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Has the MK1 old grey knocker box had its day


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I  read this type of discussion and am amazed at the difficulty people seem to have with the MK3.

I have used both being of a certain age but would never go back to the knocker box.

The Mk3 is a significant improvement on a number of levels.

Firstly the ability to locate a ferret over a much wider area cutting down time finding the location.

Once you are close and the reading indicator drops below 8ft a switch to locate and that's where the audible button comes in reducing the noise level to it lowest audible level.

When you get just a tick the ferret will be directly below. As accurate as you get. This seems to be where people go wrong reading similar threads. It is rarely you here anyone discussing using the audible button but just my opinion it is the key aspect of using the MK3. The depth indicator is just a rough guide.

The only issue we have found across a number of locaters is the depth reading is 1ft out and that has been the same on every unit. But once this is determined it makes no difference.

Another benefit is the total lack of interference from wire and the like. 

I had some serious hair pulling out sessions trying to locate a ferret near wire or cables with the knocker box.

The only negative I have is the collar battery life. They need changing regularly.

I bought a battery tester as seen on utube but they are crap.

Batteries showing 100% on the tester were not running the collar.

Battery level is critical on the collars for accurate depth reading. I test the collars before every outing and if they are reading 3/4 feet at my waste level batteries are in good order.

In the past we were sitting waiting for ferrets to come out due to the depth we thought they were at but it was poor collar batteries another lesson learnt.

I use rechargeable batteries in the handset and get nearly 2 seasons from each battery.

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10 hours ago, budgie123 said:

I  read this type of discussion and am amazed at the difficulty people seem to have with the MK3.

I have used both being of a certain age but would never go back to the knocker box.

The Mk3 is a significant improvement on a number of levels.

Firstly the ability to locate a ferret over a much wider area cutting down time finding the location.

Once you are close and the reading indicator drops below 8ft a switch to locate and that's where the audible button comes in reducing the noise level to it lowest audible level.

When you get just a tick the ferret will be directly below. As accurate as you get. This seems to be where people go wrong reading similar threads. It is rarely you here anyone discussing using the audible button but just my opinion it is the key aspect of using the MK3. The depth indicator is just a rough guide.

The only issue we have found across a number of locaters is the depth reading is 1ft out and that has been the same on every unit. But once this is determined it makes no difference.

Another benefit is the total lack of interference from wire and the like. 

I had some serious hair pulling out sessions trying to locate a ferret near wire or cables with the knocker box.

The only negative I have is the collar battery life. They need changing regularly.

I bought a battery tester as seen on utube but they are crap.

Batteries showing 100% on the tester were not running the collar.

Battery level is critical on the collars for accurate depth reading. I test the collars before every outing and if they are reading 3/4 feet at my waste level batteries are in good order.

In the past we were sitting waiting for ferrets to come out due to the depth we thought they were at but it was poor collar batteries another lesson learnt.

I use rechargeable batteries in the handset and get nearly 2 seasons from each battery.

A good explanation of how to use the mk3, I have one and have tried to get on with it. I generally use it to get a rough idea on search but struggle to “pin down” the exact location. I’ll give it another try using your guide. 

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On 03/01/2020 at 21:23, budgie123 said:

 

Firstly the ability to locate a ferret over a much wider area cutting down time finding the location.

Once you are close and the reading indicator drops below 8ft a switch to locate and that's where the audible button comes in reducing the noise level to it 

Another benefit is the total lack of interference from wire and the like. 

 

You obviously like the device. But don't rely on it not being affected by wire and power cables. 

         Speaking for my myself ,l've never found that turning the sound down and going by ear with a Cosmic Carrot gives quite as steady results as are to be had with a grey box at the final stage of a dig.

      You are dead right about he Mk111's (we will not mention the Mk11?) useful  'Search' feature but l still reckon the old grey box does everything else with a lot less fuss.

For me it is that simple ,but l am known for being simple.

I can't  help thinking that something with the simplicity of the grey box but with a search feature would've been the way forward.  Maybe flashing LEDs and silly noises were considered trendier or just cheaper to fit than a subdued clicker .

Fair play for standing up for your opinions . Wouldn't do at all if we all liked the same thing.

Stole this from another forum20191125_203355.jpg.c0d01a53bd3665113bfee02aa3331185.jpg

They obviously stole it from Nietzche?

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Budgie 123. Or anyone really. The grey box is part of my history. The knowledge that you can literally locate to within an inch is paramount. Been on Skipton moors among the rocks and had to adapt . Lowering the box on a line between crevices to locate the ferret and ultimately get a rabbit was fantastic. Only the sound of the bleeper gave me a clue. Lying in a sow drift with my ferret somewhere below me, possibly laid up, grey box to my ear exactly locating where she was unforgettable. Working on a sandpit rail line using the grey box, found my girl at 8 ft which was as you might imagine a challenge. Spent quite a while digging only to find she had got rid of the collar and was quite safe lying about 18inches below me with a rabbit. The collar was relocated to her neck and off we go again. Railway bank. Little girl off like a waif. Gone gone gone. My friend and I searched for ages with the grey boxes to no avail. Panic set in. Looking up the railway line, there was the little bugger running after a rabbit. Even the grey box couldn't help with this one. All in all that little box, or quite a few of them have attributed to many hundreds of rabbits for which I'm truly grateful. Jok.

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I have always used the Grey Box since they first came out and would never change  I also know people who Ferret a lot of Rabbits and they think the same ,one day a few years me and my old mate dug over 40 Rabbits out of a total of 70 in a days sport  at a place called Threekingham  just outside of Boston  Linc's , I don't know which  box is the best  but the old Grey Box has served me well for the last 50 plus years 

Picture 176.jpg

SAM_0330_zps0eeb506b.jpg

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On 03/01/2020 at 21:23, budgie123 said:

 

The only negative I have is the collar battery life. They need changing regularly.

If you are changing batteries regularly, you must be using crap batteries. The rayovac silver oxide are the batteries you want. I clock up hundreds of hours before replacing them. 

 

 

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12 hours ago, budgie123 said:

Hi where do you purchase rayovac batteries from.

ebay mate....funnily enough I just bought some yesterday .....six and a half quid for 10 posted to your house in a few days.......you can get the same size cheaper on them pink strips...but I recon the ryovac are better

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as for the locators....I have moved on.....I like the old box....and did just fine with it...

but if I'm honest I think the carrot is better....but not by a lot.....if the noise bothers you just turn the volume off...I often do this just looking at the lights and depth.....but you do need to listen to the noise to get the exact spot

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