BH/Tracker IV

[shooter]

My daughter-in-law just got a tracker IV so I'm trying to help her out, read the manual today but no where did it say anything about the # scale and what 1-10 means, Is the the depth reading? Any help out there.

 

[Ed Steinhoff]

first of all let me say that the IV is a great machine, it's what i started out with and i still enjoy using it. but sad to say the meter means nothing and in most cases is totally useless. Pay attention to the tones, that is where the information is. learn what those tones are telling you and you won't go wrong. example, if you swing over a target and you get a ping/honk (high low combo) it is almost always junk.
high tones are copper pennies, dimes and quarters. (takes some practise to tell the diff.) low squawks are nickles, gold, or foil/aluminum trash.
HH Ed in co.

 

[DigDug1]

i too started with the BH Tracker IV. It is a great beginners machine, especially for the money. Forget that the machine has the meter on it because it is totally useless. I agree that the tones are what you will need to listen to for effective use. It will take several hours of use before you start to gain an understanding of what the Tracker is trying to tell you. I used the BH in "tone" mode after I realized how effective it is. I turned the machine on as it rested on a table. (be sure that you do not have a ring on or any metal on you) and got a nickel under the coil. move the nickel around and adjust your discrimination knob until the nickel gives you a low tone. Go out and have fun now because you have it set up. Broken tones will generally indicate junk or iron. I suggest digging all targets until you get the hang of using tones. HH

 

[frankj3]

Shooter, I agree with Ed and Digdug. Forget the meter, learn the sounds.
I bought the Tracker IV, then the Legacy 3500.
I still have my Tracker IV and will not get rid of it.
I live near the coast and the Tracker IV works better in the salt water than the Legacy 3500.
The Legacy 3500 outshines the Tracker IV in the dry sand, but in wet sand, the Tracker IV excels.

Don't underestimate the potential of the Tracker IV.
There are obviously better units on the market, but price for price there is none better.

HH y'all.

Frank

 

[slingshot]

On my first Tracker, I was so annoyed with the "kicker" meter, I went inside and disconnected it! The idea is that the higher the meter "kicks", the shallower the depth on the coin. Here's a "notch" detector tip that should be included in the instruction manual, but has NEVER been added and was utilized years ago by Tracker users: With the discriminate dial in the lowest position and the mode "tone", rotate the knob higher until a NICKEL in the other hand gives a clear low tone or growl. Make sure there's no jewelry on the hand waving the nickel. You're automatically set! Nickels will give a low tone, the older tabs and most aluminum will give a broken tone, and coins and above a high tone. This is just for a "tool" in identifying targets. Rings will give a broken tone if they fall within the tab area, and certain modern sta-tabs will be in the nickel zone-but you have a notch system setup. Great setup.

 

[frankj3]

Shooter,

I owe you an apology for giving you wrong information. The Legacy 3500 will definitely work better in wet sand when properly set up than the Tracker IV.




Here is a quote from one of the people who worked on the design of the Legacy 3500.....


"The ground balance control on the 3500 covers the range of iron minerals but does not "go all the way to wet salt" which is a different animal.

For working in the wet stuff with a single-frequency machine the ground balance range of which does not go all the way to salt, the following advice is usually applicable.

1. Reduce sensitivity setting.

2. Set discrimination to knock out foil.

3. Use a small searchcoil.

Users are often reluctant to do those things because the first thing they're thinking is "won't I lose depth?" Wrong question: the right question is "can I search this site?" Same thing as driving a car: just because the tires and the speedo can both hit 100 mph on the flats with no cops watching, doesn't mean you shouldn't be using brakes and lower gears on a twisty mountain road.

BTW: salt air is murder on electronics. If you're using the thing on an ocean beach, as an absolute minimum Please! put a plastic bag over its head."


This is in no way intended to down play the Tracker IV. I still love mine and will not trade or sell it.

Again, my apologies for misleading you.

HH y'all.

Frank

 

[Gene]

That certainly is a good tip Slingshot ! Thanks for posting it !
Good hunting to you ! Gene