Spectra V3 / V3i / VX3 Forum

Hi, everyone,

It took me some time to get the guts to post this, because it's one admission after another of my own incompetence when it comes to working with my detector and trying to figure out an owner's manual that I think seems to have left out large portions of instructions for those of us who are not mechanically gifted. I feel like an idiot every time I try to make any changes.

Today, I decided I was going to try to put Magic's famous program (see elsewhere among the various postings) into my detector. I pasted it to Word, printed it out, and struggled through the entire process, which so far has taken me two hours.

The first challenge was to figure out how to get to the expert menu. Now, I've been there many times, but not recently, and I couldn't figure out how to find it. I didn't see how to find it in the owner's manual. All I found in the manual was various things you could do once you were there, but that didn't help. Suddenly, it just showed up, so I knew I could make the changes to put the "Magic" program onto my detector.

Then it was a real struggle to figure out how to get to the place where I could accept or reject the various VDI numbers, but I found that and made that adjustment. Next, I looked for about 20 minutes to find where I would need to go to set the tones for each VDI number. I found that, but I never could find out how to set the tones for blocks of numbers, so I went through every single number and set each one individually. Obviously that took forever, but I got it done. 190 different VDI numbers each got tones of their own.

Then came time to save the program. Again the manual does not adequately tell me how to do that. Do I save it to the library? That was my guess, but the name came up as Coin and Jewelry, so I changed the name to "Magic." Well, as you might guess, now my main program list does not have my trusted and true Coin and Jewelry program anymore; it only has "Magic." That would be OK, if Magic works as well as I'm hoping it will, but I got to thinking, what if it doesn't work? So I changed the name back to Coin and Jewelry. Now the Coin and Jewelry name has a plus/minus after it, so I don't know what that means, and I'm not sure I really have the real Coin and Jewelry program or not.

In the library, I can still find "Magic," which means I probably didn't entirely lose everything I had done so far. But I cannot figure out how to get the "Magic" program out of the library so I can try it out.

So bottom line, here are my questions:

1. Is there somewhere in the owner's manual that shows you how to get to the Expert menu so I can quit relying on luck? Where is it?
2. Is there somewhere that shows how to set tones for blocks of VDI numbers? Where/how?
3. How do I get my original C and J program back, without the plus/minus sign at the end of it?
4. How do I get "Magic" out of the library so I can try it out?

I know many of you by now have decided that I'm an idiot. I accept that. Now I have to ask you to at least acknowledge that I'm persistent and that I'm trying to rise above my current state of idiocy. Finally, I live near to Sweet Home, so if I've totally messed everything up, I guess I can go up there and have them reset things for me, but that still won't get the "Magic" program to where I can see how it works.

Thanks in advance for anyone patient enough to try to take this on!

Mike

Been there and still going through the hoops from time to time, but it gets easier the more I go through the menus.

Checkout Carl's Shortcuts towards the top of the V3i forum and you will see How to fast-set tones

That will make it easier to assign tones to multiple numbers without have to do it one at a time.

Reading the forum, the manual (for what it's worth), and asking questions when I've ben stumped is how I have made it around the menu on the V3i.

One thing I've learned and I'm still learning is, that I will not let this machine beat me.

DJH

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XP Deus, Stock Back Bones, Killer Bee Wasps, and Garret ProPointer

DJH--

Thanks for directing me to that information. I hope others can help with the other parts as well.

HH,

Mike

Expert Menu is MENU MENU.

Other answers on the way.

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Bells and whistles are nice, but nothing will substitute for the basic understanding of the hobby.

CTX 3030, V3i, M6 W/Bigfoot coil, Cibola/modified

(This message does not contain any text.)

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http://freewebs.com/neilinwestjersey

I can't give you page numbers because you never said if you have a V3 or V3i

1. Is there somewhere in the owner's manual that shows you how to get to the Expert menu so I can quit relying on luck? Where is it?
Page 29 of V3 manual


2. Is there somewhere that shows how to set tones for blocks of VDI numbers? Where/how?
You now have that information at the top of the forum.

Now for the last 2 questions you made a mistake or you would have a C/J with a +/-. I'm not sure you put Magic in the library either. So first lets get you back to the beginning. Go to expert menu and erase C/J +/-. After you get in the expert menu - erase - check C/J +/- and then hit erase.
Now get back the original C/J program. Again under programs - New/ Copy - check use library name - pick C/J- hit create. You now have your original C/j program.

Now repeat the process but pick Magic instead of C/J. If Magic is not a choice you didn't save it to the Library. The next time you want to make a new program from the C/J program make your changes, Give it a new name and save it , not to library. Then just get the original C/J like above.

3. How do I get my original C and J program back, without the plus/minus sign at the end of it?


4. How do I get "Magic" out of the library so I can try it out?

Answered above. Rob

With practice things will get better. I can start with nothing and end up with a final custom program in 10 minutes or less. Using the common program and renaming this is easily done in less then 5 minutes.

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"Everyone has an opinion, but mine is free"
"You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment..."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2010 03:19PM by rcasio44.

Expert menu is the way to go. Do away with the 6 block. It really simplifies steps to just have one option. Also set your live controls as such: Frequency, Sensitivity, Ground Tracking, Filters, Search Audio, and Disc. These 6 options will allow you to make any adjustment you'd want to any program except the stuff you wouldn't use too often such as colors, span and wrap limits, coil changes etc.. etc.. etc... For those you'd use the expert menu.

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Rule #1: It ain't over till your sitting on the couch!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2010 04:06PM by Bradley137.

You are right about the live controls,Bradley, I use them more than the expert menu and seldom use the 6 block. Rob

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"Everyone has an opinion, but mine is free"
"You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment..."

Thanks to everyone for the assistance. I went out today without my c and j program because I found that even though I got it back by name, it was still the "Magic" program as far as the settings went.

After about an hour of driving around looking for a place to hunt, I got permission to go onto the back yard of an older home near the University of Oregon campus. "Magic" worked great--finding some nice deep targets, including my first silver coin since mid September--a nice 1935 Washington Quarter! Needless to say, even if I can restore Coin and Jewelry, I will still keep using "Magic" and I hope more silver will show up.

Thanks again to all for your patience and good explanations. I will try to do the necessary re-sets and let you know about my progress.

Mike



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2010 07:13PM by OregonMike.

Now get back the original C/J program. Again under programs - New/ Copy - check use library name - pick C/J- hit create. You now have your original C/j program.

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"Everyone has an opinion, but mine is free"
"You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment..."

Congrats, but I got to ask... How deep?!

Thanks I will work on this Saturday as I watch my OREGON DUCKS try to hold onto their #1 status! (I am a UO Alum!)

You are all very helpful.


Thanks again to all of you. I'll let you know if I have any problems following the instructions you have all so graciously provided.

Mike

OH, sorry I forgot to say that. The silver quarter was 5-6 inches deep. No other silver coins or wheaties in the yard. The quarter is worn to the point that I'm guessing it was dropped in the late 1950's or early 1960's after 25 or so years of circulation. The reverse has the letters blending into the rim. The obverse is much better for some reason.

OK,

Thanks to Rob and Anne, I discovered I wasn't nearly as far "up the creek" as I originally thought...

All is well. The C and J program is fully restored, and "Magic" is right below it.

Since the "Magic" program resulted in a nice silver quarter first time out, you can believe I'll be using it a lot! I've got some summer places to return to after this current rainy period ends, and I'll give Magic a chance to see if it can find some treasures there.

Thanks again to all who responded to my questions and for the fact that no one (except me!) called me an idiot, at least in writing.

Mike

You can't be and idiot if you were smart enough to buy a V3i........ I'm glad you got your problems worked out.

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Bells and whistles are nice, but nothing will substitute for the basic understanding of the hobby.

CTX 3030, V3i, M6 W/Bigfoot coil, Cibola/modified