Vintage/Collectables

[Carl-NC]

As a collector of vintage detectors, I have occasionally run across other collectors on eBay and various forums, but rarely do more than exchange an email or two. So I thought it would be fun to add a forum where we can show off the Oldies.

- Carl

[Michael Hillis]

I ran accross an old Garrett GroundHog at the flea market yesterday

The wife and I were out at the Albuquerque flea market that is held at the fair grounds every week and I saw an old Garrett GroundHog for sale there. It sure looks different than my Tesoro and Fisher of today.

It had a huge control box.

I didn't spend alot of time looking at it, just noticed it was there and gave it a quick glance.

HH

Mike Hillis

[cyclops]

My current detectors

My current detectors:

Arado 120B classic
Bounty Hunter IB200
Bounty Hunter IB200 modified

Bounty Hunter IB300 modified

Bounty Hunter TR600 modified

Bounty Hunter TR1000D

Bounty Hunter Outlaw Blue IB/BFO (triple ground balancing coil)

Bounty Hunter Outlaw Golden IB/BFO

Compass Magnum 220

Compass Magnum 320

Compass Magnum 420

Compass Relic Magnum RM7 automatic

Compass Yukon 76B professional

Compass Yukon 77B professional (modified)

Compass Yukon 77B professional series B

Compass Yukon 77B automatic (modified)

Compass Yukon 94B

D-TEX bucanner BFO (really Star Trek like)

Eric Foster BeechScan PI

Eric Foster DeepScan PI

Garrett ADS Groundhog Hipmount

Nautilus LF Silver King

Neumann & Wilson Daytona

Neumann & Wilson Daytona II

Neumann & Wilson Daytona GBD

Whites Goldmaster Alaskan

Whites Mini-Master

For those interested in pictures and maybe close-up's (details, ...), pictures are available upon request, as I have no "whole collection" pictures.)

HH!!!
cyclops

[Harley Bissell]

G'day Carl, I don't collect as many items as you do but am gathering a bunch of old BFOs. Bought one or two from you off ebay and they were in great shape. Have you ever seen or do you possess specimens of the old White's Oremaster (round hand-held BFO) or the white's Arrow BFO that was mentioned in the encyclopedia of Treasure hunting by Karl von Mueller? Finally did you ever obtain a copy of the Ferris L. Coffman Atlas of treasure maps that you were bidding on against me and both of us lost? I ask because I have a copy that I could loan to you if you wanted to read it or make yourself a copy. I was looking to get a better copy and that's why I didn't chase that sale. Berst regards, Harley Bissell [email protected]

[bulletmaker]

hi i have an old rayscope detector serial no 69a27138t would like to know more about it
could you please if possible email me at [email protected] if know anything about this

[Mother]

Hello Carl, I came to this forum looking for information about an A.H. Electronics PRO detector. I have used the detector with limited success and would like to do better. Or at least operate it properly. I need operation and maintenance documentation for it. Can you please direct me to sources or give any guidance? I would like to find a schematic and possibly an operations pamphlet for it. I am fairly competent at analog and digital component repair and adjustment.

Thanks, Chris

[Carl-NC]

The "A.H." stands for Allen Hammetta, who is still in business under the name "Intex". His web site is http://www.intexsystemscorp.com. I have some lit on the Pro somewhere, but it will probably be quicker to go straight to Allen. He might even give you a schematic.

- Carl

[Mother]

Thanks Carl,

I'll contact Allen.

Chris

[Joe(TX)]

CLASSIC A.H. PRO, PRO-2 AND SUPERPRO

These are still really great detectors. I took a Superpro to several old Schools and Parks and found some silver coins and a lot of old brass items. These were all areas heavily hunted by many TH'ers.The SuperPro really likes old brass and silver coins. It's small coils makes it have great target separation and like I said I can find many GOODIES in trashy, worked out areas! I guess it is like your 1st car, your love for it never dies!!!!! JOE

[CDMakaKvM]

I must say, I'm impressed!! Very nice large collection! I love the old Garrett BFO's!

[JOE(USA)]

B.H. IB200

Cyclops - Noticed that you listed a B.H. IB200 modified. I am not familiar with any mods on that detector. Could you tell me what the mods are? I have a IB300,so if you have any comments about the 300 I would appreciate them also. Also any comments on the IB300 from anyone out there.

[Joe(TX)]

BH IB300

Joe, this detector is similiar to the Compass 77B. Although it is a pre-discriminator,straight TR!, it is still highly sought after especialy in mint or near-mint condition! These machines are great in small iron infested sites, they will null out on the nails but still see the coins,etc. underneath and next to the iron nails! These older machines are a joy to use and are not complicated to use because they lack all the bells and whistles! No pin-pointing problems here! Hope this helps! HH Joe

[cyclops]

Hi Joe & Joe,
JOE(USA): The IB200 and 300 have the same circuitry(PCB/components) and coil (had some time ago an X-ray of both of them), their performance is identic. The differences are: the IB300 has a large vu-meter and a multiturn vernier-dialer for fine tuning (makes it much more easier for fine tuning).
Joe(TX) you are partially right: the IB200/300 and the 77IB are TR's from the principle of working. But the circuitry is totally different.
The IB200/300 could easily be backengeneered, provided you find the original diodes they used. The IC's still can be found, but at stunning costs, they arent manufactured anymore... Backengeneering the 77's... hmm, not possible, for me at least, much more complicated the the IB200/300.
But I love both of them for their "natural" iron eliminating. It may be due to the higher working frequencies 30 or 60 kHz compared to just 5 to 18 kHz of the VLF's.
I prefer the IB200/300 for its larger coil, the 77 coils are really small, for I had a look inside. Btw, both use DD coils as standard coils.
HH!

[JOE(USA)]

IB 300 modified?

CYCLOPS,

Thanks for the info on the IB 300. Back when PNI came out with the machine I was a dealer,so I got one for field testing. I made a stunning find the first time out! I found three old coins all within a one foot radius about 7" deep. The appraised value of the coins back then was $500. I had been hunting the same area with a Compass 77B. I had been finding a lot of small pieces of iron scrap in this area and the Compass was not seeing through it like the IB 300 did. If I remember correctly the IB 300 also went deeper in my test garden. Needless to say I have fond memories of the 300 and looking forward to spring to get out with my Ebay purchased 300.
You mentioned that your 300 is modified. Could you pls. comment on those mods?
By the way , you have a great collection of detectors! Joe

[cyclops]

Joe
You are right, the IB300 goes deeper then the Yukon. It might be due to the effective coil diameter (not the plastic covers): around 19 cm for the IB200/300 versus 14 to 15 cm for the Yukons.
You are also right for the iron discrimination: the IB200/300 eats it much better than the Yukon, that gives often positive blips for hammered iron.
For the modifications, first I reboxed and rewired it completely. I replaced the mercury switch inside with a bridge (I dont like that nasty poison, just thinking it might break one day). After doing some tests (later) I realized that I had fried one of the 3 LM307N... and I replaced it with a LM107T. The target response beaame harder no soft "whoap's" but real "bangs" in the headphones. Interesting for deep and very small targets, but hard to bear in trash infested sites... I clipped the analog vu-meter, I hunt by sound and replaced the internal speaker with a tiny one (for spacing reasons and using headphones, I do not really need it ). One last word: do not replace the transistors (2 x 2N5356 and 11x 2N2925), it won't work. Try to make a stock of the original IC's and transistors for the bad eventuallity. Ehrr, replacing the wires, take silver coated copper wire of about the same diameter than the original ones, lengthening or shortening them will affect the whole balance!