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Detector specifications
Best for
Highlighted icons show the targets, ground and experience level this detector is built for.
- Coin & Relic — shop all
- Gold — not suited to this detector
- Beach & Water — not suited to this detector
- Kids — shop all
- Beginner / Intermediate — shop all
- Advanced / Expert — not suited to this detector
The Fisher F11 is the entry model of the Fisher F-Series: a 7.69 kHz VLF metal detector with three search modes (Jewelry, Coin and Artifact) and target ID shown as icons and segments, here with an 11 inch DD elliptical waterproof coil in place of the stock 7 inch coil. The larger coil covers more ground with each sweep. The F11 runs 20 to 25 hours on one 9V battery, is made in the USA and carries a 2-year Fisher warranty.
| Configuration | |
|---|---|
| Detector | Fisher F11, 7.69 kHz VLF, made in the USA by First Texas |
| Coil | 11 inch DD elliptical searchcoil, waterproof |
| Power | 1 x 9V battery, 20 to 25 hours |
What is in the box with the Fisher F11 with 11 inch DD coil
Fisher's standard contents for the F11 with 11 inch DD coil
- Fisher F11 control box and adjustable S-rod shaft with padded grip and arm rest
- 11 inch DD elliptical waterproof searchcoil
- 9V battery
- Owner’s manual
Who the Fisher F11 with 11 inch DD coil is for
What we like about the F11 is its simplicity: useful target information without overwhelming a beginner, a good first step before more advanced equipment. We recommend it to beginners, families and occasional detectorists searching yards, parks and relatively mild ground; it is primarily a recreational coin and jewelry detector. Picture a parent buying a first detector for a teenager who wants to search the backyard and local parks for coins: the F11 lets the new hunter learn how target identification and discrimination work while concentrating on recognizing signals and recovering targets responsibly. The 11 inch DD coil covers more ground per sweep in open parks, sports fields and dry sand; for tight, trashy spots, the Fisher F11 with the stock 7 inch coil is easier to work between targets. New to detecting? Read our beginner detector guide before the first hunt.
Two other F-Series models fit some hunters better. The F22 adds a weatherproof control box, a 1 to 99 numeric target ID and a Custom mode. The F44 adds manual and automatic ground balance and an All Metal mode for mineralized ground. The comparison table further down lines them up.
Fisher F11 search modes and target ID
The three search modes are the main control on the F11. We suggest new hunters begin in a general-purpose mode such as Coin rather than leaning on aggressive discrimination. Jewelry mode suits swim areas and tot lots where rings turn up, and Artifact mode suits older home sites and fields where relics are the goal. Notch discrimination works by target category, so you can drop a category you keep digging as trash, such as pull tabs, instead of dialing a number.
The F11 has no numeric target ID. The icons, the segment display and the 4-tone audio (bass, low, medium and high) do the work: iron gives a low tone and the Fe icon, and higher tones point to higher-conductivity targets such as coins. Treat that reading as an estimate, not a positive identification. Sensitivity runs from 1 to 6 and volume from 0 to 6. Start sensitivity at a stable setting rather than at maximum, especially near power lines, fences or another detector.
Our starting settings for the Fisher F11
The F11 starts up at sensitivity 5 and volume 4. The table shows where we start on common sites, and we adjust from there. Jewelry mode turns off the Fe group, and Artifact mode shows every target group, iron included. If the F11 beeps erratically or with no metal under the coil, Fisher's manual says to reduce the sensitivity; overhead and buried power lines can both cause it.
| Site | Mode | Sensitivity | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parks and schoolyards | Coin | 4 (3 near power lines or chain-link fencing) | 4 |
| Tot lots, volleyball courts, dry sand | Jewelry | 5 | 5 |
| Old homesteads, light relic sites | Artifact | 3 (4 on clean ground) | 4 |
Pinpoint, depth and battery
A 6-segment coin depth bar shows how deep a coin-sized target sits, and the push-and-hold pinpoint narrows down the target and gives a depth readout before you dig. Pinpoint is active only while the button is held down, and it pays to practice pinpointing before you dig. Ground balance is preset at the factory, so there is nothing to set up for ordinary soil. One 9V alkaline battery runs the F11 for 20 to 25 hours; Fisher's manual gives rechargeable 9V batteries about 8 hours per charge.
Where the Fisher F11 works best and its limits
Parks, lawns, sports fields, old house sites and dry beach sand are the F11's ground. We would not recommend the F11 for someone who regularly searches highly mineralized ground or wants extensive adjustment options. Within Fisher's lineup, we would look at the F75 for serious relic and coin hunting, and a Fisher Gold Bug model for natural-gold prospecting. Wet salt sand and the surf line are outside what the F11 is set up for. For saltwater beaches, see our beach metal detectors.
The coil is waterproof, but the control housing and the coil cable plug must stay dry. Fisher's manual points to its optional rain cover (COV-F11) for wet weather. Fisher lists the F11 at 2.3 lb (1.04 kg) with its stock 7 inch coil; the 11 inch DD coil puts a little more weight at the end of the shaft, but the F11 is still one of the lightest full-size detectors we sell, which matters on long hunts and for kids' metal detectors.
The 11 inch DD coil and other F11 coils
In our experience a DD coil covers more ground per sweep on open fields, dry sand and light relic sites and copes better with mildly mineralized soil, while the stock 7 inch coil separates targets better in trashy parks. Fisher's F11 manual lists the 7 inch round elliptical replacement coil (7COIL-RE-F) and 9 inch and 11 inch triangulated concentric elliptical accessory coils (9COIL-EE and 11COIL-EE). We also sell the Fisher 11 inch DD elliptical waterproof coil on its own for the F11, F22 and F44, for owners who start with the 7 inch coil.
Fisher F11 compared with the rest of the F-Series
All five F-Series models share a waterproof stock coil, a 1/4 inch headphone jack and the 2-year warranty. The F11 is the simplest: three modes, category target ID and one 9V battery. For more first-detector options, see our beginner and intermediate metal detectors.
| Feature | Fisher F11 This detector |
Fisher F22 | Fisher F44 | Fisher F19 | Fisher F75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | 7.69 kHz VLF | 7.69 kHz VLF | 7.69 kHz VLF | 19 kHz VLF | 13 kHz VLF |
| Search modes | 3: Jewelry, Coin, Artifact | 4: Jewelry, Coin, Artifact, Custom | 5: Jewelry, Coin, Artifact, Custom, All Metal | 2: All Metal, Discrimination | Discrimination, Motion All-Metal, Static All-Metal (F75 LTD adds Boost and Cache) |
| Target ID | Visual icons and segments | 1 to 99 numeric | 1 to 99 numeric | 1 to 99 numeric, 40-point iron discrimination scale | 0 to 99 numeric |
| Iron audio | Iron reported with a low tone | FeTone | FeTone | FeTone | FeTone: Off, Low, Medium, High |
| Ground balance | Preset | Preset | Manual and Ground Grab | Manual and Ground Grab | FASTGRAB with manual override |
| Backlight | No | No | Yes, 0 to 5 levels | Yes, 0 to 5 levels | Yes |
| Stock coil | 7 inch elliptical, waterproof (11 inch DD on this detector) | 9 inch elliptical, waterproof | 11 inch elliptical concentric or 11 inch DD, waterproof | 10 inch elliptical DD or 11 inch DD, waterproof | 11 inch BiAxial DD, waterproof (F75 LTD adds a 5 inch coil) |
| Control box | Not waterproof | Weatherproof, not submersible | Weatherproof, not submersible | Not weatherproof, optional rain cover | Not weatherproof |
| Power | 1 x 9V, 20 to 25 hours | 2 x AA, 25 to 30 hours | 2 x AA, 25 to 30 hours | 1 x 9V, 15 to 20 hours | 4 x AA, about 40 hours |
| Weight | 2.3 lb (1.04 kg) | 2.3 lb (1.04 kg) | 2.3 lb (1.04 kg) | 2.75 lb (1.25 kg) | 3.5 lb (1.6 kg) |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
A common F11 mistake
Assuming every high tone or coin icon is a valuable coin. Aluminum and certain iron objects can produce misleading responses.
Our recommendation on the Fisher F11
Choose the F11 for a straightforward introduction to recreational metal detecting.
Fisher F11 specifications
| Specification | Fisher F11 |
|---|---|
| Technology | VLF, 7.69 kHz |
| Search modes | Jewelry, Coin, Artifact |
| Discrimination | Notch by target category |
| Target ID | Visual icons and segments, Fe icon and low tone for iron |
| Audio | 4 tones: bass, low, medium, high |
| Sensitivity | 1 to 6 |
| Volume | 0 to 6 |
| Ground balance | Preset at the factory |
| Pinpoint | Push and hold, with depth readout |
| Depth indicator | 6-segment coin depth bar |
| Searchcoil | 11 inch DD elliptical, waterproof |
| Control box | Not waterproof; optional Fisher rain cover |
| Headphone jack | 1/4 inch |
| Battery | 1 x 9V alkaline, 20 to 25 hours |
| Weight | 2.3 lb (1.04 kg) with the stock 7 inch coil |
| Warranty | 2 years |
Fisher covers the F11 with a 2-year warranty. Pinpointers for faster recovery are in our Fisher pinpointers.
Serious Detecting is a family-owned, authorized Fisher dealer with a showroom in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and our staff help by phone or email.
Customer Questions & Expert Answers
What is the Fisher F11's operating frequency?
Is the Fisher F11 waterproof?
What batteries does the Fisher F11 use?
What are the three modes on the Fisher F11?
How much does the Fisher F11 weigh?
Can I use different coils on the Fisher F11?
What is the warranty on the Fisher F11?
Is the Fisher F11 good for kids or beginners?
What targets is the Fisher F11 best for?
Where is the Fisher F11 made?
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