Is my AT Pro Broken?

[DavidGC]

I've had my new AT Pro for about three weeks.
I'm still getting used to it and learning how to use it, but have noticed something that is strange. When I have Iron Discrim set to, say 35, I will often hear mid-level tones, and when I look down, I see a number less than 35. Example: I hear a mid-level tone and the number is 32. This is in a pretty trashy area. Could I be getting a 32 number for a muted peace of iron, but a tone for something over 35 at the same time?

 

[ralph]

try that with iron audio on, than iron audio off (both in pro mode). I think u r using pro mode with iron audio on, when one uses it that way it will do that and also. shift the mid tone(see owners manual)

 

[fongu]

Sometimes a junk target will hide a good target. Sweep the coil from east to west and then to north and south and see if there is a difference. John says to stomp on a target and then swing your coil over it and that helps him determine if it's junk or not. This may just apply to bottle caps, tho. I was at the river and got a good tone and the DVI read 04, but when I scooped it I found a junk target and a clad dime. The At/Pro will pick out good targets in trashy areas and I go more by the sound than what the DVI is showing. Watch some of the Garrett videos about the At/Pro. The only way to learn is dig and you will dig a lot of trash. I listen for the little pip sound when I'm in pro zero mode and use less discrimination and it helped me pick out the only 18K ring I ever found so far with about 7 other trash targets around it. It was making a lot of noise, but when I heard the soft pip, I dug and found the ring. Start out with the basic mode for a few weeks and then try the pro mode. GL & HH.

 

[mudpuppy]

Mine gives me a little bleed through like that too...I have it set at disc 40, iron off, pro zero...like Ralph said, sometimes I get a mid tone and a tid in the mid-high 30's..so I scoop it...I dont mind this at all..I had no idea a guy could shift the mid-tone...I guess after 2 yrs. I better read the manual! You are fine Dave, just fire that baby up and work it, it takes a good deal of hunting (and digging) to figure out the language!
Mud

 

[DavidGC]

Thanks for the reassurance. I guess I'll just keep learning the intricacies of this machine.

 

[John-Edmonton]

If you have set your AT Pro at 35, you will still pick up medium tones up to and including 75 plus the iron with the iron audio with the iron audio turned on. You will still pick up some mid tone audio, even if the iron is the strongest signal. That is one of the great features of the AT Pro. You can pick up the iron sound from a rusted nail, and also a silver coin directly beside it.(see face of AT Pro below) Your machine is working fine.

 

[ralph]

U r doing good the more u know the more versitile the machine becomes for u (shifting the mid tone helps relic hunters ignore small iron and find larger iron--which will ring in as mid or high tone)--- see page 29 of owners manual.

 

[firstring]

Square nails maybe??

 

[fongu]

Keep us posted on your finds.

 

[DavidGC]

Thanks everyone for your help.
I understand about the sliding mid-tone when you use iron audio. My puzzle was why I was hearing a mid-tone when the visual display is reading 25 and I have iron cut out until 35. With Iron audio OFF and a display reading of 25, I shouldn't hear anything. If I understand correctly, you're all telling me that I am essentially detecting two things at once -- one, a piece of iron below the 35 threshold, and another piece of conductive metal in the mid-tone range. Not surprising, since I am detecting in areas with lots of iron junk.

I live in an area of houses and farms going back to 1780s. I need to work up the nerve to ask some folks to let me detect their yards and get away from the trashy areas I've been hunting!

 

[ralph]

The audio and the visual look at targets seperately they won't always agree. When they don't, I often dig, it can br 2 objects or a vertical or non horizontal orientation in the ground. It's been my expierience that the pro mode audio is more correct in those situations.