Thanks to our colleague CPT_GhostLight from the PROSPECTORDETECTOR forum, we have a nice table with a list of programs for XP DEUS II:
XP DEUS II programs table
Tag: deus skill school
Minelab Manticore and Multi IQ+ technology
The first outing with Minelab Manticore was not successful. I had considerable doubts. After all, the price is about 10 thousand. PLN does its job and we have above-average expectations. The detector frighteningly distorted the color and no change and raising the iron limits (FERROUS LIMITS), or lowering the sensitivity and ground calibration did anything. I was stuck. I tried various ways to deal with the change in reactivity and frequent detuning, but it did not bring the expected results. The device was unstable and it was difficult to figure out what was the correct signal from the target, and what was ground interference and color-distorting iron.
Yes, the place is very difficult, and not because of the soil, which is easy and sandy, but because of the amount of iron in it. Minelab Manticore requires a bit more knowledge and experience from the user than devices from the lower price range. Here you have to think hard about what program we will choose for the prevailing conditions and how we will set it. In my case, I decided to change the program from a FAST setting to LOW CONDUCTORS. So low guides. Why? Old and fine silver has a very low ID and is located right next to iron.
The next step was to determine the iron ranges (FERROUS LIMITS), here the matter is not so simple. Low value more color distortion but less masking. I decided to set the upper value for fine iron – such as nails – to 6. This is slightly less than factory 7. The extreme version is 4, but I do not recommend it at the beginning, maybe when you get used to the equipment. It gives amazing results.
Recovery speed is a parameter responsible for the separation. Here I stayed with factory 5, and sometimes I use 6 in a place with more traffic 😉 Higher value, better separation of objects and more stability, less range. At low values, you have to sweep slower and the equipment becomes less stable. Fortunately, we can influence this with the speed of the sweep. When we come across a garbage can – we slow down, and when it’s clean we can easily speed up. Patience and experience, humility, and there will be results!
It remains to set the sensitivity. The principle is always the same as in other detectors. We go up and watch how the detector behaves. Unstable work, we have to go down. Along the way, we do NOISE CANCEL, i.e. scanning channels to look for the best one. We can combine this with the sensitivity adjustment and choose the right setting. It is worth holding the interference reset button longer until you get one repeatable channel after each scan. In the case of Manitcor, the algorithm analyzes the interference and selects the best channel for the given operating frequencies selected with the program.
Audio. What audio to choose in a place where iron and its natural oxidation make even shallow objects practically inaudible?! I chose the ENHANCED option with noise reduction and it was a hit. Finally, the number of tones. It has been known for a long time that simple audio is the best in a dump or among the iron. One ton fell. Modulation? I chose SIMPLE, which is the smallest difference between a strong and a weak signal. Why? A large value for the MEDIUM or RICH parameter makes it easy to get lost with a large number of different signals, especially high tones from piercing iron. We want to check every signal and not miss anything!
Ground calibration remained at 0, although tracking did not introduce significant changes. The maximum corrected value is 2. The device cannot be manually adjusted by the pumping process here – too much iron!
Let’s go back to the results obtained, and this one completely knocked me off my feet! The spot I passed through revived and began to produce signals that were previously inaudible to other devices, and I spent almost two years in this place! It’s a strange feeling to pull stuff next to your pits and footprints … MultiIQ+ software Minelab does the job in combination with very fast hardware. The sensation is shocking when the detector separates the masked signals with the iron and the 2D graph becomes a checking tool. How to do it? The matter is simple because it is very easy to distinguish interference from iron and ground in the ENHANCED audio. In case of additional doubts, we look at the chart and rotate over the target by 90 degrees. In this case, after rotation, the TARGET TRACE signal in the conductivity axis, signaling the so-called color returns to iron. The chart gives us amazing opportunities to check the signal. For example, it shows large iron objects masking low conductors, small iron showing color, but also a pair of different objects next to each other. The dominant of the stronger signal changes with the change of position over the object. It’s just brilliant! If we add interference, mineralization, and different types of conductivity, we have a full picture of the possibilities!
Finally, is the detector worth 10,000? zloty? Certainly not in this country. We simply cannot afford it and no matter how good the ratio of our earnings to price is, it is unacceptable. Too bad no one talks about it!
Judge for yourself and remember to comment on this article and on our social media.
The revolution that is not coming
I have a strange feeling that the world of metal detectors is stuck at a certain point. We have been waiting for spectacular changes for years and they are not coming… maybe they are coming differently, but on a different scale than we expected.
Minelab Manticore or XP DEUS II are really good devices, but do they bring anything groundbreaking apart from the dose of well-known solutions?
Certainly, SMF devices are better than what we know from the past, but they are also not without their flaws. The advantages include stable operation in more difficult conditions and better ID compared to single-frequency devices. More accurate signaling of objects from both ends of the scale – low and high conductors. This makes detection easier. This makes detection easier, e.g. old and fine silver is the beginning of the scale close to iron, while large is its other end in SMF, it works really well.
What disadvantages? Less resistance to EMI interference – after all, we work in a wider frequency range and slightly worse performance when it comes to depth.
In my case, I always choose an advantage in the form of better identification and separation in iron, and this can be different, opinions are divided here.
It must be remembered that such a Nexus MPV3 is completely immune to EMI interference, which makes it much deeper and, after adding the adaptive speed of separating the target, insurmountable … unfortunately, you have to pay for it and it is a device for conscious detectorists. It is not light and consumes 10 AA batteries in a short time. Something for something as they say.
We also have the Tarsacci MDT 8000 with hybrid PI and VLF technology. A mix of pulse device performance and VLF discrimination. The detector is really deep and works great in iron or with magnetic stones. Unfortunately, target signaling and its interpretation is no more difficult than in VLF and SMF devices.
It’s better, multi-frequency detectors are more stable. Such a good old Whites Spectra, using three frequencies, is much shallower and very susceptible to interference. It will not separate as well, especially in iron. In addition, under high-voltage lines, there is no chance and nothing will change it, no change of settings.
It remains to wait and watch what the next years will bring, I know that it will be interesting, that’s for sure.
Minelab Manticore is a mythomaniac dream
Minelab announced the birth of a new detector called Manticore some time ago. The hype is huge and the expectations are even higher. It is true that the Yankees laugh at the new name, but they raise the bar extremely high, after all, the successor of Equinox or its improved version must live up to expectations.
Well, the price of almost PLN 10,000 is a pure abstraction only for a few and I want to laugh watching on YouTube when storytellers tell how good the device will be. They probably have a hunch… or the cards say so 😉
The truth is that we know absolutely nothing and despite the numerous shows of the Minelab team traveling around Europe, we know even less … After all, the show must go on and that’s what modern marketing is all about. Announcement Announcement?! Why not … that’s what Minelab did and exactly on December 1, 2022, in a moment we will find out about another piece of news … and what!!! How to have fun! The Americans say it’s fun at the customer’s expense. We’ll see.
Everyone is excited about the new 2D system based on Target Trace known from the Minelab CTX3030 model, but this is a completely different matter and the similarity here is purely marketing. Both detectors are different technology and way of managing and displaying an ID. A new opportunity has opened up for a wide identification of iron, which is good, but how it will really work and on what basis it will turn out in the field. The ability to distinguish between large and small iron is a big plus, and the extended scale may also allow better separation of low conductors from high ones. The question is what will happen when there is a pair of them under the probe? How the software will work. Questions and more questions.
Speculation continues. Numerous Equinox experts are already making screenshots for equipment together. I will not be a hypocrite I ordered myself … I’m curious too.
Unfortunately, as in the case of XP DEUSA II, it takes a few months in the field – other tests are just dreams of storytellers who buy equipment one day to sell it the next. Best of all, they don’t put any effort into learning, they assume it’s supposed to be like that, and they borrow the detector for a day or two, so what kind of reliability are we talking about here?!
I watch numerous comparisons in laboratory conditions on the test track … and I want to laugh. People are commenting on a device they don’t know and haven’t spent several hundred hours with! They assume that the borrower has such knowledge and has set it up well, and on this basis, they make an assessment! So they don’t know the detector themselves and they can’t even set it!!! They don’t even know what function it has and how it differs from others!!! So what kind of tests and credibility or reliability are we talking about?!
In a simple way, they implement untruths, for those less grasped they have a story about numerous data in Excel tables. Spells mary grandma’s wife see you soon. It’s in its purest form treating the recipient like a moron, nothing more.
There is also a lot of repetition, I am a master, I understand this equipment, etc., I mastered it to perfection, it is to confirm the leader himself in his perfection and it is in vain to look for field tests or demonstrations and explanations of individual functions and settings. Goebbels himself said that a lie repeated many times becomes the truth. And so it is in this case.
It is a waste of time to produce fairy tales and tell nonsense that others swallow like pelicans. You have to redo it yourself to understand it, put in time and money and an infinite amount of work. Time is priceless nowadays. All the rest is an addition, on which various more or less autistic megalomania and mythomania prey… or maybe it’s Asperger transmitted by droplets? I do not know.
Below is a video that will illuminate you a bit more, still hot!
Minelab Equinox 700 and 900 the fish rots from the head
Has become. Minelab announced new models… Equinox 700 and 900. That’s how they did it… they refreshed the line. So what do we get and how is the new model different?!
A flashlight has arrived, vibrations, a wider ID scale, improved ergonomics, a scale for iron from -1 to 0, and for higher conductors from 1 to 99. They went crazy.
Looking soberly, the changes are cosmetic beyond the scale, but how about the price, in our country, it is the dominant factor. Let’s see what the difference is … GBP 799 for the 700 version and GBP 1099 for the 900 version. This means at the current exchange rate of PLN 4354 and PLN 5989 net …
To sum up, PLN 5,356 and PLN 7,367. Is it supposed to be an alternative to the almost PLN 10,000 Manticore and a response to the fans of the brand who said that someone exaggerated the price? This is how the mouth closes efficiently. Pure marketing. You can not afford it?! Buy yourself a cheaper one… see what we have prepared for you. A slight facelift and refreshed device can be yours.
How does the price compare to the competition? The answer is simple. Miserably. It’s cheaper than Manticore but still expensive. Adding a few goodies won’t make us justify 20% more. There is no chance, although the manufacturer was based on this assumption.
Maybe it’s a matter of prejudice, but Equinox has never convinced me and many of my colleagues feel the same way. After a year of use, I got rid of the device without much regret. It is possible that it was a mistake, but compared to the old XP DEUS model, Whites Spectra or decent DeepTech analogs, I did not see any greater depth, better identification, or stable work.
It is possible that the new models are much better, but I see no reason to be interested in them. Whether this is a mistake time will tell.
Coming back to the prices, well, we live in such no other conditions and only a few can afford expensive devices above PLN 2,500. It is worth remembering and reminding each time because it is not the individual who indicates the goal, but the majority.
Depth or separation?
Depth or separation? The eternal question and sleepless nights. I choose to separate objects because this is the most crucial thing in the places where I am able to search. The race for a few inches leads to nothing constructive, but the ability to see in iron does. Scrap heavily masks targets, and it’s not big objects and nails, but also decay dust – its condensed oxides!
The electronics of the detector have to process a lot of signals in a moment, and if we add other conductors to this, the time to generate a signal is very short. Larger signals effectively cover the response of small objects – higher conductors.
The level of mineralization of the substrate, the sweep angle, the conduct of the probe, and the frequency of work are important. All this has a dramatic effect on the effects. Wrongly selected detector and incorrectly set, and there is no chance for any effects. I have experienced this many times and it was very painful. A change in approach, improved probe guidance, and higher operating frequency, and we begin to hear signals previously unavailable.
So what is my recipe for a lot of iron? It depends on many parameters, but to simplify … a higher separation speed of the so-called recovery speed, higher operating frequency, lower sensitivity to conditions, and lower discrimination. Slower sweep, still parallels to the ground. You can also raise the probe slightly up … so if we are fighting with large disturbances from the ground. It will be shallower this way, but we will hear objects that we had no idea about before.
Finally, you can use a single high-frequency operation, an adaptive refresh rate device (Nexus MP V3), or a hybrid PI/VLF detector (Tarsacci MDT), but who can afford that?!
You can find more on this BLOG and on YouTube and social media on Facebook. Speak soon. Comment under the article.
The Nexus is a completely different detector
Nexus MPv3 is a detector so different from currently presented detectors that it is difficult to compare them directly. Expensive, heavy, and difficult to use, but perfectly made. Worth every penny for me, but obviously not for everyone.
Why is it worth spending a fortune? First of all, you need to have a lot of experience, a small ego, a lot of humility, and patience. Success requires hard work, only then it tastes the best.
MPv3 is in a completely different league when it comes to performance. No known hardware comes within a meter of the Nexus. Does this mean that it is the best equipment in the world? No. Perfect for old places, but expensive and requiring full understanding.
In addition to the depth of detection, we get beautiful analog audio and a guide signal closely related to the ground calibration, giving a full description of what is happening under the probe. Pure analog power packed into ten…yes ten AA batteries.
Nexus opens old spots and helps close new ones to the end. The whole thing makes a hell of a good tool. Modulated VCO-type audio, depending on the settings, allows you to favor particular conductors. The VCO LED indicator works in a similar way. It’s also adjustable. We have a pair of colors for each guide from green, to orange, blue, and white. It’s a big simplification.
The combination of all these possibilities results in a devilishly effective device, although demanding, but also quite forgiving of mistakes. Perfect second detector for me.
You will find out more soon. Remember about our social media and YouTube channel.
EMI interference
What is EMI Interference? The definition is quite broad and a bit confusing for non-technical people:
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) is any signal or radiated into space or transmitted through power or signal lines that threaten the operation of radio navigation or other safety services, or seriously degrades, blocks, or repeatedly interrupts licensed radio communications. Radio communication services include, but are not limited to, television and radio broadcasting, mobile telephony services, radar scanning, air traffic control, paging services (pagers), and PCS (Personal Communication Services). Licensed radio services, such as those used in WLAN networks or Bluetooth technology, together with incidental transmitters, such as digital devices including computer systems, contribute to the electromagnetic environment.
In our case, these are simply interferences that make the work of the metal detector difficult or even impossible. Half the trouble is when the process is visible and the device characteristically excites, generating a target signal and a numerical ID. Then we know that we are dealing with them and can take appropriate measures. What? Detuning the so-called changing the channel, reducing the sensitivity, or choosing a different operating frequency, if possible, direct elimination of interference sources such as telephones, transmitters, electric fences for animals, etc.
In difficult cases, you can use discrimination and cut-out interference, but this is only a half-measure. We lose performance, which is already heavily limited by EMI interference. A colleague who accompanies us can effectively deprive us of the chance to find finds, being even several meters away with his detector! Don’t fall for the group search, it’s just a nice time at the rally, you can’t count on the effects in such conditions. It’s unlikely!
What was the better situation, and what is the worse? Quiet disturbances. The ones that are not visible, and everything seems to be ok. We lose performance, but the detector does not signal it in any way. You can put a coin under the probe and the device can be completely blind. How to defend against it? It depends on many different factors, and above all on the type of device we have.
We preventively check other programs and detune the device from time to time. We check the signals with the person next to us to see if our detector can handle them as well. It’s the only option. SMF-type machines – simply put, multi-frequency machines, usually work in two or more frequencies, processed by software. In some cases, it may turn out that what was supposed to be a great advantage of a wide frequency range becomes a disadvantage!
For example, we have a program working in the range from 5 to 40 kHz – ideal for searching for gold, i.e. a low conductor is allergic to high frequency, and silver – a high conductor to low frequency. In addition, high frequency copes with small things better and with greater mineralization of the ground. In the case of low frequency, objects with a larger volume are signaled better. Story. We will not miss anything from what interests us the most!
Unfortunately, right now our greatest enemy is approaching and eliminating one of our frequencies. Without seeing it, we lose 50% of the possibilities without knowing it. Often programming and filters sewn in with it additionally stabilize the work of the detector. For this reason, the prevention described above is important. In this way, we will avoid erroneous opinions about the equipment and unreliable tests, especially from the test tracks. Interference can confuse us, so it is worth spending many hours checking different variants of settings in the field in various conditions!
Remember to comment under this article and on our social media.
XP with panel or without?
The question is simple with or without a panel? ORX, DEUS, and DEUS II are available in the lite version, where the control electronics are replaced by wireless headphones, also with buttons and a display. So which set to choose? Logically, the best and full, unfortunately, the price difference is significant, and on the other hand, you have to pay more later to buy a panel. It is bad either way. So what decision to make?!
If it is to be the first detector, then we can safely give up this add-on. Why? For a simple reason, we have to go by ear and we don’t have a display with ID numbers or a graph. We learn organoleptically from scratch as it should be – that is, by ear! It only pays off and increases our skills. Such mastery of the equipment gives you a lot and allows you to avoid mistakes at the beginning of the road. The second plus is not wasting time on moving the device when we do not fully understand certain functions and dependencies – less chance for wrong setting and skipping items. Finally, the last thing is weight loss, we can live knowing that our equipment is the lightest in the world!
Are you advanced and want to update? Buy yourself a panel, this solution is for you! There is one more option to work with the equipment, first listening and then verification on the chart. That’s how some programs work, and it works.
We have experience and we understand how the detectors work, then the panel is a chance to squeeze out additional possibilities, change the audio or precisely adjust it to the conditions or your own preferences.
Great Trinity
Five months of intensive field testing with us. The area is 6000 m². Three devices: Tarsacci MDT 8000, XP DEUS II, and Nokta Makro The Legend. Changeable weather conditions, but as in summer, the temperature is around 23 to 30 degrees Celsius. For the DEUS II and The Legend detectors, UV radiation and general heat had a terrible effect on performance. I don’t know if it’s a matter of SMF technology, but both devices lose a lot in such conditions. This manifests itself in unstable work and difficulty in finding a goal. In the case of the Tarsacci detector, which is a hybrid device, i.e. a bit of VLF and a bit of PI, there is no such problem. The probe doesn’t drift and doesn’t go out of tune.
Soil conditions were difficult not because of the soil itself, which is sandy, but because of the high iron content in the form of post-settlement dust, nails, and pieces of pottery and rubble. Modern garbage was rare in this place.
Tarsacci takes time and understanding to set up and master, it’s a bit better with XP DEUS II and The Legend. The last two machines are more forgiving and have better target signaling and locking. Simply put, these goals are easier to extract in difficult conditions.
Hybrid technology means less masking and greater depth of detection, and you can feel it right away. Stable operation unattainable for SMF-type detectors (although stable anyway) translates into greater comfort of searching, giving a longer time and the majority of finds. The MDT 8000 is the kind of equipment that you either love or hate.
In the case of XP, we have a lot more options to choose from. The sound and ergonomics mean that you don’t want to let this pipe out of your hand. After taking the time to master the settings, it is a great detector to work in technically difficult terrain, with a lot of configuration options.
The Legend is as deep as XP DEUS II and can be deeper and more convincing at times. The price is an argument, but the last update 1.09 did its job, and having the same amount to choose from in the case of the XP product, I would seriously consider it. Nothing can beat ergonomics, but everything else can become conventional in this case.
The Turkish manufacturer has made amazing progress and now it is possible to shell coins near the iron, which was not so obvious before! Filters with adjustable speed recovery speed allow you to separate difficult targets better and faster. The device does the job, and in combination with the new audio, it works really great. Personally, I go with the two-tone mode, but Pitch or 60 tones are also alternatives. The 6” probe included in the PRO PACK set is the perfect panacea for a trash can and, together with the low weight, compensates for the fact that we have to swing a lot more with such a small disc! Such a set means that there are not several objects under the probe at once and it is easier to track the right target.
In normal conditions, without the old iron, Nokta and XP perform really well and are not inferior to the Tarsacci. The fun begins only in difficult conditions when coins pop out from under the iron. Then it gets hot. Every Seeker knows this condition well…
Nokta Makro The Legend real SMF
The Collins Dictionary defines the word “legend” as follows: When you refer to someone as a legend, it means that they are very famous and admired by many people. That’s a definition that certainly includes the Nokta metal detector – it means both famous and universally admired.
There are multi-frequency (MF) detectors and there are simultaneous multi-frequency (SMF) detectors. Both have their followers, so which is best? It depends entirely on where you regularly look and how you look, not forgetting other aspects of fun. These will include consideration of after-sales support, accessories such as probes, warranty repairs, and even dealer reputation.
MF detectors offer operators a range of frequencies from 4kHz to 81kHz, depending on make and model. What MFs don’t do is generate multiple frequencies at once, unlike SMF. Because MFs transmit one selected frequency at a time, their electronic target analysis systems are less complex and therefore less expensive to manufacture. This is usually reflected in their much lower price. Many seasoned MF aficionados prefer to tune their detectors to the frequency that best suits the type of target they are looking for… eg gold, minted silver, copper, and even iron objects.
Nokta Legend is a real SMF that transmits 4kHz, 10kHz, 15kHz, 20kHz, and 40kHz synchronously. Why? Straight. SMF is a catch-all system. Lower frequencies penetrate deeper into the ground/wet sand, while higher frequencies – although slightly less so – are more sensitive to small gold objects. A single MF frequency option is also available to the user.
At a price of around PLN 3,835 along with “promotional offers” that include additional probes and other accessories, it is hardly surprising that the Legend is so highly regarded. Don’t be fooled, this is a technologically advanced detector with features usually only available on the market for detectors worth over PLN 7,000. What makes it stand out is that it has an average price.
From a commercial point of view, it’s a damn strong mix. Nokta placed the Legend electronics in the same housing as the Simplex+ model. The build quality and architecture are typical of a Turkish manufacturer. The model is solid and based on the experience gained in the production of other detectors. As sailors say about yachts: “If it looks good, it will sail well.”
Where we have garbage and iron, a small probe should be used, and anyone who searches the shoreline knows what I’m talking about. Beach seekers often avoid cluttered areas like the plague. Other tough guys work in these conditions, pushing the capabilities of their devices to the limit.
Large-diameter probes are not my ideal choice in cluttered areas, due to one major disadvantage: vulnerability to “target masking”. In the case where we have two objects – one garbage and the other, e.g. a gold ring – both entering the field of work, and the garbage object is often the stronger signal of the two and “masks” gold. Some areas were not only loaded to the brim with garbage and all sorts of metal objects but also lost jewelry. Not surprisingly, these places are almost impossible to search with large-diameter probes, and I mean the 11-inch Legend probe as well. As you might expect, many Seekers steer clear of littered areas. The key to unlocking the loot is a probe with a small diameter of no more than six inches. The likelihood of two targets falling into the small diameter of a small probe is much less likely.
I hope the 6-inch NM probe (LG15) will stand out, as does the elliptical 9.5″x5″ (SP24) used in my Simplex+.
It’s obvious that electronics and water are a poor combination. So, if you’re taking your expensive metal detector anywhere near water, especially salt water, it needs to be waterproof to survive accidental submersion. The Legend is fully resistant up to three meters. For diving maniacs, you can buy headphones for diving on a cable. Same as Simplex+.
Test track or practical knowledge?
In the past, I had a lot of inquiries as to why I don’t have a test track. It doesn’t work for a simple reason. It doesn’t work. You can compare the cutters together on the same day and it will still be a demonstration test, not a comparative test. For a simple reason, external factors affect what happens to the detector. Temperature and UV radiation change everything, and if we add the processes taking place in the soil under the influence of these factors, we have a complete picture.
I remember one day we went to the old spot after the rain. The temperature dropped below 20 degrees Celsius and the ground was damp. Coins started popping up like mushrooms after the rain. A week later, at around 28 degrees, nothing came out, but the next week at 23 degrees, more came out!
We followed in our footsteps. In addition, there are EMI interferences, the quiet ones, and those we can observe. All you need is a transmitter to send data packets and you can go home. Half the trouble, as you can see and hear after the behavior of the device, unfortunately, the quiet EMI simply cuts off the possibility of detection, which I don’t even know about. At such a moment, it would be enough to put a coin on the surface and the device simply does not see it.
The heat causes the probe to drift, despite numerous patents compensating for this condition, from painting it white to changes in electronics or software. This is best heard after the lead signal if we have such an option.
Another example. XP DEUS II. The RELIC program is all set up for the seat. The first 20 minutes are brilliant. Stable audio, leading signal. After 20 minutes, despite detuning the interference every 20 minutes, it’s not fun anymore. I can clearly feel the deterioration of performance and stability. This can be seen in the lead signal, which clearly undulates when sweeping over a clean area … I mean conventionally clean because it is full of iron.
Also, only work in various conditions gives a full picture of the device, do not fall for the tricks of testers who have not devoted a minimum of 200 hours to the device in various conditions. Real knowledge comes after 2000 hours and then questions arise about what is a natural process.
I encourage you to ask questions in this article.
Tracking or not Tracking?
Ground calibration is the basis for ensuring the detector’s operation in difficult conditions, it can be carried out manually or automatically. There is still Tracking, i.e. the function of continuous ground tracking.
Good on clean substrates where mineralization often changes over a short period of time. There is also a downside, false signals can be caught, and objects will need to be swept several times to generate the correct signal. Tracking can get completely lost on magnetic stones or with a lot of ceramics and iron. Large clutter also makes things difficult, it’s all a matter of work algorithms and accompanying filters. Values can be averaged and this is where false signals appear.
Manual tuning gives the greatest guarantee that the metal detector is properly calibrated to the ground. Unfortunately, there are also places where the amount of iron makes it difficult to calibrate manually and automatically, and then it is worth starting Tracking … just do it wisely.
We look at the values and if one value is scrolling all the time, just disable the ground tracking. Ready! We have the value we were looking for. The machine did it for us! It remains to check it from time to time. How? Simply pump the search coil over a clear spot, if the signal changes or you hear an excessive response from the ground, re-tune.
Good positioning is crucial for stable operation and proper signal for a given object and decent depth, and we must remember this every time.
How foil masks signals
A great demonstration of how foil, magnetic stones can mask signals. So is iron. Comparison of XP ORX and Tarsacci MDT 8000. Enjoy watching.
Tarsacci MDT 8000 REX!
Different technology and completely different possibilities, but only in the right place is the advantage of the Tarsacci MDT 8000 detector that crushes the competition! You do not believe it? Marketing gibberish? Read foreign forums, especially from the USA… these are only the best opinions, but there are also disadvantages.
This equipment, like any other, requires some time and understanding, it is not a low-end, plug-and-forget model. It takes some time, but the results speak for themselves. There is one more little snag. Tarsacci MDT 8000 metal extractor in ordinary conditions, such as low soil mineralization or lack of coke, iron, and foil, will not show anything spectacular. Yes. You need a place full of iron, pottery, coke, slag, magnetic stones, and similar crap, and that’s where the real fun begins! I’m fucking stupid?! Does he probably want to sell…?! Nothing like that, a couple of weeks in the same place over and over again following my footsteps. In addition, various other competition equipment, change of operators, weather, and an area untouched by human hands for 40 years. Only mowed grass. Even changing the orientation of walking in your footsteps, digging on old holes – your holes (fenced area)!
Effect? Pulp! Shock and amazement. The results speak for themselves, competing detectors on various programs are 3 to 5 coins and Tarsacci?! Twice as much and always in the same place!
Recent searches and only this detector give advice. Space and departure at the same time! How is it possible that a silver coin can be heard from over 30 cm under the layer of iron, nails, and ceramics? Two other devices signal nothing but iron, or operate at the limit, although they are perfectly aligned, they have a clear problem. The probes begin to drift and iron wraps around the scale, pottery and stone beat in the middle. A spooky overture, no chance against the cacophony of machine gun sounds!
Hybrid technology allows you to see through this iron to some extent. Vulnerability to camouflage items is less. It’s not 100% known, but it’s still better than the latest top-shelf metal detectors. It makes a big difference and it really works!
Minelab Equinox vs Tarsacci MDT coin conglomerate
As you can see in the video below, Minelab lays out such a goal as a conglomerate of coins. It’s a difficult goal. Tarsacci is being tested.
Whites Spectra uncompromising detector
Whites Spectra is a unique metal detector. Complicated to use at first glance, but giving amazing configuration options. Why is it so special?
Firstly, it is a detector working in three frequencies at once, and secondly, it has a mixed mode, not like the RUTUS in the mono version, but a stereophonic one. What does it give? Both static and dynamic channels work simultaneously and are not switched between each other as happens in the mono version. We hear all the time about the multiplicity of depth and types of targets. It’s hard to miss items and we know what we have under the probe. This is a great comfort of work and if we add to it great identification, this device, despite its age and not very high speed of object separation, is still an unsurpassed model for many manufacturers.
There are also disadvantages, apart from the above-mentioned complication, the weight of the entire device and the color display are not very visible in direct sunlight. It is true that the Sharps LCD has great contrast and good backlighting, but it will not be at the level that black and white screens give.
Another problem is the power source. Factory batteries last literally for a while and are a pain to use and charge. Much better to switch to a pack of 18650 lithium-ion cells (3 pcs.) and an electronic charger. I use such a set myself and the working time is three times longer. I bought a basket for three such cells and designed and printed the housing.
The factory seat post is also not the most comfortable, but you can easily adjust something lighter.
The work itself and the ability to configure after each other give virtually unlimited possibilities. The initial learning about the equipment, it requires a lot of patience and perseverance as well as knowledge of the English language. Dedicating a few months to learning pays off in the field in the form of better identification, easier fastening on the target, and not tiring work. Fewer random sounds are also a big plus.
The ability to configure allows you to adapt to many scenarios and types of searched objects. The separation of software and hardware settings as well as filters allows you to configure the detector for yourself also in terms of audio or displayed ID and pictograms and ending with colors. This is something unheard of nowadays.
The V3i version allows you to use the XY plot option for additional item identification. We see as many as 3 frequencies in a graphic form, which allows you to better determine the conductivity and type of metal in some approximation. Even XP has used this in the XP DEUS I and DEUS II models.
The last thing is the depth indicator. Not as graphic as we know it now, but in cm and all the time in a dynamic mode without the need to track how it was done on other devices. In this simple way, we can distinguish what is surface garbage and what is a valuable item lying much deeper.
Bob Canaday, the late creator of the Whites Spectra, was undoubtedly a genius, and it’s a pity that none of the current metal detector companies have undertaken to continue his legacy.
DeepTech Vista Gold Hound is really worth it
DeepTech replaces Tesoro in the production of typical knob metal detectors. While the build quality of the US manufacturer was higher, the electronics and its work are definitely better on the side of the Bulgarian manufacturer.
The latest Vista Gold Hound model is a traditional two-tone detector with the added threshold function. The device is fabulously simple and convenient to use. Low iron tone, high color.
It doesn’t take much time, just turn it on and everything becomes easy. We start with setting a stable level of sensitivity, and ground calibration, and end with adjusting the threshold, which is actually an additional filter that stabilizes the work and allows you to suppress ground disturbances or, on the other hand, strengthen the ghost signals.
Gold Hound works at 30 kHz and is extremely stable. No crackling, squeaking, or false response from the soil. It really makes a big impression. Two simple signals and we know everything.
I had the opportunity to compare it with other detectors in a place with high mineralization and a huge amount of iron. Gold Hound reigns in terms of working comfort. It is stable and the signals are clear and sure, no dilemma about whether to dig or not. It fastens perfectly on the targets and gives additional information in the form of a low tone if we are dealing with corrosion. The break signal is not uniform and changes over time, it can also be quieter and give a distortion effect for very deep objects.
There are also disadvantages. No double discrimination makes us dig every color. This is a big plus, we won’t miss anything, unfortunately, it’s a problem in a large dumpster. In this case, DeepTech Vista X has the advantage of double discrimination, of which we can be sure to some extent.
Another problem is the frequency of operation … the device is really one of the deepest that we have working at 30 kHz and to such an extent that it can easily compete with 14 kHz! Yes! High mineralization and iron are not a problem, but clutter and small, thin plaques are. They strike like big coins and there is no difference in audio.
On a good spot, this detector is real gold, thin silver coins that most high-end toys do not signal. No problem! Vista Gold Hound will separate even the most masked objects in the area of rusty nails.
For extreme places, you can buy a SuperSix probe. This small sniper rifle, as the name suggests, will allow you to reach difficult places, with such iron condensation, where other detectors simply cannot process signals.
Remember to subscribe to our social media on Facebook: Omnitron i Omnitron Metal Detecting Group and YouTube channel: Michał Majchrowicz and Instagram: sklep_omnitron.
Write under this article what are your experiences with analog devices.
Coins like mushrooms after rain
The weather always affects the effect of the search and there is no need to cheat. Rain and temperature change the behavior of devices. Sony tends to drift and to put it bluntly, they lose their properties. The result is a decrease in ranges and false signals and interference from the ground. I mean extreme summer temperatures because some manufacturers have been using compensation for the temperature influence on the work of the detector probe for some time.
So how do you defend yourself in such a situation? It’s best to reduce the sensitivity or try ground balance again, even manually for added confidence. There’s an old trick left… we raise the probe above the ground and don’t drive it low. Let’s say 5 cm – 10 cm is the absolute minimum. You may find it much quieter and more stable, and the targets lock in the ID scale better and don’t jump.
Detuning or changing the frequency can also be a solution in this situation. In the end, it remains to wait for the rain, just like mushrooms after rain, previously unheard or immeasurable objects begin to appear.
If you liked this article, please post it on social media and comment on this page.
Expensive or cheap equipment?
Many of us make a mistake at the very beginning and choose the wrong equipment. The detector should be adapted directly to the conditions that prevail at the workplace as well as expectations regarding the finds. Half the poverty when we are looking for ordinary places without a lot of iron or civilization garbage. In such places, ordinary simple equipment for a few hundred zlotys is enough.
The problem begins when the soil is highly mineralized and we have a high content of iron, ceramics, turf ores, and coke. It turns out that ordinary equipment does not work at all. Did not work. Half the trouble is when we are able to determine it organoleptically and it can be seen from the behavior of the detector. The device energizes, the depth of detection decreases, the ID signaling simply does not work, and the excess iron causes the device to clog and shift in the scale of rusty corrosion to the range of high conductors such as silver. swept away. You can hang the equipment on a peg. There is no topic.
Fortunately, there are several ways to avoid problems. It is known that it is best to buy a high-end detector such as Tarsacci MDT 8000 or XP DEUS II … but who can afford such extravagance nowadays?
We start from scratch. If our equipment has the All Metal mode, we start it immediately. Discrimination is the enemy of every Seeker. End and period. In this way, we improve the performance and the electronics have fewer signals to filter, it is faster and there is less chance that we will miss something. We also start to sweep slower and more accurately. Surveying is fundamental. We assume every move and absolutely parallel to the ground.
Too much interference and false signals? We detune and reduce the sensitivity. It is also worth raising the probe a little higher. Sometimes it helps, also in the case of searching for signals on the surface – a lost wedding ring.
App. Yes, application. I send furious Janusz with the police syndrome to hell. The application is not a record of the services, but a help for you. What? Simple, we see how much we’ve walked and what signals were shown in a given place. You can observe the concentration of finds. You don’t have to upload photos, just a letter marker of the item. On this basis, it is known where to return with other equipment and or improve with the help of the selected program or a new set of settings.
Ground calibration. Just as important as detuning from EMI interference. The basis, the essence of working with the detector. Done right is a chance for success, screwed up is time wasted. Firstly, we look for a clean place, secondly, we double-check. When calibrating, we look at the values, compare, go to another place and try again. Correct identification and depth of detection depend on it. The measurement value tells us what conditions we can face.
Mineralization index. Not every metal detector has it. We check what it shows, and on this basis we are able to predict how much we will lose performance in this place and how to set the equipment exactly.
In the end, there’s always a fat wallet. Does the place produce? Are there results? It’s worth investing in better equipment! Multi-frequency device or in t hybrid technology, pulsed? Why not! Such solutions allow you to break through the iron layer in a more effective way. Equipment doesn’t have to cost a fortune. All the time on the market we will find garage producers who can work wonders. Currently, PI impulse detectors have discrimination and identification, it does not work as well as in popular VLF devices, but it allows you to reopen old places that apparently do not produce anything new!
No one would have believed a few years ago that the so-called. the frames will be in a version with full discrimination and in IB technology. Looking for a big color? No problem, a good example is Pathfinder Nexus, described in one of the articles of this blog.
If you liked this article, give it a like and remember our social media:
Youtube
Sklep Omnitron
Omnitron Metal Detecting Group
Intagram