ground balancing question

[rseasy1]

I have a question about using the auto ground balance feature on my 705 with the 10.5" 7.5KHZ DD coil.
Sometimes when ground balancing I hit the button to start the balancing and when bobbing the coil up and down I'm getting a choppy and broken sounds.
when it does this the numbers usually come in around 20 or lower. And other time it give a smooth high and low sounds like I think it should
and the numbers come in above the 20's.The stock 9" concentric coil also did this and it varies from site to site.
Is this normal and nothing to worry about or is it a setting that is causing this I always start with the sensitivy setting and just work my way around the scale to make all the settings.
Is there a certain pattern that should be followed when setting up to hunt?
I also use the AM mode to make sure there is nothing under the coil.
I always try to hunt in the A.M. mode with the 99 tones to train myself to hear everything passing under the coil.
Still learning as I go but it is all starting to click now thanks for all the help and advice.

 

[Old Longhair]

My own personal startup procedure, is to first find a clean spot of ground, then Auto Noise cancel, then Auto GB and turn Tracking on. Sensitivity is adjusted to just below the point of instability, wherever that may be for the site. I hunt in AM Multi whenever possible, and run minimal DISC when not. I also run with the Target Stabilization turned ON at most sites.

I never get a broken tone when Ground Balancing. Some variation in pitch at tough sites, but nothing ragged, choppy, or broken sounding.

 

[Digger]

Since you are hunting in All Metal, the easiest way to GB the 705 is to set it to Tracking, make a few sweeps, then turn off Tracking when the coil is not over a target. It will set the GB based on the exact spot the coil was when you turned off Tracking. I go through my procedure for "setting up for a hunt", as well as each type of GB in my ebook "Understanding your X-TERRA'. If you've not looked it over, I'd encourage you to do so. There is a link near the top of this forum that will take you to Minelab's website, for access to the FREE book.

One comment on training yourself with 99 tones......there are 28 notch segments, each represented by a separate tone. If you start out thinking there are 99 tones, trying to listen for and separate 99 them will drive you nuts! 28? Not so nuts! HH Randy

 

[Joe Z]

Since you are hunting in All Metal, the easiest way to GB the 705 is to set it to Tracking, make a few sweeps, then turn off Tracking when the coil is not over a target. It will set the GB based on the exact spot the coil was when you turned off Tracking. I go through my procedure for "setting up for a hunt",

Randy... When you turn off tracking after what you say to do above is ground balance automatically set then or do you still have to go thru the motions and bob the coil up and down with the auto GB function?......then turn auto tracking back on?
Your saying to do that in AM but would you do that in the discrimination modes of 1,2,3 and4 too?
This is a great machine and really liking it and hope you don't mind me picking your brain a bit as you know this machine inside out
Thanks for any help
Joe

 

[Digger]

When you turn off tracking after what you say to do above is ground balance automatically set then or do you still have to go thru the motions and bob the coil up and down with the auto GB function?......then turn auto tracking back on?

Think of Ground Balance as the detector's ability to discriminate out (reject) the effects of mineralization. Then view Tracking as "ground balance on the fly". In other words, Tracking allows the X-TERRA to continually maintain the proper ground phase setting, electronically. When you move across a patch of ground, the X-TERRA updates the ground phase setting to automatically (and continually) compensate for the mineralization at any one exact moment. When you turn off the Tracking function, the ground phase remains set where it was when the Tracking was turned off. With this method, the ground phase is set as accurately as when using Auto GB, more accurate than manually adjusting the ground phase, and requires no bobbing of the coil. If you want to "update" the ground phase during your hunt, simply reimplement Tracking, take a few sweeps, and turn Tracking off again to run with a set GB. Again, make sure you are not over a target when you turn it off. If your mineralization varies greatly, you might want to leave Tracking on instead of "locking" in a ground phase. Just be aware that Xing over a target with Tracking turned on could result in the X-TERRA thinking that target was part of the ground matrix, and reject the target.

Your saying to do that in AM but would you do that in the discrimination modes of 1,2,3 and4 too?

Any of the modes will work. The reason I prefer to use Zero Discrimination (or All Metal) is simply to make sure there isn't a target under the coil when you set a ground phase. If you were using some discrimination, you might have the coil over a rejected target and not know it at the time. Setting the ground balance with a target under the coil will not provide an accurate ground phase setting because it would be considering the target as part of the soil matrix.

HH Randy

 

[Joe Z]

Randy,
I fully understand what you are saying and it makes a lot of sense because when i run with auto tracking on and i hit a target i quickly shut it off so it doesn't think it's part of the ground matrix..... I like your idea and will definitely put it to good use.
thanks for the tip of the day.
Joe

 

[rseasy1]

Thanks for info Randy and Old Longhair,
I have read the book Understanding your X-Terra several times and everything else I find on this forum about the X-Terra series articles in FAQ. section are very helpful also.
And about the ground balance question after reading about setting up using the tracking feature I guess it would be fair to say that if there is a park that is excessively trashy one should
find a clean spot then use auto balance then Not run in track mode as it would throw the GB off. ? Using the 10.5 7.5KHZ coil or any coil.
I'm sure getting pounded with questions like this all the time can become quite annoying at times but all the good info here is just to good to pass up.
I'm almost getting good enough with the 705 now I just got to learn how to separate good targets from the bad in very trashy areas.Smaller coil is next on the accessory list.
Keep up the good work.

 

[Old Longhair]

Whether or not to use Tracking depends on the soil makup. If it's possible to do so, run with the Tracking off.
Here at my house, out back it's a peat bog and GB numbers are high (which would excite me if it weren't a bog), but in my front yard there is a 20+ point difference. Many sites around here can have a 10-15 point change in 20ft, making the Tracking feature nearly a must. Slopes, whether a hill or gully, typically tend to have the greatest variations. Whenever I encounter a site that is consistant to within 5 or so points accross a fair span, I'll have the Tracking turned off.

The only way to determine your situation and what will work best requires a little investigation. Check GB numbers at several locations on site, see what you have to work with, and make adjustments according to what your tests indicate at that site. Even a change in ground moisture levels can affect how well the machine sees the minerals as well as targets. So an area that is exposed to the sun all day that is dryer can easily be different than a place along the edge of the same area if it is shaded and the ground is more damp.

Most importantly, remain flexible! Adapt to the conditions. Hunting in difficult ground can be a challenge. It can also yeild amazing results. And because of the X-Terra's digital technology and speciffic features, tough sites are an arena where this machine can really shine.

 

[Joe Z]

Old Longhair
Good explanation about checking numbers in a few spots to decide auto track on or off.
Thanks,
Joe