New AT Pro User Has Questions...

[Dtektor]

Hi All,
I have been detecting for about 2 years now in the Eastern NC area (Beaufort & Hyde Counties to be exact). I started with a gifted Fisher 1280X and made quite a few coin finds and a few other odds and ends in the year that I owned that machine. Having slightly troublesome right shoulder, the 5+ lbs of that machine was taking it's toll so I sold it and bought a Tesoro Vaquero. Being somewhat similar in operation I took to it very quickly finding my oldest (1906 Indian Head) coin with it. I have seemed to concentrate on several old home sites where iron is the predominant metal in the ground it appears. Iron is distinguishable in the Tesoro but I was longing for the waterproofness (word?) that made the Fisher so easy to drag around in all kinds of weather. So after long deliberation, I bought a Garrett AT Pro and just yesterday got it out in the field for a few hours. Talk about technology shock!!! Now I am on the verge of doubting my logic in buying this machine and have had flashes of wanting my Tesoro back. I think I could use some good field tips on how to put this machine to work for me in the best way. i am interested in relics and coins so let me hear from both camps on this pleez. Thanks in advance. PM is just fine for answers as well as open posts.

 

[hewy50]

Get on the web and type in Garret AT PRO tips and tricks. You will get lots of links to sites with a ton of info on the AT PRO and how to run it.
I do mostly coin shooting. I run in Pro mode Custom, everything below 70 notched out. You won't get nickels this way but you also won't dig any pop can tops or pop cans.
I run iron discrim at 40. I ground balance in auto mode and then drop down 5-6 points. I run the sensitivity at maximum. Where I hunt that number usually ends up around 70 -72. The AT Pro in this mode is a coin hound for me. Good luck and don't give up on this machine. It takes a bit of time to learn but you will learn to love it. I am getting the smaller coil for next year as I have read that it makes the machine lighter and more balanced and is great for trashy areas. The parks I hunt have soccer and baseball fields so a lot of pop and beer can tabs are in the ground. the smaller coil will help to eliminate the trash and get to the good signals. Hope this helps. Happy Hunting.

 

[Dtektor]

Thanks for the advice hewy50. I have watched hundreds of video minutes on this machine and I am getting better at it. I always research the machines I am thinking about picking up next. I knew I wanted an AT Pro for the waterproofness(word?) and the ability to listen to the iron in pro mode. I did some coin-shooting Friday in Pro Coins mode and was really just practicing my pin-pointing since I hav only hunted with concentric coil machines thus far. I really like the features of the AT Pro, just going through a little technology shock having been a Tesoro user for a year or so.