Question on using the MXT and ground balancing.

[Florida-Hunter]

Hey, I have a question about the MXT. I was searching a spot recently and I had several targets that were deep. I could just barely sense the targets in both coin/jewelry and in relic mode, but when I tried to target the depth of the item all I got was an all over depth at about 6 inches, not just at the target but all over within the general area, and didn't spike over the targets. Basicly it appeared as if the targets weren't there in depth finding mode. Is this a ground balancing issue? How do I use the ground balancing better? I had it set to ground at the time. I read elsewhere in the forums that you can go over a spot with no minerals and set it to lock and go over a mineralized area and it will target better? The area I was searching was right next to a small pond, and the dirt in the area smelled like sulphur. Not sure if that helps, but trying to give ya the conditions at the time. There may be lots of iron in the ground around the area.

 

[BarberBill]

Did you dig the targets, how deep, how big, what were they and what coil were you using? All these factor in to come up with a depth reading. Personally, I don't put much faith in the depth guestimation on TID machines except for coin sized objects to 6 inches or so detected with the stock coil. For me, if it seems like a solid, good tone I'm going to dig it regardless of the depth reading so don't usually worry about the accuracy of the depth number. I doubt that the ground tracking was causing you any problems.
My two bits,
BB

 

[Florida-Hunter]

yes, I was using stock coil at the time....Ok, I got a target, depth was good too, a spike at least, but the surrounding area always showed something at or around 6 inches roughly give or take a few inches in depth mode...... Dug the target and found a copper brooch like object about six inches deep. After I got it, I ran the coil over the area, and noticed 2 fainter tones right near where I had just dug. Depth says 6 inches, every where in local area, no spikes, so it picked up that it was there, but I dug and never found the items.....I may have not taken enough time to really dig the spot more, but I only had a coil probe with me at the time, and wished I had a shovel cause the ground was like cement and tough to dig with a coin probe.. This whole area with the depth issue was maybe 20ft. by 10ft. The depth wasn't constant but varied within that general area.

 

[Florida-Hunter]

oh yea the target I found was copper, about the size of a quarter.

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

If this is the situation, find a clear area to ground balance and then "Lock" your ground balance. Lots of iron in the area can possibly fool your ground balance. You might also use a small coil, maybe the 5.3 Eclipse coil if the site is saturated with trash...you will get better target separation when compared to the original coil. I tend to agree with BarberBill in that I do not put much emphasis on depth readings, more interested in a repeated signal. If you can increase the gain into the +1, +2, or +3 without the MXT becoming unstable, you will not only be increasing the gain, you will also be getting a signal volume boast. Also, use a good set of head phones. Kelley (Texas)

 

[BarberBill]

Your description of the problem area being 10x20 feet or so indicates to me that the spot is strangely mineralized or has some factor that is unusual rather than a general problem with the detector.
BB

 

[Florida-Hunter]

Yes I went back to the same spot again today.... Its weird, almost seems like the detector is sensing the water underground next to the pond. Only does this right in that general area. I also got a few weak targets there today, but after digging, I could never locate the source. Strange.