CL and bP in T2+?

[Tony N (Michigan)]

My T2 manual (it doesn't say T2+) says the detector has CL and bP.

In the manual it says:


[size=large]bP: Boost This selection is an enhanced sensitivity version of the 2+ # OF TONES selection. It is particularly useful when searching for deep targets in a non-trashy area, or on a site where vegetation makes it necessary to raise the searchcoil several inches above the surface of the ground. It will also produce excellent results on trashy sites provided that you slow down your sweep speed; sweep the coil slower than you would when using 2+. When bPis selected, the response characteristics of the All Metal Mode are also modified; these characteristics include less noise and a slower response speed.

CL: Cache Locating This selection is an enhanced sensitivity, slow-speed, version of the 2+ # OF TONES selection. Its primary use is in locating large deep objects while sweeping the searchcoil several inches above the surface of the ground; under these conditions it goes deeper than the other # OF TONES selections. [size=x-large]When CL is selected[/size], the response characteristics of the All Metal Mode are also modified; these characteristics include less noise and a slower response speed. In many situations, you may prefer to[/size]

It says "When CL is selected" but how do I select CL when I can't find it in my T2+?

 

[chuck ky]

If you scroll the tone settings BP and CL come up after 3. If you don't see them then your detector doesn't have those settings.

 

[Tony N (Michigan)]

Thanks chuck, ky.
I guess my T2+ doesn't have CL. It has dP and bP. I wonder what the "+" is for in T2+?

 

[jim tn]

The + I suspect is the b p mode. HH jim tn

 

[Monte]

Tony, the CL or Cache Location function was originally just a description in the earlier T2 Owner Manuals. Back where i9t described 'types' of hunting you could do it included Cache Hunting. It simply described that a Cache is generally a hidden object or container of objects, and quite often it was a larger-than-coin sized target and intentionally buried. It suggested using the Threshold-based All Metal mode or a motion Discriminate mode for better depth, and included comments like such Caches could be hidden in areas with taller grass, weeds or just more soil. Due to this the coil might have to be worked a little higher off the ground, or deal with a deeper-buried target and use less Discrimination, as much Sensitivity as possible, and sweep the coil a bit slower and more methodically instead of a faster-motion sweep speed.

After they added the Cache Hunting mode, or process, to some models they then described what that mode provided which is, essentially, similar to using the Boost Process [size=small]('bP')[/size] or search mode. It suggested that mode worked better because it provided a little better detection depth due to the possibility of having to work the search coil higher due to weeds, grasses and brush, plus it might be a larger-size target that was intentionally buried a little deeper than a smaller size coin might be. Also, the improved performance was the use of a slower-than-normal sweep speed to gain the best good-target response in higher, more challenging mineralized ground. Hummm, kind of sounds like the CL process and I have preferred using the bP mode for this type of hunting on ALL of my models that features a 'bP' option. It wasn't an included selection on the T2+ because, in my opinion, it wasn't really needed ... not with it now having Boost Process.

As for the + added to the new Teknetics T2[sup]+[/sup], that is to point out the two new features it has. One being the addition of the new selectable 'bP' or Boost Process to the Tone selections, and the other is because the T2+ now features the built-in or default DST feature. In the T2+ this is simply a default inclusion. The DST feature is always in operation. There is no provision to turn it Off or On, it is simply a full-time functioning feature to help deal with potential EMI at a site.

For the dollar invested in the T2+, it is quite a value considering all the features, modes and in-the-field performance it provides.

Monte

 

[Tony N (Michigan)]

Hi Monte,
Thanks for that well written response. I am new to Teknetics having purchased a T2+ last year so I don't really know the history you so well present below.

Do you know how much slower a sweep speed should be used in bP mode as, say opposed to the 2+ mode? Swinging the coil left to right and counting 1 thousand 1, 1 thousand 2 etc, about how many seconds should one take to go one swing left to right or right to left with their coil?

I took the detector to a place where I have found deeply buried coins in the past with my Detech Chaser 14kHz but was unable to find any. Maybe no more exist. I have yet to find a deeply buried coin with the T2+. It would be nice though to see what it hears and acts like in the wild rather than a coin garden.

I read this in the manual on D.S.T. and how to turn it off and back on. I cannot do this on my T2+. I guess it is for the T2 Enhanced? When I try it on mine the number 9.1 comes up on the screen and does not change.

D.S.T. (DIGITAL SHIELDING TECHNOLOGY) Traditional detector technology requires users to "work into the noise" at high gain settings to achieve maximum possible depth. The T2's latest technological advance, Digital Shielding Technology (DST®), permits the use of maximum sensitivity settings with minimum background noise. This noise reduction reduces user fatigue and enhances the detecting experience. The user may choose to operate with DST or without DST. The default setting, at power-on, employs DST To turn DST OFF, perform the following: 1. Turn detector off. 2. Press-and-hold the grey MENU button and push-forward-and-hold the TOGGLE SWITCH. 3. Turn the detector on, while you are still holding the controls. 4. Continue to hold the controls. 5. See the "90" displayed. 6. Rotate SETTINGS KNOB clockwise. 7. See "91" displayed. 8. Release the MENU button and TOGGLE SWITCH. Upon release of the controls, the detector will operate WITHOUT DST DST status is saved to memory after the user performs this procedure. Each time the detector is powered back on, it will continue in the programmed setting. The same procedure is used to turn DST back on, except that the SETTING KNOB is turned counterclockwise to change "91" to "90". DST can be turned on or off as desired, but each change requires the user to first power the detector off.

Tony, the CL or Cache Location function was originally just a description in the earlier T2 Owner Manuals. Back where i9t described 'types' of hunting you could do it included Cache Hunting. It simply described that a Cache is generally a hidden object or container of objects, and quite often it was a larger-than-coin sized target and intentionally buried. It suggested using the Threshold-based All Metal mode or a motion Discriminate mode for better depth, and included comments like such Caches could be hidden in areas with taller grass, weeds or just more soil. Due to this the coil might have to be worked a little higher off the ground, or deal with a deeper-buried target and use less Discrimination, as much Sensitivity as possible, and sweep the coil a bit slower and more methodically instead of a faster-motion sweep speed.

After they added the Cache Hunting mode, or process, to some models they then described what that mode provided which is, essentially, similar to using the Boost Process [size=small]('bP')[/size] or search mode. It suggested that mode worked better because it provided a little better detection depth due to the possibility of having to work the search coil higher due to weeds, grasses and brush, plus it might be a larger-size target that was intentionally buried a little deeper than a smaller size coin might be. Also, the improved performance was the use of a slower-than-normal sweep speed to gain the best good-target response in higher, more challenging mineralized ground. Hummm, kind of sounds like the CL process and I have preferred using the bP mode for this type of hunting on ALL of my models that features a 'bP' option. It wasn't an included selection on the T2+ because, in my opinion, it wasn't really needed ... not with it now having Boost Process.

As for the + added to the new Teknetics T2[sup]+[/sup], that is to point out the two new features it has. One being the addition of the new selectable 'bP' or Boost Process to the Tone selections, and the other is because the T2+ now features the built-in or default DST feature. In the T2+ this is simply a default inclusion. The DST feature is always in operation. There is no provision to turn it Off or On, it is simply a full-time functioning feature to help deal with potential EMI at a site.

For the dollar invested in the T2+, it is quite a value considering all the features, modes and in-the-field performance it provides.

Monte

 

[Monte]

Hi Monte,
Thanks for that well written response. I am new to Teknetics having purchased a T2+ last year so I don't really know the history you so well present below.

My pleasure regarding information.

I've owned and used a number of T2 series models as well as a few Fisher F75's. They are good detectors and I relied on a couple of T2's, an 'original' and a 'Classic', only using the 5" DD coil on them mainly to complement my White's MXT Pro, right up until January of 2015. In the next 6 months I trimmed a lot of detectors from my outfit, including both Coin Hunting and Relic Hunting models, and only held on to some new models I acquired, along with two of my all-time favorite Tesoro models.

About two years ago I bough t another T2 'Classic' and I still had a 5" DD on-hand as I wanted to see if they had done anything to improve the device and make it work better in some challenging conditions. After six months I finally decided to sell it as there had been no new updating. I had some down-time almost a year ago, August 23rd when I had surgery on my cervical spine and was unable to drive for 6 weeks and mobility was even more limited than it already was/is. So, knowing I'd have some down-time and couldn't get out detecting much I had a new detector, plus those in my personal detector outfit I wanted to bench test and take out in my yard test garden for comparisons to thin out some of the undesired units. About a month after surgery I decided to also buy a choice-condition former favorite Coin Hunting model as well as a new and a practically-new model for additional evaluation. Those three detectors included a Teknetics Omega 8000, Fisher F44, and a new version Teknetics T2[sup]+[/sup]. Once again, with some 'new' features, I was also hoping they would have done some enhancing of the T2 platform and improved the depth, response and recovery of Discriminated [size=small](rejected)[/size] targets, and see what they might have done with the T2.

All I can say is FTP definitely has one of the best physical configurations in the T2/F75 package. I can also say I was pleased that they added the bP process and the designed-in DST function.

Do you know how much slower a sweep speed should be used in bP mode as, say opposed to the 2+ mode? Swinging the coil left to right and counting 1 thousand 1, 1 thousand 2 etc, about how many seconds should one take to go one swing left to right or right to left with their coil?

To answer we are faced with 3 problems:

1.. It is difficult to describe the best sweep speed for using the Boost Process function because you and I might count off our seconds at a different rate. It's a mental thing, and that's coupled with the length of our side-to-side sweep. And that sweep length can also be effected by the search coil used and how long we extend the rod length.

2.. Sweep speed can also be dependent on the terrain, such as rough-textured, having tall weeds or grasses causing us to use a somewhat 'listed' search coil.

3.. We can't forget the type of ground mineral challenges we deal with. Low, moderate or high iron mineral content? Loose, fine dirt or a more packed and compressed soil? Fine sand/dirt or a tougher challenge, such as pea gravel, small rocks up to ±1" in diameter, or possibly a very dense, rock-based environment?

A lot of "How we hunt" is determined by "How long we have been detecting" or really "The techniques wee learned or were taught." A lot of the search methods and techniques we have been using might not have been the most efficient techniques, and that means we can have a misconception of how we try to describe an amount to slow the sweep or speed up the sweep method. A hands-on, one-on-one demonstration is always going to be the best way to communicate many detecting skills compared to simply using a verbal description.

One example would be the people who learned one way to sweep a search coil with one particular detector make and model, then they use that very same technique in a wide range of site environments, with every make and model detector they ever search with. Not all detectors are designed to operate the same way. Some can be more forgiving while others require a more controlled or deliberate search coil presentation.

Some people learn some bad habits early on and extend the rod to a long length to try and cover very wide swaths of ground, thinking they will have more and better coverage per sweep and hopefully find more. good targets. Problems? Yes, quite often. A long-extended rod can cause imbalance and make a detector more nose-heavy. This is true with a larger size search coil, especially if it is heavier or has a poorly-positioned rod-mount location atop the coil. Best if closer to center, and more imbalanced or awkward if located closer to the rear of the coil.

This technique also causes people [size=small](most I have observed over decades)[/size] to not just use a longer coil reach, but therefore sweep too quickly for many detectors to work properly. It leads to poor coil control that often has a coil up-sweep or pendulum-ark at the sides of the sweep. Additionally, the faster arm movement also causes faster foot movement, and that leads to very poor coil presentation for effective overlapping, thus a LOT of missed terrain on each side-to-side sweep. The result, naturally, is a lot of missed ground as the individual progresses forward too briskly with sweeps that prevent the search coil from covering all the territory.

It can be worse, too, if the particular detector and coil combination can not handle some problem trash well, such as a dense iron nail contaminated site. Not all detectors work as well as they might appear. For example, too often people lay claim to great performance in a trashy environment because a particular detector and coil can display a very quick response-and-recovery in a test of closely-spaced targets. That's fine because it shows just that, quick-response -and-recovery. However, if they lay a series of sample targets in a row and as close as possible to display such performance, such as six or seven coins the size of a penny or nickel, that is all they have learned. I have such a test strip I use for comparisons and demonstrations.

I have seven (7) Trade-Tokens, brass type, that are all round-shaped and almost exactly the diameter of a US Nickel coin. They are stuck on a 12" wooden paint stick with no metal involved [size=small](other than the tokens, of course)[/size] and positioned with the 1st token half-way onto the stick so the edge of the wooden stick is in-line with the center of the token. The next five tokens are positioned so their center is exactly at 2", 4", 6", 8" and 10" with the final 7th token half-way off the other end of the wooden stick. Nickel-size brass tokens equally positioned with their centers 2" apart so that the center of 7 tokens all fit on a 12" wooden stick.

I have used quite a few detectors, all of mine and quite a few others that friends own, with an assortment of search coils, usually the smallest available for each detector, just to compare how quickly they can respond, recover, and quickly respond to the next good target, and it has been an interesting 'test' or 'evaluation.' Now, at this point, you might wonder just how well the Teknetics T2, be it an 'Original', a 'Classic' or the new '+' version, can be swept back-and-forth along this series of coins and still provide 7 distinctive hits? The answer is rather easy: The T2's can be swept faster than any other detector I have tried, except possibly one model or two that just about match it, at an alarming rate to respond-and-recover. Quite impressive!

But, change the test scenario so that it involves only 1 Penny and 4 Iron Nails that are surrounding the coin [size=small](and here I am referring to my Nail Board Performance Test)[/size] and the results are quite different. All targets are in the very same orientation on the Nail Board for every comparison and it can surprise a lot of folks on how their detector / coil combinations can ... Or CAN'T ... respond-and-recover when you're including rejected trash targets. Matter of fact, just dealing with the trash targets that are not Discriminated, aka rejected, but have to be processed and then allow the detector to recover and respond to a desired target in the mix of unwanted trash [size=small](especially nails or other ferrous debris)[/size] can be a problem for a lot of circuitry designs to handle.

That's one of the reasons I own and use an assortment of detectors because some are assigned to my get-serious Relic Hunting team because they handle masking iron debris better, while some are simply fun-to-use, function well for urban Coin Hunting needs, and get the job done just fine when there's minimal associated trash.

Sorry. All this rambling just to say bP sweep speed can vary, but it will be a little slower than the too-brisk sweep many use. If you look at a ticking second-hand on the computer clock, which I did, it takes about 2 ticks, or 2 seconds, for me to sweep the search coil of most models using a 'Boost' mode to cover my average side-to-side sweep, and that's about 3' to 4' in an open area. I hunt more trashy sites and on the average I use a coil sweep of about 20" to 24" from side-to-side for more effective site coverage and to try and locate those partially-masked keepers.

I took the detector to a place where I have found deeply buried coins in the past with my Detech Chaser 14kHz but was unable to find any. Maybe no more exist. I have yet to find a deeply buried coin with the T2+. It would be nice though to see what it hears and acts like in the wild rather than a coin garden.

True. I only use a "coin garden" on periodic occasions to do some quick side-by-side comparisons. I still prefer side-by-side work afield, and I much prefer to search locations to locate the naturally-lost targets and compare.

It could be you have already cleaned out most of the desirable targets and that's why you didn't find anything. We just have to put the coil over a detectable target so maybe it just wasn't the day? Another thing to remember is that most targets are not deeply buried. Not a lot of reason for many human-lost targets to be 'deep,' anyway. Besides, if a site is littered, there could be too many shallower-located targets that mask any deeper targets so you would not be able to achieve 'depth' anyway. Keep in mind, there are things I have liked about the T2 'series' of detectors, but I have never considered any of them to be a 'deep' detector for my uses. They are a good detector for man applications, but they have never really been a deep-seeking model for me.

Matter of fact, I ran some side-by-side comparisons with a friend of mine recently as he was using his detector [size=small](and I don't have any of that brand in my personal outfit)[/size] and he asked how most of the detectors I have and use in my Regular-Use Detector Team would compare to his ... and why I have chosen the detectors I favor. I used some planted coins as well as set up about three or four comparison scenarios. One thing he noticed, as I had already described what to expect before we did the tests, was that of all my personal detectors, as well as some I had that I am/was selling and used in these test cases, the T2[sup]+[/sup] was not the deepest responding model.

We compared the audio responses, and also the visual and audio tone Target ID responses, and my Nokta CoRe and Relic, XP ORX, White's XLT, Fisher F44, Tesoro Bandido II µMAX and Silver Sabre µMAX and some I planned to thin out, like the Teknetics Omega 8000, T2[sup]+[/sup], White's MX-7. The T2[sup]+[/sup] would not hit on the deepest coins as well as the other models, and the visual TID could't 'lock-on' as well or as deep as the others. All models, by the way, were operated at the highest allowable Sensitivity and at their minimum Discriminate level.

I read this in the manual on D.S.T. and how to turn it off and back on. I cannot do this on my T2+. I guess it is for the T2 Enhanced? When I try it on mine the number 9.1 comes up on the screen and does not change.

I believe you must not have the T2[sup]+[/sup] Owner Manual. It states the model correctly on the cover, and it doesn't talk about D.S.T. as it was simply On and functional as a default setting at turn-on w/o operator control.

I am generally awake late, such as midnight or later, and I'm up early, if not very often during the night. If you have any questions, you're welcome to give me a phone call anytime you'd like. I live in Vale Oregon which is on Mountain Time Zone. You're only an hour ahead of me, so make it at your convenience. You can also shoot me an e-mail to monte@stinkwaterwells.com or monte@ahrps.org and I'll get back to you as quickly as I can.

Monte

[size=small]PS: Regarding the T2 series -- As I mentioned, you likely have an incorrect Owner Manual for your T2, if it is the T2[sup]+[/sup]. A quick look at the TekneticsDirect.com website, as I have noticed for a while now, shows ONLY the T2 'Classic' and T2 Ltd. versions. There is no T2[sup]+[/sup] or T2 Enhanced version displayed, and no T2 models with the free Tek-Point pinpointer or other bonus accessory shown, and hasn't been for a while.

Under MANUALS there is no T2[sup]+[/sup] Owner Manual shown to click on, either.

Kind of makes me wonder when they will finally discontinue ALL versions of the T2's and bring out a new and advanced model? When they do I just hope they use the same physical package as the T2 because the rod-design is a terrific concept.[/size]