It turns out, getting transmutations is the relatively simple part. TESTing for such transmutations is where the high tech cost comes into play.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3968011/posts
I don't know that it's really that hard these days. There's EDAX, there's NAA, there's mass spectroscopy. Somewhat expensive equipment is involved, but nothing that a researcher who's affiliated with a university can't get access to.
But I certainly agree that getting the transmutations is no longer hard. That's the point of LENR!