How does a metal detector work?

[Wooden Nickel]

Let's see......I've read 583 different articles or posts or comments or whatever, and I still don't really know how a metal detector works. Oh yes, they say adjust the threshold ( What exactly do you do when you adjust the threshold?), ground balance (What exactly do you do when you ground balance?), maybe super-tune (What exactly do you do when you super-tune?), then adjust the discrimination (What exactly are you doing when you adjust the discrimination?), etc., etc., etc.?

Where is a source of info on the electronics of a metal detector? What am I adjusting and what is going to happen when I twist on the ground balance knob? I don't want foot-long formulas. I'm not interested in complex physics, although basic physics would be interesting.

Understand what I'm looking for?

Anybody know of a book? Website? Etc? I've seen several articles on the internet but they haven't been much help so far.

Thanks for any references.

Mike.....:coastgaurd:

 

[abnackimac]

I Googled "How does a metal detector work" and found several pages that will answer your question.

 

[Heelgrasper]

Several of the manufacturers have information available on their web pages. Minelab is one: http://www.minelab.com/emea/consumer/knowledge-base

 

[Wooden Nickel]

Thanks guys.

Maybe I haven't gone far enough on the web, but after many, many pages I still haven't found what I am looking for yet.

And, the Minelab site has a lot of good information, but still not what I'm looking for. Candy's article is good but doesn't say how the detector does what it does.

Without getting too technical, I want to know what the electronics are doing. Everything says," then the detector processes the information." I want to know how.

Thanks again.

 

[mikeothmer]

Not worth a darn unless you turn it on and take it for a walk!

 

[Heelgrasper]

No, the Candy article explains just that. Next step would be something like this: http://www.md4u.ru/index.php?page=b_comber&art=true

Only ten times as complicated as this very basic layout if you want to look at a modern detector. But then we are way into getting to technical as you've clearly said several times you don't want to get.

 

[Wooden Nickel]

Thanks Heelgrasper! That's exactly what I was looking for. It's printed out and ready to go home to be read. And, maybe something a little more current might help too.

I don't care to get technical, I have some background, but I don't want to get into the C7 does this, and R3 does that, sort of thing unless I have to. Thinking about it, I guess I could filter through that too.

I'll be glad to read anything else you might come up with.

Thanks again.....