Ace 250 pinpointing

[Gopher]

Well, my prayers were answered. Mrs Santa was good to me and I unwrapped an Ace 250 on X-mas morning. I found some pennies, four nickles, three dimes,a quarter and a ring all in two different locations on my first day. How bout that for a beginner. Well, I'm excited anyway. I guess the detector should get the credit. It's great.
I've read a lot on this forum about pinpointing but I'm still missing something. When I sweep side to side I can center the object pretty well, but when I move the coil toward and away from me, I can hold the pinpoint button and walk across the target for five feet or further I suppose with the pinpoint ringing. If I push the pinpoint button again, I can go back and try it again and it may center the target the next time. Why can I walk around with pinpoint ringing all over the place sometimes and other times I can center up the first try? It's not pipes and wires under the ground because I can usually find the target after a while and it's something pretty small. I've been running the sensitivity on the fourth bar in coin or relics mode. I would love some advice.
Thanks, Mark

 

[DavHut]

"If I push the pinpoint button again, I can go back and try it again and it may center the target the next time."

This sounds like you are 'detuning', which sort of resets the all metal mode to zero, which in turn allows you to detect the target. And that 'detuning' is the trick you've unwittingly hit on.

If I didnt know better, Id say there is some sort of mineralization causing the all metal to go very positive and give you the large "blooms" you are experiencing. The detector is compensating for it in the DISC modes (although its likely you may be suffering some depth loss), but when you go to pinpoint, you "uncover the dragon", as it were.

Whatever the source of your problem is, here're 3 things I've found to be helpful when locating your target:

1. Move the coil just off to the side, say a foot or so and "pop" the pinpoint button again; just hit it, one-two. This will detune the all metal and then sweep the target quickly, without dilly-dallying. The 250 is not a good non-motion locator and needs coil movement. So use this feature and keep the coil moving. Keep "popping" the button as needed until you pinpoint the target

2. Exploit the motion-based element of the detector and learn to use "MindsEye Pinpointing", ie, pinpointing without using the actual pinpoint function. When you've located a target, stay in DISC and move the coil to just above the target. Then "waggle" the coil side to side 2-3", dragging it backwards over the target.

As the coil passes over the target, the beeping will commence. Keep moving until the instant the beeping stops. If its a shallow item, the target will now be directly under the front tip of the searchcoils' INNER element. On deeper targets, the beeping will stop somewhere between the center notch of the coil and the inner tip.

3. Try switching to the ALL-Metal mode next time and see what happens. If there is a lot of haloed 'ferrous scatter', this will help you to know this. I hunt in this mode alot and you'd be surprised at how much interference is caused by such 'scatter'. You'll also be surprised at how well the 250 detects things in the middle of such stuff.

The pinpoint function is a little challenging, but is a very useful tool for learning what is really in the ground. I dont use it a lot, as I prefer the quickness of the MindsEye Technique, most of the time. But when I do employ it, I find that I have almost developed an automatic one-two pop of the button in order to stabilize it.

One last thing. Keep in mind that the 250 has a nice, rapid target response and does best if your search rythym is moving and smooth as opposed to slow and halting. Sort of imagine it as a "target dance" you do when you are over the item, and keep er moving around the target - it'll help.

HH

David
Aiken, SC

 

[Gopher]

Dave
That was a great explanation. I appreciate your detailed answer. I'm sure it will help a lot of new 250 owners.

Thanks, Mark
Ukiah, Calif.

 

[DavHut]

... my pleasure, sir.

HH