Posted by Henny The Hoover
on 10/1/2009, 7:23 am
81.149.92.154
Having been a serious detectorist for over 30 years I would like to give a 'thumbs up' for the Golden Mask 1. Like many others - I like a switch on and go machine but don't like to compromise sensitivity.
The machine is heavier than most and I really hate the internal rechargeable batteries as they cannot be changed in the middle of a detecting session which is a real pain, plus they do not hold their charge after multiple charges so the internal charging system needs to be altered ASAP - However with regard to performance I was astonished. I went to a highly mineralised medieval site which is challenge for most machines as the level of mineralisation tends to blank out smaller non ferrous targets. At the end of a 4 hour session I had 6 smaller hammered silver coins, 18 copper coins/jettons, two bronze medieval rings, thimbol, medieval spoon plus the usual pocket of junk. The next day I went to the same field with my Troy Shadow and a Lobo and completely blanked other than the usual larger targets and a single larger coin - In fact I was so racked off that I gave up after 2 hours detecting!
I really have no idea how the electronics work in the Golden mask 1 other than to say that I would have imagined that the unusually large search head would tend to encourage the blanking out of the smaller targets in an iron infested site - but the opposite was true! The pinpointing is an issue especially with a larger target when you end up chasing the target around as the wide pick up area makes this more difficult - but with the smaller targets pinpointing is no problem.
Without doubt if I had to own just 1 field machine the golden Mask 1 would be my choice - although I would without doubt change the internal charging of the batteries - I have never trusted rechargeables and to have them enclosed inside the machine is utter madness!
If you are like me - don't have a degree in electronics and just want a switch on and go machine - you will not do better. Incidentally I wind up the sensitivity until it's spitting then just back it off a touch - then have my discrimination as low as possible - Not for the faint hearted but if you've been at this game for as long as me - fantastic performance guaranteed!
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