A little frustrated today

[tree9148]

I went out hunting today and did fine at a couple of different parks, but the last park we went to threw me off a bit. It was pretty trashy and I couldn't seem to get a good ground balance. I kept getting way too many false readings and, when I switched to analyze mode, I couldn't get a solid read or sometimes no read at all. I tried dropping the sensitivity and a couple of other things, but mainly I came back home and read the manual a little further. Could this have been a sign of ground mineralization? I usually don't have to worry too much about that. I did notice I got the "tracking" sign at the bottom of the screen. I'm wondering if locking in the the tracking would have helped. I'm working on it.

 

[cx3]

Heavy mineralization will make it unstable, you also mentioned the park being trashy. When I hunt in a trashy area I lock the tracking and periodically do a manual ground balance in a clean area, you do this in the normal way you ground balance the detector. By locking the tracking the detector is not constantly trying to ground balance and not being able to do so due to track inhibit preventing autotracking due to the trash, I have found that by locking the track will cut down on the false signals. HH


Jerry Murphy

 

[Monte]

the last park we went to threw me off a bit. It was pretty trashy and I couldn't seem to get a good ground balance.

Trahsy sites call for two things, or actually three.

1.. Using a smaller-than-stock coil.

2.. Establishing a 'functional" Ground Balance and hen 'locking' that setting.

3.. Sweeping the coils slower and more methodically, to work in and around the problem trash.

Oh, let's add a 4th thing.. Recovering more "questionable" or "iffy" target signals caused by close target masking.

I kept getting way too many false readings and, when I switched to analyze mode, I couldn't get a solid read or sometimes no read at all. I tried dropping the sensitivity and a couple of other things, but mainly I came back home and read the manual a little further.

While it can sometimes help to reduce the Sensitivity/Gain in trashy sites, it certainly doesn't hurt to re-read the Owner's Manual or some related Forum Posts to help get a better understanding of the detector you're using.

Could this have been a sign of ground mineralization?

Yes, quite possibly, but if you're not using a smaller-than-stock coil you're going to have other issues to deal with.

I did notice I got the "tracking" sign at the bottom of the screen. I'm wondering if locking in the the tracking would have helped.

Most of the time when I am hunting with a V2, XLT, XLT, XL Pro or M6, the Auto-Trac circuitry is 'Locked' once I have established a good working GB.

Keep working with the V3 and reading related topics that you're interested in learning.

What do I mean by "get it?" I am referring to mastering a detector so that you are comfortable with your knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses, you know what it can and can't do for you for the application at hand, and you know how to select the proper coil for the site and conditions, and you have a selection of coils that work for you.

Monte

 

[tree9148]

Locking the GB setting was the one thing I read in the manual that I obviously didn't try. I intend on making that park a pet project of mine for a while. I got used to my ES by trial and error and no internet whatsoever, so the help here is definitely appreciated. The V3 will take a little time as well, but I am becoming more comfortable with it. This was just the first place I've been where I couldn't adjust to the conditions and it made me stop and rethink it a little. I will say this much, though. I was at an old veteran's hospital today and got a very nice, sharp ping that read in the pull-tab/jewelry range. The target was deep, but the V3 was giving me very consistent readings on the sweep and the analyze mode told me it was trash. I dug the target anyway knowing I was probably digging junk, but you have to be able to mentally associate what number and graph reading goes with what target. I dug an early 70's-type soda can pull tab at 7" and the V3 pinpointed it right on the money. I know it was junk, but for a machine to be able to pinpoint a target that precisely, that deep and to give me an accurate size and VDI reading was just amazing. This thing has a lot of potential and I'm already running down my list of "worked out" sites in my head.

Monte brought up a good point that I'm ready to tackle next. I'm using my White's promo coupon to get a 12" coil as I will see the biggest savings there. I also intend on getting a smaller coil, but am not sure whether to go with the 5.3 or the 4x6 DD coil. I prefer a DD coil as that's what I'm used to searching with, but I'm always open to advice and opinion. Any suggestions?

 

[tree9148]

Went back out to that same park today to try a couple of things. Locking the tracking in seemed to do the trick as far as settling down the V3. I found a couple of clad coins and was able to distinguish them on the graph as well as get accurate VDI #'s and pinpoint. Thanks for the help!

 

[jbow]

I am more used to DD coils too and the 4x6 is a good one.

I agree with Monte... slow down and dig iffy signals. The D2 will work for you, it has good seperation if you go slow enough and set the filter right for your swing speed and the site. I tend to swing slower so I lower the filter and it works well for me. You might try clearing out a 10x10 area at that park and as you get to some 6 or 8 inch signals... experiment with the filter settings.

At a trashy old park you will probably find good targets that are not that deep because most people only dig good solid signals and don't hunt trashy spots... sound's like a good place to make some great finds!


J