Is this normal?

[Crusty]

I've had many detectors and currently swing an Explorer SE and now the T2 Ltd.
Although I mostly use the SE I've been trying to get some hours on the T2 Ltd so I can be somewhat comfortable with it's nuances.
I've noticed something that seems a bit weird so I'm hoping someone here can shed some light on this.
Firstly I've been coin hunting in disc. mode set to 10, 85 sens, 3 tones. I've notice that often I will get a good repeatable high tone but no ID reading......blank screen. Occasionally if I keep playing with the sweep I will eventually get an ID reading but just as often I can't. The audio tone is clear and strong but no ID. One of these targets turned out to be a silver dime at about 7".

Just seems strange to me to get a good repeatable signal but the T2 won't give any ID. This doesn't happen all the time, but enough to cause confusion.

Dave

 

[ACQ]

The VDI has less "reachability" than TDI. A repeteable tone with no VDI is normally an indication of a good deep target. I normally dig a little bit and sweep again to check if I get VDI. In anycase at 7" you should also get VDI.

Cheers
Antonio

 

[jim tn]

I agree with Antonio. 7" even with the regular T 2 isn't too deep to not get a good vdi reading. I wouldn't consider that to be normal. HH jim tn

 

[Monte]

The point I disagree on is simply the fact that while one person might get a reasonably good Target ID (TID icon suggestion) and Visual Discrimination Indicator (VDI) at a certain perceived depth in their soil or under certain conditions, it can't be taken as a blanket 'for sure' to apply all the time.

Every make and model, even from the same manufacturer, will have its own set of differences in set-up and performance from other detectors. A lot, too, will depend upon the operator's control settings, coil choice, and sweep speed, to name just three things. That's not factoring in the ground environment, the specific target, or the target's position.

In short, I do not find my T2 to register a 'lock-on' VDI on deeper targets as well as even my Omega, or at least some of the time. The T2 definitely doesn't 'lock-on' the coin or target Icon as well as even the Delta does, at least in many typical "coin hunting" applications. But lack of a solid TID or maybe a reasonably tight VDI report is simply a support to complement the audio response. Remember, these are only metal detectors and we never walk about w/o an audio and simply watch our display to find a target. Our success is based on relying on an audio response. All visual information is just secondary and might lend a little help in qualifying what the audio-located target might be.

I've had many detectors and currently swing an Explorer SE and now the T2 Ltd.
Although I mostly use the SE I've been trying to get some hours on the T2 Ltd so I can be somewhat comfortable with it's nuances.

They are different, and the Explorer's have their strengths, but they, too, fall short in many comparisons. At least in my book they do, such as weight, balance, versatility, allowance for some variable seep speed performance, quickness of response, etc., etc.

It will take time and I wish you the best as you learn and master your Teknetics. Keep in mind they are different detectors and most select them for somewhat different applications. The T2 definitely has it's strengths, and with the stock 11" DD coil and proper settings, it can get very good depth, especially if some targets are mid-to-low conductive types when compared to your other detector.

I've noticed something that seems a bit weird so I'm hoping someone here can shed some light on this.
Firstly I've been coin hunting in disc. mode set to 10, 85 sens, 3 tones.

What type(s) of sites are you coin hunting in? I'm curious how you determined a Disc. setting of '10' (what sort of trash are you trying to reject). I know it is the default Disc. level but I usually not that it only helps eliminate a little chatter in a few locations close to EMI challenges. To knock out the lowly iron nail you might need a setting of about 21-22. Personally, if I am dealing with iron trash I only reject the nails. If there are few nails and not too much iron at an older site, I set the Disc at '0' and use the 2+ Audio Tone ID setting. I find that I am just fine hearing the low iron audio and then a High tone for non-ferrous objects. The VDI read-out is usually sufficient for me to determine what i might be about to recover.

Is the '85' Sensitivity as high as you can go w/o chatter or instability? If so, that's good. If not, then I'd suggest running the Sensitivity as high as you can and only back it down from '99' if it is unstable, then only to the point that you gain stability.

I see you used the 3-Tone ID option and I wonder if you have tried the 1, 1+ or 2+ Audio Tone ID settings? Personally, I like a multi-tone ID for situations where I am going after modern coins, or older if they are generally shallow, at locations like playgrounds or other active areas. If I am searching for older coins and/or deeper coins, I favor the 2+ Audio ID on the T2. Why? Because I find that it will produce a better quality audio response, give me more target size and depth information by the audio, and it will usually hit better and/or a little deeper than using a multi-tone choice like 3, 3b, 4, etc.,

I've notice that often I will get a good repeatable high tone but no ID reading......blank screen. Occasionally if I keep playing with the sweep I will eventually get an ID reading but just as often I can't. The audio tone is clear and strong but no ID. One of these targets turned out to be a silver dime at about 7".

Just seems strange to me to get a good repeatable signal but the T2 won't give any ID. This doesn't happen all the time, but enough to cause confusion.

Yes, and it will happen to us all at some point in time. Again, each model is different. The T2 is a deep seeking detector and is loved by 'relic hunters' and also liked by many gold nugget hunters, or those after small and difficult to find targets in the lowed fields of Europe. There isn't a read-out to identify a bullet or button or a gold nugget or a Roman coin on the display, and sometimes, due to the target's position and/or depth any VDI reading might also be a little inconsistent. What brings them success with the T2 is that it detects deep. You could say that the Target ID only works to a certain percentage of the audio depth, or look at it the other way. That is, the T2 can detect much deeper than it is able to register a TID.

Also, a 3 or 4 or other multi-tone audio is processed differently than the 1, 1+ and 2+ Audio selections and this is why I only use the 3 or 4 Tone ID options when going after shallower targets, favoring the 2+ Audio ID and '0' Discrimination most of the time. Oh, I might increase the rejection to about '10' if it is necessary to help eliminate some nearby noise issues, but I seldom do.

The T2 is an excellent detector. The Explorer SE is also good and has its place but, for me, I sold mine and got a T2 for reasons other than just the weight reduction and better balance. Just keep putting in the time and learning the T2. Experiment with different Tone, Disc. and Sensitivity settings, and remember than it isn't a slow-sweep dependant model like your other unit.

Monte

 

[Elton]

If you read the manual very closely ..Teknetics stresses that ID and Audio are seperate entities.. The Audio will respond deeper than the ID..though I will say 7" isn't that deep for the T2.. I don't know about the LTD as I own only T2.. Was the coin on edge maybe??..Did you go over center of coil ??.. Was there another target in the detection area (Under Coil)........

 

[Crusty]

Thank you everyone for you responses and thank you Monte for your in-depth reply to my post. It has all been very helpful.

I forgot to mention I'm using the stock coil and in my soil it GB's at 88 to 90, using fast grab.
My sens. is usually set to about 85 for stability reasons and disc. at 10 to reject some ferrous targets but accept Canadian clad which is mostly steel core.
For example the new Canadian quarters ID at around 25 to 29. Lately I've been hunting older parks where I get clad shallow, jewelery shallow and mid-depth, and silver coins at 6"+.

I still have a lot more to learn about this machine so the SE will get dusty. I think together they will cover most of the conditions I will encounter. I've noticed the T2 is WAY more sensitive to tiny targets than the SE, and I must get use to speeding up my swing a little. I'm use to low and very slow

Dave

 

[Monte]

That, alone, answers quite a bit as to why you accept more lower conductors. You have to be careful, too, because the nickel (magnetic) coins up there not only respond with a bit of jumpy VDI/TID, but if you don't center them they will be rejected as easily as those blasted bottle caps we encounter. I'm glad we don't have any magnetic-based money south of the border.

Also, if your soil produces a Fast Grab G.C. Phase of 88-90 then that will also cut in on some of the deeper-target performance. I'm positive you're going to like the T2 the more you use it ... before winter arrives up there, of course.

Happy Hunting,

Monte

 

[Crusty]

That, alone, answers quite a bit as to why you accept more lower conductors. You have to be careful, too, because the nickel (magnetic) coins up there not only respond with a bit of jumpy VDI/TID, but if you don't center them they will be rejected as easily as those blasted bottle caps we encounter. I'm glad we don't have any magnetic-based money south of the border.

Also, if your soil produces a Fast Grab G.C. Phase of 88-90 then that will also cut in on some of the deeper-target performance. I'm positive you're going to like the T2 the more you use it ... before winter arrives up there, of course.

Happy Hunting,

Monte

Thanks Monte, I probably have around 6 or 7 weeks of detecting here before the ground freezes. But I'm going to England at the end of Feb. for a detecting vacation so that should hold me over until the spring. Apparently the T2 is doing very well over there. I must say that the ergonomics and light weight of the T2 and F75 should be the standard for all detectors. It's the most comfortable detector I have ever swung. I also really like having the entire menu right there on the screen all the time......sure beats pages and pages of menus.

Dave

 

[Monte]

Thanks Monte, I probably have around 6 or 7 weeks of detecting here before the ground freezes. But I'm going to England at the end of Feb. for a detecting vacation so that should hold me over until the spring.

All of us need to factor in the 'SEASONS' we can get out hunting, or how to use them. Here in NW Oregon we can get some hot summer days that get unpleasant, but not like so many people in other parts where it's just unbearable. There are times when we get some cold spells during the winter and the ground freezes, or at least some of it, but it's usually only for a short period of time. We even get a little bit of white, but our snowfalls are not anything that get too depressing.

It does get rainy, and often we can have a long and dreary period of 'wet,' but I've never had to shovel rain. When it quites, it's time to go detecting. Maybe not every day of the month, but certainly every month of the year avid detectorists around here can get out and do some hunting.

Your trip the end of February sounds good, but by late Feb. we're already stating into our Spring, so that's nice. When we do get dreary periods, or when I lived in Utah and had to deal with snow-covered and frozen ground for a few months, it makes a terrific time to do some research to prep for fair-weather seasons.

Apparently the T2 is doing very well over there. I must say that the ergonomics and light weight of the T2 and F75 should be the standard for all detectors. It's the most comfortable detector I have ever swung. I also really like having the entire menu right there on the screen all the time......sure beats pages and pages of menus.

Yes, the T2 IS doing very well over there, and honestly most everywhere it's used. The full-menu display, ease of operation, light weight and great balance only compliment the very nice depth of detection and make some of the REASONS why I, and many others, have made the switch to put detectors in our battery and make them work for us.

Again, all the best to you afield!

Monte

 

[Jay Evans]

If you opt to try a T2 LTD /SE model these units have the bp & CL modes and this puts the unit in a slower sweep mode.

Thank you everyone for you responses and thank you Monte for your in-depth reply to my post. It has all been very helpful.

I forgot to mention I'm using the stock coil and in my soil it GB's at 88 to 90, using fast grab.
My sens. is usually set to about 85 for stability reasons and disc. at 10 to reject some ferrous targets but accept Canadian clad which is mostly steel core.
For example the new Canadian quarters ID at around 25 to 29. Lately I've been hunting older parks where I get clad shallow, jewelery shallow and mid-depth, and silver coins at 6"+.

I still have a lot more to learn about this machine so the SE will get dusty. I think together they will cover most of the conditions I will encounter. I've noticed the T2 is WAY more sensitive to tiny targets than the SE, and I must get use to speeding up my swing a little. I'm use to low and very slow

Dave