Any AT Gold Tips for a Former AT Pro User

[flysar]

I've owned/used 2 different AT Pro's in my area (both had the optional small coil) and I even sent one back to Garrett for testing, everything was fine. I sold them both because they were unstable in my soil. I GB 94-96 and I could not run them in pro mode because it was always to chatty even with only a few bars of sensitivity; might as well own a 350.

My first detector in 73' was a Garrett and I have never gotten over how successful AT users are so I bought a AT Gold and thought I would try it. Besides reviewing the videos from Garrett what other user videos or tips can you offer me? I'm hopeful the additional ground adjustment options will solve the mineralization/iron issues of my local area and I'll be able to keep the Gold.

 

[MikeLab]

That's high mineralization. The AT Gold is more tuned to that than the AT Pro. I don't know what you are in, hot rocks, etc. can be overwhelming in some areas. They say some places you just have to learn what they sound like and move them out of the way or ignore them. If you read the manual they say to turn down the ground balance a little, maybe even add a notch or two of Ground Balance Window. And you can turn the threshold down to the negative numbers. Be cautious about manually adjusting the gb too much down. Very much and you will lose small targets. You might even get a book on nugget hunting They say to bury a small test target and then tune the detector to it so you can pick it out through the threshold .I say don't be afraid to turn things down some. Good targets will still be detected, still punch through. Difficult conditions require much more patience and like the nugget books say, ground balance every sweep at first. You gotta be careful about gb over hot rocks. Find the cleanest ground you can.

 

[flysar]

I don't know much about rocks and minerals but I understand that basalt, possibly lava rock/dust from Mt Saint Helens eruption, and various other minerals create problems for many brands of detectors. Garrett, Whites, and Tesoro are all aware of these conditions up here and haven't been able to offer up a solution short of a PI. I invited everyone of them to my backyard so they could experience what I am or show me what i am doing wrong. Regarding Hot Rocks, when I use my Whites M6 the target info quite often shows "Hot Rock".

Early snow is about gone and we're not forecast for any more for another week so I'll be trying the Gold in my yard. I am hopeful the AT Gold with it's adjustments will improve my odds in this soil otherwise she'll be up for sale.

 

[88junior]

Man Garrett has quite a few videos on the operation of the AT-Gold on YouTube they also include a video with the detector also these are very helpful. I use a AT-Gold in mineralized Georgia soil the AT-Pro ground balanced here around 85-88 most times. The AT-Gold seems to me to handle my ground conditions here a lot better. I always run mine in disc 1 iron disc at 28. It ground balances out in most areas between 40 and 60.

 

[MikeLab]

There is a difference between All Metal mode and DISC. At the lowest sensitivity, AMM will not pick up my gold ring as well compared to DISC. And the ID numbers are not accurate until you get about three bars sens.
I don't think most people realize All Metal Mode you still get the ID numbers. You listen for a sharp, deep target and then check the ID numbers. Hot ground they are not going to be perfectly accurate, but many times you can get a good idea if it's worth digging. That's extreme ground you are in. Ground balance is absolutely critical. Like the manual says, even one or two points off will affect things.

Pulse has a long learning curve. If you go that route get the Clive Clynick book on pulse. First thing you will learn you need good producing ground that holds gold targets and not much trash and a deep strata where the gold can settle deep enough the VLF detectors can't touch. Ain't a bad idea to get that book anyway.

 

[flysar]

Haven't dug any targets with the Gold since my ground is frozen solid up here but I have noticed a couple of things just swinging it in my yard.

GB comes in at 79 vs 94 (AT Pro). My ground has not changed but yet the Gold GB number would indicate my soil is only moderately mineralized. Does that mean I should be able to see deeper in the ground and is that a function of 18khz vs 15 kHz or more likely the software programming?

Iron/mineralization doesn't seem to break through in Disc 1/iron 35 with a broken tone like it did with the Pro which caused a lot of broken chatter.

With the GB window at 4 I seem to be able to quiet the ATG right down while still running my sensitivity higher than I ever could with the Pro. But is it better to run a factory GB window at preset 2 with less sensitivity or GB window at 4 with more sensitivity. I know in mineralized soil more is not always better and the book states as the GB window increases you loose depth?

I cannot use the advantage of the threshold with the blue headphones, setting 1 is too loud. Seems to me they would have calibrated the software with the blue headphone since there is no volume control. How much do I loose hearing the faint targets dropping from 1 to 0 (no threshold)?

I wish I would have planted a coin garden a few years back because fresh plants in my soil do not react the same. A well seasoned coin garden would help answer a lot of these questions. I think I'm going to travel to the wet side of the State so I can do a little testing though the soil isn't quite as bad as here it is better than nothing.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[MikeLab]

You are going to have to bury a test target and tune to it. Those ground balance numbers are pretty much mild conditions. I guess those are the under water headphones. I don't think they are going to work as well as the standard phones and you can probably pick up a pair for cheap. The Ground Balance window is touchy. Only use what is needed to get a smooth threshold or you will lose depth. The threshold can be run into the negative numbers with little loss in depth on good targets. I run at -3 on damp sand.

 

[flysar]

You are going to have to bury a test target and tune to it. Those ground balance numbers are pretty much mild conditions. I guess those are the under water headphones. I don't think they are going to work as well as the standard phones and you can probably pick up a pair for cheap. The Ground Balance window is touchy. Only use what is needed to get a smooth threshold or you will lose depth. The threshold can be run into the negative numbers with little loss in depth on good targets. I run at -3 on damp sand.

The numbers on the ATG may say it's mild soil but I know different, ATP GB of 94 is not mild plus this ground gives most detectors fits. That's why I mentioned my ground hasn't changed but the ATG sees it or at least shows it much differently.

I talked with a rep from Garrett yesterday and he wasn't much help. He couldn't explain to me why the two machines see the ground different other than the ATG was designed for more mineralized soil. Regardless what the GB shows I need a few days of warm weather to see how she'll run in my soil and hit on targets I can recover.

I have both sets of phones I was just commenting that it makes no sense with so many volume + adjustments to program #1 so loud for those who want to use the stock waterproof phones and run a threshold. I asked the same question to the Garrett Rep and he said he didn't know it was that way; always uses the ATP and never even listened through the blue phones as he uses a different detector for water hunting. That guy needs to spend a few weekends on his own dime learning the machines he represents.

Thanks for the feedback