I have a Prism V Question?

[Art SC]

My father in law (in KY) has the Prism V & wants to know if it'll work on the FL beach & any hints (beach and otherwise) for it you might have. He's a "newbie".

We're all going down to this wedding in Fort Walton Beach, FL next month and since I'm taking my DFX he thought he'd bring his machine along as well.

I can help him with beach and regular metal detecting but know nothing about his machine.

THANKS!

 

[Monte]

I can't say for sure they will work 'OK' on the beach or not. Most likely they will, BUT .....

One of the 'issues' I have with the Prizm series is the ground balance reference point that is set. I have handled some of them (doesn't matter if it was the II, III, IV or V) that had a too negative GB to function in the all metal accept Disc. mode, and I have used some that worked 'OK' when all the segments were accepted.

If you happen to have one that has a functional GB setting such that it's not too negative, then you might do fine at the beach. Typically, you want to use just enough discrimination (rejection) of the low-conductive salts at a site and then detect away. I have spoken with and heard from Prizm users who liked how they handled the beach, and I've also had some that complained the GB was too negative for Disc. mode operation in the dry or wet sand.

In short, it might do 'OK' or it might be very frustrating. Be sure to report back and let us know how his performed.

Monte

 

[Jim McCulloch]

... then it is a simple matter of custom adjusting it on the Prizm Series to suit your particular needs. Takes only a minute or two. The adjustment control is uder the pod, under the little plug. Requires a small screw driver. With the Prizm's you can ALSO custom-adjust the all-metal threshold sound, too. Cool, huh? HH jim

 

[Monte]

The excellent Classic series also had internal trimmers for the All Metal mode's Threshold adjustment and Ground Balance. The GB trimmer was much more easily accessible, and it was also a larger, more durable trimmer.

Better still, with the Classic III's & IDX Pro's that I prefer, the GB trimer can be set slightly positive for the ground environment in the All Metal mode and the Discriminate mode will work just fine.

With the Prizm series, however, I have evaluated too many of them that reflect different GB references between the Discriminate mode and the All Metal mode. For example, I have handled various Prizm's that had a somewhat positive All Metal mode GB and yet the Discriminate mode's GB reference wasn't sufficient to keep it from falsing when swept over a hole or when passing over a very mineralized rock. Then, too I have seen some that had a slightly negative GB and the same happened. Then, on others with a slightly positive or slightly negative GB, the Discriminate mode seemed to function just fine w/o any falsing.

The Prizm circuitry just wasn't designed like the Classic's wherein a 'proper' GB adjustment in All Metal would reflect a good functional Disc. mode GB setting. I think the Prizm V is sort of a decent unit, for example, but I would only have one if it worked well in BOTH operating modes and in a variety of challenging ground environments. I'll play with one more this summer and see what the innards look like and if there is any hope for them to fill my needs.

Then, on second thought, I just might wait until they offer a decent, smaller-sized coil for them so that they can handle trashier sites better!

Monte