IExcellent video. I’m a civil war relic hunter near Sharpsburg Maryland (Battle of Antietam) used an AT PRO (like everyone and their mother) for years and learned to detect with it and LOVED it! Even bought my baby’s mom one 😂! A few months back I decided to step my game up and bought the crx3030 from Amazon with the whole package, big coil and all. I am daily finding I’m the stereotypical moron that probably shouldn’t have bought this machine. I’ve basically been using a modified version of the relics setting that I saw a fella on UA-cam recommend. It took me weeks just to figure out how. I simply detest using the thing and now dread going out metal detecting when I once lived for it. The machine is so complex and difficult to understand. How is one ever supposed to set the volumes, sensitivities etc property? What setting do you use to find desirable targets? Basically all this thing seems to be is a near three thousand dollars trash and rusty junk seeker. With the gigantic coil it’s virtually useless. I’ve never been more frustrated. I bought the handbook which doesn’t help much. I go out digging with guys who swear only by Garrett detectors. They always find deeper, better targets that I do with a machine costing three times as much. No matter what I try to do with the thing it just goes off on trash and iron especially. I tiny rusty piece of bar wire fence rings off like a diamond ring but a silver coin or civil war bullet it won’t even register.
It is going to be absolutely imperative that you get together with someone in your area who uses the CTX so they can show you firsthand what is “messed up” and what isn’t. You can do a factory reset by just pressing the power button and keeping it held for a few seconds til a short tune plays and it says it’s reset. Then you could at least use the factory modes as they are designed. Comparing an ATPro to a CTX, well….it’s not even the same game as far as ability is concerned, especially when it comes to target differentiation. But it takes time, and someone to perhaps guide you in person with this one. I really do hope you get it conquered, you both deserve it!
Of course Courage! All kinds of machines will find things, this one simply makes it EASIER to determine WHAT you have…COIN or NOT. That’s the purpose of just about every video I do…is it a COIN or NOT? That’s all I want to be able to know with a high degree of certainty BEFORE I DIG A HOLE! You will find as time goes on what a great tool the CTX is for that specific purpose. Happy digging! (Or NOT!🙂)
Great video Kevin. Glad I rediscovered your channel. You’ve helped me in the past with my CTX but I know it can do so much more. I haven’t been on the forums much the last couple years so kind of lost touch with you. I’ll have to get back into them
Thanks Dennis! Everything been Ok with you? I know how it is with crap going on all the time and just finding time to do what you like to do is a serious challenge. Frankly, it sucks. Between the horrible spring we had and work, I haven’t had any real time to film much. And when I do actually get a good day there are a million people around because the whole county has been waiting for a good day too. So yeah…actually making a decent video is harder than finding a good coin or something. I have found that just running this machine ALOT starts to make it an extension of your own hearing and intuition. Some much simpler machines have an “upper limit”….they’re only going to tell you so much. This one takes it SO much further it’s difficult to grasp at times, but TRUSTING it and trusting your own intuition about a target and DISCIPLINING yourself to hold firmly to that trust….results are infinitely better than any alternative I’ve tried in the past. There are SO many different mindsets in this hobby it’s hard to convey to some “naysayers” how good this thing really is. You HAVE to pay the price of admission to find out though, there just are NOT any shortcuts. You have to have the machine….you have to use the machine nonstop. THAT is the price of admission. Only then can someone actually understand WHY it is so highly revered by those who know….
@@wizardsofwisconsin7400 I did but the simplex for water hunting a few times a year. Just never got over sticking a $2,000 machine in the water and hoping there’s no debris on the battery seal. But I love the CTX. I need to understand the different programs better. I keep trying though
And THAT is why I continue to lug around my 5lb CTX even though the market now has plenty of lightweight detectors. Great video Kevin! BTW, when did you change the name of your channel?
Thanks DeWayne! At SOME point it’s abilities become undeniable, do they not? I’ve had 5 seasons with it and it continues to amaze me on a regular basis. I changed the name a couple months ago maybe? It’s so other people I know can put their videos on my channel, but I might change it again, you never know! And now that I got verified and that 15 minute video rule is gone now I’m going to be able to have more digs on videos, so hopefully that works out. Whatever helps people achieve the goal of becoming a better hunter…that’s where it’s at!
Another great video Kevin,I still have my modified Explorer 2 in which I added an external Lipo battery,now the machine is leaner and lighter.The smart screen is just a wonder of electronic wizardry even today.It's just a tool right?..Thank you for your guidance ATB Paul from the UK..You still deserve more subs though.
Thanks a lot Paul, I am a HUGE fan of the Smart Screen as you know, it’s really mind blowing that they came up with that in the late 90’s! It’s also good to know you got your Lipo setup correct and running, to me it makes running the Explorer, well…FUN! I’ll be putting up more material here shortly with the SEPro and the EX2, so we’ll see what we can find in the meantime!😃
Hi Kevin ! My Fbs Hero ! Great video again , Actually it is perfect, if ever i have The money to afford a ctx i tell the woman it is your fault😁😁 You really put handling a detector to another level man , really. Best regards ✌🏽
Hi Matty! I hope you are well and finding good things! Sorry it’s been so long since filming last but I’ll get going now that the weather is getting better. And you can blame a new CTX on me, I’m far enough away that she can’t hurt me from there!😃 Be good my friend…
I'm a complete novice with the FBS technology but i'm starting to notice something very different with the Explorer than any other machine iv'e used..I get what your saying about the attack of the signal and analyzing the depth of the target..I also like to use the pinpoint to try to determine the size and shape..I haven't found a good used 13inch detech coil yet but i did score 2 carbon fiber shafts,1original 8 inch round coil ,a 12 by 10 Platypus coil by coiltech and a Detech DD Excelerator 18″ coil all for $145..I haven't touched any of my other detectors since i started using the Explorer this year...I dug 4 silvers in the last 3 times out with it in a spot i been hammering for years..I'm having to much fun learning the explorer to put it down right now..
Wow! You wasted NO time rounding up a whole gaggle of coils!😃 A lot of people like the 10x12 SEF, I’ll be watching to see how you do with it. And I DEFINITELY know what you mean by “having fun learning it”. There is ALOT there to learn, but at the same time if you have a decent place it will produce along the way. Keep rolling WG!
Hey Kev, I’m loving my Deus 2 but I just picked up another CTX 3030 because I miss it. Can you remind me of what settings you were using when you were using your CTX 3030 thank you man.
Hi Aaron! Pretty much exclusively Ferrous/Coin with ferrous line at 25 and accepting CO 37 and up. You CAN get more depth with a manual ground balance but that can go wrong too so I almost always ran tracking. Sensitivity worked really well in Auto+3 but I almost had to with the 17” coil on most of the time. If you’re expecting fatty Indians or trimes or nickels….gotta lower the CO cutoff or set notches. Also always pinpoint sizing so you can determine shape of some items when in doubt, but it’s not useful when it’s ultra trashy, just too much stuff for it to look at. I hear you about missing the CTX, I think if they came out with something like that running FBS2 in a chassis as light as the D2….I’d be in again just to have it.
Hi there Andrew! I’m looking forward to others trying it out thoroughly before I even think about buying one!🤣 Quite honestly, it would have to be a HUGE and OBVIOUS advancement in finding deep coins that can be proven without a doubt. I’m not much of a “jumping on the bandwagon guy”, I really like to know what I’m getting into before getting into it.
Thanks for the sub Paul and welcome! People seem to have come to believe that the newest must be “the best” which is difficult to deal with when trying to explain and SHOW how good the CTX really is. It takes a LONG time to figure this stuff out by yourself, which is why I try to SHOW these things in the wild to help people climb the learning curve. I’d rather have a few hundred subscribers who are PAYING ATTENTION than a million who aren’t. That’s all this is about. Have fun out there!
@@wizardsofwisconsin7400 I jumped on the Equinox 800 bandwagon in 2018 coming from the AT Pro. It will be a looooonnng time before I jump on the XP2 bandwagon. Not that it is not a good detector, I have all the detector I need with the CTX and love it and trust it and I am learning more each day about using the machine. Sure does pay off to really understand the differences between Ferrous-coin and high trash.
Well…that’s actually hard to answer. If you have a thick piece of copper wire about 5-6” long and a small copper or silver coin, go lay them both on your lawn and swing over them at 5-6” above them. Sweep the copper wire lengthwise and then across it. Perhaps this will give you some insight. I would describe coin signals as “tight and compact” and they respond with “authority”….and they always do the same thing, no matter if they are weak or broken….the signal keeps reacting the same. Oddly shaped things or big iron tend to be erratic and most of the time react differently when swept from different directions. That’s a tough question! Experience itself is the best teacher though.👍
Not gonna lie, from your previous videos you sounded a lot older. Perhaps it's the wisdom you share and the way you speak. Every time i watch your videos i want to go out and get myself a CTX. Anyways thanks for the video, really interesting and nice to move away from the hype of new machines that's going around these days
😂No worries Tom, it runs from what you thought to getting carded for cigs, so I’m used to being that guy. I actually just turned 54 last week but being an auto mechanic I feel much older some days. Anyway, yeah…this machine in particular is REALLY useful to the person who wants to play the game…to cherry pick with intelligence. Digging good targets does wind up being “chance”, but you can alter the odds very heavily in your favor if you know what you’re doing. The whole “beep n dig” mentality is something entirely for someone else, just not me. It’s sometimes hard to believe a 10 year old dinosaur has this ability, but there it is. I walked in, dug 5 targets and left.
Actually from watching Kevin's videos and advice from a trusted member on treasurenet, sold my Nox 800 and bought a brand new CTX3030. Love it. It is great for my trashy urban and suburban metro Atlanta hunting areas.
Agree - CTX & ETRAC are 2 of the best metal detectors to have ever been released to the consumer market even going into 2023.
IExcellent video. I’m a civil war relic hunter near Sharpsburg Maryland (Battle of Antietam) used an AT PRO (like everyone and their mother) for years and learned to detect with it and LOVED it! Even bought my baby’s mom one 😂! A few months back I decided to step my game up and bought the crx3030 from Amazon with the whole package, big coil and all. I am daily finding I’m the stereotypical moron that probably shouldn’t have bought this machine. I’ve basically been using a modified version of the relics setting that I saw a fella on UA-cam recommend. It took me weeks just to figure out how. I simply detest using the thing and now dread going out metal detecting when I once lived for it. The machine is so complex and difficult to understand. How is one ever supposed to set the volumes, sensitivities etc property? What setting do you use to find desirable targets? Basically all this thing seems to be is a near three thousand dollars trash and rusty junk seeker. With the gigantic coil it’s virtually useless. I’ve never been more frustrated. I bought the handbook which doesn’t help much. I go out digging with guys who swear only by Garrett detectors. They always find deeper, better targets that I do with a machine costing three times as much. No matter what I try to do with the thing it just goes off on trash and iron especially. I tiny rusty piece of bar wire fence rings off like a diamond ring but a silver coin or civil war bullet it won’t even register.
It is going to be absolutely imperative that you get together with someone in your area who uses the CTX so they can show you firsthand what is “messed up” and what isn’t. You can do a factory reset by just pressing the power button and keeping it held for a few seconds til a short tune plays and it says it’s reset. Then you could at least use the factory modes as they are designed. Comparing an ATPro to a CTX, well….it’s not even the same game as far as ability is concerned, especially when it comes to target differentiation. But it takes time, and someone to perhaps guide you in person with this one. I really do hope you get it conquered, you both deserve it!
As usual great videos for us all to learn. Keep it up, believe it or not smart people are still buying CTX3030's.
Thanks John! I hope you start having fun with that monstrous coil!😃
Mine just finds rusty iron exclusively 😕
Awesome video! I'm loving my CTX. Thanks for posting.
Of course Courage! All kinds of machines will find things, this one simply makes it EASIER to determine WHAT you have…COIN or NOT. That’s the purpose of just about every video I do…is it a COIN or NOT? That’s all I want to be able to know with a high degree of certainty BEFORE I DIG A HOLE! You will find as time goes on what a great tool the CTX is for that specific purpose. Happy digging! (Or NOT!🙂)
Great video Kevin. Glad I rediscovered your channel. You’ve helped me in the past with my CTX but I know it can do so much more. I haven’t been on the forums much the last couple years so kind of lost touch with you. I’ll have to get back into them
Thanks Dennis! Everything been Ok with you? I know how it is with crap going on all the time and just finding time to do what you like to do is a serious challenge. Frankly, it sucks. Between the horrible spring we had and work, I haven’t had any real time to film much. And when I do actually get a good day there are a million people around because the whole county has been waiting for a good day too. So yeah…actually making a decent video is harder than finding a good coin or something. I have found that just running this machine ALOT starts to make it an extension of your own hearing and intuition. Some much simpler machines have an “upper limit”….they’re only going to tell you so much. This one takes it SO much further it’s difficult to grasp at times, but TRUSTING it and trusting your own intuition about a target and DISCIPLINING yourself to hold firmly to that trust….results are infinitely better than any alternative I’ve tried in the past. There are SO many different mindsets in this hobby it’s hard to convey to some “naysayers” how good this thing really is. You HAVE to pay the price of admission to find out though, there just are NOT any shortcuts. You have to have the machine….you have to use the machine nonstop. THAT is the price of admission. Only then can someone actually understand WHY it is so highly revered by those who know….
@@wizardsofwisconsin7400 I did but the simplex for water hunting a few times a year. Just never got over sticking a $2,000 machine in the water and hoping there’s no debris on the battery seal. But I love the CTX. I need to understand the different programs better. I keep trying though
And THAT is why I continue to lug around my 5lb CTX even though the market now has plenty of lightweight detectors. Great video Kevin! BTW, when did you change the name of your channel?
Thanks DeWayne! At SOME point it’s abilities become undeniable, do they not? I’ve had 5 seasons with it and it continues to amaze me on a regular basis. I changed the name a couple months ago maybe? It’s so other people I know can put their videos on my channel, but I might change it again, you never know! And now that I got verified and that 15 minute video rule is gone now I’m going to be able to have more digs on videos, so hopefully that works out. Whatever helps people achieve the goal of becoming a better hunter…that’s where it’s at!
Another great video Kevin,I still have my modified Explorer 2 in which I added an external Lipo battery,now the machine is leaner and lighter.The smart screen is just a wonder of electronic wizardry even today.It's just a tool right?..Thank you for your guidance ATB Paul from the UK..You still deserve more subs though.
Thanks a lot Paul, I am a HUGE fan of the Smart Screen as you know, it’s really mind blowing that they came up with that in the late 90’s! It’s also good to know you got your Lipo setup correct and running, to me it makes running the Explorer, well…FUN! I’ll be putting up more material here shortly with the SEPro and the EX2, so we’ll see what we can find in the meantime!😃
Hi Kevin ! My Fbs Hero !
Great video again ,
Actually it is perfect, if ever i have
The money to afford a ctx i tell the woman it is your fault😁😁
You really put handling a detector to another level man , really.
Best regards ✌🏽
Hi Matty! I hope you are well and finding good things! Sorry it’s been so long since filming last but I’ll get going now that the weather is getting better. And you can blame a new CTX on me, I’m far enough away that she can’t hurt me from there!😃 Be good my friend…
@@wizardsofwisconsin7400
Thrue 😅
All the best my friend and thanks
For your reply
I'm a complete novice with the FBS technology but i'm starting to notice something very different with the Explorer than any other machine iv'e used..I get what your saying about the attack of the signal and analyzing the depth of the target..I also like to use the pinpoint to try to determine the size and shape..I haven't found a good used 13inch detech coil yet but i did score 2 carbon fiber shafts,1original 8 inch round coil ,a 12 by 10 Platypus coil by coiltech and a Detech DD Excelerator 18″ coil all for $145..I haven't touched any of my other detectors since i started using the Explorer this year...I dug 4 silvers in the last 3 times out with it in a spot i been hammering for years..I'm having to much fun learning the explorer to put it down right now..
Wow! You wasted NO time rounding up a whole gaggle of coils!😃 A lot of people like the 10x12 SEF, I’ll be watching to see how you do with it. And I DEFINITELY know what you mean by “having fun learning it”. There is ALOT there to learn, but at the same time if you have a decent place it will produce along the way. Keep rolling WG!
@@wizardsofwisconsin7400 Thanks Wizard
Great video Kevin!
Hopefully it starts warming up shortly.
Thanks Clare!😃 If it doesn’t warm up at least the wind had better stop!
Hey Kev, I’m loving my Deus 2 but I just picked up another CTX 3030 because I miss it. Can you remind me of what settings you were using when you were using your CTX 3030 thank you man.
Hi Aaron! Pretty much exclusively Ferrous/Coin with ferrous line at 25 and accepting CO 37 and up. You CAN get more depth with a manual ground balance but that can go wrong too so I almost always ran tracking. Sensitivity worked really well in Auto+3 but I almost had to with the 17” coil on most of the time. If you’re expecting fatty Indians or trimes or nickels….gotta lower the CO cutoff or set notches. Also always pinpoint sizing so you can determine shape of some items when in doubt, but it’s not useful when it’s ultra trashy, just too much stuff for it to look at.
I hear you about missing the CTX, I think if they came out with something like that running FBS2 in a chassis as light as the D2….I’d be in again just to have it.
Andrew from Scotland here. You looking forward to the new minelab manticore?
Hi there Andrew! I’m looking forward to others trying it out thoroughly before I even think about buying one!🤣 Quite honestly, it would have to be a HUGE and OBVIOUS advancement in finding deep coins that can be proven without a doubt. I’m not much of a “jumping on the bandwagon guy”, I really like to know what I’m getting into before getting into it.
Nice tutorial, I have saved nice square nails too. : )
I just think they’re cool and they’re good for testing!😃
Thanks for the CTX vid, tired of the D2 blitz going on HH
Thanks for the sub Paul and welcome! People seem to have come to believe that the newest must be “the best” which is difficult to deal with when trying to explain and SHOW how good the CTX really is. It takes a LONG time to figure this stuff out by yourself, which is why I try to SHOW these things in the wild to help people climb the learning curve. I’d rather have a few hundred subscribers who are PAYING ATTENTION than a million who aren’t. That’s all this is about. Have fun out there!
@@wizardsofwisconsin7400 I jumped on the Equinox 800 bandwagon in 2018 coming from the AT Pro. It will be a looooonnng time before I jump on the XP2 bandwagon. Not that it is not a good detector, I have all the detector I need with the CTX and love it and trust it and I am learning more each day about using the machine.
Sure does pay off to really understand the differences between Ferrous-coin and high trash.
I usually dig 12/45s
What do you mean by attack to the signal?
Well…that’s actually hard to answer. If you have a thick piece of copper wire about 5-6” long and a small copper or silver coin, go lay them both on your lawn and swing over them at 5-6” above them. Sweep the copper wire lengthwise and then across it. Perhaps this will give you some insight. I would describe coin signals as “tight and compact” and they respond with “authority”….and they always do the same thing, no matter if they are weak or broken….the signal keeps reacting the same. Oddly shaped things or big iron tend to be erratic and most of the time react differently when swept from different directions. That’s a tough question! Experience itself is the best teacher though.👍
Not gonna lie, from your previous videos you sounded a lot older. Perhaps it's the wisdom you share and the way you speak.
Every time i watch your videos i want to go out and get myself a CTX.
Anyways thanks for the video, really interesting and nice to move away from the hype of new machines that's going around these days
😂No worries Tom, it runs from what you thought to getting carded for cigs, so I’m used to being that guy. I actually just turned 54 last week but being an auto mechanic I feel much older some days. Anyway, yeah…this machine in particular is REALLY useful to the person who wants to play the game…to cherry pick with intelligence. Digging good targets does wind up being “chance”, but you can alter the odds very heavily in your favor if you know what you’re doing. The whole “beep n dig” mentality is something entirely for someone else, just not me. It’s sometimes hard to believe a 10 year old dinosaur has this ability, but there it is. I walked in, dug 5 targets and left.
Actually from watching Kevin's videos and advice from a trusted member on treasurenet, sold my Nox 800 and bought a brand new CTX3030. Love it. It is great for my trashy urban and suburban metro Atlanta hunting areas.
Helpful!