Please set me Straight!

[Richnlin]

Just came back from two weeks on the Florida Coast with my new Sand Shark as this was my first time with a PI machine. I read the manual a few times to assure that I was sure I understood the settings, which there are only four. I played around the beach with the VCO mode and Normal mode and used the VCO mode and set the other knobs to the one O'clock positions. If anyone has a Sand Shark am I using the correct settings? I found coins, wire, bottle caps, a Gerber knife, a necklace pin, etc, nothing of real value but just want to be sure I am on the right track.
Rich

 

[lasergod]

Seem ok! I use a moderate threshold volume. Changing to the outside noise. I really try to listen for the small variations of the threshold. Dig or move sand with my feet. If the vco sound gets louder you found a deeper target. The recent targets are easier to hear.

Did find the disappearing targets? The bobbypins going through the the scoop? Fun LoL get a magnet.

Any fins pics?

 

[tvr]

Easy to set up, easy to use, finds metal at good depth; so yes you are on the right track.

VCO or normal; try both for a period of time and see which you like.

I set volume to max unless the threshold is unsmooth (I think mainly due to interference of some sort), then I'll back the volume down just a little to get a fairly smooth threshold.

Threshold is set just so I can hear it in the ambient conditions. Smooth water means it gets set lower than with crashing waves. When I first started using a Pulse Induction detector, I found that the more time I spent using it, the more in tuned I got with picking up small threshold changes that indicated a deep target.

Pulse width I normally run at about 1 O'clock.

Like lasergod indicates, a magnet in the scoop helps collect hair pins, wire, small nuts, bolts and other iron stuff that can fall through the holes. Magnet can grab them so that you don't dig as many of them multiple times. Not a perfect solution but helps.
Cheers,
tvr

 

[Digger 45]

Your set up seem right on, you will get use to listening to those slight whisper sounds, they will catch your attention the more you use the Sand Shark, after the first scoop the sound will get louder and so on. This is a great water machine but it takes a few hours of use to know how to react to the the sounds your are hearing, you will decipher the difference of interference sounds compared to target sounds. The gold is usually deep and it starts out with just a whisper of a sound.

Great machine, mine is 5 years old and going strong.

Good Luck