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My v3i

W

Ward

New member
I am really new to metal detecting, and I thought if I'm going to get into this, I'm getting a cadillac, so I purchased a v3i.

I get quite confused with all the technical lingo, and I know I'm not using my machine to its full capacity.

If anyone has any pointers for me, I would appreciate any and all help.

Cant wait to find my first mini ball !
 
Best/easiest/fastest way to become proficient would be to hook-up with an experienced user - if that's not an option - watch videos - read-read-read - test garden - experiment with different settings and programs - learn your machine. gl and hh
 
Ward said:
I am really new to metal detecting, and I thought if I'm going to get into this, I'm getting a cadillac, so I purchased a v3i.

I get quite confused with all the technical lingo, and I know I'm not using my machine to its full capacity.

If anyone has any pointers for me, I would appreciate any and all help.

Cant wait to find my first mini ball !
Click to expand...

Read the manual and the forums every day!
 
Do You have any suggestions on any settings for relic hunting, sometimes I get a tone and a high VDI number one pass, and next swing its gone.
 
The pre programmed programs are very good and if you are hunting for relics, use the relic program with confidence and learn to make minor changes as you go. I do very little relic hunting but when I do I use the Hi Pro program and have been very satisfied with the results. Here are my relics less the plate which is a copy added as eye candy for the display. You do not have to make a lot of changes to have a lot of fun and success with the V3i.

[attachment 204509 201020003.jpg]
 
Dig all targets until you learn what is under the coil and what the V is telling you. Usually a good target will be pretty consistent with every swing in different angles as well.... E-W and N-S.
 
I have been hunting for a long time and a few detectors come and go in my home that don't fit my hunting style...We all want depth and we all want to be able to unmask targets and I think about 90% of targets are being masked...I had a fisher LTD and you could tweak it a bit and for me that is about all I felt I needed to do to get it to a sight and start hunting. The G2 is a turn on and go machine no programing and is a wonderful machine.

The V3i is for someone that buys it for the shear power, program-ability and that it is build like no other..A great machine! But if you buy it to program it and don't learn it you may be disappointed. The one mistake I make is thinking that is has all of these settings so I must have to keep changing things. But I am finding out that sometimes small changes is all you may need to set up the machine the right way and then hunt with it and start to learn it. Or you make a few changes and you have the detector set for your hunting style and leave it alone..Yes alot of money for just making a few changes... but you didn't build the detector white's did and I am sure almost right of of the box you have a great detector!

My main interest is depth for parks and schools and I will for now trust my G2 for relic hunting. The next challenge I want to accomplish on the V3i is recovery that is fast but stable...I have read alot and am still tweaking my settings..Today I am going to try a 8" coil with my RD on about 30-35 and then play with my filters. For now I am using 10 and today I am going to go to 12 and see what happens..there is the search filter and the analyze filter. I am trying to see if I set them differently will it make a difference. The one thing I also learned is when you find a program that works save it and then if you over program it you can go back to where it was working for you and start again. That way you always have a starting point to go back to that is working.

I think if you buy this machine and don't do alot of programing then you may say "why did I buy it"..but if it works with just a few changes then you still get a great machine. I am using a friends that is on the fence and he wants to sell it. I may buy it but for now he has given me three weeks to try and understand it. So far it has been a real test of trying to find what works for me. I am very picky about how a machine works or doesn't work but you have to put in the time to see what a new detector can do.

With all this machine seems it can do the next change I want to use is mixed mode and to change my VDI tones and except more VDI numbers. I may except from -95-+95 and I may assign the tones on the lower scale to 5 and then change the nickle range to a high tone and do the same for 50-95. Not sure on the VDI range of say 0-14 maybe a mid range for your foil range where some gold jewelry can come in small chains and earring studs.

That would be about all I can handle for now and then see what the machine can do. I am hoping to go to a few palces that I have hunted out and find a few missed targets but first I have to have the machine working to my liking so I am on a level that I feel is on par with my other detector but hoping the V3i can out preform in if even in a small way..So I am testing this machine and I know I will never be good enough to really do what some of the people on this forum can do to program it. But so far I have learned enough to be in the game. Thanks to all the forum members that have helped me..
 
Nice thoughts there LowBoy.

Ward - I STRONGLY recommend you bury a few coins at different depths (in a test garden if possible, if not in the field) and maybe place some small iron next to one of the. Now, start playing with your machine. Do a ground probe to get a feeling for the EMI and rough ground mineralization level. Bookmark this - Ground Probe mentioned - http://www.findmall.com/read.php?66,1509863 It's a good idea to bookmark posts under categories (e.g. - Rx, disc, etc.) so that you have them handy. Find the best filter for the ground and your swing speed, but don't get anal about it, it's actually pretty flexible. Then play withe the Rx, Disc, recovery, etc. Don't dig too deep into the menu at first. As you use the machine more you can start to tweak it for what you want.

As others have said, read, read and read some more. It is not that hard of a machine to get grips on, really. Good luck!
 
Ward, where are you located? Different areas of the country have different soil mineralization levels. It would help you to get pointers on your soil type as well.

Testing with known targets cannot be overstated. Geting out in a test garden will get you miles and miles ahead and help with the learning curve. And the best advice I could possibly give a new V3i owner is.... please take your time and be patient. There is so much to the machine it can overwhelm you if you try to take it all in at one time. Like I tell my kids, you can eat an elephant.....if you do it one bite at a time.

Good luck,

Jon
 
I would also say that just because this machine is a prgramers dream sometimes just a little goes a long way. You are buying a great machine that you can almost leave alone...
 
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