My evaluation of Auto vs Manual Sensitivity; Ground Coin vs Ferrous Coin

[Johnnyanglo]

Perhaps we could sum up the CTX:

1. Despite the nice display and audio tones you are going to have to dig 80-90% of targets or you'll miss good targets
2. Auto sens is the most stable and least likely to false. Manaul sens is best for homogenous soils (like well mixed beach sand)
3. Other settings are less important; the user can select whatever they want without making big performance impact

When you get down to it you are going to have to work hard to recover valuable targets. It's tiring, sweaty, dirty, exhausting and sometimes dangerous work.

That's the reality. If it was easy everyone would do it.

 

[GateKeeper]

Perhaps we could sum up the CTX:

1. Despite the nice display and audio tones you are going to have to dig 80-90% of targets or you'll miss good targets
2. Auto sens is the most stable and least likely to false. Manaul sens is best for homogenous soils (like well mixed beach sand)
3. Other settings are less important; the user can select whatever they want without making big performance impact

When you get down to it you are going to have to work hard to recover valuable targets. It's tiring, sweaty, dirty, exhausting and sometimes dangerous work.

That's the reality. If it was easy everyone would do it.

1. No
2. Nope
3. A Huge NO

 

[grouser]

Perhaps we could sum up the CTX:

1. Despite the nice display and audio tones you are going to have to dig 80-90% of targets or you'll miss good targets
2. Auto sens is the most stable and least likely to false. Manaul sens is best for homogenous soils (like well mixed beach sand)
3. Other settings are less important; the user can select whatever they want without making big performance impact

When you get down to it you are going to have to work hard to recover valuable targets. It's tiring, sweaty, dirty, exhausting and sometimes dangerous work.

That's the reality. If it was easy everyone would do it.

1. No
2. Nope
3. A Huge NO

as a moderator I would hope you'd be aware of the fact that these kind or posts are worthless and serve no purpose,,, it his opinion and you should argue with it, agree with it,,, or be silent if you can't add to the content,,,, just sayin

 

[parkgt]

Perhaps we could sum up the CTX:

1. Despite the nice display and audio tones you are going to have to dig 80-90% of targets or you'll miss good targets
2. Auto sens is the most stable and least likely to false. Manaul sens is best for homogenous soils (like well mixed beach sand)
3. Other settings are less important; the user can select whatever they want without making big performance impact.

My observations.

1. Depends on the site and what you are after. If your after gold in a trashy park you may need to dig a lot of questionable signals. Coin hunting in more open ground does not require many questionable digs once one has some experience.

2. Auto can false if set too high for the site.

3. Other settings are less important only in that they primarily effect how or whether you hear or see what the detector is detecting under the coil; as opposed to effecting what the detector is finding.

Many of the other setting are focused on the machine-man interface not the performance of detection. These primarily relate to how you choose to hear and see (or not) the results of the machines detections. Many different preferences here amoung many able users.

 

[AngelicStorm]

Perhaps we could sum up the CTX:

1. Despite the nice display and audio tones you are going to have to dig 80-90% of targets or you'll miss good targets
2. Auto sens is the most stable and least likely to false. Manaul sens is best for homogenous soils (like well mixed beach sand)
3. Other settings are less important; the user can select whatever they want without making big performance impact

When you get down to it you are going to have to work hard to recover valuable targets. It's tiring, sweaty, dirty, exhausting and sometimes dangerous work.

That's the reality. If it was easy everyone would do it.

1. No - There are many ways to interpret what the detector is telling you. That said, many settings.
2. Nope - There are more types of soil besides beach soil that can come out on top using Manual sensitivity. I am a witness to this and the fact that Auto tends to false a lot around here along with manual. So far my remedy for this is to switch back and forth between modes to get a more clear picture and it is somewhat working, keeping me from digging so many holes. You know some homeowners don't like to see you digging holes every few inches due to false signals.
3. The differences can vary.

When you get down to it most of us know these things already. Who spends $2.5k without knowing what they are getting into and having an idea of what this hobby involves? Well at least that's how I came about it.

This is a wonderful hobby that I enjoy no matter how dirty or hard it gets.

Now can someone provide some useful information on this subject besides constructive criticism or criticism period?

 

[Overvoltage]

I think this is a great thread. I live in South Carolina on the line between the Piedmont and Sandhills landform regions. Most of the soil I detect in is either sandy or red clay or a mixture of both. I have done some testing myself and for my area I have to agree with ronfin that if I am in auto and it recommends 14 or 15 I usually switch it to manual and run it around 28 and adjust it up or down untill there is just minor falsing. Also, I have found that having "fast on" "Deep on" and "Salt water on" even though I am on dry land I can run it a little hotter and it is still sable. I also run an open screen, combined, High trash with gone Huntings setting as a second search mode set on Ferrous coin for those iffy signals. I find that the combined in high trash mode with a bin set at 12-44 and up, audio 1200 makes dimes, quarters ans silver really sing out. Also some silver will hit at 01-45/46 in high trash where in Ferrous coin is is 12-45/46.

 

[AngelicStorm]

I think this is a great thread. I live in South Carolina on the line between the Piedmont and Sandhills landform regions. Most of the soil I detect in is either sandy or red clay or a mixture of both. I have done some testing myself and for my area I have to agree with ronfin that if I am in auto and it recommends 14 or 15 I usually switch it to manual and run it around 28 and adjust it up or down untill there is just minor falsing. Also, I have found that having "fast on" "Deep on" and "Salt water on" even though I am on dry land I can run it a little hotter and it is still sable. I also run an open screen, combined, High trash with gone Huntings setting as a second search mode set on Ferrous coin for those iffy signals. I find that the combined in high trash mode with a bin set at 12-44 and up, audio 1200 makes dimes, quarters ans silver really sing out. Also some silver will hit at 01-45/46 in high trash where in Ferrous coin is is 12-45/46.

I also live in South Carolina except for I am almost on the line of the sandhills. The dirt here isn't so sandy or clay like until you get closer to the river.
I'm glad you are experiencing similar things with using manual instead of it just being me.

 

[Mike MD]

I agree with Ronfin and have a lot of time with the CTX. I have been hunting that way since I bought my CTX when they first came out. I tried Ferrous Coin and didn't like the how it sounded. Also and it was unstable in my soil with a lot of falsing. After toggling between Ground Coin and Ferrous Coin for the first 6 months I made my decision. Ground Coin has been the most stable along with Auto +3. I hunt in some pretty trashy areas with lots of iron.

I also look for 5 inches or more in depth to dig unless it's in the quarter range. I'm looking for older coins, not to increase my clad count.

Now in the water it

 

[Overvoltage]

Mike MD, I have not noticed the sensitivity changing when I noise cancel but I really haven't been looking for that. I will have to try that the next time I go out.

 

[Mike MD]

I noticed in my soil in Auto +3 the average sensitivity would be around 22. In some areas it would drop to 18, that's when I started doing the noise cancel and it would bring it back up. I know that WiFi in areas around schools can mess with the detector as well as the EMI from power lines. I used my phone to check for WiFi signals in one park I was hunting and noticed the areas more WiFi signals did drop the sensitivity also. A could clue is the wavering pin point signal. With so many electronic transmissions you these days you

 

[Mike MD]

Sorry for the typos in my last post. I should have checked it before I posted.

I noticed in my soil using Auto +3 the average sensitivity would be around 22. In some areas it would drop to 18, that's when I started doing the noise cancel and it would bring it back up. I know that Wi-Fi in areas around schools can mess with the detector as well as the EMI from power lines. I used my phone to check for Wi-Fi signals in one park I was hunting and noticed the areas with more Wi-Fi signals did drop the sensitivity also. A good clue is the wavering pin point signal. With so many electronic transmissions these days you're going to have some harmonic frequencies that will be in our detector range.
Mike

 

[JamesBondaka]

I do believe area plays a part in it but I also feel I get better results using Auto +3 than manual. I also got the same results with my E-Trac. For me stability beats out erratic operation from pressing the sensitivity too high.

I agree! That is true.

As to the earlier post(s) on what works best......I dont think you will ever get an final answer to "what" works best as the ground conditions are different from state to state....and frequently just area to area within that state. That is why Miinelab gave the ctx options so individuals could "make" their detector work better in their particular environment. Maybe Digger could comment....but doesnt it say somewhere that these ground settings are for use in certain conditions that warrant their use?

 

[AngelicStorm]

Yes, I would like to see Digger's insight on this subject. Especially since I'm the one who brought it back to light for a similar issue.

Thanks Mike for providing further insight into the sensitivity issues. Good tip on underwater detecting too. I have noticed sensitivity takes a nose dive because of the same things. One additional thing that happens with me is that the suggested sensitivity takes a nose dive down to as low as 6-8 when going over gravel used in roads or drive ways . Not sure if it's just me.