Need a little help.

[optimistic]

Hello. I purchased a spectra v3i this week. It looks like a great, but complicated machine. The battery charger or rechargeable pack is bad. My dealer is contacting White's Monday morning to get this resolved.

I consider myself a novice when it comes to md. I have used another brand and that was many years ago. Technology has changed a LOT from then to now. So, I wanted a detector that would be great for old home sites as well as the beach. I live in NC so the beach is a salt water beach and I know that the v3i has a salt beach program. But....I thought I would read the manual, watch the dvd and test it out. I am have trouble picking up coins in damp play sand in the back yard. If I had not had a white string tied to the coin in some cases, I would have never found it. I was using the cj program with this test. Then, I got some really good tones and the vdi numbers were 65 to 87 (+). I thought I had finally found a target. NO, a tree root at 6 inches. This seems to be a big problem for me, because I found several tree roots and they were at the approximate depth the machine projected the target to be.

1. What am I doing wrong?

2. I have been reading the forum for a while. I wanted to program Magic's suggested program in my v3i. I have most of the information entered, but I do not no how to set the tones, or band filter and recovery speed. What program should I start with to set this up or is there a template to enter information into?

I hope to learn a lot from you all, as I have already learned a great deal back reading posts from way back until now. Thanks for any help that you can offer.

 

[burlbark]

There have been some times when even my pinpointer would go off on roots that I had dug.

I would try to give you some help but you will need to make sure your detector is working properly before pointers can help. First thing you need to do is be able to recognize emi "interference". This is when the detector starts to act like it is finding multiple targets a second when you are not moving it around. When you find an area that does not do this in your yard or hunting area than you will have a control area to do your testing in.

I beat my head against a tree for the first couple of days of owning my machine till i realized what EMI can do. If you have a emi quite area than you should hold your coil in the air and turn the gain up to 15 without any erratic behavior. Make sure you are not near any metal when testing to see if the coil is good.

You have bought the best detector on the market and it will take a little learning.

 

[Rob (IL)]

But....I thought I would read the manual, watch the dvd and test it out.
Good idea.

I thought I had finally found a target. NO, a tree root at 6 inches.
Here in Illinois the water has a lot of iron. Hence, so do the roots.

What program should I start with to set this up or is there a template to enter information into?
It doesn't much matter. if you are setting up Magic's program, so are changing most everything anyway.

I have most of the information entered, but I do not no how to set the tones, or band filter and recovery speed.
Did you read Carl's short cuts at the top of the forum? OK, if you can't do these you need to study more. I would first set up my live controls so all these could be changed from there.

expert menu > configure > live controls > order
Those you want you highlight press and hold enter and use the arrow key to move above end. Those you don't want drag below end.

Then from live contols;
search audio > zoom > VDI tones > custom > edit

ground filter > enter

recovery > enter

You get better advice if you ask one question at a time and don't forget the forum search feature. All these have been answered before. Good luck.

 

[optimistic]

Thanks for the help. I'll keep in mind the search feature of the forum.
I think the EMI testing may help a lot. Thanks.

 

[Schultzie]

Make sure you are getting a good ground balance (with no trash under the coil). I'd start with the "coin program" until you get some time under your belt. Magic's program is good, but hardly a program for a newbie to start with. Don't try to do too much too fast or you WILL get discouraged. Remember, you have to crawl before you walk. Most importantly keep it fun!!!

 

[optimistic]

Thanks, I haven't tried running the coin only program. Your suggestion makes perfect sense. I was able to program Fox's c & j and do a little hunting today. I didn't pick up tree roots today, and found a couple of old iron pieces. I dug them just to test how well I am pin pointing and so far, so good. I can pin point. I appreciate the advice.
Optimistic

 

[mickfin]

And wen you do a Ground Balance make sure their is no target in that area, Pinpoint with your Detector befor you G/B
Mickfin,

 

[ronpa1]

Had the same thing happen to me this past summer. Dug around the root, under the root...VDI of 87, Nothing. My friend used his DFX, same thing happened to him, so we figured a coin was embedded in the root itself. Root was 4" round, we didn't damage it to verify.