Analyze & SpectraGraph Experiences

[davidtn]

I'd love to hear about your experiences with the Analyze screen feature. How much are you utilizing it in deciding to dig or no dig? If you're using it, how accurate has it been for you? Also, are any of you using the Spectragraph feature as well?

Are many of you considering a smaller coil in order to help with a high trash area? If you've been using a smaller coil, is the analyze screen more accurate?

I appreciate any input you have and that you're willing to share.

 

[lytle78]

I am just taking "baby steps" so far with my V3, but I find the analyze screen real helpful to give info on the size of the target.

As far as a smaller coil, I got a 5.3 and lower rod for $115 shipped off the classifieds here in FM and am impressed with how much higher I can run the V3 sensitivity and discrimination than with the big coil.

Hope this is a start in answering your inquiry.

While the other responses come in, you might also want to take a look at the 27 posts I found when I searched this forum under "analyze screen"

Best regards

 

[davidtn]

Thanks Rick. I'll do a search and see what else I can find on the subject.

As the V3 is used more, it'd be interesting to see what the addition info can be accumulated on it.

 

[Larry (IL)]

I use all available data to some degree although I'll be the first to admit that I'm primarily a sound digger. If it sounds good no matter what else is shown on the Spectragraph and Analyze screen, I'll dig. It often takes far less time to coil pinpoint, dig and pinpoint again with the DX-1, recover the target and cover my hole than it takes many people to over analyze a target and then decide to not dig. I have seen it happen hundreds of times with the people that I hunt with. I have recovered too many iffy targets that were just amazing finds, segmented targets like bracelets and chains, Just out of VDI range targets, beautiful Seated coins next to iron and multiple coin drops. My best yet from last weekend with a four silver drop. A half, quarter and two dimes.

Yes, I look at the Analyze screen and it would be nice to tell a gold ring from a tab and a nice looking Spectragraph gives me an extra shot of adrenaline on a high VDI and a 5.3 coil sure comes in handy in an iron infested yard, but I still have a lot of learning to do yet. Don't get me wrong either, all of these aids have their places in the hobby. I can get down on the ground and back up again pretty darned quck. Some hunters are not so lucky.

 

[Uncle Willy]

You're like me Larry, from the old school. No matter how many detectors I have owned nor how many I have field tested I am primarily a sound digger. If it sounds right it gets dug. No detector display made is 100% accurate and to rely soley on one is foolish and costly finds wise. I use the "twitch", or wiggle as the Minelab boys call it to turn iffy signals and a jumping displays into good targets. Many hunters accept the display reading as the gospel and consequently leave good targets behind.

Bill

 

[nw1886]

If one was to go through a list of coin/keeper targets, that would have been left behind because of only relying on graphs and VDI's, for me it would be a long one. Every feature is just one added component to help make the final decision to dig or not to and not to do the thinking for you. Mostly...all the info IS accurate. We just don't know everything that is affecting it's conclusion.

Sounds like you are becoming "one" with your machine Larry. Those are some real nice finds in a short period of time. Very nice! (And... encouraging for the rest of us.)

 

[Monte]

where targets were few and far between. A very well hunted sports field that you can search in All Metal and still get few hits. Most coins (clad) are 4"-6" deep, and some 7" or 8" coins might be older or might not. In short, there was virtually no target masking issues and the Vision with stock 10" DD coil provided very good Spectragraph and Analyze display performance. None of the goofy odd displays we sometimes read about or can experience. You know, the 'flat' vertical or horizontal line. Just anticipated, clean, accurate performance almost every time.

In a back part of the park, where there is more trash, it wasn't that the Vision didn't work right, it's that the 10" DD, and 12" coil I was comparing with, just couldn't' get "clean" information due to the abundance of nearby targets, most trash. Bottle caps and such. Fortunately, I had a 6

 

[lytle78]

Monte,

Just to clarify - the 5.3 Eclipse is in fact a 6.5 inch concentric coil - is that right?

If so, any idea why they named it 5.3?

 

[Larry (IL)]

Those finds I was talking about goes back to the DFX days mostly although I have made some nice ones with the V too. Uncle Willy said it best about becomeing "one" with your machine.

 

[Monte]

Yes, that's correct. I prefer to call a coil what it is based upon the physical diameter of the coil, or very close to what it is.

If so, any idea why they named it 5.3?

For several years White's offered heir Blue Max 600 coil for their "Blue max' series of 6.59 kHz models. It is a white plastic housing coil, about 6

 

[tab-nabit]

My deciding factor is the audio. Then I'll sometimes look at the pinpoint and analyze screens, but the audio had already made my decision.
The analyze display is interesting are far as the 3 frequency color wave forms. In clean conditions, it does give a nice fairly pronounced hump pattern with the green on top for dimes, quarters, but there is usually a relation from the other displays. In the regular mode (trigger center) if the low frequency display fades last - in the pinpoint mode, if the green bar is the strongest - in the analyze mode, if the green line is on top.
With the trigger in center, I have seen a broken up scattered pattern of junk, then the analyze gets all weird.
I still have a long ways to go but I do find it interesting and fun. All the bells and whistles and I'll still focus my attention on the audio.

 

[davidtn]

Tab - You say you go by the tone. What mode do you usually hunt in? I went out for the first time today and used the "coin & jewelry" mode and there's only one tone so I don't know you can only go by tone since they all sound the same - whether it's a pop top or a quarter.

 

[shwebb]

You have to go into audio and turn on tone ID

 

[davidtn]

You have to go into audio and turn on tone ID

Thanks Shwebb. I'll give that a try. Today was my first time out with the new V3.

 

[digitrich]

I am never disappointed when an iffy turns out to be trash. I have always felt good digging up two flat nails and putting them in my pouch. I always feel like I am setting up the future potential of unmasking something later and I know I will never hear that iffy-aint again. Maybe a little more moisture, a little less interference, or a different coil from a different direction and bingo a nice find, next to, or under the now gone nails. Maybe those same hunters should over analize that sentence

 

[tab-nabit]

With tone ID, the pitch will vary up and down as the VDI goes up and down. I high pitch tone for high VDI. Mid pitch tone for mid range VDI and low pitch tone for low range VDI.
With that aside, using a single tone (no tone ID) getting the single tone clean and repeatable is reason for me to dig. If I sweep and continue sweeping at different angles, and get lots of good tone, dig. If it breaks up, nulls, not consistent most sweeps, then I'll pass unless I'm just in the mood and in no hurry and want to find out what it is. Then some machines are a single tone only so there are no other options. All my Tesoro's are single tone with the exception of the Cortes in the sum mode. So using the single tone can also have character, does the tone sound crisp, have a blip, crackle to it. Quality headphone helps me bring out the quality or lack of on that single tone. After awhile, that single tone can sound like a good target, or that sounds like a tab, or a screw cap, bottle cap. Nail tones one way and blips the other direction. Some of the Tesoro folks posted how it took them awhile before they started noticing some of the little differences they get even on a good clean consistent tone.
The V3 has tone and tone ID. If the tone ID is off, get a target that breaks up and not repeatable, then run the analyze display and see what it does. Then, in clean ground and a coin, check the single tone, then go to the analyze display.
With tone ID on, in clean ground, lay a quarter, dime, nickle and go over each. The quarter will have the highest tone with the highest VDI (I usually get 83,84) and the nickle (5c) will have the lowest. After awhile, the "that sounds like a nickle" can happen.
If you get into a bottle cap, the bottle cap rejection setting helps to break up the sound. They call it sputter I believe. The setting is from none "0" to 20. If you have to use bottle cap rejection, I would use the lowest setting as Whites recommends. If conditions are not favorable, then some good targets may not sound as clean.
Ah I'm rambling - try both the single tone and the tone ID turned on as suggested and give both a fair shake. Some prefer one over the other. Another option on the V3 is you can assign any available tone to any VDI. You can set it up as a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc tone machine buy assigning a specific range of VDI's to a tone. Like one tone for VDI 0 - 10, another for 11 - 20, another for 21 - 30 and on. It's just versatile for a variety of preferences. Makes it kind of fun too. All tired here - hope some made a little sense

 

[nw1886]

You can still have inconsistent sound and VDI's on good targets at depth (in as little as 4 inches.) I've been running across this in ground that has been heavily fertilized or up next to trees that's root systems move a lot of water. Older copper especially gets a "stretched out" halo that can sputter a bit and give bouncing VDI's but... the numbers are staying in two distinct groupings, mid teens and spiking into a copper penny's VDI's. Sine waves are staying tight and almost on top of one another.

Haven't been hunting in areas that have potential for deep deep stuff but going back to a spot that I know has lot's of it. Hopefully I'll get enough targets to see what and how the info skews at extreme depth. Not really into full hunt mode yet but the learning has been an eye opener! One thing...to not use Tone ID would be like leaving half of your machine at home. (For me at least.)

 

[davidtn]

You can still have inconsistent sound and VDI's on good targets at depth (in as little as 4 inches.) I've been running across this in ground that has been heavily fertilized or up next to trees that's root systems move a lot of water. Older copper especially gets a "stretched out" halo that can sputter a bit and give bouncing VDI's but... the numbers are staying in two distinct groupings, mid teens and spiking into a copper penny's VDI's. Sine waves are staying tight and almost on top of one another.

Haven't been hunting in areas that have potential for deep deep stuff but going back to a spot that I know has lot's of it. Hopefully I'll get enough targets to see what and how the info skews at extreme depth. Not really into full hunt mode yet but the learning has been an eye opener! One thing...to not use Tone ID would be like leaving half of your machine at home. (For me at least.)

Tell me more about using Tone ID. Do you find that helps you to identify targets better? Is it a case of the higher the VDI, the higher the tone?

Thanks.

 

[CROCK of COINS]

>>Is it a case of the higher the VDI, the higher the tone?<<

Yes! ! ! That is the normal setting.

It work so well..most times I can walk past zink coins and pick out copper cents and clad dimes & Quarters.

Silver will sound REAL good ;-)

Jerry

 

[tab-nabit]

You can assign a nickle VDI number(s) to squeal out a high pitch sound like a dime or quarter to catch ones attention. I don't do this myself but hunt with one who does because he wants the nickles to scream. FYI