Comparison Fortuna M3 vs Garrett ACE 200i

The design of the coil(s) of the metal detector.

— Concentric. The name of this type is due to the fact that such a coil includes two separate windings — receiving and transmitting — one of which is located inside the other. It is used in metal detectors that use the principles of VLF and VLFEX (see above). The field from a concentric coil has a small width, which determined both its advantages and disadvantages: on the one hand, due to this, it is possible to determine the location of an individual find with high accuracy, on the other hand, it takes a lot of time and effort to carefully examine vast areas. This shortcoming can be partly compensated for by the elliptical shape (see below). Also note that concentric models are quite sensitive to mineralized soils.

— Mono. The simplest type of coil, having only one winding. This option is used in PI, OR and RF devices, and in the latter case, two mono-coils must be installed. The main advantages and disadvantages of this type are similar to those described above concentric.

— D.D. Also known as Double-D. Such coils have a pair of windings in the form of the letters D, turned in different directions and arranged closely so that they form a circle or an ellipse. In terms of application, DDs are similar to the concentric coils described above, but they differ in the shape of the generated field: it is a narrow plane directed along th...e line of contact of the windings. This makes it possible to cover a fairly wide band in one pass, and also reduces the sensitivity to interference from mineralized soils. Among the shortcomings, compared with concentric ones, it is worth noting the high cost and lower accuracy in the localization of individual finds (however, the latter can be compensated by the skills and experience of the operator).

— Super-D. Coils of a specific design, consisting of three windings — a central one, which plays the role of a transmitter, and two external ones, working for reception. They were developed specifically for ZVT metal detectors (see "The principle of operation"), taking into account the features of their work.

The shape of the coil (frame) of the metal detector.

— Round. The traditional form used in almost all types of ground and underwater metal detectors (see "Type"); the only exceptions are models that work according to the RF method (see "Operating principle"). When using concentric coils (see "Coil Type"), this option allows you to create a conical field, which is convenient for pinpointing the location of the find, but reduces the covered area and makes it difficult to search over a large area; models with DD coils do not have this drawback.

— Elliptical. The shape in the form of a longitudinally elongated ellipse allows you to somewhat "stretch" the field created by the metal detector in length. This is especially true for coils of the concentric type — however, such an expansion somewhat reduces the positioning accuracy of individual finds. But in coils of the DD type, where the accuracy is by definition low, the choice between round and elliptical shape is most often not fundamental.

— Rectangular. A specific form used in RF or PI instruments. For technical reasons, it is considered optimal for such devices, but it is practically not found in other types of metal detectors.

— Butterfly. Another option used in DD coils along with the ellipse (see above). In fact, it consists of two elliptical windings..., partially combined and resembling butterfly wings in shape — hence the name. This option is typical mainly for large-sized DD coils; with a large width, it is considered more optimal than an ellipse.

The characteristics of the installed coil determine the operating frequency of the metal detector. See "Detection frequency" for more details.

The size of the standard coil (frame) of the metal detector. Theoretically, the larger it is, the deeper the device is able to “see” and the more space it captures in one pass, but the worse it is suitable for searching for small objects and the lower the accuracy with which it localizes them. At the same time, these characteristics depend on so many other factors that in fact, the size of the coil itself affects them very little.

Note that for coils (frames) of an elliptical shape, only one size can be indicated — along the length.

The number of individual operating frequencies at which the metal detector can operate. For more on the frequencies themselves, see "Detection Frequency" below; here we note that the more options ( 3 frequencies and more) are provided in the design, the wider the capabilities of the metal detector, the easier it is to adjust it to the specifics of the objects being searched and the environment. However, most models have one frequency.

The operating frequency (or frequency range) of the metal detector. This is one of the most important parameters when choosing a device, because the optimal frequency for different cases will be different — depending on the size and material of the items being searched, the characteristics of the soil and other factors. Detailed recommendations on the choice of frequency for each specific situation can be found in special sources; And already on the basis of this information, it is worth choosing a specific model.

Note that the actual frequency at which the metal detector will operate also depends on the installed coil — they are usually made for a specific frequency. Therefore, to use the full capabilities of the device with the ability to adjust this parameter, you may need replaceable coils.

The greatest depth at which a metal detector is guaranteed to be able to detect a metal object. Note that this parameter is most often quite approximate, moreover, somewhat conditional. This is due to the fact that it is usually indicated for an perfect environment (low-mineralized soil, a fairly large object, the material of which optimally matches the frequency of detection of the coil, etc.), and even for such conditions it is difficult to derive an absolutely accurate value. Therefore, in fact, the detection depth is highly dependent on a number of additional factors (from soil characteristics to user skills) and can be significantly less than indicated in the characteristics. Nevertheless, the claimed depth describes the capabilities of the metal detector quite well, and it is quite possible to compare different models with each other.

Note that a large depth not only increases the cost of the device, but can also adversely affect its ability to detect small objects.

The deepest depth at which a metal detector is capable of detecting small coins and other objects of similar size. Many users buy a device with the intention of “hunting” for metal trifles, so manufacturers often indicate this parameter separately in the specifications. Due to the small size of the coins, their detection depth is usually much less than the total maximum detection depth (see above).

The number of individual discrimination programs provided in the design of the metal detector. In this case, discrimination means filtering the detected objects using a discriminator (see above) so that the device does not work on unwanted objects such as pieces of foil, bottle caps, etc. You can also configure such a filter completely manually, but this may require special knowledge and create difficulties for inexperienced users. To avoid this, some models may have preset programs instead of manual settings. Thanks to such programs, the user just needs to select from the list what type of objects the metal detector should react to, and all the necessary settings will be set by the device's electronics.