Ajax Alpha

The Ajax Alpha is a long-range locator designed for covering large stretches of ground before moving in with a closer-range detector. It carries two integrated long-range systems and uses transceiver and high-gain antennas to search for target signals across a wide area. It suits prospectors who work open land, hillsides and desert areas where walking every metre with a coil is not practical.

Ajax lists gold, gold nuggets, silver, copper, bronze, iron, tin, lead, aluminium, meteorites, diamonds, emeralds and cavities among its targets. Readings appear on a 5-inch colour screen with a multilingual interface, and the audio changes tone with distance to the signal. Up to 1000 scans can be saved, the clock can sync from GPS time, and a PIN lock can restrict use.

The manufacturer states a forward search distance of up to 2850 metres and depth of up to 50 metres. As with all long-range locators, these are Ajax's own ratings, not guaranteed results, and findings should be confirmed with an imaging or conventional detector before digging. The kit weighs about 4 kg packed, runs around 10 hours per charge and has a two-year warranty.