Why has Fisher Lab made an egg-shaped coil? Responding to Minelab Go-Find’s square one? The manufacturers have started the metal detectors race and the prize will be our wallets. Here’s all about the Fisher F44: good and bad.
The Fisher F44 metal detector has two advantages – a large screen and moderate power supply with 2 AA batteries. In all other respects, it’s a usual low-end machine.
An S-shaped shaft comes with the mono control box (battery compartment, screen, controls – all in one housing) mounted on the upper part. It’s adjustable to user’s height.
The shaft can be disassembled in three parts. There are locking collars excluding a play in connections between these parts (say hello to the new White’s TreasureMaster and White’s TreasurePro that still don’t have such twist locks).
The Fisher F44 has a simple handgrip… The main problem with such handles is that with lapse of time the foam grip gets loose and starts spinning.
As for the Fisher F44 armrest, the manufacturer has used a ready-made one – from the Fisher Gold Bug DP machine. It’s convenient, simple and breaks down like all other plastic armrests. Allows the use of a fixing strap. There are supports underneath the armrest for the metal detector not to overturn. And there is a metal detecting secret concealed in these ones.
The Fisher F44 has a headphone jack located on the side of the housing… Not the best location. If the detector gives a lurch, it will bump the jack plug. I like when a headphone jack is positioned at the end of the upper shaft – the most practical solution.
The battery compartment is closed with a door. There is a container for 2 AA batteries underneath. The manufacturer promises up to 40 hours of continuous operation. Only 2 batteries! In my opinion, it’s a real plus for the Fisher F44.
One more advantage of this detector is the large screen. I like machines with large screens. Also, there is an adjustable screen backlight.
Almost all things you need while hunting are displayed on the Fisher F44 screen. 9 segment discrimination scale. Your chosen search program (there are both factory preset programs and a user mode). Target depth indicator. VDI and battery level indicator. The thing that is missing is sensitivity scale.
The Fisher F44 features include: search programs to choose from, ground balance, sensitivity adjustment, volume control (the setting that is often missing in inexpensive detectors). And the pinpoint mode. It’s strange to see some modern models without this mode (for example, the Golden Mask 5). The pinpoint is a really helpful thing and must-include for any machine.
The buttons are arranged in a row and are almost identical, with a small space between them. I haven’t liked the Fisher F44 controls. Try to press the ‘+’/’-‘ buttons when wearing gloves.
The Fisher F44 has an egg-shaped coil. The manufacturer tells us how this shape makes it possible to pick up more finds. But… The coil type is concentric and in practice you won’t notice any advantage of this shape.
The advantage of this coil lies in its weight – 350 grams. As for the 11-inch one, it really weighs not much.
But the disadvantage of the coil is that its working face is closed with a cover (but not sealed as other coils). With the lapse of time, such coils can be affected by moisture penetrated to the inside and will require additional sealing.
Why has Fisher Lab produced this detector? What machine must the Fisher F44 compete with? I’ve got an impression that the F44 metal detector is designed to replace the already existing Fisher F4-F5 models. And nothing more… The usual ground search detector.
And a few words about waterproofing quality of the Fisher F44… If the manufacturer could have made an amphibian metal detector that isn’t afraid of water, they would have written about it in big letters. When it is said that the device is not afraid of rain (weatherproof), it’s not an IP standard, it’s just words ))
All about the Fisher F44 is collected here (news, tests, comparisons with other devices, different reviews and opinions). Plus, on Knowledgebase pages there is additional information you should know before buying the Fisher F44. The experience of others will help you save your time and money. Happy hunting to everyone!
you need to be looking at its weatherproof features and the way you can customise this machine to your own requirements, its a good, solid machine for the $$
If my first and only requirement is super-mega-depth how can I “customise”
this technologically outdated great-grand-son of the old father Bounty Hunter
Platinum to it?
Had it in the rain today. Took about 5 minutes to completely fail. Had this detector just over a month.
My did too! Its acting crazy, and stays in pin point mode. I dont know what to do because fisher never replys, nor does kellyco
My did the same thing when i had it in the rain. It stays in pin point mode, can someone help?
the problem with the metal detector fisher button buttons is wrong not to buy, watch out for the detector’s errors
People talk of this customise mode. It is nothing different than Coin and Jewelry mode with some Notching. You select the tone you want for the category. Well I know Im going to set anything above 66 high tones. Nickle and gold Spectrum Med high tone. Iron well…. knock that shit out. I have had no better finding coins or jewelry in the custom mode. Also I have found that after a while of using custom mode, I have to reset my machine to factory default because it will not ground balance correctly, depths and PP are not accurate. So I am not sure whats up with that. No very pleased with this F44. Everyone I have talked to says get a DD coil for it. Depth is better and less junk. We shall see.
Took my Fisher f44 out for the second time today in heavy showers. It started playing up, could not get on any modes, numbers and sounds were going completely haywire and now I can’t turn it off unless I remove the batteries. I am very disappointed, has anyone had this before?
Your “waterproof”,sorry, “weather-resistant” device get wet and have
short-circuit inside! Try to dry it up may be it will return to life, may be not.
I have used my F44 for 2 weeks now and to me it seems to blow the Garretts Ace’s out of the water. I went back over my hunting grounds with the F44 and it was finding stuff my Garrett Ace missed. I don’t like that it can’t handle the beach. If you have any tips please let me know.
So far this is a great machine!!
Manually set your ground balance between 0 and 10 (GroundGrab won’t bring it below 40) and of you go in the wet sand!
Better is to follow the manual ground balance procedure as described in the manual, but above will work just fine
I’ve heard the f44 had an issue with the keys/keyboard about in early 2016. Is this true. At least it would explain the comments above.
Noted that F44 advertising says “Can use it in rain” Reading the comments, apparently not true? You Tube ‘nuggetnoggin’ drags his tethered Garrett AT through rushing water as he hunts river bottoms. ‘aquachigger’ does likewise. Why such a difference for not much more cost?
No one describes the tone differences of various objects on various units. I use ‘Tones’ for all of my MD ventures, even with 4 tone Bounty Hunters. Seldom look at display, as coverage of large search fields in cross patterns would slow drastically.
Dopo un p? di tempo mi ritrovo l’F44 che fa strani suoni per i cavoli suoi e non resco pi? a capire se c’? un oggetto o se ? il metal che d? i numeri. non capiscpo se dipende dalla centralina o dalla bobine
Unearthed UK
Fisher F44 full Metal Detector Review