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Phantom Signals

H

HockeyBear

New member
I was wondering if anyone else gets signals they can't find? I just got this detector recently and I am open to suggestions. I have gotten signals from 84 to 94 on the VDI and a predominantly green bar on the pinpoint showing a coin at 5" after digging a hub cap size hole 12" down I still can't find it. The signal remains solid and the depth holds at 5". This has happened several times at different areas. I find it very frustrating. I am also disappointed that I haven't found any coins deeper than 4.5". Did I get a bad machine??
Kurt
 
Sounds like big, deep iron. How do they pinpoint? I thinks we've all seen these signals and there are a few things you can do.

- Pinpoint the signal and sweep directly over it and see if it is iron...sometimes the edge of an iron signal can sound like a coin
- Sweep the target from all directions and see if it is a repeatable signal in at least one direction
- If the pinpoint is weak and diffuse it is usually iron
- If the pinpoint moves around, it is usually iron
- If you can raise your coil off the ground and still get a signal it is probably a large, deep target
- Stomp on the ground at the target location and see if the signal changes
- If your coil says 0-2" or so and your handheld pinpointer (like a Sunray) hears nothing...probably big and deep

I saw a thread recently where a guy had a signal like yours and dug down, and down...giant hole...turns out he dug right through the center of a barrel hoop. Not until he used a small coil/handheld pinpointer did he discover the signal emanating from the circumference of the hole.

Beep
 
Deep iron. These signals will become really apparent to you as time goes on. Beeps advise covers most of the variables (if not all). The only thing that could be added is checking those "iron rebound" VDI spikes for being good targets. Again, sweep those from multiple directions and heights. (Deep and large aluminum can be treated similarly, but VDI's stay tight and "too good to be true".)

If your site allows it, dig some of these to see what kinds of masses kick out these VDI's and if your in a setting where there could be cache's, dig the iron.

Your depth on coins could be just that no deeper ones are there or...balancing the circuitry better.
 
You got good advise but this is not particular to The V3. My MXT does the same thing. Remember larger than coin targets read shallower than they are and smaller than coin targets read deeper. As you gain experience you will understand more. Please learn and get experience with your V3 before you start looking for problems with it. Rob
 
I really don't want to be frustrated. I put alot of time in this weekend and found no wheats or anything deep. I did find one mercury dime at about three inches. I went to a great spot where I usually find much more with my DI pro. Pinpointing has been an adventure to say the least. 60% of targets I got the first time without expanding the plug and some I have know idea how I got so far from the target when I spend a good amount of time before I dig. I got so many dollar signals with 92 -94 on VDI and when I would switch to the analyze mode it would be all over the place with every swing on the machine. Three separated lines,Three as a reverse parabola, Three ascending, three grouped together and cycling the VDI numbers and icons as well. . The only signals that were consistent were clad coins and bottle caps which I dug more than I cared to. I am sorry I sound like a whiner but I just expected more out of the box. This is my fourth Whites detector I have been detecting 31 years and this has been the worst experience out of the box. I hope it dramatically improves by learning the tuning features. Any advice on how to set the machine up for minimal frustration coin shooting would be greatly appreciated
Thanks,
Kurt
 
Don't wory about it...we all get a bit frustrated at times. It sounds like you may just have the machine running too hot. Back down the Gain/AM/Disc to around 7/60/75 (as an example), or lower, and see if the unit quiets down. You can't go deep if the detector is seeing "everything". Another thing you may try is doing some tests in your back yard...bury some coins and use your sensitivity, recovery delay, filter and discrimination to see what works best for you and your soil type. If you have iron and the machine is too hot I think anyone could get frustrated. The V's programs are too hot right out of the box for most locations.

Beep
 
Learning just about any new detector, will be frustrating until you learn how to use it. I see you have looked at some of the other posts which is good. A lot of information is available in this forum. What we need to best help you is what program you were using, what were your settings, what type of ground you are hunting in and did you read the manual? Don't laugh............... It sounds like the detector was running too hot for your ground. The first thing you have to do with any detector is establish stability. Adjust the RX gain, Sensitivity and ground balance until the the detector runs quiet. What did the ground probe suggest for RX and what settings did you try. There is a chance your detector might be defective, but if you found silver the first time out, it sounds like it is working.
 
Did all of you guys stay with the stock coil? Would the exlerator coils help in depth and pinpointing or is it just a waste of money?
 
I use the EX 10X12 most of the time just because that is what I'm used to from my DFX days. I don't think it has any depth advantage over the D2 but it does have slightly better coverage. If your ground is moderate to lightly mineralized, your depth will increase with a conical coil like the 950 or Super 12", otherwise the D2 should serve you well. Most first aftermarket coil purchases is for a smaller coil, not larger, to hunt with better separation in trashy areas.
 
Larry,
I was using the Coin and Coin and Jewelry mode stock. I played a little withe the rx gain and discrimination without noticing a great deal of difference. I tried the deep silver program a little and tried using the tone feature.
 
There is also a possibility you might be encountering EMI in the area you are hunting, but my guess is it is just set too high for your ground.
 
There are several possibilities and even some maybe we haven't thought of.......

I experienced the same with mysterious targets.....I realized that I wasn't targeting properly with my detector thus digging my hole flap just a bit off, so my target was not only down in the ground but also under the flap...so twice the distance from the coil.

As previously said....its iron or its there, if its repeatable....you just gotta find it......sometimes the target is incredibly small so its appears not to be there when it actually is, so use your pin pointer well and often. EMI is a possible but the signal is usually not repeatable and so erratic that you never know where the target is. I cannot think of any other possibilities except for malfunction, which it doesn't sound like the case.
 
I agree about the small targets .....if you cant find it, keep looking. I have located blue jean rivets at 10" with the stock DD coil, and now with my 8x6 sef I am smoking coins over 10" everytime I go out. I run it hot, sensitivity at 15 but I dont use the tx boost. I will agree that the other programs are real hot, I only use the coin/jewelry program. I need to spend time on the other programs to quiet them down....but I am locating alot of deep targets in hunted out sites everytime I go out! Hang in there and just spend some time on your machine. You will love it in the near future,,,,trust me :detecting:

Have fun, dig often and good luck!!


"Z"
 
Well I think I Have finally solved the phantom signal problem. I received one of my typical good signals yesterday and was digging a way too big hole looking for the target that was giving a great clean signal at 4" and I was looking down at the 12" deep hole about 10" in diameter when I thought I would try to make it go away based on adjustments. It seems that the Ground filter at 12.5HZ high worked. I have been out about 6 times spending a good 4 to 5hrs and I am still frustrated with no good finds and nothing deep. When I throw a clad quarter on the ground and swing the search coil over it in the stock coin I am getting about 3.5" to 4" max before it doesn't even register. I am thinking something is wrong when I know my old 6000 DI gets more depth than that. Should I be sending this back to Whites. I just ordered a DFX which I intend to test against this V3 to see if there is a problem. I am going to comb the same areas with the DFX and see if the DFX picks up deeper targets that the V3 isn't. Unfortunately this is a damn expensive experiment.
 
I'm confused, you are having trouble with your V3 so you ordered a DFX? I don't know of any of the experienced DFX users who are going back to a DFX because it works better. Test your coil first. If it is OK use an unaltered version of Hi Pro and do some air tests. Let us know your results. A DFX is not the answer. Have you had any experience with a programmable detector? Rob
 
I have had 2 bad D2 coils and I don't have one bit of confidence in them. My other coils work great which are the 5.3" 9.5" my 5X10". I even use my 3X6 shooter non V coil. My favorite is the 6X8" SEF coil. Quit wasting your time and send it in and get it fixed. It is broke. They had to re cal mine and replace a D2 coil. It was doing all kinds of weird stuff. Whites has the best Service around of all the detector manufactures. My MXT died a horriable death and they replaced the whole pc board and it cost me $57 bucks and you can't beat that. HH Jerry aka Tinfoil
 
If you detect a coin on the surface you still need to ground ballance first, I can't emphasise the importance of ground ballancing with the V3, ignore and you will be missing any deep objects.
 
By ground balancing do you mean the settings or the process of holding the enter and pulling the trigger by pumping over the ground?
 
Well I got my DFX this week and went to the same place that I have been hunting with my V3. First 5min I found a Merc dime deeper than any signal I have gotten with the V3. I should have gr abed the v3 to see if I got the signal with it but i was caught up in the moment of actually getting a relatively deep signal. I switch the coil up on the V3 with an excellerator 6x8 butterfly and although it now pinpoints like a dream it does still not seem to get that much depth. I know all of you guys think I am nuts but i am going to have to send my machine back to whites. So far I like the DFX better than the V3 from a turn it on and find something deep perspective. On a curious note what kind of depths do you normally get silver at with your V3's? I know this depends on soil types but on average.
Thanks again...Kurt
 
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