F70 visits the relic field - :unsure:

[dahut]

Unlike most people in the nation today, it was almost balmy here in SC. A perfect day to take the new F70 to a clean field. I had high hopes for this low mineralization site. On previous hunts here, I had determined that the minerals were dead neutral. I was looking forward to heating up the F70.

Once on site, I was indeed able to set the F70 pretty hot:
SENS 70
DISC "0"
THRESH +3-+5
SPEED "SL"
Ground Phase - - 50
2F audio
It was a little chatty, now and then, but not bad and it seemed to have a bit of depth. So I was liking it and solid target hit good. Dug a few shotshell hulls and itsy bitsy's, but little else. After a good while, with little to show, I went to the truck to remove my coat and get a little drink. That was the last time I was able to hunt in peace.

When I went back to detecting, the previously mild mannered F70 showed its arse. I don't know what changed in the environment, but the very same places I ran through 10 minutes prior were now unhuntable. The crazy thing was beeping and honking like a deranged flock of geese. Holding the coil in the air away from the ground made it no better. These are obvious signs of the dreaded electrical interference.
And it didn't matter what I did thereafter, either... I couldn't get it settled back down. I lowered SENS, THRESHOLD, changed Frequencies, upped discrimination and so on - to no avail.

Oddly, I also lost the ground balance function - it just would not balance amid all the interference. It locked dead on "90" and stayed there the rest of the hunt.

I managed to hit a lot of iron, but none of this was a pleasant way to hunt, when you added in the constant interference chatter. Finally, I chucked it in and moved on back to the truck. Once the interference started, it was my constant companion.

This field is out in the country, a pretty far piece from the world. There wasn't a power line in sight. It was as if someone had turned on radar emitter nearby and trained if directly on me. I was at a loss as to just what had changed, as there was little way to know. To say I was disappointed would be fair.
As Luck would have it, nothing was found by myself or Hal, and we have officially declared the field, "pounded out."

The Saga continues.

 

[John 'n' W.Va]

Reboot usually fixes the problem. When the F-70 is in the air, it gets chattery. It might be picking up stuff from the air. It reminds me of putting a mic to close to the speakers. You get lots of feed back. It seems to keep amplifying its own chatter.

 

[XLT-user]

It really sounds like you have a bad coil. It would not be the first coil that has been bad. Send it in to Fisher.

A few of my friends who have an F75 experienced the same type problems. Fisher replaced the coil and one even had a circuit board problem I do believe.

The machnes are so alike it just may be the reason. If it's brand new and I think you said you just bought it. Fisher will send you a call tag UPS and return the machine for repairs.

 

[dahut]

Reboot usually fixes the problem. When the F-70 is in the air, it gets chattery. It might be picking up stuff from the air. It reminds me of putting a mic to close to the speakers. You get lots of feed back. It seems to keep amplifying its own chatter.

Tried the reboot thing, John. No joy.
It indeed is picking up someting from the air. It's like someone turned on a switch, starting up the source of the interference - which simply did not stop the entire time we were there.

 

[dahut]

It really sounds like you have a bad coil. It would not be the first coil that has been bad. Send it in to Fisher.

Something along those lines is already in the works, bud. I've been in touch with Mike Scott of Fisher and we're working on a solution as we speak.

 

[Mike Hillis]

I went through that with both a T2 and a F75 so I know your pain.

The problem is that the failures are intermittent. Makes them hard to catch.

They will make it right though.

HH

Mike

 

[jmaryt]

smart play says you send it in to fisher before you wrap it around a tree!

(h.h!)
j.t.

 

[John(Tx)]

and I have yet to experience the problems (knock on wood) some of you guys have been having. Mine runs good, yes, it does have a little chatter when I run it hot but when I set the threshold at 0, I sometimes wonder if it's on at all, I have to wave metal over the coil to make sure it's working. It goes very deep and have been using it alot more than my XT50, I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Hope you get yours fixed, it is one awesome machine. HH John

 

[Tom E IL]

My F75 did the same thing. Mike from Fisher took care of it for me, he told me where to send it and I recieved it back fast. The first time turning it on I didnt think it was the same unit. No problems at all. Mike and all the people at Fisher will take good care of you. Call them. Mr Bill can get you the numbers. good luck, call them they will help you and treat you right.

 

[dahut]

... They come and go. One day, in one location, I have no problem. The next day, whammo!
THe last place I expected the problem was out in the toolies on a plowed field.

 

[dahut]

.. is one of the best. He gives the entire company a fresh face and he really cares about getting it right. Plus he's a detectorist himself, not some stiff collar in an office. We'll sort it, I believe.