Ring Settings for AT Pro?

[tvanwho]

I got tired of waiting forever for the Search function to work on this topic, so I will ask here instead? First time getting out to use my AT Pro after getting it back from the factory.
I sure don't know why they tried to get me for $225 for bad coil, bad connectors, etc, when it was all their fault in the first place ? I got them down to $175 but still...left a bad taste in my mouth for Garrett Service dept ....
The detector has always chattered like crazy in my condo but seems to be stable in Standard mode vs Pro mode so I will use that. Just wondering what settings to use to hunt clad, silver and gold rings in city parks? Might try some freshwater beaches this summer as well. How does this detector compare to my Ace 250 and or the Minelab 705 as far as accurate discrimination and notching abilities?
Thanks.

-Tom,ps, anybody near Chicagoland here?

 

[John-Edmonton]

If it chattered in your condo, that is normal. All the wiring, cable, cell phone activity etc will cause your machine to sound off erratically inside or near your condo.

But, lets see if we can set you up for rings. So, first of all, you have to hunt places where rings tend to fall off. Sports fields and beaches come to mind. Second, use your iron audio. Normal sized rings, say around size 8 tend to read at the same place as pull tabs. You have to dig a lot of pull tabs to get a gold ring. Larger gold rings tend to read up higher, near or at the penny range. Small, this gold rings can read in the foil range. To get a gold ring, or any ring for that matter, you have to dig a lot of targets. There is no detector which can just pick up gold rings. I hunt in Pro Mode, zero discrimination and iron audio set at about 25. Listen carefully at those pull tab signals. Gold tends to have a softer signal compared to a pull tab and more of a stable sound.

Good luck! The AT Pro is a great machine, and if you happen to get that coil over a gold ring, it will let you know.

 

[tvanwho]

Thanks John,

What is this Iron Audio thing for, never had that on a detector before, just a grunt noise for big iron on my MXT ? Some users say they can pick good targets out of nail infested sites with this iron audio? How? I like VCO audio where deeper targets sound fainter vs the same audio level for all targets. Do I need to use the Pro mode to get that? I tend to get a bit confused when detectors have numerous options, ditto for cell phones and cameras. I like it fairly simple so I don't have to lug around a manual with me. I love my Ace 250, so easy to use for this very reason. Am hoping the AT goes deeper tho and I need to use the waterproof ability this year for freshwater beach and swim areas. See how it does vs my Headhunter Diver machine?

-Tom

 

[jim tn]

Put it in pro zero, g b and hunt. Fire it up for the next hunt, g b and hunt. The settings have remained. All you need to determine is your sen. setting. Pro zero has VCO. I, too, like it. HH jim tn

 

[tvanwho]

Ok, thanks Jim. Do bottlecaps sound like coins? Can they be rejected fairly easy?

 

[jim tn]

Very quickly you will determine that most bottle caps don't have that smooth sound that a coin has. On the A T Pro they scream where as a coin is softer sounding. Put a couple of each side by side and you will see what I mean. I don't use notch and run 0 disc. so don't know about being rejected fairly easy. HH jim tn

 

[mudpuppy]

Yep..freshwater for gold and silver you say?

Pro Zero, disc 35-40 with Iron Audio OFF...if you get into a place with no iron, you can switch it on if yo like...to find knives and whatnot...I run mine in freshwater exclusively for gold and silver jewelry/coins with these settings...generally 40 disc, 2-3 clicks down from full power, and Iron OFF...I've found gold rings as small as point 4gr...yes thats point4gr! ..and 2 gold chains along the way..one was 15gr 10k and the other a massive 75gr of 24k. that sounded exactly like a pair of pulltabs...I have extreme confidence in the Pro with these settings in fresh water that it will not miss a gold ring or chain within reason..some of my gold rings have been deep enough to make a guy say WOW, did that just happen?
Mud

 

[Feingold]

Ok, thanks Jim. Do bottlecaps sound like coins? Can they be rejected fairly easy?

No, they can not be rejected. Not with the DD-Coil.
The can be rejected when using a concentric Coil.

 

[tvanwho]

[size=large][size=x-large]Ok Thanks Guys,

Now, a friend told me years ago to look for baseball fields and soccer fields , both where adults play. How do I tell if adults or kids are playing at the numerous such fields in my area?
A long time ago, I did get a men's silver band at a baseball field between outfield and 1st base approx. Another friend got a gold wedding band in the baseball infield just inches deep. My brothers friend lost his gold wedding ring at a soccer game and we were asked to look for it. Turns out the adults take their street shoes off on the sidelines and he fergot the wedding band was in his shoe and dumped it out after the game. We returned the ring BUT never even got a thank you ( ungrateful yuppies I guess? ) ? It was a huge ring, big enough to fit over my big toe even.
What other spots should I consider then? And where do most gold chains come to rest? Them Hispanic soccer players love gold neck chains and I hear they get ripped off the neck in the heat of the game. I was asked to look for such a gold chain at a local college soccer field, only to discover the field had a shallow network of sprinkler pipes of steel, and I had to give up..
Thanks,

-Tom[/size][/size]

 

[sparkster]

No one can give you an exact setting to find gold rings. That is because gold comes in so many different forms of alloyed metals. 10K, 14K, 18k, 24K are the most common forms of processed gold. They all can ring up on your detector from the 40's to the 80's.

If you want gold you must dig almost all repeatable signals. When you are working a sports field there isn't as much trash metal as hunting a park. I have found 16 gold rings in about 3 years with the AT PRO. All in all I have about 150 rings in 4 years that are silver and gold. In addition I have another 100 or so that are just cheap metal rings. All of my gold rings have come from sports fields or the beach. Never found any gold rings in a park, not to say they aren't there, I've just never found one.

My normal settings for sports fields and sidelines are as follows: sensitivity 3 bars from full, discrimination 35, iron audio off, 5 X 8 coil, always ground balance to start and re ground balance every time you change settings.

I dig every repeatable target. Strange but a penny on top of a nickel may give you a reading of 65, always dig even lame signals if they repeat. If you rotate you search position and the target still reads the Same dig it. If you get a lame signal raise your coil a little of the top of the grass. If you still get the same VDI, dig it. You will be surprised what your going to dig up.

Remember your eyes are the best discriminator in the world. That is the only way you will know for sure what's is under your coil is to dig it and see it.

Most importantly enjoy yourself this is a hobby not a job. Good luck. Be sure and post that first ring you find, I'm sure you going to find one, it's just a matter of time.

My last gold ring was 2 months ago. But look on the bright side, I have dug $150 in clad, 3 silver rings, a box load of hot wheels in the last two months.

 

[tarajudy]

To bad my AT PRO never worked in pro mode from day one. Sent back 2 times next place is the trash can I kid you not. tried 4 different coils, but works fine in std. mode.

 

[jim tn]

I'm not sure one can tell what ages use the sports fields un-less one observes. Keep in mind that while the players may be to young for wearing gold, their parents, who do, watch games and dad's frequently help out throwing balls, and so on, at practises and games. Our Hispanic's may be poorer then yours as I seldom find much decent jewelry where they play. Lots of clad, however. Parks are good that have areas where people and dogs romp around. Volley ball courts have been one of the better inland spots for me followed by basketball courts. And tot lots will occasionally give up a golden surprise. And, of course, fresh and salt water spots.

As far as settings, they all pretty much work as gold really has no boundaries as to where it may read and come in at. For those that are truly serious about recovering gold, pounds of trash gets dug in doing so. A lot of gold is down in the foil zone and bigger class rings show up all the way up into the zinc cent range. Good luck HH jim tn

 

[Fabio]

The ring I found was flat in the ground.
The sound was magical.
Ding-ding, ding-ding, ding-ding, as I was swinging with the DD coil.
Extreme left, centre, extreme right.
I was 100% sure it would be a ring and not a pull tab.

 

[tvanwho]

Pro Mode was quite stable with Sens lowered a bar or 2. Dug up about $6 in change, notched out most of the pennies, and got 4 nickels. Is it really necessary to GB this machine in black dirt/grassy areas? And when it started to rain a bit I wasn't too worried, until I noticed my headphone connector was exposed? Is there a plug I can get to cover it up? I don't really care for the Garrett waterproof phones. And is there an adapter plug to use other headphones? The built in speaker worked ok but was rather wimpy. Is there a way to crank up the volume on it?

-Tom

 

[upnorth]

The ring I found was flat in the ground.
The sound was magical.
Ding-ding, ding-ding, ding-ding, as I was swinging with the DD coil.
Extreme left, centre, extreme right.
I was 100% sure it would be a ring and not a pull tab.

I'm surprised that you still use standard mode. I like Pro Zero because the softer quieter signals stand out compared to the typical shallower hits, and those are what catch my interest.