Metal Detectors Online >> OKM Metal Detectors >> OKM Metal Detector Videos

OKM Metal Detector Videos

OKM Interview with Frank Casser & Adam Costa (May 2011)

 

Transcript

Adam:  Hi this is Adam Costa. I’m with MetalDetectorsOnline.net.  And this is part of our special interview series with OKM metal detectors.  I’m speaking with Frank Casser the Factory Trainer and Business Rep for both North and South Americas.  Hi Frank, how are you doing?

Frank: I’m doing well this afternoon, thank you.

Adam:   Great.  I’d just like to take a few minutes and hopefully pick your brain about OKM and what makes it stand apart from other metal detector companies. So if you could tell me just a little about your company?

Frank: Well, we started off in 2000. Started off like any regular company in the garage.  The owners themselves and engineers themselves are metal detector hobbyists.  They like to go out and do their searching and hunting and they wanted something different that not everybody had.  That’s how they came about with the equipment and products we have now.

Adam:  And Frank, who would you say are your primary customers?

Frank: Everybody.  We have everybody from oil companies, to military, to hobby detectorists, from hard-core treasure hunters to the weekend person who just wants to go and find something small.  We have everybody.

Adam:  Okay.  And what type of detectors do you specialize in.  I know OKM has a wide variety of models available, but if you could hone in on maybe underwater detectors or gold detectors, for example.

Frank: Our primary detector is a detector that uses and records all the variables and all the changes in the magnetic fields because we are able to harness the data transmitted from the center of the earth out. That’s what gives us our depth.  I’d have to say the equipment that we call EMSR, which is electro-magnetic signal readers, and this enables us to see large items, bigger, deeper, where no other metal detector can play around with.  Most of them are limited by their search coils.

Adam:  Yeah, I agree that the EMSR equipment really does separate OKM from other detectors.  You do mention that you cover a wide variety of detectorists.  What specific models would you recommend for a beginner, intermediate as well as the advanced detectorists?

Frank: For the beginner detectorist, the people who want to go and find a large item or something like that we have the Evolution which is pretty much our starter model.  It’s a dual detector it has an integrated VLF detector as well as the EMSR detector. The maximum depth of that detector is about 8 meters so 25 feet and that’s on the EMSR side.  While the VLF detector is pretty much standard in line with most other detectors between 30 and 50 centimeters for those smaller items near the surface.  That’s a good detector for a beginner.

Frank: Our intermediate detectors is going to be more or less the eXp series and with that series that the eXp 4000 and 5000, they are complete standalone units, which do everything. They have their own built in computer.  They have a wide variety of different antennas they can choose from.  They can take one antenna off, put another one on and its’ a completely different detector. For example we have a tunnel sensor that they can look for just for larger tunnels,  to our super sensor which will find gold nuggets, or has found gold nuggets in areas like Australia. 

Frank: Then for our Advanced models that would be the I-160 or Rover C II. And the I-160 and Rover C II because of the fact that they do not have the programming built in that the eXp has so that they are more on the basic side. Where it takes a little more knowledge and training in order to get the right results that you desire.

Adam:  And what would you say is the learning curve with that detector.

Frank: Well, the learning curve, I’ll tell you what.  I’ve seen people pick it up and use it in 15 minutes and never see or hear from them again.  I’ve had people who have picked it up and then they realize you have a computer with it – how do you turn on the computer. 

Frank: And so that’s when we finally came out with our Rover UC which is - it’s a combination - it’s in-between the eXp series but it’s still a Rover and it’s made to work like a walking stick. But it’s controlled with one finger. It has one button. And it runs everything through a smart phone. It is by far the easiest to operate unit that we’ve ever build. But we have again the learning curve… I’ve had people who have used it and that’s why I’m the trainer. 

Frank: As much as I know, OKM is the only metal detector company that has a trainer who will go out to you and train you almost anywhere in the world.

Adam:  Yeah, that’s a huge benefit. And as far as I know from the people I’ve spoken with OKM really is the only metal detector company to offer that level of service.  Which is really a huge benefit, especially for shortening the learning curve.

Frank: Well, not only that but you take for example, I was just recently in Bolivia South America working with the gas company. When they first put in all the gas lines, they didn’t properly mark them so they  didn’t have the exact location via GPS. They are just put in the ground and then it’s just a look and see, can they find them with a back core or not. And we are trying to avoid them.  We were able to go through and identify this is a gas line because of its size, this is a water line because of its size, and these are electric because they are very small and identify this for municipalities is extremely important. 

Adam:  So it sounds like OKM has really come a long way since its inception in 2000. What can we expect from your company over the next 5 years?

Frank: Well, I’ll tell you what, 2011 is not over yet.  We have 2 new detectors coming out this year.  Over the next five years, we are going to be coming out with a couple of detectors that are going to just revolutionize a major sector of the market.  We have a VLF impulse abduction a dual detector which is going to work side by side at the same time that’s going to be introduced hopefully near the end of the year. And this is going to be able to give the hobby detectorist the ability to see down 2 ½ to 3 meters for the larger items but also to pick up the small coins and nuggets up to 75 centimeters to a meter.  With its dual cycle nobody has that and one of our engineers figured it out how to get it done.

Adam:  That’s great.

Frank: We have a whole new set of industrial detectors that are going to be introduced.  They’re going to be running with again another dual technology running at the same time with the magnetic sensing is going to be running a ground penetrating radar at the same time which is going to give the ability to give a true radar 3D map which for industrial use is just beyond. And for our treasure hunters finally the Airscan is going to come to life. This is an autonomous helicopter, radio controlled helicopter, that’s going to be able to do the searching for you taking away the human error.

Adam:  That sounds like a great time [laugh].

Frank: We work hard here [laugh].

Adam:  So that treasure hunters don’t have to.

Frank: Well, we have different types of treasure hunters.  I still have a VLF metal detector.  I still enjoy walking down the beach.  There is nothing wrong with it and I like those detectors just as much as I like our equipment.  There are places for both.  If I am looking for larger items, I’m going to grab one of ours.  If I just want to go and find some coins along the beach, we are soon going to have one of those detectors too.  I still enjoy detecting when I get the opportunity cause it’s always nice to find the little things.

Adam:  Nice.  And on a personal level, what have been some of your favorite finds over the years?

Frank: Let’s see, I did a contract search in 2004 and we found about 45 gold bars in Sonora Mexico. I’d have to say that was probably the most impressive search. To watch it come out of the ground, it’s just amazing.  We don’t do contract searches anymore because of the safety factor, but that was probably the most impressive find that I’ve ever had.  I was in Iraq last year near Solominia and we found a mummified cat.  We have a page within our website and we have some stuff that’s pictured that is just unbelievable because of the history especially around the Balcones and the area between Europe and the Middle East where the Romans were.  This is just a wealth of information that’s coming out and it’s a great time in history to rediscover history.

Adam:  That’s great.  And we’ll be sure to reference that page as well in the video portion of this interview so that people can find that page on your website. 

Frank: Thank you.

Adam:  Frank, that’s pretty much all the questions I have for you today.  I want to thank you for stopping by.  If you have any final closing statements about OKM?

Frank: The one advancement that we’re really pushing forward here, is in the simplification of the process.  As we all know, men don’t read users manuals. So we have to make it almost, excuse the expression, idiot proof.  This is really where we are in the process of moving forward, is simplifying the techniques because they work, they have been proven. And now, let’s put it together so that everybody can understand it, regardless of what language you speak.

Adam:  Great.  I think that’s an awesome point.  Frank, thank you so much for your time. I greatly appreciate it. And we really look forward to seeing what comes out of OKM metal detectors over the next 5, 10, even 20 years.

Frank: You’re welcome and I look forward to speaking with you again. My email address, and this is for everybody out there, is fcasser@okm-gmbh.de. My skype is OKM_trainer.  When you see me online feel free to ask a question.

Metal Detecting Advice