Can somebody tell me for sure? Pin Point Question.

[flyin-lowe]

This was brought up on another forum and I thought I would see what you all have to say. I have heard both answers and people with both answers seem to be confident in their answers. When using the pin point mode on my F2 does the number displayed on the screen indicated the depth of the target or does the number get lower as the target is centered in the coil. When I first got my F2 I was told that the number displayed in pin point mode was the approximate target depth. The only reason I doubt this is that in my limited experience I have noticed that almost every target that I pin point will show a 1-2 on the display as I get close. No matter how deep the target is as I move the coil around I can usually get a 1 to display as well as the loudest fullest audible tone. I dug a silver coin last week that was almost the same depth as the the blade on my Lesche, however when I pin pointed it was bouncing at a #1. I also assume this takes into account the distance between the coil and the ground. If I am pin pointing and have my coil an inch off the ground then in theory if a 1 is displayed the target should be near the surface, when many targets I have dug have been 4 or more inches below the surface.
Just curious what you all think about this subject, any input is appreciated.
For the record I am not having any problems pin pointing my targets. I just slowly work my coil until I get the lowest number and the fullest tone, and at that pint I usually find the target near the center of my plug.

 

[REVIER]

I don't pay much attention to the depth displays on my F2, they have always been off so I just learned to deal with it.
I have found most of the time past 4 inches the pinpointing depth is usually pretty accurate...a dime at 7 inches was actually at 7 inches...but shallow targets are usually an inch or two deeper than what the display says.
I get most of my depth info from my Propointer, anyway, so it is not a big issue for me.

Of course a can or other large object deep will show shallow on the display every time.

That deep coin that displayed shallow for you, well, there might have been another object in the vicinity that affected your readings, but who knows.

 

[MarkCZ]

No! the F2 has a depth meter over to the right side. In pinpoint mode the numbers just read intensity (now you can somewhat judge the depth with them). The idea with the intensity numners is to cross sweep the target and watch the numbers as you pass over the target, the highest number that you can get is the most direct line of the coil over the target and that's "Pin-pointed"
I'm to much from the old school of pinpointing so I don't use the numbers for that, I just watch the coil and de-tune the detection field and keep shortening my sweeps until the audio signal and the coil is visually over the center of the target.

Mark

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

The better pin point you have the more accurate reading you will get.

 

[MarkCZ]

For the record I am not having any problems pin pointing my targets. I just slowly work my coil until I get the lowest number and the fullest tone, and at that pint I usually find the target near the center of my plug.

Lowest number and highest tone??
The highest tone Is for sure right, (strongest audio response)

The lowest number may be right??? Its been a while sense I've had my F2 out and when I do I already mentioned I don't use the numbers for pinpointing. Now, I do use the numbers on my Coinstrike because it doesn't have a depth meter and made a cheat sheet for intensity strength and depth. Anyway, the C$ numbers go up the more direct you are over the target. If I can later this evening I try to get my F2 out in my test garden and watch those numbers during pin-pointing.

Mark

 

[MarkCZ]

For the record I am not having any problems pin pointing my targets. I just slowly work my coil until I get the lowest number and the fullest tone, and at that pint I usually find the target near the center of my plug.

Lowest number and highest tone??
The highest tone Is for sure right, (strongest audio response)

Mark

Yep! lowest number, highest audio report is pinpoint!

Mark

 

[flyin-lowe]

I got an email back from Fisher today. They confirmed that the F2 is calibrated to show the distance from the coil of a coin sized target when in pin point mode. As Mark said above the F2 does have three bars that light up to display depth of a target when you are just swinging. Once you go into pin point mode the number is supposed to be the depth. As I mentioned above mine is not very accurate because probably 95% of the targets I pin point will display a 0-2 when I am over the target no matter what the depth. Either way once I get to the lowest number I know I am above the target.

 

[MrBranton33]

With my F2 , the pinpoint is much more accurate, depth wise, if you hold it an inch or two above the ground. If rubbing the coil on the ground it reads a bit shallow unless on a very deep target.

 

[MarkCZ]

The only reference to depth reading in the manual is "Depth Indicator" and using it in "Pinpoint Mode"

Now, I'm not saying I know this to be a fact, but I'm really doubting two depth meters on the F2, no detector I have ever owned or seen had or has two, even High End detectors.
And I'm not saying that the information you got from fisher is incorrect, but maybe they were confused about the question.

DEPTH INDICATOR: (in pinpoint mode)
The Depth Indicator is calibrated to coin-sized objects.
It indicates the depth of the target, in inches.
Large and irregularly-shaped objects will yield less reliable depth readings.
When passing over an object, the depth indicator will light up and stay illuminated while an object is in the field
of detection.
the depth indicates the distance, in inches from the center of the search coil to the target.

The quote above clearly is referring to the DEPTH INDICATOR (its in all caps in the manual)

Now what the numbers are doing (numeric readout) isn't mentioned in the pinpointing process, but I would be willing to bet a large order of McDonalds French Fries and a large water, that the numeric readout isn't reading depth in any measurement. It doesn't make sense to me that a company would put two depth meters on a detector but then only reference one in the owners manual? (I would think that would be a big deal seeing how its not done on any other detector that I've heard of)

Mark

 

[MrBranton33]

When you pinpoint, that is when you get a depth reading in the display where you normaly get a vdi number. When in normal search mode, not pinpointing, you do not get a depth reading when you sweep over a target, just a vdi #.

 

[flyin-lowe]

Mark I was very specific with my question to Fisher. I just checked again with my F2 and the 3 bars do not even show up when you are in pin pointing mode. The outline of the chart is on the screen even when they detector is turned off, it is part of the display. But when you check a target in pin point mode the bars that were present in the "chart" disappear and the machine only displays the numbers on the VDI. I am going to try to detect with my coil an inch or two above the ground and see if that changes.

Here is the email I sent, I think it is pretty clear what I am asking.

Comments:
I am new to the world of metal detecting and purchase a Fisher F2. So
far I love the machine and I have a question regarding the pin pointing
feature. While holding pin point button down there is a number
displayed on the display screen. I have been told that this number is
the depth of the target and I have also been told that as the number
gets lower the target is more in the center of the coil, regardless of
depth. I can say from experience I have pinpointed many targets and can
almost always get the number to a 1 on the display, even on targets 5- 6
inches deep.
Thank you
Scott

Here is their response.

Scott,
In pin point mode: the F2 detector is calibrated to provide
depth indication in inches on coin size targets. Shape of objects will
also affect the depth reading.

Julian Alba
Fisher Customer Service
1465-H Henry Brennan
El Paso, TX 79936
1-800-685-5050 Ext 152
(915)225-0333 Ext 152
Fax: 915-225-0336

 

[TerraDigger]

I have always found the highest audio tone to be the most accurate.....no matter the detector model or mfg. Especially on deeper targets.

 

[TerraDigger]

I have always found the highest audio tone while in pinpoint mode to be the most accurate.....no matter the detector model or mfg. Especially on deeper targets.

 

[MrBranton33]

The F2 has a three block depth meter on the face of the detector to give you an estimated depth before you pinpoint a target. When you go into pinpoint mode, the detector then reads depth in inches for more accurate pinpointing. Lowest number and highest sound = coin in the center of the coil.



Here is a review of the F2. You can see the depth bar and pinpoint function in this video.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E7tTKl_oPU[/video]

 

[flyin-lowe]

So now that the question itself has been answered, how many of you find the pinpoint depth indication to be accurate? Like I said early on probably 95% of the targets I have dug will show between 0-1 and the others show a 2, no matter how deep. I have had a few that I could only get to three but only a handful. I am not having a problem pinpointing with the F2 at all. I was just a little surprised that as nice as everything else with this machine is that the accuracy is way off on that feature.

 

[MrBranton33]

That is unusual. On my unit the depth reading in pinpoint mode is pretty close. Mine never reads 1 or 2 unless the target is right on the surface. I may get a 5 and the target will be a bit deeper when I dig. It makes me wonder if your machine needs a coil calibration or something of that nature. I switched to the 11 DD coil and it is very close on the pinpoint depth.