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Question on Safari operation

R

Ray in WA

New member
Hi folks,

Well, I'm getting used to my new Safari. So far I like it a lot. Haven't run over any silver yet, but I am learning to recognize the tone of a good signal more and more, even when in all metal. At first I was confused by all the different tones but after some practice I'm picking the good ones out.

On to my question...I am having a problem with the display screen. Sometimes when I go over a good sounding target, and by this I mean a nice high or medium pitched tone that signals a coin or some other good object, the display screen reads at first that it is an iron object (on both the numerical value and the graphic identification bar).

When I pull the coil away for a couple seconds, it seems to "reset," and then I reposition the coil over the target and get a more correct reading. It's almost as if the digital display cannot keep up to speed with the detector's processor and what I hear with my ears. I really cannot for the life of me recall this happening my first few times out with the detector, but the last few hunts I have become keenly aware that it is happening.

Is this normal? Or could it have something to do with a metal object to close to the coil when I press the Trash Density button, thus throwing off the meter?

Ooops, I didn't mean the trash density button...but the NOISE CANCEL button. Sorry.

Ray
 
I kinda' have noticed the same thing when my battery is showing about half power. I mentioned it in one of my posts. The sound of moving from one target to another gets way ahead of the numerical value shown. Or the numbers lag behind the sound, however you want to say it. Onus
 
ngrelic said:
Ray, What settings are you using? I am learning the Safari myself.
Click to expand...

I've kept the factory settings so far excepting the sensitivity, which I will vary between 14 and 20. But I got to reading my manual and one of the things I have not been doing is resetting the noise cancel after changing the sensitivity during a detecting session.

I will correct this and see what if it helps.

Ray
 
Onus said:
I kinda' have noticed the same thing when my battery is showing about half power. I mentioned it in one of my posts. The sound of moving from one target to another gets way ahead of the numerical value shown. Or the numbers lag behind the sound, however you want to say it. Onus
Click to expand...

Yes, that is exactly what's happening, but mine will do it no matter what the level of battery power is available. In addition to what I mentioned above, Andy's book also mentions that one should reset the noise cancel periodically on account of changing ground conditions from one spot to the next. In other words, you can move 300 feet away from your original spot and the ground conditions may have changed to the point where the detector will now give a different reading for a coin. For example, in one spot your detector will give you the numerical value of +14 for a nickel whereas another spot might give you +16, on account of the change in the ground's mineralization.

Consequently, it seems to me that the noise cancel function must be adjusted periodically just like a manual ground balance machine would have to be readjusted from one spot to the next because of the changing ground conditions. Makes sense if you think about it.

So Onus, are you getting the hang of the Safari's tones? I'm finding mine much easier to interpret every time I go out.

Ray
 
Just to kind of update the problem I was having...

I've tried slowing down my swing to about half the speed I had been swinging, and once I get over a good target I make small side to side swings from 1-3 inches to narrow down where the signal is coming from. This has been helping with good objects, like clad coinage, and I noticed that generally the screen will now keep up with my coil. Sometimes it doesn't, however, but I reckon this might have to do with another object in the ground masking the signal that I'm trying to pinpoint, and it could very well be that its numerical value might be close to the object I'm trying to retrieve.

Today's practice taught me that I could reduce a lot of the display lag that I was experiencing by changing my methods. I also realized in slowing down that I had been passing up a lot of signals that were very high toned, sort of a high pitched "hee" sound. I had originally thought this was a type of iron because I had been relying on my display readout, but now that I've corrected my methodology I noticed that those high pitched tones were coming in at +37 to +39, and not -2 like I had previously thought. These signals turned out to be quarters and dimes and in ferrous mode I could distinguish them from the sound of pennies I had been digging up.

The learning curve is slowly narrowing! Now, if only I can get over some silver. :)

Ray
 
I'm doing better but then when I switch to one of the fe modes, the sounds are different! I bought it to relic hunt mostly so I suppose I'd better practice a lot more in the relic mode. I have some really good relic spots to hunt when the weather gets better and I want to know what I am doing when the opportunity presents itself. Onus
 
Onus, You can cross save the conductive tones to relic and/or all metal. I find the conductive tones easier to distinguish.
 
Hello! just started MD'ng last year with a cibola, upgraded this year to a Safari.... man night and day. I'm using the stock 11" coil and my plugs are looking like manhole covers. I was wondering what settings folks are using in the coin Jewelry mode... I turn my sensitivity down to about 15 but still get beeps and tones all over the map. It sounds like R2D2 and C3PO in a shouting match. I've only had about 6 hours of time on it so far but man it's confusing. Is my sensitivity to high? I'm swinging in mostly woods and fields. I also notice that pennies and dimes (clad) show as silver on the screen. I've even have lead and bullets show on the silver/copper line.... what gives?
 
I contacted Minelab about the display lag and they said the multi frequency machines do this. Something about it having to process all the info from the coil. They said the tone will be spot on accurate everytime tho. They said its just gona take some getting used to.
 
The Fog said:
Hello! just started MD'ng last year with a cibola, upgraded this year to a Safari.... man night and day. I'm using the stock 11" coil and my plugs are looking like manhole covers. I was wondering what settings folks are using in the coin Jewelry mode... I turn my sensitivity down to about 15 but still get beeps and tones all over the map. It sounds like R2D2 and C3PO in a shouting match. I've only had about 6 hours of time on it so far but man it's confusing. Is my sensitivity to high? I'm swinging in mostly woods and fields. I also notice that pennies and dimes (clad) show as silver on the screen. I've even have lead and bullets show on the silver/copper line.... what gives?
Click to expand...

What is probably happening is that you are coming across several targets under your coil in a single sweep, and all of them having different conductive and ferrous values. Hence, the tones are going to be all over the place as well as the numerical values and graph bar. Eventually you will begin to pick out the good tones and targets from the bad ones after you begin to recover numerous items. You will even learn how to zero in on a particular object amidst the trashy objects that surround it. Try moving your coil in different directions over an object to see if you can sustain a good tone and separate it from the other tones. Then pinpoint it and dig. Slowing down your coil sweep will also help.

I hunt in all metal mode mostly now, blocking out the +40 value. I do the same for the other modes as well before I even start detecting. Generally, if I come across, say, +37 or +38 value and the tone is flutey, I will switch to relic mode and see if it's still there, and then pinpoint. If it's real trashy, I then switch to coin mode to see if it's still there. I've been picking out a lot of wheat pennies in trashy areas this way.

I haven't seen lead or bullets shoot up into the copper/silver line. Are you noise canceling in a clean area before starting to detect? Your sensitivy should be fine if your ground is a bit mineralized, but you may be able to up it some if the ground conditions permit. I generally run it at 18.

Ray
 
hollywood13185 said:
I contacted Minelab about the display lag and they said the multi frequency machines do this. Something about it having to process all the info from the coil. They said the tone will be spot on accurate everytime tho. They said its just gona take some getting used to.
Click to expand...

This is what I've been experiencing with the Quattro.

In fact, the ferrous tones tell you much more than the display.

Don't know for US conditions, but here, a+18 reading with a very high pitch is a bottlecap.

Also, a negative reading with a good tone is worth to stop sweeping near the spot .Sometimes, the right id will appear on the screen WITHOUT FURTHER SWEEPING after a few seconds, sometimes you'll have to resweep over the target..

I had this problem in a much more annoying way with an XLT.

With the Quattro, it does happen a few times per outing, but nothing to get bored about, imho.

My two eurocents..;

Nick
 
Thanks for the input Ray, I have been performing the noise cancel. I was under the impression that when in coin/jewelry mode it would scrim out a lot of the junk and accompanying tones.... I guess that's not be the case. I suppose its just gonna take some time to get used to the new machine. After a year on the cibola I could easily tell what to dig and what not to dig and pinpointing was a snap. Hopefully as time passes I'll start figuring things out. It's too bad they didn't provide a more in-depth manual or a DVD with the machine. Thanks again.
 
Fog, Try picking up a copy of Andy Sabisch's Book-MASTERING THE QUATTRO!! It will help you to UNDERSTAND the Safari Much BETTER!! I have been reading the book for a month and I am reading it for the second go-around!! Doing my homework, before I test drive a SAFARI for purchase!! Best of LUCK, HH,
Les Robinson
 
yeah I've thought about getting that book, I just wasn't sure if the same rules/tips apply to the safari since it's FBS and rgquattro isn't.
 
Hey Fog, I am in the same boat as you, having all the same problems. I'm hearing so many tones so close together it is overwhelming me. Slowing down to a near stand still sometimes helps, but in the end I think it is just going to take a lot of listening , in the field use and getting use to. I think I am improving but haven't been able to get out enough with this darn global warming weather freezing things up!:thumbdown: Onus
 
OK, I just purchased a Safari after seeing it as the giveaway on Lost Treasure on Line. The article by Andy Sabisch sold me, little did I know he lives in the next town to me. This guy is a walking detector, the best I have ever spoken to. Anyways, he has a book, Mastering the Quattro, which also answers a ton of questions that also apply to the Safari. This 100 plus page book covers so much more then the instructions that come with the machine, anyone who has the new Safari should get this book. He did a few things to my machine last night, what a difference, and it's all in the book.
 
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