Bounty Hunter Tracker IV - Questions

[Fatchook]

Hey everyone
Im new here and hopefully some of you with experience can answer some of my questions.
The only metal detecting I have ever done was one day many years ago up in Clermont with a hired detector and no luck at all.

I've always wanted a metal detector specifically for:-

finding old coins & relics, gold nuggets

Places I imagine I would go to use it:

beach (for jewellery, coins etc) and bush (relics, old coins, nuggets)

Do I need a permit to detect on the beach?  I live on the Sunshine Coast in Qld so thats where I would be looking mostly.

I have been doing my own research and the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV seems to be ok for what I want to do with it.  We were camping on the weekend and I just thought while we were sitting around doing nothing, times like that would be ideal for a bit of treasure hunting

Has anyone got any recommendations they want to offer up?  I don't want to spend a fortune (but I do want something decent) as it might sit in the cupboard for most of its life.  I also want something thats easy to use and light.

I have been trying to contact Treasure Enterprises for advice (I know the website says they retired but it keeps having new *updated* dates) both by phone and email with no replies or response so where does one buy a detector these days?  Also where can I get one of those scoop things with mesh to use as a shovel in the sand?

On the Treasure Enterprises website it says not to buy off Ebay because those haven't been calibrated to Australian soil?  Is that a selling tactic?  Where and how do I get one that has been calibrated?  What sort of warranty is available in Australia?  Does it sound like the Bounty Hunter is for me?

HELP!

**edited to say** would like to spend up to around $500, not after cheap and nasty. Would that get me anything decent? Definitely doesn't have to be Bounty Hunter

[Rwork]

Re.
I've always wanted a metal detector specifically for:-

finding old coins & relics, gold nuggets

Very hard to get a machine that is good for coins and works well on gold. Plenty of advice out there so we shall see what is offered.

[Ben78]

I've been going through the same process but my budget has been severly reduced recently. I have been looking on ebay and there is currently a X-Terra 705 on there for a buy it now price of $520. I'd be looking at that or similar for sure if I had a budget of $500.

[Ben78]

Apologies, when I said X-Terra 705 I actually meant AT Pro

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Garrett-Pro-Metal-Detector-/140688698927?pt=AU_Gadgets&hash=item20c1b32e2f

I have nothing to do with the auction, just thought it was a reasonable deal

[Fatchook]

Funny you should say that because after I posted my original message I started looking at the X Terra 705 and the AT Pro. I like that you can get the X Terra with 2 coils to suit my purposes, just worried they may be too advanced for me???  I can work most things out, can anyone give me a heads up in how easy either of these two are to use?  Is it like comparing apples with apples between the X Terra and AT Pro?

[Adrian ss]

The Tracker IV  is an OK fun machine and will actually work in a lot of ground conditions,: it won't be any good over wet beach sand(detects the salty sand) but will work over the dry sand.For what it is, this little detector works well.

The 705 and the A T Pro are worlds away from the tracker IV in capability and features.
The A T Pro has the advantage of being WP to 10 feet.

There is not a fantastic difference between the Pro and the International and if it was to be your first detector you would not complain no matter which one you purchased. The A T Pro International is said to be better suited to Aussie ground conditions and has a different iron discrimination spread..

No special brain power is required to operate either the A T or the 705 but they do have a longer learning curve than the Tracker IV due to the extra features.

Just an opinion.

Cheers,
Adrian SS

[Fatchook]

Thanks Adrian

Am open to any suggestions as any unit I buy is going to present a learning curve

My guess is I will mostly be using it on a beach as we live on the coast but I'm also near Gympie so would like to give that a crack.  I know of a spot where there used to be a school and I found a couple of old coins one day while looking for a geocache

[Goodbeard]

Fatchook, bought my first detector in November, and got a 705 with both coils because I hope to try out the goldfields one of these days.  The 705 is dead easy out of the box, turn on and start swinging.  Once you dig a few coins you get used to things and then you'll start playing with some of the settings.  It seems to do pretty well at the beach too, but I only have a 2 hours experience on them unfortunately.

[Fatchook]

Thanks Goodbeard - valuable feedback