Please help - frequency adjust 4 Infinium.

[JohnApthorp]

Hi,
Yesterday I took the Infinium into the gold fields - for the first time, where I really wanted to get a fair & honest assessment of the beast.
I had the 8" Mono coil on it.

I have read nearly every article published on the Infinium but when I arrived at the area yesterday, I was having one of my bad days.

Here's how I went about setting it up.

I turned the machine on about 50 meters from my destination - just to let it "warm" up & left it in the LOCK position.
(I knew I had to check for interference first as there were 2 other detectors about 50 meters away - a ML5000 & an AT Gold)

I started by turning the THRESHOLD knob around to the "Freq adjust" position.

Next I very slowly advanced the "DISCRIMINATION" clockwise & paused at each number, listening for any interference - there was no noise during this whole process - by no noise, I mean there wasn't even a faint hum in the headphones. The unit may as well have been turned off. I continued until I had checked out all 9 numbers - even though there was silence.

I then returned the THRESHOLD knob back to ZERO followed by the DISCRIMINATION knob.

The THRESHOLD knob was then adjusted up to the number 5 position producing the desired threshold noise & the discrimination knob left at zero.

I then moved the AUTO GROUND CONTROL TRACK knob from it's "LOCKED" position to the "FAST" position & did a ground balance. Everything sounded stable.

After completion of the "FAST GB," I moved the GB knob over to the "SLOW" position & then did the GB again.

When I had finished the ground balancing, I returned the knob back to the " LOCKED" position & proceeded to find every .22 bullet & VERY FINE strands of rusty wire about 5mm long in the paddock. I think that if I had waved the coil over a 1gram nugget that the Infinium would have found it but the targets I did find like a .22 bullet at 4 inches sounded very quiet.
In saying that, the machine still has VERY LOW audio on most targets except large sheets of iron or old rusty beer-cans. The AT GOLD leaves the Infinium for dead.

Overall, I'm very disappointed with the performance of the machine. (USING MY SETTING UP PROCEDURE AS LISTED ABOVE)

Can someone please let me know where or if I'm going wrong?

Thanks in advance.

Gary.

 

[John-Edmonton]

Here's the link: (good luck)

http://www.findmall.com/list.php?62

 

[ivanll]

After reading the whole post............It's kind of an interesting question on this forum.

ivanll

 

[ivanll]

It looks like a very complicated and lengthy procedure, perhaps that's why there is no input from other Infinium LS users.

Mine is usually ready within 10 sec......maybe up to 20 if frequency adjust is required.

Perhaps it would be an idea to post on the Infinium forum either here or on timbucktwo where I see you are a member.

ivanll

 

[Fishers Ghost]

Your setting up procedure is fine and yes the Infinium has very low audio on small targets and large deep targets, it is the biggest and I believe the only serious downfall of this metal detector. I have tried several sound enhancers without any real success.
The simple fact is that you must sweep very slowly if you are to hear the weak signals. The AT Gold is a VLF and is very sensitive to small gold. If you will be searching for small gold in moderately iron mineralised areas then this detector may be better suited to that task. Just remember that the AT G will be stopped by extreme iron mineralisation that the Infinium will likely breeze over.

Something to remember when doing the frequency adjust is that you must only make very small adjustments like three steps between each number on the control dial and wait a few seconds between each adjustment for the detector to catch up to the adjustment.
The frequency adjuster will only compensate for regular low frequency interference not sporadic uneven elec noise

 

[Fishers Ghost]

PS to the above.

Do not set the threshold to only just audible, crank it up to a level you can hear clearly without it being annoyingly loud. If you set the threshold to only just audible the weak tones will be even more difficult to hear.
For myself I find that a slightly loud threshold brings the weaker signals out a bit more clearly and sharper.

 

[Fishers Ghost]

Hi,
Yesterday I took the Infinium into the gold fields - for the first time, where I really wanted to get a fair & honest assessment of the beast.
I had the 8" Mono coil on it.

I have read nearly every article published on the Infinium but when I arrived at the area yesterday, I was having one of my bad days.

Here's how I went about setting it up.

I turned the machine on about 50 meters from my destination - just to let it "warm" up & left it in the LOCK position.
(I knew I had to check for interference first as there were 2 other detectors about 50 meters away - a ML5000 & an AT Gold)

I started by turning the THRESHOLD knob around to the "Freq adjust" position.

Next I very slowly advanced the "DISCRIMINATION" clockwise & paused at each number, listening for any interference - there was no noise during this whole process - by no noise, I mean there wasn't even a faint hum in the headphones. The unit may as well have been turned off. I continued until I had checked out all 9 numbers - even though there was silence.

I then returned the THRESHOLD knob back to ZERO followed by the DISCRIMINATION knob.

The THRESHOLD knob was then adjusted up to the number 5 position producing the desired threshold noise & the discrimination knob left at zero.

I then moved the AUTO GROUND CONTROL TRACK knob from it's "LOCKED" position to the "FAST" position & did a ground balance. Everything sounded stable.

After completion of the "FAST GB," I moved the GB knob over to the "SLOW" position & then did the GB again.

When I had finished the ground balancing, I returned the knob back to the " LOCKED" position & proceeded to find every .22 bullet & VERY FINE strands of rusty wire about 5mm long in the paddock. I think that if I had waved the coil over a 1gram nugget that the Infinium would have found it but the targets I did find like a .22 bullet at 4 inches sounded very quiet.
In saying that, the machine still has VERY LOW audio on most targets except large sheets of iron or old rusty beer-cans. The AT GOLD leaves the Infinium for dead.

Overall, I'm very disappointed with the performance of the machine. (USING MY SETTING UP PROCEDURE AS LISTED ABOVE)

Can someone please let me know where or if I'm going wrong?

Thanks in advance.

Gary.

hi Gary.
I notice that you put this question on one of the Aussie prospecting forums A Pro Minelab one so don't expect much help there. Reading some of the latest posts on that forum I reckon it should be shut down.

The AT Gold will far and away out perform the Infinium on small gold in anything up to moderate iron mineralised ground. The Infinium excels in extreme iron mineralisation and salt conditions that will kill all VLFs (and some high end GB PIs)on ANY gold.
The depth on the 22 cal slug is about right in an air test with the 10 x 14 mono and will be somewhat better with the 8 inch mono but you should get better on in ground targets. My Infinium will do much better than 4 inches but I have been told on many occasions that My Finny is abnormal so I will not go on about its ability.
Gold will produce a stronger signal than lead for any similar given size,shape and weight. To hear the weaker signals requires a very slow sweep speed of around 1 to 1.5 foot per sec and a slightly loud threshold.

If there is any EMI then that can kill response to small gold when you are trying to hear very weak signals.

The small coils will give a sharper signal on small targets but depth is about the same as for the big coils on targets up to approx 5g The 8 inch mono is the most sensitive coil for the INF and almost matches the big coils on large deep targets. The 5 x 10 DD is a tad insensitive but is a nice beach coil.
The 3 x 7 DD is great for getting in and around tight spots but it is no more or less sensitive (for depth) to small gold than the big coils.

Cheers
Fishers Ghost
AKA
Adrian SS

 

[ivanll]

Contact Garrett Australia and get the info from them they should know, or perhaps they could make a video of an Infinium LS Demonstration with Warren of NQ Explorers.

Or meet up with Adrian SS and get a "pro" demo.......if not possible, then come North to Cairns and I'll show you !..........unless you get a better offer closer to your location.

ivanll

 

[Fishers Ghost]

This is roughly the responses you should be able to get from your Infinium on a couple of Aussie coins that will also tell you if the disc on your machine is working correctly.
8 inch mono Air test (in ground is normally better)

Disc at zero, Gb in Lock, Threshold at 5. and zero EMI.

.22 cal lead LR projectile only.
10 cm (4 inches)........medium to strong high /low
20cm (8 inches)........Weak but clear high / low

5 cent.
Full vol High/ Low sig at 14 cm
Weak at 27 cm
Disc at Iron check
Weak high / low at 5 cm

One dollar coin.
Disc at zero.
Weak combined High/ low Low/ High at 27 cm
Strong Hi/low Low /high at 14 cm
Disc at 2
Weak High/ low at 24 cm
Strong High/ Low at 14 cm
If you are getting a positive and repeatable High/ Low on the dollar at disc zero then the disc is out of cal and in any case, even if the disc is out a little the .22 LR projectile only should scream at you at 4 inches with the 8 inch mono