Pinpointing with the AT PRO

[Terry in PA]

Has anyone de-tuned the AT Pro when pinpointing to get a smaller target response ? I find that pinpointing a target using the top segments isn't always dead on. Most of the time the target is off the back or side of the center hole on the coil. Not as dead on as the 2500 or 1500. Which makes you dig a bigger hole. That's ok in the woods but wouldn't want to do it on nice grass. May be that's why those guys in the video's are using such big shovels..lol

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

Every machine pinpoints different. Learning each machine takes time. Specially for me! Lol

 

[John-Edmonton]

I have found that detuning the coil 2-3 x with the coil a couple of inches off the ground gives a pretty good indicator for pinpointing. If it is off to the left or right a bit, it should be always referring to that same spot, in which case you now know where dead center is. However, it could be the direction of your eye-site looking at your coil with a bit of an angle which is throwing it off center a bit.

Below is a link to a video on "Pinpointing Techniques with Garrett's 8.5"x11" DD Coil ."

http://www.garrett.com/hobbysite/hbby_at_pro_dd_pinpointing.aspx

 

[Terry in PA]

For those people who may not know how to detune your detector while pinpointing I'll ask John if he would mind explaining the way he does it. For me it's moving the coil away from the target and repressing the pinpoint button a couple times while moving toward the target. Your input John would be welcome! Also glad to see Garrett making those video's . That will help a lot of people learn how to run the AT Pro. I myself am still a work in progress . Not the same as my other Garrett detectors I've used.

 

[Bill_S]

I will try to answer this too. The way I detune it is to first pinpoint it in the normal way. Once you get an idea where you think the target is then I put the coil real close, but not right on top, of where I think the target is and hit the pinpoint button again. It may take a time or two to get it narrowed down pretty small but it works good. Once you get the hang of this you can do it real quick. The trick is to get the coil almost right on top of the target but just off to the side. The closer you get the target to the center of the coil before you press the pinpoint button the tighter the pinpoint seems to be. Thats the way it seems to work for me anyways.

 

[John-Edmonton]

I run the coil over the target with the pinpoint button engaged, then with the coil centered over the target, I raise the coil about an inch, then release the pinpoint button for 2 seconds, then engage it again. I repeat this a couple more times, each time getting a smaller scanning target size. I found that if I don't raise the coil off the target that inch, often times with a shallow target, the detector detunes the target right out of the matrix and I completely lose the signal..

 

[Terry in PA]

Yes I have had the same thing happen to me also. While holding the pinpoint button and holding the coil over the target it tunes it right out if held there to long.

 

[wingryder]

One thing I never liked was the foggy front to back pinpointing signal on the Pro. . Left to Right was good... very easy to read the max every time. But front to back was not that precise. Seems to be bit iffy where the max is.
I borrow a page from the "wiggle" method and just step around 90 degrees and pinpoint left to right again.

Still working on the detuning approach. I will try the ideas above.

Wingryder

 

[William-NM]

I think that's the nature of the beast with the double D coil because it has a wedge shaped field as opposed to a cone shaped field on concentrics. I either pinpoint "off the tjp" or do the "X marks the spot", and have found it to be pretty accurate, at least on the <8" targets I usually dig. The double D does give good coverage, though.

 

[TerraDigger]

I'll agree with WilliamNM. The DD coil's unique field can cause distortion when pinpointing. Especially when coin sized object is within approx 3 inches of the coil bottom. It's a DD coil thing, not a detector deficit. My advice. On strong signals, raise coil 2-3 inches above ground, detune, lower coil an inch, detune again. Repeat as necessary.

 

[INVASCdigger]

I will try to answer this too. The way I detune it is to first pinpoint it in the normal way. Once you get an idea where you think the target is then I put the coil real close, but not right on top, of where I think the target is and hit the pinpoint button again. It may take a time or two to get it narrowed down pretty small but it works good. Once you get the hang of this you can do it real quick. The trick is to get the coil almost right on top of the target but just off to the side. The closer you get the target to the center of the coil before you press the pinpoint button the tighter the pinpoint seems to be. Thats the way it seems to work for me anyways.

I agree completely, Bill. That's the same way that I detune my AT Pro, and it has been working very well. The times that I have problems with that method are when there's more than one item in the hole, or the item is a deep, irregular shaped piece of metal.