A nice introduction to metal detection!
Written: Dec 28 '06
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Pros: adjustable shaft, easy to use, sensitive
Cons: pricey
The Bottom Line: This unit works quite well and provided me with a positive and rewarding experience.
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| elmoebeesn's Full Review: Citiwell Prospector IV Advanced Metal Detector |
I never really thought that I would venture into the wild world of metal detecting. It always struck me as a hobby for old men to try to waste their time with while on the beach in the hopes that they might come up with a whopping 57 cents whilst on vacation. I just didn’t get it as I had never really seen anyone come up with any great finds and it seemed like much time was put into a lot of nothing really. Anyway, still equipped with these thoughts I became bored one recent day while at the beach and decided to try my hand with a friends unit, the PRO IV - Prospector IV Advanced Metal Detector, which I didn’t expect much from other than the ability to walk the beach while looking even more touristy than I already must have. More or less I expected to walk along the sands, get some exercise and find virtually nothing or nothing of value at least. Happily I was wrong and the experience was somewhat fun as well as rewarding.
The first thing that I had to realize was that while I probably would not find anything, my options for treasure are virtually limitless as there was much more buried in the sands than just spare change. My friend spoke to me about gold chains, old valuable coins, watches, and various other artifacts he had found through the years. The more I heard the more interested I became and the more I wanted to delve into the users’ manual for a crash course on detection. The manual for this Prospector is easy to read and understand and everything is spelled out easily for the novice. I first needed to set the hand straps on the unit (they are adjustable) and then decide what depth I wanted to search. I decided to go for the gusto and search at 8 feet which is near the maximum possible. This unit will search up to 10 feet, but I was advised that 8 might be the easiest for me to get some results. Next, I had to adjust the shaft of the unit to match my height. I am 6ַ and thus I wanted a longer shaft so that the unit could detect as close to the ground as possible. Finally I had to make sure 2-9 volt batteries (not included) were ready and I was off and running.
I quickly was impressed with this unit. Within 10 minutes I found some coins and a ring which impressed me greatly. The detection and sensitivity is very accurate, in my experience, as I tried to test it by purposely burying some silver a few feet deep in the hopes that I might fool the PRO IV - Prospector IV Advanced Metal Detector and disprove its stated claims of accuracy. It foiled me as my coins and a few bonuses returned to me within a few minutes near my chosen search region. As we were at the beach it was a great feature to note that the unit is compatible in shallow or light muddy spots. Submerging completely is not recommended, but I was able to go to the shores edge and find a few things. The display shows the user areas that he/ she has covered and contains and memory feature to allow you to truly traverse a large set of ground without repeating your movements and wasting time. Further, the display shows the user the location in which the object can be found when the rapid beeping (how it tells you that you’ve found something) begins. So as not to disturb the whole beach, ear-buds are provided for the user to employ. Finally and perhaps most importantly, this unit can minimize the effects of salt, mineralization and rusting within the items being sought and settings are available to utilize that allow the owner to narrow the types of metals that he/she will be seeking and thus minimize “false alarms”. In theory, with these features it would be possible to find very old or somewhat decomposed items that might still hold some worth.
Overall, while I didn’t find millions of dollars worth of gold or silver, I was very impressed with the capabilities of this unit and metal detection in general as a hobby. In a few hours I found enough to keep me interested and was genuinely impressed with the technology, sensitivity and ability that the PRO IV - Prospector IV Advanced Metal Detector provided. If there is a negative it would be pricing as I have seen this type of advanced unit sell for as much as 300 dollars and is only available at extreme discounts through possibly less than reputable internet retailers.
Happy detection, good luck! Attached is a brief description from the company website of the merits of the unit:
This is an advanced high sensitivity metal detector with easy to use adjustments. Sensitivity is adjustable to set the detector's response depth. The ground circuit neutralizes the effects of excess salt, mineralization and rusting. The discrimination circuit can be used to eliminate unwanted responses and narrow the types of metal being searched for. The adjustable length shaft has a comfortable armrest. The removable battery pack can be clipped to your belt. The search coil is water resistant for detecting in shallow water or in wet, muddy conditions. Bud-type earphones included. Requires 2-9 volt batteries (not included).
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 300
Type of Toy: Other
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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Epinions.com ID:
elmoebeesn
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Member: Magic M
Location: near Pittsburgh
Reviews written: 146
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About Me:
JD, MBA grad. The real world has cometh....
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