Fisher 1280x Aquanaut

[ivconic]

Just got brand new Fisher 1280x Aquanaut with 10.5" spider coil. It is very good detector.I like it.
But...what i dont like are earphones tied up to machine without possibillity to disconnect them. Coil also. Whole setup is pretty awkward to be easilly packed in a bag or knapsack and transport.
So... i am planing to add coil and ear sockets/connectors (obviously i will not dive with it ). Would like to have clear schematic of it, just in any case. Also i am considering speaker upgrade. There is some pretty blur schematic on this forum...blur and uselles. Anybody have better schematic? Please do post it here (original schematic not some unchecked redraws). Many thanks in advance!

[Tinkerer]

iveconic,

interesting about the Fisher 1280 Aquanaut. I have one too. How would you define the qualities of this detector.
Sensitivity? Do you consider it to be very sensitive?
Discrimination?
Depth?
Ergonomics?
I would be very interested to hear your opinions so that I can use this detector to compare with the TINKERERS discriminating PI qualities.
Which of the qualities should I try to copy or beat?
Thanks

Tinkerer

[ivconic]

iveconic,

interesting about the Fisher 1280 Aquanaut. I have one too. How would you define the qualities of this detector.
Sensitivity? Do you consider it to be very sensitive?
Discrimination?
Depth?
Ergonomics?
I would be very interested to hear your opinions so that I can use this detector to compare with the TINKERERS discriminating PI qualities.
Which of the qualities should I try to copy or beat?
Thanks

Tinkerer

I am satisfied. Yet not very sensitive, especially not on smallest coins.
Discrimination is good. I like it. Typical for old analogue Fishers. Not hard disc, but (thanks to specific audio) experienced operater can always be sure on type of metal detected.
Depths.... yesterday i went outdoor and located 2cm coin at 19cm depth. Not bad at all. But next coin..diamm. 6mm at 7cm depth was detected bairly with mum and short sound.
Ergonomics.....horror for inland prospecting! Personally, i am not using earphones. Or using those very rare. Also i am used to pack my detectors short in knapsack. 1280 is horror for me to transport and carry!
Shaft.....straight - not good. Also it bends a bit while swinging. So.....plenty remarks i have.
But....let's not forget that this was made for diving. So....for diving it is excellent. All my remarks does not make sence if 1280 was used in diving.
My remarks make sence only if 1280 is about to be used on places i am ususally visiting. Woods, mountains, fields...
So... that's why i decided to make some modifications on it and adapt it for my sort of prospecting. First...to separate coil and earphone cables from detector....to embed connectors. Second ...to kill that annoying led diode on front panel (could be perfidious in dark nights on dangerous places!). And last one ...to replace that upper plastic shaft with Al pipe with bend simillar to one on 1265/66.
Speaking of machine (detector) itself...well, generally i am satisfied with what i saw yesterday on real field. It is not very deep on smaller coins, yet it is good "collector" ...simillar to legendary 1265! I intend to use it oftenly on some terrains.
Also....this 1280x i have is different than some i saw previously. This one have only one pcb. Newer version? Most probably.
If you ask me; this 1280 is most closest to 1265, according behavior. Of course, keep in mind it's frequency is 2.4kHz and not 4.8kHz.
Later i will post some photos.

[nelson]

Hi Ivconic, i don´t have Fisher 1280, but i have Fisher CZ-20, wich uses the same case and almost the same front panel. Mine has also the headphones and the coil conected to the case. I also have in mind the same idea. I don´t have plans to use my detector for diving search, only land detection. Fisher CZ-20, has very good deep performance, a 2 cms cooper coin is detected at 32 cms on air. Discrimination is excelent. Comparing performance with digital detectors like Teknetics T2 and Minelab X-Terra 70, my Fisher CZ-20, has the strongest signal detection on all kind of objects. It has no chaters like digitals models.
I will be following your work on Fisher 1280 and if i have made any mods to mine, i ll let you know.
Regards
Nelson

I am satisfied. Yet not very sensitive, especially not on smallest coins.
Discrimination is good. I like it. Typical for old analogue Fishers. Not hard disc, but (thanks to specific audio) experienced operater can always be sure on type of metal detected.
Depths.... yesterday i went outdoor and located 2cm coin at 19cm depth. Not bad at all. But next coin..diamm. 6mm at 7cm depth was detected bairly with mum and short sound.
Ergonomics.....horror for inland prospecting! Personally, i am not using earphones. Or using those very rare. Also i am used to pack my detectors short in knapsack. 1280 is horror for me to transport and carry!
Shaft.....straight - not good. Also it bends a bit while swinging. So.....plenty remarks i have.
But....let's not forget that this was made for diving. So....for diving it is excellent. All my remarks does not make sence if 1280 was used in diving.
My remarks make sence only if 1280 is about to be used on places i am ususally visiting. Woods, mountains, fields...
So... that's why i decided to make some modifications on it and adapt it for my sort of prospecting. First...to separate coil and earphone cables from detector....to embed connectors. Second ...to kill that annoying led diode on front panel (could be perfidious in dark nights on dangerous places!). And last one ...to replace that upper plastic shaft with Al pipe with bend simillar to one on 1265/66.
Speaking of machine (detector) itself...well, generally i am satisfied with what i saw yesterday on real field. It is not very deep on smaller coins, yet it is good "collector" ...simillar to legendary 1265! I intend to use it oftenly on some terrains.
Also....this 1280x i have is different than some i saw previously. This one have only one pcb. Newer version? Most probably.
If you ask me; this 1280 is most closest to 1265, according behavior. Of course, keep in mind it's frequency is 2.4kHz and not 4.8kHz.
Later i will post some photos.

[joecoin]

I have one, it is a basket case. I bought the parts needed last year. I was going to repair it over the winter but that didn't happen. Maybe this coming winter.

[ivconic]

DONE!!!

All the minor modifications DONE !!!
Now...1280 is more "human" for inland prospecting.
Speaker is 8ohms. Earphone jack with switch (spkr./ears) embeded.....coil connector also included...

[WM6]

Excellent solution.

Is air test with a coin satisfactory?

[Fred]

Excellent idea, the microphone case for the speaker!

[nelson]

Good work Ivconic.
Tell me why did you place the coil conector so far from the case?.
May be there is not to much space at the bottom of it.
Also, how many pins does the conector have.?
Regards
Nelson

All the minor modifications DONE !!!
Now...1280 is more "human" for inland prospecting.
Speaker is 8ohms. Earphone jack with switch (spkr./ears) embeded.....coil connector also included...

[ivconic]

Excellent solution.

Is air test with a coin satisfactory?

Very good. 1e coin (usuall testing) at 28cm in air. Excellent audio! Almost the same as on 1265/66. Also pretty simillar response on targets (simillar to 1265/66). Disc is not "hard" as on TGSL but very soft and; ..Disc at "10" on 1280 gives same discrimination as Disc at "5" on TGSL. Yet, audio at 1280 is much better and keeps more "informations". Depths;....1280 is much deeper than TGSL, BUT only on larger items. On coins it has better audio response but also is shallower than TGSL and Colt. With 10.5 coil and so clear and good audio response, 1280 is perfectly suitable for wide swings and faster covering larger areas. 1280 certainly deserves it's place in my "arsenal".

[ivconic]

Excellent idea, the microphone case for the speaker!

Indeed it is!
That old and obsolete microphone was local product. So...? How, the heck, you recognized it!??
I had some labour on it, to make proper curvature and to fit exactly top curved surface of 1280 enclosure.

[ivconic]

Good work Ivconic.
Tell me why did you place the coil conector so far from the case?.
May be there is not to much space at the bottom of it.
Also, how many pins does the conector have.?
Regards
Nelson

Yes..that was the most difficult part. I couldn't managed to find proper spot on enclosure to drill hole for connector. At the end i decided to use old coil cable hole and piece of cable. It is very good now. Elastic. Also no new holes on enclosure. Very good protected too, with plastic coat (muster when heated with lighter). Even if rains, connector and connections will be good preserved from moisture.
1280 coil has 4 wires; 2 hot and 2 shields (separated).

[WM6]

That old and obsolete microphone was local product. So...? How, the heck, you recognized it!??

For CB and amateur radio fans it was clear shape.

More interesting is your processing of mic housing that exactly corresponds to the detector housing. Probably you lodged abrasive paper directly on the casing of detector?

[nelson]

Well it looks very profesional job.
My CZ-20 uses four 9 vots batteries and i ll like to mod the detector to be used by another voltage sourse. Any ideas?
About deep CZ-20 can detect on air a 1,9 centimeter copper coin at btw 28 to 32 cms.
I also made a belt support for my unit. This was very easy, i just took the original support, copy it shape and reproduced on a pice of aluminium plate. Now i can work my CZ-20 for hours, without getting tired.
Regrads
Nelson

Yes..that was the most difficult part. I couldn't managed to find proper spot on enclosure to drill hole for connector. At the end i decided to use old coil cable hole and piece of cable. It is very good now. Elastic. Also no new holes on enclosure. Very good protected too, with plastic coat (muster when heated with lighter). Even if rains, connector and connections will be good preserved from moisture.
1280 coil has 4 wires; 2 hot and 2 shields (separated).

[porkluvr]

My CZ-20 uses four 9 vots batteries and i ll like to mod the detector to be used by another voltage sourse. Any ideas?
Nelson

Are all four batteries wired in parallel or are they perhaps in series parallel with a ground tap in the middle, or (?)?

What voltages are developed on your PCB, and what kind of batteries would you like to be able to use instead of 4x 9V?