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IDX- PRO
- Thread starter bowser
- Start date
Hi Bowser,
I have the IDX Pro modified by Mr. Bill, first you need to check it in all-metal mode to see if it really needs adjustment. I don't know how much you know about manual ground balance but I will start with the basics. I will find a clean piece of ground with no metal in the soil, raise the coil about 6 inches above the ground and pull the trigger switch to put it in the all-metal mode, then rather quickly lower the coil to within 1 inch of touching the ground. What is the threshold doing? is it raising in volume or going quiet as the coil is getting close to the ground? I will follow this post and get back to you after you tell me what it is doing as far as threshold volume when pumping the coil to the ground in all-metal mode.
...I had the Classic lll SL without the Mr. Bill mods and used the little pot under the made in America sticker to ground balance, it may be similar to your IDX Pro, since mine was bought with the mods I don't know for sure. I do know that on my Classic lll SL turning the pot about 1/16 of an inch made a difference, you do these adjustments a little at a time, my adjustment was about the thickness of a nickel, not very much at all. On the Classic lll SL turning the pot counterclockwise it made the ground balance more positive, you want a very slight positive ground balance on these machines.
I have the IDX Pro modified by Mr. Bill, first you need to check it in all-metal mode to see if it really needs adjustment. I don't know how much you know about manual ground balance but I will start with the basics. I will find a clean piece of ground with no metal in the soil, raise the coil about 6 inches above the ground and pull the trigger switch to put it in the all-metal mode, then rather quickly lower the coil to within 1 inch of touching the ground. What is the threshold doing? is it raising in volume or going quiet as the coil is getting close to the ground? I will follow this post and get back to you after you tell me what it is doing as far as threshold volume when pumping the coil to the ground in all-metal mode.
...I had the Classic lll SL without the Mr. Bill mods and used the little pot under the made in America sticker to ground balance, it may be similar to your IDX Pro, since mine was bought with the mods I don't know for sure. I do know that on my Classic lll SL turning the pot about 1/16 of an inch made a difference, you do these adjustments a little at a time, my adjustment was about the thickness of a nickel, not very much at all. On the Classic lll SL turning the pot counterclockwise it made the ground balance more positive, you want a very slight positive ground balance on these machines.
vito
Well-known member
Hi Bowser,
best is to do adjustments while pumping the coil up and down. Or you can use a small ferrite (out of an old FM-MW radio?) to balance the detector.
If you will do some soldereing and will drill a hole into the housing I can send you a multi turn pot for balancing it on demand in the field. At NO charge at all.
All the best my friend.
best is to do adjustments while pumping the coil up and down. Or you can use a small ferrite (out of an old FM-MW radio?) to balance the detector.
If you will do some soldereing and will drill a hole into the housing I can send you a multi turn pot for balancing it on demand in the field. At NO charge at all.
All the best my friend.
Thanks for the replys i am afraid to fool with it as after, i checked it the way it was described to me, it has a slight increase an inch or two before the ground, I thought maybe it would work better in wet sand if the balance was correct. This unit is 26 years old i think, I can't expect too much. Thanks so much for you're replys.
IDXMonster
Well-known member
Bowser- Your IDX Pro is no older than 2000, so 15 years MAX. The date of manufacture can be seen on the inside of the battery lid,if the sticker is still on it. If you're trying to adjust the ground balance be aware that the tip of the screwdriver you're using has to be TINY! I went through this,very painfully may I add. A normal pocket screwdrivers tip is TOO BIG. It must be ground down or a bigger eyeglass screwdriver is more like what you need. It's easy to have one that's a bit too large to fit in the slot and you think you can't locate the slot in the potentiometer,when in reality you never could in the first place cuz the screwdriver tip is too big! On a side note....this is why putting an external ground balance on these machines is critical if you want to hunt EVERYWHERE,it takes the pain out of the "sticker and the screwdriver" debacle. I was lucky enough to have bought BOTH of my IDX Pros unmodified,and then did the mods with the help of a guy at work who is really good at soldering. So,I know the HUGE difference the mods make as far as user friendliness goes....
I know you've had your machine forever,and because of the guys here I will also have mine forever,they are the best.
I know you've had your machine forever,and because of the guys here I will also have mine forever,they are the best.
OregonGregg
Well-known member
Before you do anything, since your IDX Pro does not have the mods, make sure your Freq. Adj. knob is set in the preset setting. If you use the freq adj knob it will throw off your ground balance. If you do not have the mods then leave your freq adj knob in the preset setting and leave it there. If you do have the mods, then you can use the freq.adj. When you do, you will need to re ground balance the machine every time you change the freq. Maybe Monte will see this and explain it better then I can. but rule of thumb is : if you do not have the mods, then leave the freq. adj. knob in the preset setting and leave it there.
