Looking to start out - South Wales

[Metallica]

Hi all , my name is Rod ..51 yrs young based in South Wales and in the early
stages of considering taking up detecting . Doing my research theres a lot to
consider and dont want to jump in so to speak ! Would it seem a sensible
strategy to explore some permission in my area but in the mean time maybe
obtain a crown license and get going on the beach to get into it and used to
what ever machine I decide on ?
Might seem a strange question but is there likely to be any hostility from other
detectorists rocking up new to a beach as I wouldnt feel comfortable with that
and I'm not one for treading on anyone's toes ! I'm one to look at things from
all angles and have no idea of the detecting community protocol .
Regarding equipment , is there any suggestions for a starter machine that's not going to be over complicated but also not rubbish to get into this , bearing
in mind my ideas for usage ..budget of around £300 , maybe consider something used for a better bit of kit ..but not too complicated for a complete
beginner . Am I right in thinking that a machine with ground balance is a good
idea for my area , maybe rich in mineral content ?
Thanks in advance ..Rod .

[sweepstick47]

Hello Rod and welcome aboard the forum theee place for anyone seriously considering taking-up the hobby. To answer your questions in order:-

1. Would it seem a sensible strategy to explore some permission in my area.

If you mean applying to local landowners for permission to use your detector on their land.
That is certainly a sensible strategy and it's one which is best done prior to investing your hard earned cash as whilst looking for such permission, during which time, I expect you will be appraising
those machines that appear to meet your requirements.

2. The Crown Estates Licensing system has been rescinded but there is a requirement to agree to bide by their rules which can be found on-line.

3. No detectorist can lay claim to sole rights to search any beach unless of course they own it and all rights on it. Detectorists are in the main gregarious by nature and will usually approach other detectorist and strike-up a chat, usually starting with 'Found anything matey'? The standard reply seeming to be 'no mate nothing yet', so don't worry about the prospect of treading on toes.

4. A 'starter machine' well there are a number of machines suitable for a newcomer and they won't necessarily all be at the lower end of the pricing spectrum as some expensive machines can be very simple to operate. Here's a couple of links which you should find very useful as they've been produced specifically with the beginner in mind.
Beginners Guide
Which Detector - A Guide

The forum Shop Link MDF Shop
where exclusively, forum members are entitled to a discount!

Good Luck and enjoy your time with us on the MDF

[Bargeman]

Hi, and welcome... Now a decent starter machine, that is a good question, I think you should have a look on Youtube at the new, Nokta-Makro Simplex.

I don't own one, but if I was starting out today, it would be high on my list



BM

[Metallica]

Hello Rod and welcome aboard the forum theee place for anyone seriously considering taking-up the hobby. To answer your questions in order:-

1. Would it seem a sensible strategy to explore some permission in my area.

If you mean applying to local landowners for permission to use your detector on their land.
That is certainly a sensible strategy and it's one which is best done prior to investing your hard earned cash as whilst looking for such permission, during which time, I expect you will be appraising
those machines that appear to meet your requirements.

2. The Crown Estates Licensing system has been rescinded but there is a requirement to agree to bide by their rules which can be found on-line.

3. No detectorist can lay claim to sole rights to search any beach unless of course they own it and all rights on it. Detectorists are in the main gregarious by nature and will usually approach other detectorist and strike-up a chat, usually starting with 'Found anything matey'? The standard reply seeming to be 'no mate nothing yet', so don't worry about the prospect of treading on toes.

4. A 'starter machine' well there are a number of machines suitable for a newcomer and they won't necessarily all be at the lower end of the pricing spectrum as some expensive machines can be very simple to operate. Here's a couple of links which you should find very useful as they've been produced specifically with the beginner in mind.
Beginners Guide
Which Detector - A Guide

The forum Shop Link MDF Shop
where exclusively, forum members are entitled to a discount!

Good Luck and enjoy your time with us on the MDF

Thankyou for the welcome and the helpful replies to my questions , much appreciated .

[Metallica]

Hi, and welcome... Now a decent starter machine, that is a good question, I think you should have a look on Youtube at the new, Nokta-Makro Simplex.

I don't own one, but if I was starting out today, it would be high on my list



BM

Thankyou for the welcome and the heads up on the Simplex , checked it out and it does seem to be
causing a bit of a stir ! Theres certainely a few things i like the look of on that machine for the money , will be high on my list of possibilities if they become more readily available .

[PinkFloyd]

It’s the only new, sub £500 machine I’d be buying , if you get a discount code I’d go for the wireless option, full thing for near 350

[Metallica]

It’s the only new, sub £500 machine I’d be buying , if you get a discount code I’d go for the wireless option, full thing for near 350

Thankyou for that , the more I compare it is starting to look like a no brainer for
that price point .

[Metallica]

Well i have got a Nokta Makro Simplex on the way as i think it looks a nice machine for my needs
starting out . Will be with me on Thursday but i wont be rushing out detecting for a long time yet , will get the wireless headphones after Christmas if possibe and any other bits and pieces ..pin pointer , digging tools etc . Will only have the beaches available to start and learn my machine , but will be seeking permission inland ..have some ideas in the pot for that and theres some interesting areas around where i am . Wish i had looked into metal detecting sooner , havent been in Wales long , from Dorset ..where we had family that are landowners that would have been ideal . We will be going back home now and then , but probably not enough spare time to detect and its a 3hr 30min journey from here . Might get a fleeting look at the box when it arrives if im lucky , before the wife grabs it to wrap up and tells me i can have it on the 25th ..only if im a good boy
In the mean time i will cary on researching as much as possible , theres a lot to take in , loads of info on here which i think will be really helpfull for when i do start , and you may well find a few questions here and there from me !

[PinkFloyd]

I think the simplex uses wireless not Bluetooth for its headphones, so your probably limited to its headphone range .
Check though, I could be wrong .
Shame if so, as the soundpeats Q12 earbuds are true aptx LL Bluetooth and work very well indeed

[Metallica]

I think the simplex uses wireless not Bluetooth for its headphones, so your probably limited to its headphone range .
Check though, I could be wrong .
Shame if so, as the soundpeats Q12 earbuds are true aptx LL Bluetooth and work very well indeed

Thankyou for that , yes I'm expecting to have to get the Nokta Makro wireless headphones but they were out of stock of the Simplex + WHP package . So as I'm in no rush I will purchase those later as and when they're available .

[targets]

detectingwales are their own group if you take a look

[Hofling]

Well i have got a Nokta Makro Simplex on the way as i think it looks a nice machine for my needs
starting out . Will be with me on Thursday but i wont be rushing out detecting for a long time yet , will get the wireless headphones after Christmas if possibe and any other bits and pieces ..pin pointer , digging tools etc . Will only have the beaches available to start and learn my machine , but will be seeking permission inland ..have some ideas in the pot for that and theres some interesting areas around where i am . Wish i had looked into metal detecting sooner , havent been in Wales long , from Dorset ..where we had family that are landowners that would have been ideal . We will be going back home now and then , but probably not enough spare time to detect and its a 3hr 30min journey from here . Might get a fleeting look at the box when it arrives if im lucky , before the wife grabs it to wrap up and tells me i can have it on the 25th ..only if im a good boy
In the mean time i will cary on researching as much as possible , theres a lot to take in , loads of info on here which i think will be really helpfull for when i do start , and you may well find a few questions here and there from me !

Hi Metallica,

my simplex arrived today.

Shame that I don't know how it works!

Just reading the manual slowly and carefully!

Soon I'll start asking questions to the experts here on the forum!

Good evening to everyone,

Christian.

[Macroman]

Hi ya, welcome to probably the best metal detecting forum out there !!...
Regarding your options of metal detectors take a look at at the earlier Makro racers..they are very reasonable now.
I've owned two of these over the years.. and found that they a very compatible on land and beach .
I found hammered coins, medieval buckles etc.
Anyway good luck on whatever you choose.
And as always,Good hunting..

[Metallica]

Well i have got a Nokta Makro Simplex on the way as i think it looks a nice machine for my needs
starting out . Will be with me on Thursday but i wont be rushing out detecting for a long time yet , will get the wireless headphones after Christmas if possibe and any other bits and pieces ..pin pointer , digging tools etc . Will only have the beaches available to start and learn my machine , but will be seeking permission inland ..have some ideas in the pot for that and theres some interesting areas around where i am . Wish i had looked into metal detecting sooner , havent been in Wales long , from Dorset ..where we had family that are landowners that would have been ideal . We will be going back home now and then , but probably not enough spare time to detect and its a 3hr 30min journey from here . Might get a fleeting look at the box when it arrives if im lucky , before the wife grabs it to wrap up and tells me i can have it on the 25th ..only if im a good boy
In the mean time i will cary on researching as much as possible , theres a lot to take in , loads of info on here which i think will be really helpfull for when i do start , and you may well find a few questions here and there from me !

Hi Metallica,

my simplex arrived today.

Shame that I don't know how it works!

Just reading the manual slowly and carefully!

Soon I'll start asking questions to the experts here on the forum!

Good evening to everyone,

Christian.

Good evening Christian , you and me both theres going to be a few questions !
Best of luck if you get out on that first dig on Monday

[Hofling]

Well i have got a Nokta Makro Simplex on the way as i think it looks a nice machine for my needs
starting out . Will be with me on Thursday but i wont be rushing out detecting for a long time yet , will get the wireless headphones after Christmas if possibe and any other bits and pieces ..pin pointer , digging tools etc . Will only have the beaches available to start and learn my machine , but will be seeking permission inland ..have some ideas in the pot for that and theres some interesting areas around where i am . Wish i had looked into metal detecting sooner , havent been in Wales long , from Dorset ..where we had family that are landowners that would have been ideal . We will be going back home now and then , but probably not enough spare time to detect and its a 3hr 30min journey from here . Might get a fleeting look at the box when it arrives if im lucky , before the wife grabs it to wrap up and tells me i can have it on the 25th ..only if im a good boy
In the mean time i will cary on researching as much as possible , theres a lot to take in , loads of info on here which i think will be really helpfull for when i do start , and you may well find a few questions here and there from me !

Hi Metallica,

my simplex arrived today.

Shame that I don't know how it works!

Just reading the manual slowly and carefully!

Soon I'll start asking questions to the experts here on the forum!

Good evening to everyone,

Christian.

Good evening Christian , you and me both theres going to be a few questions !
Best of luck if you get out on that first dig on Monday

Hi,

that's not a dig (yet). I am meeting an informal group of detectorists from the region for the first time. Let us see where we go from there.


Cheers!

Christian.

[Metallica]

Hi ya, welcome to probably the best metal detecting forum out there !!...
Regarding your options of metal detectors take a look at at the earlier Makro racers..they are very reasonable now.
I've owned two of these over the years.. and found that they a very compatible on land and beach .
I found hammered coins, medieval buckles etc.
Anyway good luck on whatever you choose.
And as always,Good hunting..

Thankyou Macroman , i was looking at used machines and in fact there was a few Makro racers out there on the market that i did have a second look at . But decided in the end not to take the risk on a used machine and now have a Nokta Macro Simplex on the way .

[Metallica]

Hi Metallica,

my simplex arrived today.

Shame that I don't know how it works!

Just reading the manual slowly and carefully!

Soon I'll start asking questions to the experts here on the forum!

Good evening to everyone,

Christian.

Good evening Christian , you and me both theres going to be a few questions !
Best of luck if you get out on that first dig on Monday

Hi,

that's not a dig (yet). I am meeting an informal group of detectorists from the region for the first time. Let us see where we go from there.


Cheers!

Christian.

Well thats first steps there , will probably pick up more than any amount of reading . I meant to ask you ...could you tell me if your Simplex came with a coil protector ? Cheers !

[Hofling]

Good evening Christian , you and me both theres going to be a few questions !
Best of luck if you get out on that first dig on Monday

Hi,

that's not a dig (yet). I am meeting an informal group of detectorists from the region for the first time. Let us see where we go from there.


Cheers!

Christian.

Well thats first steps there , will probably pick up more than any amount of reading . I meant to ask you ...could you tell me if your Simplex came with a coil protector ? Cheers !

Hi
yes it did. It is a very thin and simple one, covers only the lower part, not all of it.

Christian.

[PinkFloyd]