2 questions

[chuckaaron]

1. How helpful is it to use the threshold sound going in the background.
I have only used it a few times and found it distracting.
I manly hunt school yards--parks and occasional beaches.

2. How important do you think it is to change to the 180 scale on the meter. I'm willing to do it if the consensus is that it's definitely worth it.

Would appreciate everyones impute.

chuckaaron

 

[adam in cal]

the threshold is important in my opinion, I can see where it is anoying ,but in time you will get used to it, and to be honset I cant hunt without it now.It is important because you will be able to hear when the detector is nulling over an undesireable iron target, without a threshold you cant tell if it is blanking out. also slight changes in the threshold can indicate a deeper target.I have found that if you dont like the threshold noise you can turn down but you will most definately miss some deeper targets,and may end up missing stuff, due to the threshold nulling and you continuing to move the coil before it has reset. as for the 180 meter mod. I was resistant to try it, but eventually I was swayed into it and have been very pleased with it. Although the 550 meter is not bad nor is anything wrong with it. some people do perfer it over the 180 . Either meter is adequate once you get to understand the the way it ids a target, and i still believe that the 550 gives you a more accurate id,but only on junk targets the 180 has a general id number for say a pulltab, where the 550 gives a different number for every differet type of pulltab,with the 550 I can tell you if your coil is over a ketchup packet or a taco bell hot sauce packet , where the 180 I can just tell you it is foil based junk ........... the speed of response is much better with the 180.All in all the key to target id will be the tones of the detector, I recently dug up a merc dime that had a solid numerical id of 158 but the tone was a solid coin tone, where that 158 generally would have had a lower pulltab sound, so the meter is just a tool to help you verify what the tones are saying, the numerical id can vary depending on if you are in close proximity to junk or iron trash........whatever you decide just put in as many hours as you can then it will really open up for you....good luck

 

[Rick(ND)]

You did well explaining the threshold and there is time I find it is nice not to have a threshold too, but rare for most of us. If there is very few targets good or bad in a area it seem like you will always get a iron threshold tone until you hit a higher sensitivity target, so that low tone get bad to listen too after a while. This is where that switch on the GT for silent search is nice, but I have only used it twice in the last year.I feel you do need the threshold if you want the deeper coins to know if you are going too fast and if there is a coin next to trash item.
I also feel you have to run no or very little disc so it will only null on iron.
On meters i find myself the 180 is the most accurate one for me as it has 1 or 2 numbers per target while the 550 has several, but that is just me.

 

[pb-to-au]

In areas of low or medium target density try wearing some rubber or other low iron content shoes and put a quarter or dime in the toe. You can bring back the regular threshold tone simply by passing the coil close to your shoe as you swing the loop, rather than stopping the swing and using the pinpoint swith or otherwise fiddling with controls. Becomes effortless after a while.I use this tactic all the time now and never use the switch on the detector to bring back the threshold.In areas of high trash this method is worthless, you just have to put up with the null/buzz null/buzz null/buzz nonsense.

 

[chuckaaron]

Many thanks again-information is really helping.
Right now I have whites headphones.
Do you feel the white's headphones are good enough for threshold use-especially with some hearing loss--or do I need something better and if so what?

2. At the beach I notice sand around the front of my meter. Around the edges of the front plate-- which may at times be getting into it.
Would it be a good idea to seal the openings with something like silicone or would that create a possible moisture problem in side.

chuckaaron

 

[adam in cal]

I have not tried the whites head phones, but I have tried 3 other pairs and of the three the ones I consider my main squeeze is the Timberwolves, the model I have are ''the perdator'' they are very loud and the seperation between tones is crisp and alive , the number 2 pair is the killer B's the wasp model they are virtually identical to the timberwolves but not as loud,they are plenty loud but not quite as loud and they make the threshold sound more buzzy than normal. The third pair were a free pair of chepos and I turned them on to a guy I met that didnt have anything at all and he was pleased.As for sand gathering near the meters edge,avid beach hunters may tell you to ditch the meter alltogether on the beach and just dig it all, which is very solid advice in my opinion . But if you do use it in a beach enviorment then cover it with something , they sell a meter cover for 15.00 ,or you can create you own , you could also try the silcone ,I would definately do something to keep the dirt out.I believe trouble may occur if you are not very careful with it at the beach. good luck

 

[Rick(ND)]

If you have a hearing loss than the Timberwolfs are the loudest on the Sovereigns. I find the Troy pros are the loudest on my Explorer, but on my Sovereigns the Timberwolfs have been the best for me.