Compadre & Silver sensitivity?

[tab-nabit]

Pulled the Compadre & Silver out for a short session in a small area near home. Started with the Compadre and it was real chattery. Thought maybe some interference as I don't recall it being so chattery, but it's been about 7 months since I used it.
So then I tried the Silver to see how it would do, same spot. I noticed it was much more quiet (all metal), but then became chattery when I worked the sens past 10 into the red zone, nearly like how the Compadre acted.
I ran the Compadre from all metal up as far as to tabs and it may have helped a little, it's still seemed unstable, maybe it's just me.
Used the same fresh battery, both had 5.75 coil, coil connection snugged, and coil cable snugly wound onto the shaft, no dirt between coil bottom and coil covers. No nearby power lines or buildings.
It's been awhile, but now that I busted the Compadre & Silver out of the spare room for a run, I'm wondering what others say about the Compadre chatter compared to the Silver.
Could something gone askew with my Compadre? I just don't recall it being as chattery.
Both did pull a few zincs, a couple nickles, couple dimes and a quarter, no silver or wheat's, and as always, tabs etc.


Thanks

 

[tab-nabit]

Just hit me (after posting) that maybe some interference affecting the Compadre, less so to none on the Silver... maybe.
Will have to run em again in a couple days and in a different area.
Will wait and see, but still wonder others with both, how they see it.
Thanks again

 

[dan b]

I noticed that the Garrett pinpointer makes the Compadre chatter a lot, especially when the disc is low on the Compadre. You don't happen to be using that pinpointer by any chance?

Dan

 

[BarberBill]

I notice the pro pointer causing chatter on several of my Tesoros if the pointer and the coil are a little too close.
BB

 

[REVIER]

My Compadre is usually as quiet as a mouse except at one site where it would not shut up until I turned up the disc...a lot.
The cause was EM interference.

Overall the Compadre is less affected by EMI than my Vaq.

 

[lrsjr]

If both detectors are on at the same time and close together they will "talk" to each other. See if it helps if one is turned off.

 

[tab-nabit]

Matter of fact I do use the Garrett ProPointer.
So I just took the Compadre alone out in the backyard and when I turned it on, it just kept chatting, even when I held the coil up from the ground. Couldn't find a spot on the ground where it would run quiet, so I think something is wrong with it.
I have plenty of other detectors to keep me busy for the cool weather season giving me time to figure what I'm going to do with it. I seen past post of the circuit board showing the pots for the sens and GB, but wanted to rule out everything else before going in and tinkering with it, hoping it was something simple that I might have missed.
If worse comes to worse, I'll either send it in later or buy another. I'm kind of fond using the 5.75 coil which kept me so far from buying a newer Compadre with the bigger coil. Besides I have other Tesoro's & detectors with multiple coils.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[ken ward]

WI-FI will cause chatter. I never had any trouble in my yard until one afternoon it was driving me nuts. Went in the house to change batteries. Sitting at my desk and seen my computer was on. I run my lap top off of a hot spot. I wanted to try something. I turned everything off, went back out and ,,, NO chatter. My hot spot for my WI-FI did it. ... KEN

 

[BarberBill]

I've had some frustrating and interesting chatter with batteries that were not quite totally dead - so be sure to check that as it's such an easy fix.
BB

 

[hatpin]

I've had some frustrating and interesting chatter with batteries that were not quite totally dead - so be sure to check that as it's such an easy fix.
BB

When my Vaq starts to chatter its time to change batteries.

 

[Scanman]

WI-FI will cause chatter. I never had any trouble in my yard until one afternoon it was driving me nuts. Went in the house to change batteries. Sitting at my desk and seen my computer was on. I run my lap top off of a hot spot. I wanted to try something. I turned everything off, went back out and ,,, NO chatter. My hot spot for my WI-FI did it. ... KEN

Ken did you happen to confirm by turning the WiFi back on? I had a one time chattering issue with my Golden. I posted my issue on another board, and received many responses suggesting everything from EMI, WiFi, and Cell phone interference. I went back to the same site and tried to duplicate the issue and hunt it down. I could not duplicate the chattering issue, I did find the area where the chattering started and there was a large target approximately 3' x 3'? I still can not say with certainty what caused the chattering, but I came to the conclusion that like other electronic devices, sometimes a power cycle will remove the gremlins.

 

[tab-nabit]

I installed another/different battery today and tried the Compadre in another location. It was chattering real bad. So when I went to turn it off, got hissing & and crackling sound through the headphones for about 5 seconds after I turned it off... What!
So I turned it on, then back off and again hissing and crackling, and while it was doing that I went to turn it back on but as soon as my thumb/finger touched the knob, I got a real loud pop (into the headphones), then silence.
So this afternoon I opened it up. Sprayed the pot (on/off/disc) with a good shot of Deoxit and exercised the pot about a hundred time (with battery removed). Then cleared out the pot with compressed air.
All is well.... so far. It acts like it used to now. Maybe the pot got dirty inside or oxidized, no matter, the Deoxit and air out seem to fix it.
Another thing, now the pots turns smooth and easy. Guess I didn't clue in on how much harder it was turning the pot.
Deoxit seem to do the trick.. great stuff.
Thanks again for all the replies - I'm back in business Compadre wise.

 

[reddirtfisher]

My hunting buddy and I both own the older 7 inch coil Compadres and they both chatter a LOT. He opened his and adjusted the sensitivity pot down a little , but that caused about an inch loss in depth. He ended up setting it back to the factory settings. I would not suggest any of you guys trying that because technically,...it voids the warranty and might really mess something else up. This is just the way the Compadres were built. Mine still hunts great and I can still tell what targets are good signals,...even among the noise. There are a lot of factors involved including that cell phone in your pocket !!!

 

[Scanman]

I have tried and I can not get any type of interference RFI, EMI nothing?

 

[tab-nabit]

The pot I used the Deoxit on is the exterior on/off-discrimination knob.... not any of the pots on the main board. And the pot has openings to spray clean the pot. Should have nothing to do with the warranty I'd think. It was just cleaning... no mod/adjustments etc.
I've used Deoxit for years mainly to clean the pots on my vintage audio/stereo gear and custom built tube amps, cable connections. I've used it on radio's too. In the case of the Compadre, having open access into the pot I don't have to remove the pot and take it apart.
BTW... I noticed the main board is a Version 4.1 - don't know what the latest version is nowadays.
I'm just glad a simple pot cleaning did the trick. No bad looking solder works or anything else I could think of.