Sensitivity and Gain Survey

[RLOH]

I have some theories about gain and manual or auto sensitivity and I am interested in your settings. First, I have always hunted in manual sens 24, with the gain at either 6 or 7. I have been reading the posts about auto sens versus manual sens and I am interested in what the people are setting their gain at with either manual or auto. I think I remember Bryce using auto 26 with his gain at 10. I also noticed that James ND uses auto sensitivity also, but I failed to see where his gain is set. So please, if you would tell me, if you use manual or auto, with what number and your gain settings. I thought about posting on the classroom forum, but this forum get much more action and I am looking for as many peoples settings as possible. R.L.

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

RLOH,

I'm surprised you can always run manual 24. I would think there would be many places that that would be too high and unstable.

Chris

 

[RLOH]

Chris, I should have been more specific. There are a couple of places I hunt where I have to drop the sens to 18 or so while still in manual sens. I have had four Explorers over the years and I hardly ever used auto sens. I have been switching to auto the last couple of hunts and I have seen very little, if any loss of depth. I sure wish more people would share these settings. R.L.

 

[chuck ky]

how do you go to manual sensitivity. when i raise or lower the sensitivity the box is around the number how do you change it to manual. thanks.

 

[John-NC]

n/t

 

[jsmkh4]

Just pressing the button to the left of that box will change it from semi-auto to manual you will notice the line will stop rotating. You are now in manual.

 

[dewcon4414]

Ive hunted with both manual and semi depending on the trash.... but like i said ive been checking targets and havent found a target yet i didnt hit with both. Its odd too because if you run your ring across the coil there is about 3 or 4 inches difference in depth between manual and semi 24.... but not in the ground. Most detectors you get LESS depth than with air test in the ground. My gain is at 9.... why because im im used to hearing all the sounds as loud as they can be and picking out the deeper ones... they still modulate even at 9. So i cant justify reducing the sound for modulation when im getting it anyway and possibly missing a target. There are times when reduced gain works better .... like on the beach or lots of old trash cans. Some people are blessed with better hearing and dont look at the screen as much as i do so less gain works for them. Also ive noticed when air testing that semi has a clear point that it just cuts off where as manual will continue to attemp an ID on a deeper target. That could be a key to finding deeper targets once you recognize that.

Dew

 

[BlackX]

(Using Fe.) I used manual almost exclusively for over a year but recently have been playing w/ semi-auto more and more. (Though I think it has more to do with my state of mind--my fiancee called off the wedding and I lost my job of 19 years in the past months. Sometimes I can't mentally handle all the sounds. Semi-auto is more peaceful.) Haven't noticed a loss in finds but who knows. No matter what mode I'm in, I'll often check iffy signals in the other mode as well. With the Pro coil in most places I'm 24 or above for sensitivity. Gain at 7 or 8 (forget which at the moment).

 

[silverfix]

I run gain at 9 and semi auto 26 to 28

 

[Orlensin-FL]

I have been using the suggestions from the Sabisch book and going with Bryce's settings. Its been working very well for me.