This will save me from having to carry 2 seperate units into the field. The head-to-head will then be able to be performed with one unit by simply switching back to the old/orig F75 mode.
I have confidence that this is exactly how the Ltd will perform.

Brad,

I have followed your comments on the new Tek line of detectors, especially the Omega and purchased an Omega based on your favorable comparisons of the quality and level of informaiton in the Omega audio as compared to the "standard" F-75 audio.

In one of your recent post you indicated the quality of the audio on the new F-75 LTD appears to be improved in the Boost mode.

If you don't mind, do you find the Omega audio still has some advantages or has the new F-75 LTD in Boost mode leveled the playing field in this respect?

Thanks,

Keith

Hey Keith,
I still hear more info in the audio of the Omega. It's possible that it's more like some of the (what I would call) analog style audio I'd gotten used to off and on over the years and with the Omega the "language" clicked right away. Maybe they're there and I've just yet to learn to hear those nuances as well in the 75/T-2 audio.

The statement around the audio being improved in boost was when compared to DE.

Many thanks for your response Brad and also thank you for your very informative post on the new F-75 LTD. Your reports are very helpful, now I have a tough decision to make, keep the Omega or sell it and get an F-75 LTD or T2 LTD. Decisions, decisions ..........

Maybe I will win the lottery tonight and it will become an easy decision. Then I could even hire someone to detect with me and dig those really deep finds it sounds like these machines are capable of making!!! : )

Best regards,

Keith