It Won't Pinpoint

[Anonymous]

I've had the MXT for close to 2 weeks but today was the first chance to really try it out . Watched the video 3 or 4 times and i've read the manual at least that many times . I went out in the backyard with the detector , the manual and a few assorted targets including gold and silver rings , coins , nails a small gold nugget and two meteorites . I set the ground balance and started with everyother control on factory preset . Everything worked well in coin and jewelry and relic and pinpointing was easy . I went to the prospecting mode and had no problem finding everything but there is no way that it will pinpoint in the prospecting mode . I re-ground balanced it at least a dozen times and tried it in the lock position . I played with the gain and the SAT along with the threshold . I came back in and watched the video again and went back out with the manual . It will not pinpoint in prospecting mode and i cannot see where i'm doing anything wrong . I pick up the nugget in coin and jewelry and pinpoint . Same nugget in the relic mode and it pinpoints . Same nugget in the prospecting mode , no pinpoint . I did the same thing trying every target . I won't try it again this evening because my temper is kinda short right now but if anyone has a suggestion , please tell me . My interest is gold and meteorites so if it wouldn't pinpoint in coins and jewelry i could care less and the fact that it will pinpoint in the modes i'm not interested in really , really ticks me off . <img src="/metal/html/cry.gif" border=0 width=40 height=15 alt=":cry"> Help .

 

[Anonymous]

Quote from page 31 of your Owner's Manual:
<STRONG><span style="background-color:#ffff00;">"In the center position, any target that is likely to be iron produces an audio grunt and any target not readily identified as iron produces a traditional VCO pitched beep."</span>
<span style="background-color:#ffff00;">"With the trigger in the forward position, or squeezed and held position, all metals produce the same traditional VCO pitched beep and ground tracking doesn't occur"</span></STRONG>
This is fine for hunting all metals and especially for nugget hunting, but it is NOT a regular VCO type of pinpoint due to the autotune effect (S.A.T.).
The first paragraph on that page points out:
<BIG><FONT COLOR="#ff0000"><STRONG>"The Prospecting MODE will require greater patience to use compared to the Coin & Jewelry and Relic MODEs."</STRONG></FONT></BIG>
That, especially for a newcomer to the hobby and/or the MXT, is an understatement!
I suggest that you mainly use the Coin & Jewelry mode, and then once learned do the same with the Relic mode, making use of the center and forward trigger positions and various Discriminate settings. I would also suggest you only toggle into the Prospecting mode when you want to get a ground phase reading and then get back to one of the other two.
Questions? Feel welcome to shoot me an E-mail.
<EM><STRONG>Monte .. </STRONG>MonteVB@comcast.net

 

[Anonymous]

...I thought I might clarify a bit.
In the Coin & Jewelry mode and Relic mode the trigger switch pulled puts the MXT into what is essentially an all-metal non-motion mode. You get a signal that stays strong as you hold over the target.
When you go to the Prospecting mode the Dual-Purpose knob goes from being a discriminate control to being a variable self-adjusting threshold knob (V/SAT). The threshold is constantly being readjusted back to the amount set by the threshold knob, which smooths operation over mineralized ground. The rate at which this adjustment takes place can be increased or reduced with the V/SAT control.
For some reason White's did not cause the V/SAT function to lock out when the trigger switch is pulled back while in Prospect mode. This may be a "feature" or an oversight. I do think most people would prefer that the pinpoint mode work the same in all three modes. But the simple fact is that the moment you zero in on the target while in Propect mode with trigger pulled, the V/SAT function causes it to fade out unless some motion is maintained. The ground tracking locks out if it is activated, but the V/SAT remains.
Three suggestions. First, try reducing the V/SAT control to minimum. This reduces the fading and allows for easier pinpointing while in Prospect mode. But some small motion will still be required. If you have the V/SAT control cranked up the fading will be near instantaneous. Second, just switch to Relic mode and pinpoint. Third, do like many prospectors and learn to pinpoint by eyeballing the target while sweeping.
Tight pinpointing is far more an issue in a groomed park than in the field. Usually a couple sweeps and a good eye is sufficient for excavating a gold nugget.
Hope this helps,
Steve Herschbach

 

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

I was relying on page 24 of the manual and Jimmy Sierras tips in the video . He clearly states , pull the trigger and pinpoint . You guys should be writing the manuals and shooting the videos . I printed everything you said . A big hi 5 . Art