New to GPX, confused on tones

[John Walters]

So I finally upgraded to a GPX4500, just got it a short while ago, and Murphy's Law decided to dump a bunch of snow on us so I haven't been able to get out and swing this machine yet. So while I'm waiting for things to melt this weekend, I thought I'd see if I could clear up a question I have on the tones. Let me add, I'll be using this on the east coast for relic hunting in relatively mineralized ground.

I've watched a bunch of videos of guys relic hunting in the VA area, and what I thought I was hearing on the tones they were getting kind of mimicked the TDI: low conductor = high tones (like buttons, grommets, rivets, small brass, etc.) and high conductors = low tones (like bullets, large brass, iron, etc.). The manual doesn't talk about that, but it does say that a tone that goes high then low is shallow, and a tone that goes low then high is deeper (although the manual never really defines what it considers shallow or deep). Now other than an occasional comment by the digger that the target sounds deep or shallow, I didn't hear that high/low or low/high signature the manual describes. In fact, I was getting pretty good at guessing bullet on a lot of the tones that in fact, turned out to be a bullet.

Just wondering if any of the GPX swingers out there have any input on what I should be listening for?

John

 

[3RINGER]

John I'm sure there are those on here that can give advise from having more swing time than me with the GPX but for me I listen for that steady sweet rise and fall or fall and rise in the tone. Clipping of the tone or a null would put me on iron. Swing the target then turn to come on it in a different direction, see if that cleans it up some...in doubt, dig and see remembering that tone neuance for later. I've also had a sweet tone almost, cut me a plug to take away some dirt and swung it again to get an unmistakable iron tone. Faint tones are deeper that those screamers but I've seen that also depends on the size of the target.

As far as a low tone vs high tone and depth I've not seen that. I've had 3ringers give me a low tone and a buck ball give a high. I think size plays a roll in that though. If it sounds sweet dig lol.

Nice and slow in the sweep so the full tone will come through. Swinging fast side to side will clip what you are wanting to hear. This is what I've seen and been told by others who helped me. By the way, some iron sounds good to but for a Relic hunter not a biggie.

Hope it helps. HH

 

[John Walters]

Thanks for the info. I guess, coming off a TDI, I was reading into those tones I was hearing on the videos. And as always, nothing replaces time and experience actually swinging the machine!

 

[filternozzle]

I didn't hear that high/low or low/high signature the manual describes. In fact, I was getting pretty good at guessing bullet on a lot of the tones that in fact, turned out to be a bullet.
Just wondering if any of the GPX swingers out there have any input on what I should be listening for?
John

Hello John, If you are not hearing Low/High or High/Low signals it is due to one of two reasons. The first is if the target is very deep the signal will be mono tone, the second is if the Signal setting has been set to give a mono tone. The Signal has a variable setting of 1-20, at 1 it will be mono tone and the higher the number the greater the difference in the low and high tones on a target signal.

So check out the Signal setting by scrolling down the menu. Hope this helps.

 

[John Walters]

Thanks for the info! Not sure where I have the signal set at, but I haven't changed it, so it should be at factory preset. I'll double-check.

 

[filternozzle]

Thanks for the info! Not sure where I have the signal set at, but I haven't changed it, so it should be at factory preset. I'll double-check.

Let us know how you get on John.