Help, need an X-terra assist please. (ferrite required)

[tony (Orlando FL)]

Hey Guys,

Noticed something today. Maybe you can help me determine if yours does this too.

IF you set your X-terra in all metal mode ( I am using the x-30 ) (x-50 should be the same) and wave the ferrite past the coil, what do you get? I get a beep and a -4 as target Id. This is not surprising at all.

What IS surprising is that IF I go to Disc mode and allow ALL notches, I DO NOT hear the ferrite, not even a blip.

There does seem to be a difference between 'all metal' and 'disc mode all metal'. On mine anyways.

How about yours?

Thanks for the assist.

Tony

 

[adam in cal]

n/t

 

[adam in cal]

it doesnt matter if you accept all the numbers an iron object will not make a sound in disc mode . thats what disc mode is its a disc mode that doesnt allow iron , all metal you cant disc out anything ...there is no such thing as disc mode all metal its all metal and disc mode .if in disc mode you accept all the numbers you will still be rejecting nails and the like ..........good luck ........

 

[Monte]

You stated:

"no .... disc mode will reject the nail no matter what it doesn't matter if you accept all the numbers an iron object will not make a sound in disc mode."... That is incorrect. It is true that with SOME makes and models you can not accept iron nails even at the minimum discriminate setting, but it doesn't apply to ALL detector models.

"thats what disc mode is its a disc mode that doesnt allow iron,.."... Basically correct, but let's clarify what Disc. mode is. Discrimination is the ability to reject (discriminate) unwanted targets. The X-Terra's, and most of the makes and models I prefer to use, DO ACCEPT IRON in the Discriminate mode, or at least CAN, if I set them up that way.

"all metal you cant disc out anything"... With the X-Terra series, the All Metal mode IS a motion-based Discriminate mode, but without any rejection used. Thus, it is an all metal -ACCEPT motion Discriminate mode.

"...there is no such thing as disc mode all metal its all metal and disc mode."...

This was one of the very confusing things about Minelab's use of the term "All Metal" and it would have been better if they would have said something like "Zero Discrimination", meaning no rejection in the motion mode.

True, some makes and models do have a separate All Metal mode that is a TRADITIONAL or CONVENTIONAL All Metal, but Minelab use that term to describe the non-rejection setting of the motion Discriminate mode.

"if in disc mode you accept all the numbers you will still be rejecting nails and the like"... No, if you go into a Pattern on any X-Terra and accept all of the notch segments, you are setting it us to accept ALL METALS, and none are rejected. They provided a "shortcut" to that zero discrimination setting by using the All Metal touch-pad.

With the X-Terra 30 and X-Terra 50, and on the X-Terra 70, you can go to Pinpoint mode and that will sort of get you into more of a conventional All Metal mode, but it isn't meant to be used for hunting.

The X-Terra 70 has the Prospecting mode which IS a very good All Metal based mode.

Monte
MonteVB@comcast.net

 

[Monte]

motion-based All Metal mode or the Pinpoint mode (which is closer to a traditional All Metal mode)?

I'll check it out later, or when I get back from ghost towning.

Monte

 

[tony (Orlando FL)]

I was surprised today when in the DISC MODE and had ALL notches accepted that I could not detect the piece of ferrite like I do in the MOTION All Metal Mode. In the motion all metal mode, the ferrite bangs in loud and clear with an ID of -4 BUT in the disc mode even while accepting -4, (actually Accepting ALL notches) the ferrite is silent and no ID attempt.

Now, even while attempting the NO MOTION PinPoint mode, the ferrite is totally silent which is a good thing, especially here in my area.
This is why the X-30 is a perfect unit for my needs.

Thanks

Tony

 

[tony (Orlando FL)]

Adam,

I can hear iron paper clips in the disc mode. They read a negative # as they should.

Maybe you are talking about something different

 

[Tinfoil]

n/t

 

[tony (Orlando FL)]

When in the all metal motion mode on the X-30 I can detect the ferrite with a solid hit and a -4 ID.

When in the DISC mode, with all notches Accepted, I do not hear the ferrite at all.

When using the no motion pinpoint mode the x-30 does NOT respond to the ferrite at all, not even a hint of detection. Its like it is perfectly tuned to the ferrite.

I just find this observation strange and wondered if anyone elses unit acts the same way.

 

[McNickle]

I am a xterra-70 user..I have not used the 50,or the 30,but ..
It is my understanding that the differences are in GB..The 70 is either manual,auto,beach,or Tracking........The 50 is just Manual?....and the 30 is a Factory set GB....Tuned neutral on Ferrite....Is that correct ?

 

[tony (Orlando FL)]

Thats correct.

My observation is that when selecting the all metal motion mode is that I CAN detect the ferrite with a -4 target ID.

When in the Disc mode with ALL metals accepted, including -4, the detector does NOT respond to the ferrite which is somewhat strange IMO.

 

[tony (Orlando FL)]

n/t

 

[willy]

I've noticed that, with good targets, I'd quite often lose the target when it's been dug out of the hole and lying on the ground. When I then switched to the AM mode (NOT the prospecting or PP modes), the target would then bang out loud and clear.. often in the 15-30 something range. Strange stuff. Another thing I've noticed is that if I raised the coil a bit the signal would get stronger. ..Willy.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Tony,

I wish I had a 30 to check out and compare for you. It does seem strange that one mode responds to the ferrite and not the other. Unless there is some difference between the all metal accept and Disc modes that ML is not telling us, I see no reason for the results you get. If the offset in the GB between modes is intentional perhaps ML will let us know why... Yeah Right

Tom

 

[tony (Orlando FL)]

Thanks for understanding that I am only looking for a comparison and realizing it is a strange difference in modes I am seeing.

I dont think it is GB related. Its more like ED-120 vs ED-180. BUT would never have suspected that in the same box tho, but it seems so.

Tony

 

[McNickle]

I wonder if someone that has either a 50 or a 70,AND some ferrite to GB it to.....Then see if it will perform as yours does...
(Reading the Ferrite at -4 in All Metal....AND...Not seeing the ferrite in Disc. Patterns 1,2,or 3)..
Sounds silly I know....but just a thought...?

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Tony,

You could be right on the acceptance range difference. I have never adjusted a manual or preset detector to ferrite, only to the ground and don't know where ferrite "reads" on a detector.

Hopefully Monte, Mr. Bill or someone else with a little more technical background could help on that.

Tom

 

[John(Tx)]

on my XT50, both the all metal and pattern one read the sample as a -9. I then notched out -6, -3 and +3, but accepted the -9 on pattern one and it still read the hematite as a -9. Pattern two will do the exact same thing as all metal when all targets are accepted. Maybe the hematite is different than your ferrite? Hope this helps. John

 

[tony (Orlando FL)]

I am going to look for something like a paper clip or similar that reads in the iron range and see if this scenario I am seeing is specific to ferrite only or other items in the iron range too.

I appreciate your help.

Tony

 

[tony (Orlando FL)]

John,

A paper clip reads a -4 on the x-30 like the various ferrite samples I have does.

The x-30 CAN detect the clip in ALL METAL and DISC mode ALL METAL.

Whats is even more strange is this..... IF someone is thinking the ground balance is way out or something like that..... the all metal pinpoint mode DOES NOT respond to the ferrite at all either.