Detecting in South Africa

Hi Pgill.
I am the sole distributor for Teknetics and Fisher metal detectors here in our lovely part of the world. Go and check out our machines on the net, you won't be sorry. I also don't blame them and if I was a farmer I would probably shoot first and ask questions later.
What I do think is that it is time to start organizing ourselves like the UK. Start clubs and then be accountable for the actions of it's members.
Just think of all the history that has already been paved over in our country and it continues on a daily basis. Farms are where we want to hunt and we need to start building relationships with the land owners, even if it is just a few of us. We need to get permission to dig the history!
To do this effectively we need to also build relationships with our historical departments at the various universities and heritage institutions. So we form a triangle of the landowners, the historians and the operators...us. It seems to me that this would work for everyone.
I tried contacting the heritage council......eh ...no ansa. If you know what I mean. So my next port of call will be the universities.
But I really am determined to get something going....we actually need to get on tv, that would work.
So go and check out our machines, and for your hunting grounds I would look closely at the T2.  Iv'e got one and I can tell you that it should be illegal hehehe.
Kind regards
Oscar

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Hi Xavier
Yes please by all means do. I don't think they can be very active or maybe they are a "secret" club hehe, I heard a rumor that there was a club but I could never find them.
Iv'e had this idea for a while and I don't see another way of getting onto the good sites.
Let's keep this channel of thought open and active.
Nice to hear from you again!
Oscar

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,19144.msg124967.html#msg124967

Hi Viking / Xavier 

I also like the idea of a club. And now I am going to sound a bit negative, but the trouble is I have seen so many different kinds of clubs starting, but they seem to lose speed and die. It seems to be a SA thing I think. There was a club in Jo'burg a number of years ago, and this chap said the same thing happened to that club. I started a computer club about 15 years ago (I know long time ago), the club lasted about 6 Months and then it died, and not from being boring or anything like that.... It just died a natural death.... with excuses of not having time to come etc.....
But hey, if you guys can get it to work,,,,, it would be fantastic..... I personally like clubs as that is how you learn a subject quickly and correctly. When I read about the USA clubs, they seem to be thriving with lots of members and great hunts. I would love to see that happen in SA.


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Hi Viking

I will look into getting that number for you within the next few days I should have it. You got me thinking now perhaps I should approach the university and see what they have to say any how off to bed now. Pgill it's not an easy thing to run a club but then like Viking said could be a bunch of guys getting together once a year and talk about what they found how and where that type of thing would work I'm sure. well keep me posted I'm off to bed.

Regards Xavier 

Regards Xavier   

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,19144.msg125116.html#msg125116

Hi PGill
With the right amount of planning and investigative research, it can be done. So what is a long distance trip once or twice a year, if you calculate the time we spend driving on a daily basis, a trip to go metal detecting a really promising site is small fry. personally I would rather drive 1000km's to go detect a well researched site than do the 60, 70 or even 80 km's to work and back. The internet has made the world a really small place. And then there is the issue of maybe having one team with a sub team in the various provinces. If the hunt is big or spread over a vast area you can simply request backup from the members of the other provinces or areas.
I am sure that those who can spare some time would be glad to assist. We need to remember that the hunt will probably be very enticing seeing as they would almost certainly be producing great finds.
Baby steps I'm afraid....keep the ideas coming and the solution will soon be at hand!
Kind regards
Viking

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