GT Target volume....come in....can you hear me?

[JimmyCT]

Yep, I went to a local park today (established in 1933) and was taking the information (from my excellent teachers here on findmall) and put theory into practice. So I locate a target that registered 180 on my meter. "sounds like a good target" I thought to myself. I hear it clear BUT it could be a louder and clearer. (my volume was at approx 10am) So I slowly turned up the volume to full blast. Wow! now I hear that signal LOUD and clear! It temporarily hurt my ears but now I understand what several of you were trying to get into my grey matter the other day. Now, I just need to purchase a good pair of headphones with a noise limited so I can crank the volume up and protect my ears from the blasts. Thank you all "Master Teachers" that have been helping this "grasshopper" along.

 

[GunnarMN]

Ya that volume knob really helps with depth , i was doing air testing with it all the way down and then turned it up what a diffrence then make sure the sensitivity is not cranked to much or you will lose depth and the signal will degrade and get the threshold just right

 

[fwcrawford]

n/t

 

[JimmyCT]

Neil asked me in another post entitled, (good headphones for GT) does it matter? I can now answer his question honestly and truthfully. Yes, it does matter. The signal that was clear and just audible, (my original post above) seemed "far away" but when I cranked up the volume, The target "came home" to me. Think of it like this, " the bottom of my coil is a vaccuum cleaner. The audio knob is suction strength. When I turned up the volume it was like the coil "sucked" that coin right to the bottom of it. Of course the change came with the volume adjusted to max. So the faintest of an audio response from a deep coin / object can be 'enhanced" by having the audio knob turned most clockwise as possible. The one thing I did not try but will do on my next hunting trip, is adjusting over a deep target and turning the volume adjust knob most counter clockwise (not shutting it off, right before the click) and test to see if I loose the signal.

Thanks Neil, Rick and Bootyhoundpa.


Rick and bootyhoundpa are correct about having the sov volume turned all the way up as its a target volume. Does it matter? next time your hunting try adjusting it over a deep target, meaning have it set fully clockwise when you hunt and then on a weak signal turn it down and see if you loose the signal and you will have your answer.

 

[Rick(ND)]

On the sensitivity you say not to have it set too high which is true, but it is not that touchy as you will see with some experience with the Sovereign in real hunting situations. I find that if set so when holding the coil in the air or motionless and it isn't chattering with false signal it should be good. You just got to swing the coil slower sometimes so the threshold is not in a solid null. Like I said before those that are new to the Sovereign should run auto sensitivity to help learn the detector as it will be easier, but once learned you can run around the 12-1 o'clock position and when you really know it you should be able to run around the 10-11 and adjust you swing speed if you want the real deep targets. There will be times when you will have to set it lower and swing faster to cherry pick an area of clad or just checking out a area, but for depth and getting those mask by trash slow and easy with some sensitivity so the Sovereign can see some of those deeper targets.

 

[Rick(ND)]

Listen to those that have some experience and have used the Sovereigns for years with good results as it will save you some learning time as you will see why so many like their Sovereign the way we do. You will also see many give up too on the Sovereigns as they didn't want to listen to experience. We do have some on this BBS forum with many years of experience and know their Sovereign well, they learned this by actual experience in the Field.

Good luck and we hope to see you learn your Sovereign well and show us some great finds in some of those areas many say are worked out, this is where some great find will be found with the Sovereigns.

Rick


I am glad someone took the time to actually do what some of us tell you to try and post the results for others to read.

 

[JimmyCT]

Thanks Rick,

Yes, for my patients in listening ( to you and others here on findmall and the metal detector) and learning tones, I was rewarded with two coins. A 1929 mercury dime and a 1925 wheat cent right on the main path at the park.-A path that has been severely beaten by metal detectors. For helping me learn, I will be happy to share my reviews and finds. - Jim

 

[bootyhoundpa]

keep at it and before too long you will be teaching us.... its all a matter of trial an error......rick pretty much nailed it when he said to start in auto sensetivity and adjust higher as your experience progresses....

 

[fwcrawford]

Nice finds!!
Any idea on the depth of them?
Just wondering since you were testing the volume out I'm guessing on these two signals.
I will have to do some more testing with my volume too since reading this post and the various replies...
I maybe missing some deep targets also.
Thanks again for the results of the hunt and testing,
Felix

 

[JimmyCT]

Went out tonight...back to the same metal detector beaten park ( I live in a city of 70,000 people) With many old parks from the early 1900's (The earliest being 1913)
Tonight, Mr. 1927 Mercury dime presented himself on the old ski slope about two inches down. It all goes to show, as much as this park has been beaten to death with detectors, somehow, this dime managed to elude the coil until May 11th, 2011. The other Mercury dime that I found yesterday ( 5-10-11) from 1929 was down around two inches as well. The two pennies are from 1943 & 1945. (pennies are usually around 2 - 4 inches down) I remember back 20 plus years ago when this old timer stopped to tell me (I had just found a mint 1914 Barber dime right up against this little old tree) that I was wasting my time as the park has been "cleaned out." With the amount of people that have been through this park, it will never be "cleaned out" I could hunt this park until the day that I die, (assuming I can still hold myself up and swing a detector lol) and know, when I depart, there will still be silver lurking in the park.

Thanks again to all for the knowledge each of you bring forth and share.

 

[calibil]

Yea I don't get discouraged by others, I frequently test detect my detectors and coils at one of those "beat to death" parks and always manage to find coins, most within the 2''-5'' depth, I to, have the same thought that I could find coins until the end.
Keep searching, there are coins and good stuff every where.

 

[JimmyCT]

I did not get discouraged, I wanted to laugh and show the guy what I had found....naaa I'll let him think it is "cleaned out" Two of the largest parks are over 100 acres each so that is a life time of swinging right here. With new technology coming out every year....it is like going to a "new park" that hasn't been touched. Granted, 20 + years ago when I was in this park, Silver was found in little larger quantities, now, I have to work a little harder but it is still there.

There is a spot in this park, that I hit a couple months back. It is approx 30' x 15' I thought, I covered every square inch of it with my other metal detector. I hit every square inch. For my efforts I recovered two wheat pennies from the 50's. I then buy my minelab GT, and hit the same exact parcel of land, I pull out an antique salt shaker ( all still intact) and 5 wheat pennies from the 1920's - 1950's.

Yea I don't get discouraged by others, I frequently test detect my detectors and coils at one of those "beat to death" parks and always manage to find coins, most within the 2''-5'' depth, I to, have the same thought that I could find coins until the end.
Keep searching, there are coins and good stuff every where.

 

[fwcrawford]

I have been detecting a local park downtown that has been hunted over the years and so far have found 100 wheat pennies, 4 IH cents, 2 buffalo nickels, 1 V nickel, 3 mercury dimes, 1 rosie dime, 1 washigton quarter, and lots of clad.
This was all found with the Sovereign which I have been very impressed with at this location.
This park only encompasses one city block and has several sidewalks running through it, so there is not a lot of area to search, but still the finds continue to
come out.
I have left it alone for now until next fall as it is busy with people this time of year.
Keep in mind if I am finding all this at this small park, it's hard to tell how many coins are at the locations you are now searching with all the land you stated
I have been searching this location very slowly and investigating every signal I get and have not been fooled much by iron or other trash.
I have found many coins lying right next to nails which the Sovereign excels at and I am seeing this more than with any other detector I have used before.
Best of luck and keep posting those finds!

 

[GunnarMN]

congradulations on the great finds, I get people who allways say you wont find anything they held onto thear money back then ,, then i come out with silver coins and then they are quiet and dont say anything , my frends see me dig pull tabs and give me the busness Humm he thinks he will find treasure, ya you cant let them discourage you , because back then no one had detectors and when things got lost they seldom got found until the day we are in , And i would say the multi freqincy must reall help along with the DD coil and minelabs depth the GT really can pick things out , I have yeat to get to a hunted out park to give it a try but i have one I would like to hunt

 

[JimmyCT]

fwcrawford,

You have found some very impressive number of coins! Yes, the park system where I live is quite large - approx. 700 acres total between all the parks. That is a lot of ground to cover! I also have many cellar holes lined up that I want to hit this summer. This evening, I went back to the park and pulled out a 1894 indian head penny and a bunch of clad. The sovereign GT keeps sniffing out the goodies Hey gunnar, when people ask me what I have found, I always show them the clad. You start showing them old silver coins and the next thing you know, that park or secret area is not going to be a good spot anymore. It always starts with showing one or two people then the next thing you know they go home and tell someone, then that someone tells someone, then the next thing you know, that site you have been cleaning out is now well known and everyone is swinging. Just a thought that is all. Happy hunting to all.


I have been detecting a local park downtown that has been hunted over the years and so far have found 100 wheat pennies, 4 IH cents, 2 buffalo nickels, 1 V nickel, 3 mercury dimes, 1 rosie dime, 1 washigton quarter, and lots of clad.
This was all found with the Sovereign which I have been very impressed with at this location.
This park only encompasses one city block and has several sidewalks running through it, so there is not a lot of area to search, but still the finds continue to
come out.
I have left it alone for now until next fall as it is busy with people this time of year.
Keep in mind if I am finding all this at this small park, it's hard to tell how many coins are at the locations you are now searching with all the land you stated
I have been searching this location very slowly and investigating every signal I get and have not been fooled much by iron or other trash.
I have found many coins lying right next to nails which the Sovereign excels at and I am seeing this more than with any other detector I have used before.
Best of luck and keep posting those finds!

 

[Rick(ND)]

This is good to hear that you are starting to see what the Sovereigns can do, just takes some time and patience and knowing your Sovereign as it is the detector that can do it, you just got to learn what it is telling you.

I too remember when I started detecting back in 1973 in this old park in Fargo, ND and people told me I was wasting my time as it was cleaned out and to this day with some patience I can still pull a deep one that we had missed before. When I got the Sovereign and got to know it this park really gave up some of the deeper coins with most being IH pennies and seated and barber dimes, some told me no way could they still be there after being hit with detector so much. I just told them that it isn't worked out until the Sovereigns says it is. I just love those sites I am told you wont find much as hundred machine been over this area, no new coins to get loud blast from so i can listen to the deeper and weaker signal, much of the trash is gone, so I tell them good as now I can get the good stuff they left for me.

Experience is what counts with any metal detector with the Sovereign the more experience the better it gets. I was thinking tonight the only way we learn anything is from experience, from driving a car, building a building to metal detecting the only way is from experience and not reading about it, doing air test and doing test garden will never do what actual using it and getting the experience can do for you. the others can give you a idea, but nothing is as good as actual experience as you will learn more and the more you use it the better it can be for you.

Good luck and keep us posted on you finds for the park you wont find anything at as it been hit too many times, the best finds will come from here and you will be able to show them when you have a Sovereign no place is worked out.


Rick

 

[JimmyCT]

Thanks Rick for your words of wisdom. Well the Sovereign GT is proving that this park hasn't been hunted out. The more people think that it is hunted out, means more people passing it over & more goodies for me. I re-read your above post on manual setting the sensitivity. What is happening when the threshold "nulls" out in manual sensitivity? It is because the operator is going to fast with the coil? And will it hurt performance if it constantly nulls while swinging?



You just got to swing the coil slower sometimes so the threshold is not in a solid null.

Experience is what counts with any metal detector with the Sovereign the more experience the better it gets. I was thinking tonight the only way we learn anything is from experience, from driving a car, building a building to metal detecting the only way is from experience and not reading about it, doing air test and doing test garden will never do what actual using it and getting the experience can do for you. the others can give you a idea, but nothing is as good as actual experience as you will learn more and the more you use it the better it can be for you.

Good luck and keep us posted on you finds for the park you wont find anything at as it been hit too many times, the best finds will come from here and you will be able to show them when you have a Sovereign no place is worked out.


Rick

 

[fwcrawford]

Nice find....keep'em coming!!

 

[Critterhunter]

I have found many coins lying right next to nails which the Sovereign excels at and I am seeing this more than with any other detector I have used before.

Me too. Even my ultra fast machines such as the QXT Pro have not produced as much silver laying right in the same hole with iron. I believe this machine has some special processing in Iron Mask ON which tries very hard to seperate two signals and ignore the iron while sounding off to the non-ferrous target.

 

[Critterhunter]

If the threshold is nulling out a lot the first thing to do is try slowing your sweep way down. If that doesn't help then lower the sensitivity. Certain ground minerals I've ran into require an ULTRA slow sweep speed to keep it from nulling. That's a good way to avoid going too low with sensitivity. Some places I hit will want sensitivity all the way down almost to the lowest setting (say past 3:30PM on the dial). Often you can avoid going that low by going even slower with the coil. If I have to adjust sensitivity that low I'll usually just throw it into Auto because Auto will get as much depth as that low of a setting yet provide a much more stabile threshold.

On the volume thing...One thing I noticed is that if I crank volume as high as it will go I can't tell how deep the target is anymore, mainly because I don't have any practice at it. Now is it a trashy shallow target that's causing it to act funny or a deep coin that's the reason for the unstable signal? Using these Sony headphones I have yet to hit a deep target that even low volume won't let me hear just fine, but that might be because of these headphones. I almost never run full volume as it's just too loud without a limiter circuit for these headphones. When I get those Sun Ray golds I'll run full volume, but the Sonys have the best audio I've ever heard on a machine. Hoping the Sun Rays are just as good.

One thing I've noticed is that on a real deep coin as you wiggle or short sweep over it the GT seems to "amp" up the signal. I'll hear a type of white noise in the background like an amplifier has been turned on. Stop wiggling over the target and I can hear the audio return to normal. Anybody else notice this? It's not static or such, just you can tell by like a high pitched trebble quality to the audio.