I do it a little different:
1. set unit to auto-tune mode
2. turn sensitivity to barely give a audible threshold sound. I like to have the coil at my preferred coil scanning height when doing step 2.
3. start scanning the ground until you find a patch of ground that has no metal. Once that is done:
4. elevate coil 6" above ground. Rapidly lower coil to ground (the coil needs to be lowered to height that you are actually going to be sweeping the coil. Could be flush to ground, 1/2", 1" etc.) This coil height step at ground level gives maximum depth to the machine after balancing.
5. As you are rapidily bobbing coil down and up to 6", press and hold either the up or down ground balance listening to the audio threshold for sound variation (increase/decrease). (See the bottom of pg. 17 in the Omega booklet to learn the audio sound variations to ensure proper manual ground balancing). Ultimately you want to achieve a audio threshhold that does not vary, whether the coil is being lowered to or raised up from the ground. A single smooth tone with no increase or decrease. Once that even audio threshold is obtained, the ground balancing is done.
6. Now you can switch to discriminate mode, as the ground balance setting from Autotune mode carries over to Discriminate mode.
If you really want max depth from the Omega, "you need to do manual audio based ground balancing (the above listed method) in the Autotune mode". You also need to Not to use the more automated Ground Grab as that is not the most efficent method. IMHO. Using the bars only, to gauge proper ground balance is misleading. They are no where's near as accurate as the ground balance of a non-varying audio tone.
Lots of really experienced Omega owners 'Do Not' use the simplified Ground Grab method in Autotune. Also, never use the GG button method when unit is in the discrimination mode. If you insist on using GG button method, always from the Autotune mode.
In most areas the ground will be fairly stable at a certain ground balance number range, so the next time you are there detecting you can quickly set the GB numbers during setup (do this after step 3 and before step 4) to what they were the last time you were there. Speeds up the GB process. Then its just a quick fine tune of the Up/Down GB buttons to find the audio sweet spot.
It may be a pain to initially learn this, but you shortchange yourself and the Omega's performance otherwise. Please do take the time to read & understand audio based ground balancing. Its the most important thing a detectorist can know, if their machine allows for it to be done that way. The Omega is a really awesome depth machine when GB'd correctly, and rather average, when not. I hope I didn't sound harsh or condescending. I want you to be successful.
mode over metal free ground, bob the coil, and listen for any changes in audio threshold. If its varying, then re-ground balance in Autotune.
Once you learn this audio based manual GB procedure, it takes all of about 30 seconds to perform.
