Bounty Hunter Tracker IV Metal Detector Review
For the uninitiated, it's easy to assume that all metal detectors are pretty much the same. All metal detectors detect metals using the same basic principles, but the price and the level of technology used can vary greatly.
The Bounty Hunter Tracker IV comes in at the base level and is #3 on our list of the best cheap metal detectors. but ranks low when it comes to value for the money. This is not so much because it fails at something, but is because it does what it is intended to do so well.
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV is designed to be a beginner's metal detector at a budget price point. No frills, maximum ease of use, and dependable. It succeeds at these design requirements wonderfully.
If you're just starting out and looking for your first metal detector, the Tracker IV (TK4) is worth your consideration.
Features
You should not let the low price of the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV fool you. It has many exciting features. The best feature is the five-year warranty. The features of this fantastic metal detector are as follows.
- It is rugged; therefore, it is an ideal detector for treasure hunting in almost any type of ground condition, including extreme ground conditions.
- There are three modes. These include Motion All-Metal mode, Discrimination mode, and Two-Tone Audio mode.
- There are preset ground balance neutralizers; these will respond to any mineral content in the ground.
- There is a disc, notch that can distinguish between what you do and do not want.
- There is a low battery indicator.
- The height is adjustable.
- The armrest has padding.
- When not in use, there is a detector stand.
- A headphone jack is included and fits most headphones.
- There is a five-year limited warranty.
The Controls on the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV
If you are looking for simplicity, you have found it. There are two knobs and a switch on this model.
There is a knob on each side of the control panel. The knob on the left is the one that controls your sensitivity. It also is the way you turn the device on and off.
The knob to the right will control your discrimination. There is a switch just below the knob on the right. It will be your mode selection. There is also an analog reader. Inside this, there is a low battery indicator.
Sensitivity Adjustment
The sensitivity is the adjustment you will make at what depth you would like to return a signal. Most will want to go as far into the ground as possible. They will want their sensitivity control to be on all the way.
The other purpose of sensitivity is to find smaller objects. There can be a problem with having the sensitivity up that high. It will detect the tiniest trace of minerals in the ground.
To counteract this, you should turn on the sensitivity to high. Then put the detector on the ground, a piece you are confident has no treasure, adjust the sensitivity control until you hear no more chatter.
Discrimination
The discrimination knob allows users to distinguish between the metals they wish to find. There are three grades of ore. Low-end grade, middle-of-the-road grade, and high-end grade. Let us now move on to an explanation and example of these grades.
Low-End Grade
These metals have low conductivity. They include pieces such as iron, lead, and steel.
Middle-of-the-Road Grade
These metals are a cross between low-end and high-end. They are a little more conductive than low-end metals and a little less conductive than high-end. These metals include gold, nickel, and brass.
High-End Grade
These are metals that have high conductivity. Some examples of high conductivity metals include silver, zinc, and copper.
To begin working with the Tracker IV, you will want to create a test garden. The test garden will assist you in adjusting the discrimination. When it is at the metals you desire to find during your treasure hunt; the metal detector will not beep unless the targeted minerals are detected.
Search Modes
To change between search modes, use the switch on the bottom right of the control panel. There will be three search modes.
- All-Metal—the all-metal mode will be best if you do not have a target created for your treasure hunt. In this mode, the metal detector will find all types of metals. Beware, though, in this mode, your sensor will pick up minerals, like iron. It gives the maximum depth to find all the treasure in the ground.
- Tone—with this search mode, users will have two audio tones to decipher between the metals. There will be a high audio pitch when something of high-conductivity is detected. When there is scrap metal that may not be of high importance during your treasure hunt, the low tone will sound. During this mode, the metal detector will adhere to the discrimination settings.
- Full Discriminate—during this mode, the trash metals are overlooked. Users will hear the signal only when a quality metal is detected. Users can change these settings through the discrimination dial.
The difference in Metal Types
There are three types of metals your Bounty Hunter Tracker IV can find. These are ferrous, non-ferrous with high-conductivity, and non-ferrous with low-conductivity.
- Ferrous—all these types of metal generally contain iron. Some examples of ferrous metal include steel and pig iron. The pig iron should have a carbon content of a few percents. A final example of ferrous metal is iron mixed with other metals such as stainless steel.
- Non-Ferrous High-Conductivity—this definition describes metals and alloys that do not have a significant amount of iron. Some examples of non-ferrous high-conductivity metals include copper, lead, tin, and aluminum. Copper is conductive that it is often in electrical components. Lead is a malleable metal. It is dense and soft. Tin is not thick like lead; it is also malleable. Many who are treasure hunting will attempt to find the metals that are non-ferrous high-conductivity. These metals are in high demand. They often generate the most money for the treasure hunter.
- Non-Ferrous Low-Conductivity—like high-conductivity non-ferrous metals, these types of ore do not contain iron. Examples of non-ferrous low-conductivity metals include gold, nickel, and brass.
Summary
There are two reasons one would buy the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV, they are on a shoe-string budget, or they are buying for a youngster they fear will lose interest in the idea of treasure hunting. The Tracker IV will satisfy all those buyers.
It ranks in 5th in our list for beginners (click here). Overall, though, it ranked last out of all of the metal detectors that we tested for our reviews for this year. It ranked that low for the above reason, but made the list because it is a solid base model.
There are some cons to having an inexpensive model like this one. The main thing is, you have an analog target ID. There is also no notch discrimination on this model. With that in mind, you can say the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV is less versatile than other metal detectors in the same price range. Finally, there is no pinpointing mode in the settings, and it has a pre-set ground balance.