If you haven’t already heard, there is a great performing, solid and reliable waterproof metal detector... for a fraction of the cost of other waterproof detectors out there! It’s called the PulseDive and it’s made by a massively up and coming company called ‘Nokta Makro’ who are putting the bulk of other detector manufacturers to shame with their innovation and quality! (Click here for a review on the device).
At Detect-Ed, we’ve been giving the PulseDive a thorough workout for about a year now, our team has collectively put a few hundred hours of use between three machines and have had no failures or complaints yet! That being said, if you know me, you’ll know that I’m always looking to improve detecting products with the long term goal of finding more of the good stuff!
The first thing that probably occurs to a lot of people when they see the PulseDive compared to other detectors is the size of the coil… It’s on the small side compared to the more expensive machines for sure, but it’s standard for a hand-held detector of this type.
The small coil is ideal for getting in and around rocks and very mineralised areas compared to larger coils and is the ideal size for when the water visibility is minimal or non-existent.
Although there are a number of advantages to small coils I wholeheartedly admit that I have been longing for a larger coil for the PulseDive reasons being, A: more depth, and B: more coverage for those vast fields of sand!
Well, as luck would have it Nokta Makro has listened to their customers and developed a larger coil!
We were fortunate enough to be given a pre-production 8” coil to test and immediately noticed the difference in depth and coverage of this larger coil. It has now been a couple of months since our first tests and we are so impressed that we haven't taken it off yet! However, there are always pros AND cons associated with different coil sizes and this upgrade is no exception.
The 8” coil gets an impressive 30% extra depth on coin/ring sized targets and detects about double the volume of sand per swing greatly increasing your chances of detecting a target. Although, the 8” Coil does have a couple of minor drawbacks which are worth noting.
Like all larger coils, it is more susceptible to EMI (Electromagnetic Interference from power lines and electronics) and minerals in the ground than its smaller counterpart. The larger/deeper detecting field makes locating the target a bit more difficult especially when the target is deep down or the visibility underwater is poor. A lot of people have asked us about battery life with the larger coil and so far we haven’t noticed a difference, we can do full 8 hour days and still have juice left!
In conclusion, both coils definitely have their place, with the larger coil proving to be deeper in less mineralised sand beds and great in clear visibility. While the smaller coil proves absolutely ideal for getting in and around rocks, more mineralised areas, and in low visibility where you can’t even see your hands... subsequently making it perfect to learn on!
For those looking who'd like to see the 8" Coil on the test bench, we have a comprehensive depth test video HERE and if you wan tot see it in action check THIS video out
THANK YOU for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or get in contact.
- For Australian readers, you can shop the PulseDive and 8" Coil deals today! Shop Now
- For readers outside of Australia, please click here to find your local Nokta Makro Dealer: https://www.noktadetectors.com/where-to-buy/