High mineral program

[Toolman0114]

Is there a good program to use in the high mineralized red soil of Virginia? A pulse detector is preferred down there but I'd like to try my CTX.

 

[trojdor]

Is there a good program to use in the high mineralized red soil of Virginia? A pulse detector is preferred down there but I'd like to try my CTX.

Well, I'm not from VA, but am from some serious mineralization in Colorado...where we have red rocks/soil that rival that of OZ.
Here's what I've found:

Use either GC (Ground Coin) or HT (High Trash) separation modes...try in that order.
Don't even bother with FC (Ferrous Coin) in bad ground.

Try using 'Deep On' with GC, or 'Fast On' with HT. The manual says don't use both at the same time, but some relic hunters swear by having both on. Experiment.
Open screen disc. I prefer 'Volume Gain' set to a value that lets me hear the difference between a deep target and a shallow one. (personal preference)

Try turning on GB, but be aware that GB needs to be precise, and sometimes the pumping method doesn't always 'take'.
Check it by engaging pinpoint with coil on ground, then raising...and/or with coil in air, then lowering...while listening for threshold tone change.

(If you hear a change, do the GB over until the change is minimal. Also note that changing modes will often 'bork' your balance, and you'll need to do it again. Check frequently.)

Experiment with manual sensitivity...starting at around 22 or so. Lower it until it's not too 'nervous'.
If 'manual' doesn't cut it for you, use Auto+3.

In bad ground, I like to NC (Noise Cancel) with the coil on the ground.

Finally, try using 'Seawater On' to smooth out the signal averaging.

As I'm sure you're well aware, VLFs really hurt in mineralized ground...especially the red stuff.
Multifreq machines like the Minelabs hurt less than most.

Good Luck, and have fun...

mike

 

[tiftaaft]

Trojdor, great post. So would you choose a more open screen in Ground Coin and a more Disc'd screen in High Trash??

Thanks,
TIm.

 

[trojdor]

Trojdor, great post. So would you choose a more open screen in Ground Coin and a more Disc'd screen in High Trash??

Thanks,
TIm.

Tim, thanks...
I generally like to hear everything in the ground...even in trashy areas.
So, I usually hunt pretty open most of the time. (Understand that I've been doing this for many years, so my prefs might not be for everyone.)

However, I can sometimes get fed up with the sheer magnitude of trash signals, and like/need at least some disc to cut back on the information overload.

That's one of the nice things about the CTX.
You can setup 2 disc screens per program...one open and one more closed...and easily switch back and forth between them, as patience requires/allows.