by David Zabielski
Was fortunate enough to field test the new Sunray DX-1 probe (pinpointer) for the White's DFX/MXT this week. Believe me, it was definately worth the wait. Starting from the beginning, the probe is very easy to install. Not like the Minelab Explorer where the shaft needs to be sent in. It just snaps on and screws in to the existing holes already on the DFX and MXT. It is very well constructed with heavy PVC and a thick cable. Looks to be built to last. The entire installation process takes less than five minutes. No batteries are required, it runs off the detectors batteries. It remains off until you switch it on, at which time the detectors coil is switched off.
As far as actual field test goes, I feel I must say that I was not a big fan of pinpointers, until now that is. I did not like any of the pinpointers I had owned in the past. The list of faults are as follows: falsing when making contact with the ground, going off inside of carrying pouch, falling out of pouch and losing them, poor sensitivity, sounding off on every piece of metal in the hole and leaving them off to the side of the hole after making a recovery and forgetting to pick them back up. I can't tell you how many times that has happened to me. I'd have to spend anywhere's from a minute to an hour backtracking my steps to find the thing. Almost every guy I've ever hunted with has lost at least one probe in the woods.
Now back to the DX-1 probe. NONE of the above apply to this probe. It's sensitivity is outstanding (3-4" on a coin), there is no falsing when you bump it or hit the ground. No sensitivity switch to constantly adjust, no way to lose it. It remains atop the shaft completely out of the way until needed. I could not feel any added weight to the detector while swinging either.
Now for the biggest bonuses. Get this, the probe is actually a small coil. Imagine taking your 5" or 9.5" coil off and just having a 1" coil. That's what you now have right at your fingertips. If your program is discriminating out iron, so will the probe. If you sweep in the hole and there's 3 nails, a quarter and a dime in the hole, as you sweep over each one, the probe will ID it on your VDI as such and through the tones if your Tone ID is on. Next big bonus is it requires no batteries and when switched on your main coil is switched off. This means that there is no longer interference between the probe and detector and the detector, while idle is not constantly chattering.
All in all I have to give it two thumbs up. Sunray did an outstanding job on this and it was definately worth the wait. I could not find a single thing that I did not like about the probe. Contact your nearest Sunray dealer and check it out.