DetectingWales.com

Hi all,

Does anyone know what's happened to the UKDFD it's been down for so long now, also is there a charge to join?
It's a little confusing  ???

Thanks

Has it gone FaceBook?  ::)

I was confused about this for a while also, even though I spent some time previously as one of their finds advisers  ::)

It doesn't help that some parts of the old website are still active.

The 'new' UKDFD is here:

https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/vaq.html (https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/v46/vaq.html)


This is a link to their page of Video Answered Questions, which summarise how to join and what you can do on the site.

The old site was struggling to raise funds to survive, so there are now charges. The minimum membership charge is £15 per year, which allows you to see all the records.

To record, you have to also purchase a recording package. There are 3 levels - Bronze (£5) which gives you 5 records, Silver (£15 for 20 records) and Gold (£30 for 60 records). The package expires each year, so if you don't use up your number in that year then you have to pay again. Records once added however will stay on UKDFD 'forever'.

I have the basic membership, and as ever the site is very useful for research and for finds identification. I don't currently have a recording package.

I guess many people will not want to pay, particularly as use of PAS is free to view and record, but it would appear that UKDFD would not have been able to keep going without fees.

Thanks Peter, I now understand!
I'm going to send a pm your way ;)

In the past it used to be a very informative resource.


Personally I dont see the point in paying for this site when it is free to record under p.a.s.


I do not quite understand why anyone would pay with the alternative as an option.  ::)

Back to you Dale

There remain some people who do not trust PAS and want to record their finds somewhere that is run by detectorists for detectorists.

Some detectorists do not have easy access to FLOs for recording or are not interested or able to self-record.

UKDFD is also a lot quicker, with submitted finds usually identified and provided with a full write-up within 24 hours.

UKDFD is also happy to record most post-medieval to modern artefacts, which FLOs tend to be not interested in.

UKDFD, however, on the whole records a better standard of finds in terms of condition and identifiability, so there are not thousands of poor condition Romans or partefacts that do clog up PAS in my opinion.

I agree though, that the pay wall is a problem. It's not really that much though when you consider what we pay for our equipment, on fuel to get to sites, on rally fees, etc.

It remains a great site for reference as I said, but at the moment I can't see me needing to purchase a recording package.

Reading your comments I fully agree with what you said, I find the UKDFD much better than the PAS and yes it's completely clogged up with grot! If they stopped wasting time with stuff like that it would make the system a lot better.

Thanks for your help Peter

is that £30 for 60 records per year ? thanks doc...

Yes, that's my understanding, but you have to use those in the year, otherwise they expire. It's also additional to the membership cost.

brill , thanks for that ........

am I reading that correctly  ???

You pay £25 to join then another £30 to register upto 60 records per year and that it expires.

Well if that is fact someones got a good money making head  :D and then there is the alternative free P.A.S site.  ;D