ATpro stock 8.5"x11" coil

[ND Digger]

Does anyone else have problems with the 8.5"x11" stock coil? I'm not impressed at all with the target iding. It seems I get real good iding deep signals and it ends up being a small piece of rusted metal. My land setting is Pro Coin with Iron disc at 25 and sensitivity 1 to 2 notches from the top. On the other hand the 5"x8" coil is great in the water and on land in trashy areas (same settings on land as large coil). It would be nice though to use the larger coil it open areas, so I can cover more area but I just don't have any confidence in it. Any suggestions?

 

[John-Edmonton]

The target ID on all metal detectors is a probability based on conductivity of a coin sized target. If you get a large target, or,as in your case a tiny one, the ID will be off. On the plus side, be thankful that your detector is in fact picking up those tiny signals. With a coil that size, you may also be getting multiple targets at one time, which will throw the ID and pinpointing off. Your coil is doing what it is supposed to do. We all dig lots of junk targets. We just don't show them.

 

[WIHawker]

And may I add that those small rusty targets sound different in pro mode. the tone will be short, sharp, or cut off and it will have some iron grunts. I run wide open on my discrim so that i can determine those small rusty objets. I still get fooled and dig them though its all part of the game and it gives me more conifidence to pass on same sounding targets. If your running depth and pinpoint depth are not the same its most likely junk too. Every deep coin that I have dug has had very very little or no iron grunts. The 5x8 is a great coil but the stock is deeper.

Good luck

 

[ND Digger]

Thanks for the info guys. I was impressed at the depth I was getting, just wondering if I could do something different to keep from digging that deep for nothing! Thanks again and happy hunting.

 

[mudpuppy]

Well, I have that coil, my only one...I run sens 3 clicks from top, and drop it from there depending on the location and structure...and I high fly it on a target, to sort of get the feel of the range...now, I dont hunt dirt, just the water and sand, it takes a guy (me anyway) quite a while and a lot of coil time/targets to be able to call a target and its depth half way accurately just from the tones, settings and signal strength and all...i get nickels coming in all over the board, but again, I'm hunting heavy trash spots, multiple signals under coil, in the water and digging anything other than iron....the thing bangs hard on silver and copper/gold and whatnot...dont know if another coil would make a difference with me for what I use this rig for...for a dirt hunter, a guy needs some accurate feedback for sure, or else dig it all, and who wants to do that for long? one thing, mastering the intricacies of settings and one specific coil is a skill that can take years..you keep digging deep trash, and sooner or later everything will just click and put you in the right zone where the good stuff is...
Mud

 

[upnorth]

I've only owned three detectors but I have seen similarities in all three. Every one of them gets hooped on iron now and then. Round objects like plated washers etc. can be tricky at times. The deeper the signal, unless perfectly smooth, can be tricky at times. I am the weakest link in the chain with every machine and it takes\took real time to learn every machine. The more I use the ATP, the more I appreciate it as a strong and really fun machine.

 

[fongu]

I dig lots of targets most people pass up, but they sound just like some of the jewelry targets I've found. I love the stock coil and hardly ever used the 5 X 8 coil and when I sent my At/Pro back for repair, they said send all your coils. My 5 X 8 was defective and that was why it wasn't working like it should have. My last 3 times at the river I've used the 5 X 8 and even tho it doesn't cover as much ground as the stock coil, it's found some great targets for me including my first gold of the year. They are both good coils, but you have to learn them individually because they are different in size and the pin pointing in the water by moving the coil back and forth in the wiggle was actually harder to do with the smaller coil, but I'm in the groove now and don't want to take it off. Working around the docks with the smaller coil is better, but I would prefer the larger coil in the open water, but I'm just too lazy to change it out. I seldom use the sniper coil, but plan on putting it to work, also. When I first got my At/Pro the stock coil could pick out a great find in the midst of 6-7 trash targets, but since I have basically a new unit since the repair, I'm having to relearn what it's saying. Dig those soft whispers and you will find good targets. Don't go by the DVI display as much by the tone. Once I got a good tone and it read 04 on the display and it was a dime and piece of junk iron about the same size in the same hole.

 

[justdon]

I just ordered an at pro and iam wondering if i should get the 5x8 coil also.

 

[jim tn]

If you are a coin/jewelry hunter and hunt some trashy spots, then the answer is YES! HH jim tn

 

[upnorth]

Once I got a good tone and it read 04 on the display and it was a dime and piece of junk iron about the same size in the same hole.

Interesting. I usually get 04 on clad dimes up here also. It flutters a bit but I see 04 predominantly. I like to go Pro Zero and no iron descrim for clad here. I get this distinctive fluttering..... higher tone, iron, higher tone, iron in a row as I pass over some clad. It is like an up then down medium quavering sound that is very easy to ID. I am assuming that the machine is, in turn, reading the outer coating then the steel core of a clad coin quite quickly in turn many times as I swing over the clad coin. I can basically almost always call clad dimes and quarters now. The dollar coins are dead easy. I find that nickles clad or pure are not always a sure ID target for myself. Or, I am less sure about them than other coins around here. Likely just my lack of skill.

 

[Fella]

I'd rather make twice as swings using the 5x8 to cover the same amount of ground than to use the 8.5x11 coil.