CTX 3030 USERS REVIEW

Now it makes sense, thanks Aurumpro

Fantastic post - thank you! Been following one of the more experienced guys in the US using this machine and as you say it appears to excel in high trash areas once the operator gets to know the machine well. Thanks again - great to have such a detailed post from an experienced operator who is not affiliated with the manufacturer.

I agree, very good information provided by an obviously experienced operator. One question from my perspective, do you use the relic mode or a custom pattern when hunting for nuggets in high trash areas?

One of the things I love about the CTX is the ability to share patterns and settings with other detectorists, it would make things a whole lot easier to just download a profile for a gold machine rather than writing up settings all the time especially with things ike the threshold for instance.

I've used the CTX 3030 a lot since its release chasing coins etc and have had a ball especially using the Target Trace method in trashy areas, hopefully once the weather cools off I can experiment more with it in the gold fields especially places like old tailings oversize piles where specimen gold was common.

JP

I was going to buy a new X-Trac. But after reading all this, I will have to buy a CTX 3030 . Maybe my last, the Explorer lasted 10 years....

Thanks aurumpro for a great post. You could sell a heap of those great little covers.

Can anybody say who might have the best prices on these units ?

Jigalong.

Out of interest, Kim's advertising one , Minelab has the special going where a free pinpointer pro is included in the price. Couldn't help myself, Adelaide Minersden dont have one as i ordered it on Friday last thing, Figured i am going to get one so i might as well have the pin pointer as well for the price.
Anyone looking for a near new Excalibur11 as i am going to list it on Ebay. Also a 22" Coiltek Round Mono, Got to part with a couple of toys to make some room for the newbie.
I know " He who dies ( Not Literally ) with the most toys, Wins ! " But surely there is a limit .
Cheers
Ashley

AP

Top read

Yes the proof is in the pudding 11 Gold Sovereigns, Hundreds of Silvers and Thousands of Dollars in coins and throw in the gold nuggets what more do you need to know about this Relic Hunting beast, Just to good and would say if you don't have one then make sure it on your list for the next Detector.

Wether your in the Bush camping next to old mine sites or in town you can always find abit of ground to have a swing

I am very happy with mine

David

Excellent post - What a lethal machine

Im guessing 12 - 20 is also the target ID for a Gold nugget....?

Anthony

I just checked five on-line suppliers and the CTX 3030 STD pack price was $2695 in three of them. Next cheapest was $2670 and the winner - Reeds at $2650.

Are they in short supply ?

Jig.

Dear Santa, is it to late to order one of these ?
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some innerestin stuff on this site for those that ave one allready, even if you dont.

http://www.garysdetecting.co.uk/minelab_ctx_3030_workshop.htm

Cheers Aurumpro for startin this post and to contributers as well.
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ps, ive bin good Santa, got drunk a few times but was good at that too.
cookies n milk on da table for ya.

Jonathan Porter wrote:I agree, very good information provided by an obviously experienced operator. One question from my perspective, do you use the relic mode or a custom pattern when hunting for nuggets in high trash areas?

One of the things I love about the CTX is the ability to share patterns and settings with other detectorists, it would make things a whole lot easier to just download a profile for a gold machine rather than writing up settings all the time especially with things ike the threshold for instance.

I've used the CTX 3030 a lot since its release chasing coins etc and have had a ball especially using the Target Trace method in trashy areas, hopefully once the weather cools off I can experiment more with it in the gold fields especially places like old tailings oversize piles where specimen gold was common.

JP

Hi JP
I have already made 20 of my own discrimination patterns and different audio settings to go with each of them.

I realy LOVE the new easy to use Excange2 software and how much controll you have over the patterns and audio settings and you can even give them your own name, LOVE IT!!!

Every now and then a breakthrough in detecting technology is released and THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES!
The CTX is a leap forward in detecting technology.

ttrash wrote:Excellent post - What a lethal machine

Im guessing 12 - 20 is also the target ID for a Gold nugget....?

Anthony

The FE/CO cordinates for gold nuggets varies quite a bit, It depends allot on the following factors:

-Composition; the composition of native gold varies allot, it can have many other elements alloyed with it that
can effect the reading on the detector.

-Size; the size of the nugget will have a large effect on the reading the detector gives you, particularly the
conductivity reading.

-Shape; the shape has an effect on the reading the detector gives you, particularly the conductivity reading.

-Ground minerals; Ground minerals can effect the reading the detector gives you, particularly if you use
THE WRONG SETTINGS this is where expirence comes into play.

-The depth of the target; the depth of the target plays a large part in how strong the signal will be and how
acurate a reading the detector will give you.

My discrimination patterns I made and use for Nuggets are fairly open as in mineralized ground you can get some blending of the target with ether the ground or trash or both and in order not to miss a good target I have the pattern a little more open than if serching for coins in low mineralization.
You can overcome this with the ground/coin target seperation but sometimes if the trash is VERY heavy you are better in ferrous/coin target seperation

Detrackozi wrote:AP

Top read

Yes the proof is in the pudding 11 Gold Sovereigns, Hundreds of Silvers and Thousands of Dollars in coins and throw in the gold nuggets what more do you need to know about this Relic Hunting beast, Just to good and would say if you don't have one then make sure it on your list for the next Detector.

Wether your in the Bush camping next to old mine sites or in town you can always find abit of ground to have a swing

I am very happy with mine

David

Hi Detrackozi
I agree.
Its versatility is endless!

Mine is in my car PERMINENTLY, so everywhere I go if I see somewhere with promise I can just get it out and have a swing.

A few weeks ago I forgot my wallet when I was out and was hungry and near a beach so I just grabbed the CTX out of the car and put my discrimination pattern I have setup for $1,$2,50c and 20c and in 30mins I had $27.50 in coins to buy my lunch with, and didn't dig a single piece of trash.

My missus laughed her ass off

Good one aurumpro, Very good solution to your problem, Looking forward to receiving my CTX3030 early in the new year and if its better than my Sovereign GT I will be a very happy detectorist indeed.
Cheers, Thanks for posting such an informative post & Merry Xmas
Ashley

Ash100456 wrote:Good one aurumpro, Very good solution to your problem, Looking forward to receiving my CTX3030 early in the new year and if its better than my Sovereign GT I will be a very happy detectorist indeed.
Cheers, Thanks for posting such an informative post & Merry Xmas
Ashley

No worries Ashley
Just take your time and READ THE MANUAL a few times (after you print it out GRRRRR )as it will be a bit of a learning curve if you havent used one of the later model detectors from ML like the Etrak.
Make sure you go over your old areas as there will be heaps of good targets the lesser detectors discriminated out.

Aurumpro. Thank you for posting your review and subsequent comments re. the CTX. Went to my retailer on Sat morning and traded my 4000 for a CTX. Retailer did me a straight swap, trade -in price didn't really matter as I havn't used the 4000 for 18 months or so and I think that I will get more use out of the new machine.
What a great piece of kit! don't know if I will ever get the hang of it (It's taken me two years to get the best out of my 5000) The handbook is a bloody nightmare! I'm eighty years old and I don't think that Minelab realise that what we need is an instruction for "turn on and go" worry about all the other gizmo's later. I agree with your sentiments re. GPS
I think that all I will get from that function is that I will know where I should be if I could read the bloody manual which I didn';t get with the machine
Once again, thank you for your efforts re. posting and testing, Us old buggers need all the help we can get.
Hotrocks...........JP, need a vid for this mate!

Hotrocks wrote:Aurumpro. Thank you for posting your review and subsequent comments re. the CTX. Went to my retailer on Sat morning and traded my 4000 for a CTX. Retailer did me a straight swap, trade -in price didn't really matter as I havn't used the 4000 for 18 months or so and I think that I will get more use out of the new machine.
What a great piece of kit! don't know if I will ever get the hang of it (It's taken me two years to get the best out of my 5000) The handbook is a bloody nightmare! I'm eighty years old and I don't think that Minelab realise that what we need is an instruction for "turn on and go" worry about all the other gizmo's later. I agree with your sentiments re. GPS
I think that all I will get from that function is that I will know where I should be if I could read the bloody manual which I didn';t get with the machine
Once again, thank you for your efforts re. posting and testing, Us old buggers need all the help we can get.
Hotrocks...........JP, need a vid for this mate!

I wish you the best of luck with it.
I just hope the old dog can learn new tricks ay
If you got the hang of the 5000 you shouldn't have any trouble just READ THE MANUAL multiple times,
Heaps of usefull info in there


JEEEEZZ
with all the sale's and pending sales generated from my review I should hit Minelab up for commision ay?

To say at least they should send you a printed manual with all employees signatures
GoldEN

golden wrote:To say at least they should send you a printed manual with all employees signatures
GoldEN

I just wish that ML or one of the aftermarket coil makers would make a sensitive eliptical coil with good ground coverage for gold, a 11x7 or a 10x5 would be perfect, then it would be LEATHAL!!!

Aurumpro,
Nugget Tech have a 10 x 5, maybe this may suit your requirements?

aurumpro wrote:

ttrash wrote:Excellent post - What a lethal machine

Im guessing 12 - 20 is also the target ID for a Gold nugget....?

Anthony

The FE/CO cordinates for gold nuggets varies quite a bit, It depends allot on the following factors:

-Composition; the composition of native gold varies allot, it can have many other elements alloyed with it that
can effect the reading on the detector.

-Size; the size of the nugget will have a large effect on the reading the detector gives you, particularly the
conductivity reading.

-Shape; the shape has an effect on the reading the detector gives you, particularly the conductivity reading.

-Ground minerals; Ground minerals can effect the reading the detector gives you, particularly if you use
THE WRONG SETTINGS this is where expirence comes into play.

-The depth of the target; the depth of the target plays a large part in how strong the signal will be and how
acurate a reading the detector will give you.

My discrimination patterns I made and use for Nuggets are fairly open as in mineralized ground you can get some blending of the target with ether the ground or trash or both and in order not to miss a good target I have the pattern a little more open than if serching for coins in low mineralization.
You can overcome this with the ground/coin target seperation but sometimes if the trash is VERY heavy you are better in ferrous/coin target seperation

My question was going to be......how does it stack up against the older BBS and FBS models when confronted by mineralization.? Your post has answered that for me.

Some years ago i had the Explorer II and a couple of Quattro's....they were put to shame on the gold fields by the Tesoro Cortes i also owned.

Using the 10x5 DD on both Explorer and Quattro as well as the std 10"/8" coils they came with....the concentric 11" of the Tesoro left the other two for dead for both depth and sensitivity which amazed me considering the concentric coils are not that good in mineralized ground.
The 10x5 DD coiltek and 15" WOT also coiltek were made for the older models using BBS and FBS.....perhaps they will fit the 3030.??
The DD certainly bought the Explorer to life on small jewelry.

Thanks aurumpro for such a brilliant write up.
one question, For a first time purchaser/user of this machine, how easy is it to master and use and to understand various settings?
Just wondering as the first detector we ever operated was a 4500 and took a long time and some help along the way to slowly master its use and get most of its best out of it.
Secondly, the operating instructions, are they more operator/user friendly than the manual that came with the 4500? with that manual it seemed to contradict it self in areas and for a first time detector operator found it very hard to fathom. the manual we seemed to think asumed that purchasers had used previous machines.
Just your thoughts on this
cheers travelergold

Narrawa wrote:My question was going to be......how does it stack up against the older BBS and FBS models when confronted by mineralization.? Your post has answered that for me.

Some years ago i had the Explorer II and a couple of Quattro's....they were put to shame on the gold fields by the Tesoro Cortes i also owned.

Using the 10x5 DD on both Explorer and Quattro as well as the std 10"/8" coils they came with....the concentric 11" of the Tesoro left the other two for dead for both depth and sensitivity which amazed me considering the concentric coils are not that good in mineralized ground.
The 10x5 DD coiltek and 15" WOT also coiltek were made for the older models using BBS and FBS.....perhaps they will fit the 3030.??
The DD certainly bought the Explorer to life on small jewelry.

Hi Narrawa
None of the old coils are interchaingable with the CTX as they have different leeds and plugs and some new chip in them.
I realy liked the coiltek 10x5 on the etrak and made heaps from it, but the etrak never did like mineralized ground.
The CTX performs well in mineralized ground as you can now ground ballance out the ground signal.
The CTX is also more sensitive than the previous ML detectors and in air or low mineralization will pick up
much smaller targets, but in high mineralization when using discrimination you will get some blending of the target with the ground or trash.

If the trash density is low you can search in all metal and ground/coin seperation, this helps allot in mineralization, becase the detector dosen't have to process so much information to seperate targets from eachother and the ground just from the ground and you'll get better sensitivity and depth.
I've done this in testing and when I found a target/s would swich the discriminator on and recheck the target/s with the discriminator on to ID it if there are multiple targets.

BUT WHATS THE PIONT IN DOING THIS if I was in this senario and looking for nuggets in low trash I'll just use the GPX5000 and dig a few bits of trash who cares.
But if looking for coins in mineralization this approach is usefull.

The CTX realy shines in HEAVY iron trash as you can easily pick out the good targets from the ferrous ones even if the trash density is very high once you get used to the detector.
And these are common on the gold fields.

Nightjar wrote: Aurumpro,
Nugget Tech have a 10 x 5, maybe this may suit your requirements?

Thanks for that Nightjar I'll look them up

travelergold wrote:Thanks aurumpro for such a brilliant write up.
one question, For a first time purchaser/user of this machine, how easy is it to master and use and to understand various settings?
Just wondering as the first detector we ever operated was a 4500 and took a long time and some help along the way to slowly master its use and get most of its best out of it.
Secondly, the operating instructions, are they more operator/user friendly than the manual that came with the 4500? with that manual it seemed to contradict it self in areas and for a first time detector operator found it very hard to fathom. the manual we seemed to think asumed that purchasers had used previous machines.
Just your thoughts on this
cheers travelergold

Hi travelergold
Yes it would take the first time user some time to be able to get the most out of the detector.
And the manual is no better than the GPX manual.
I didn't have any trouble, but can see that others definitly might find it hard to learn.
Some of the settings indeed do counter act against eachother, but this is a good thing when fine tuning the settings to run in a particular circumstance.

aurumpro wrote:

Nightjar wrote: Aurumpro,
Nugget Tech have a 10 x 5, maybe this may suit your requirements?

Thanks for that Nightjar I'll look them up

Hi Aurumpro,

If it is anything like the x-terra there will be a small micro controller inside the coil that sends some data to the micro controller inside the detector at turn on. If this is the case I would not expect to see any aftermarket coils on the market for a long time. The x-terra had Vflex as one of its features(the micro inside the coil) I don't see it as a feature on the 3030. If you are really curious, take a coil to the airport and get them to put it through the x-ray machine. If there is anything (like a small cct) this will be visible on the x-ray.

I would assume that the nugget tech coil would be a pi coil, not suitable for a vlf.

Cheers Mick

Mechanic wrote:

aurumpro wrote:

Nightjar wrote: Aurumpro,
Nugget Tech have a 10 x 5, maybe this may suit your requirements?

Thanks for that Nightjar I'll look them up

Hi Aurumpro,

If it is anything like the x-terra there will be a small micro controller inside the coil that sends some data to the micro controller inside the detector at turn on. If this is the case I would not expect to see any aftermarket coils on the market for a long time. The x-terra had Vflex as one of its features(the micro inside the coil) I don't see it as a feature on the 3030. If you are really curious, take a coil to the airport and get them to put it through the x-ray machine. If there is anything (like a small cct) this will be visible on the x-ray.

I would assume that the nugget tech coil would be a pi coil, not suitable for a vlf.

Cheers Mick

Thanks Mick
I was told by my friend at the detector shop where I bougt the CTX from that It has the chip in the coil and that all new detectors that Minelab releases will have this chip in the coil.
I looked up the Nugget tech coils and could only find the ones for the PI's, sent nightjar a pm incase they do make em asking for a link.

Yep, you're right the Nugget Tech are for PI's only?
Sorry about that.

Peter

Thanks Aurumpro looks like the 3030 is the segment of the detector market that I want to try <-- newbie. Will order now and post when have waved the magic wand.
Cheers and Happy new year.

I was told by my friend at the detector shop where I bougt the CTX from that It has the chip in the coil and that all new detectors that Minelab releases will have this chip in the coil.


Aurumpro

Does that mean we shouldn't get any new coils till after
the next '5000' comes out?

Enjoying the thread. Thanks

Alan