How many BFO veterans are there around here?

[kamogawa]

I entered into the world of metal detecting at the tail end of the Beat Frequency Oscillator days. I started with Jetco Mustang and Treasure Sensor. The first discriminator-capable BFO was just emerging onto the market from the assembly room of Garrett Electronics in late '73.

I would to hear from treasure hunting veterans of the BFO days. What kind of detectors did you use and what kinds of finds were you pulling up?

 

[coinnut]

I entered into the world of metal detecting at the tail end of the Beat Frequency Oscillator days. I started with Jetco Mustang and Treasure Sensor. The first discriminator-capable BFO was just emerging onto the market from the assembly room of Garrett Electronics in late '73.

I would to hear from treasure hunting veterans of the BFO days. What kind of detectors did you use and what kinds of finds were you pulling up?

Yeah, I had a BFO That makes me officially old lol I used a Bounty Hunter Rebel I believe it was called :thinkingabout: Metal/mineral setting and it found a ton of hot rocks. No discrimination on that one and I don't remember finding much with it. I'm sure I did find something, but not sure it was any good :dontknow: I think that was around '72 ish Eventually got the Coinmaster V Supreme and the hot rock days were over for the most part.

 

[OxShoeDrew]

Man...you guys are OLD :grin:

 

[coinnut]

Man...you guys are OLD :grin:

Not too old to trudge through the woods and find the good stuff rofl We will be a lot harder on you next hunt :eyebrow: :eyebrow:

 

[kamogawa]

Man...you guys are OLD :grin:

Is that why my knee is hurting? Or maybe it's because I walked 10 miles at the KY State Fair yesterday. :white:usaflag::

 

[Dimeman]

Started with a Relco Frontiersman 42 years ago---no discrimination----- no meter--------- no ID screen------no multi-tones-----------just beep and dig !!!!!!!!!

It was easy to bring back a handfull of silver,wheats and older nickels and maybe a couple clad coins if you were unlucky. Those old detectors went deep----or at least when we dug a 4-5inch hole we thought we were digging to all the way to China and REALLY getting the DEEP stuff. mg: mg: mg:

 

[coinnut]

. Those old detectors went deep----or at least when we dug a 4-5inch hole we thought we were digging to all the way to China and REALLY getting the DEEP stuff. mg: mg: mg:

lol I remember seeing some holes in the park and a guy with a Compass machine leaving. We looked in the hole and it had to be 4 and we said Man that machine goes deep rofl We were thinking that 4 was incredible at the time.

 

[Lowjiber]

When my boy was growing up, I bought a Jetco Mustang. We tinkered with it for a whole weekend and finally found our Oldsmobile that was parked in the driveway. lol

 

[OxShoeDrew]

When my boy was growing up, I bought a Jetco Mustang. We tinkered with it for a whole weekend and finally found our Oldsmobile that was parked in the driveway. lol

rofl

 

[Tony Two-Cent]

I've shown these photos before in another thread, but here is the Garrett Hunter that my dad bought new in 1968. I was only 6 years old at the time, but I used to tag along and watch. I'll never forget watching as he found an Indian Head Cent at the Old Settlers Grounds in Iola, IL.

I actually used this machine myself when I got in high school. I still have the manual and the 12 coil for it. I don't recall ever finding anything spectacular with it. In 1981 I bought a White's 5000-D and retired the old Garrett for good.

 

[kamogawa]

Charles Garrett made some sharp metal detectors for their time. I still hear stories of people who still have these as collector items and they still work perfectly. They definitely look like they were solidly built and nothing was spared in the process of making them top quality. The search coil looks interesting on THE HUNTER. I wonder how close in age it is to the very first ones Garrett manufactured for sale.

 

[tanacat]

That detector is too cool Tony! That's a good year- I was born in 1968 lol

 

[kamogawa]

Started with a Relco Frontiersman 42 years ago---no discrimination----- no meter--------- no ID screen------no multi-tones-----------just beep and dig !!!!!!!!!

I remember seeing one of those advertised in Treasure Search magazine back in the mid 70s. One of the other Relcos I saw had a huge search coil which fascinated me. They seemed much more advanced than my Jetco Mustang.

 

[kamogawa]

I've shown these photos before in another thread, but here is the Garrett Hunter that my dad bought new in 1968. I was only 6 years old at the time, but I used to tag along and watch. I'll never forget watching as he found an Indian Head Cent at the Old Settlers Grounds in Iola, IL.

I actually used this machine myself when I got in high school. I still have the manual and the 12 coil for it. I don't recall ever finding anything spectacular with it. In 1981 I bought a White's 5000-D and retired the old Garrett for good.

I borrowed a 5000-D from my dealer in '84, but just couldn't bond with it. I ended up sticking with my Garrett Groundhog.

 

[pale rider]

When my boy was growing up, I bought a Jetco Mustang. We tinkered with it for a whole weekend and finally found our Oldsmobile that was parked in the driveway. lol

lol I started out with a Jetco Mustang. Found some good and not so good things with it. lol

 

[russellt]

that thing is a rolling pile of plunder mg:

 

[Errol]

Started with Garrett BFO in 1970, liked them so well I sold them for 24 years.
Lived on Galveston Island for 24 years and hunted almost every day. BFO around the Salt water was worthless. Stated using the Fisher then the Garrett Sea Hunter. My first year with S H was 552 gold rings plus silver rings,gold chains metals, etc. This was with the old VLF S H . Then came the Pulse Sea Hunter and just wiped all other water units out. Last two years I hunted before I left Paradise I sold $14,000 worth of scarp gold and silver plus many rings to various people. My Darling EX still has a 3 cart diamond in Platinum setting I found in front of the hotel Galvez. I found so many keys I always wondered how most drove off island. I still use the BFO Hunter to scan walls in homes and barns they excel at this like no other can.
Still have my original VLF Sea Hunter that I use to hunt lakes in MO,KS,OK. At 72 I have slowed down a tad.
Regards

EV Calvert

 

[Jeff (or)]

One of my first detectors in the 60's was a Jetco Treasure Hawk. Thankfully, my next detector Was a White's.