Back with the Cortes yesterday...

[jbow]

I went to a bush-hogged lot and marked some targets that I found with the F75, one's that I would dig. I went back over them with the Cortes to see what it told me and using the regular disc, I would have dug but using the SUM, I would not. Without fail a 95 would drop to the high 80s to 90, causing me to think it was not a coin and probably trash. The first target was a men's sterling signet ring, the second was a 1941 three pence coin, and the third was a medallion that say's "Michael Stevens".
The other targets were mostly bronze pennies, one wheatie.

To be fair, I got one target with it that read good in the SUM mode, it was a penny.

I guess I need to learn a little more about what it is telling me. I was expecting the SUM mode to lock right in on 95 if it was a coin or a silver ring, I guess i was wrong. The bar graph seem's to be the most accurate reading. If the SUM mode is not as accurate as the bars, then I think the DeLeon would be a better unit to have. I may sell the Cortes and get a DeLeon and just go by the bars.

I'll give it some more time. I should have my 5.75 voil next week then I will be able to tell a little more about how I really like it.

J

 

[Tinfoil]

n/t

 

[tab-nabit]

That's much what I did yesterday and today (not the finds - sniff sniff), used the sum mode only a couple times at first then didn't use it anymore. I just went by the bars and it was adequate information. I posted this earlier.
I see it as useful information using the bars and no need yet for the sum mode. I bought the Cortes because of the sum mode and now I'm not using it - go figure. Maybe I got this all wrong or was able to interpret what the machines saw. Dunno

 

[Macaco]

I used a Sovereign XS with a digital meter for years. Great combo.

It's the only metered machine I ever used. I ended up making my own rules for what I would dig based on the numbers the meter gave related to my experience with the meter over time.

My best suggestion, for what it's worth, is to dig everything you hear and pay attention to what the graphic on the meter is doing. Over time you'll have your own way of determining what is in the ground based on the meter graphics which is way more accurate than what the printed indicator under the meter reading tells you.

Hope that make sense. I've had a couple cocktails.

 

[Macaco]

If it's less than twenty or thirty hours then you don't have much to go on yet. Going on fifty or sixty hours will be a better benchmark for knowing if the machine will work for you or not.

Relax. Don't even sweat what you think is happening. Remember, detecting is fun. This is a hobby. Don't get real serious about it. Use the new machine...learn it...live it. Use the force.

I have about fifteen hours on my new Cibola and it's still kicking my butt with all the info it gives me and it doesn't even have a meter. I used it for about two hours today and I'm going to use it tomorrow for a few hours.

At first it seemed weird. After using it for a while I'm starting to understand what it's telling me and I can tell it's going to be a great machine. Metal detectors are strange machines regardless of make and model and each make and model has its own learning curve. My experience has been that the more difficult a detector is to learn the more effective it is. The Sov and Excalibur took a long time for me to understand but ended up being killer machines!

I can tell the Cibola will be the same.

Use the force, relax, have fun and I'm sure that you will meld with the Cortes.

 

[jbow]

I don't remember, I just knew that they were signals that I would dig and I marked them with a stick in the ground. I am much more experienced with the F75/T2 and know, using it, what signals are probably good and which are not. I have not learned that yet with the Cortes and may well have unreasonalbe expectations from the Cortes, time will tell.

J

 

[jbow]

That would be good but would defeat the purpose of the machine, I may as well use my Tejon. I can tell as much with it at this point. I'll keep using it but my reason for getting a Cortes was to, hopefully, be aboe to have a reliable TID to use in places where I cannot dig lots of holes. The TID is the only reason I bought a Cortes, I will keep trying to figure what it is telling me. When I get the 5.75 coil I think I will like it better. Time will tell!

J

 

[tab-nabit]

I still don't quite know fully what to think of the Cortes - it is kinda kool tho seeing the confidence bars at work.

 

[digitaltim]

I see you're selling........ I'm a little surprised, because I'm having a ball with mine.......... I actually may have found the detector I've been looking for

To each their own though. No sense in swinging a detector that isn't for you.

 

[tab-nabit]

Seems like the sum mode levels out lower than the confidence bars. Seems like the sum mode is not needed. I tried the sum mode on the first few targets, then really haven't since. Got the information needed just from the confidence bars. When trying the sum mode, it seem to me that it just threw in a little confusion. So instead of figuring it out, I didn't use the sum mode anymore. I bought the Cortes because the sum mode got my attention, and now I'm not using it. Maybe I'll try it again this weekend.

 

[digitaltim]

I think you're right.....I haven't been looking at the #'s as much in Sum mode.......it does help with Iron (low tones) and I can size the target with it.....some times I just switch over to all metal and size the target that way too.

I still use the sum mode and listen for the different tones

 

[jbow]

I think the F75 and T2 have spoiled me.

J