SOVEREIGN GT IS HERE!!

[Dang]

The Sovereign arrived yesterday and already I can tell I need to carefully read that manual really, really slow (Adams advice also taken here.) Naturally I just tossed aside the manual when I first got my hands on the detector figuring "I been a MDer for a few years now, I can figure it out myself."
Within 30 seconds after turning it on I realized maybe I should at least look over the first chapter. After that I figured I was ready. Then I decided to play with the notch and well that in itself was enough to convince me to sit down and really read the manual. Took me a half of an hour just to figure out the notch system on the machine even with the manual!
The sad part now is that work has me working from 11:am to 8m and then my wife has to have one of those lady thing surgery on my day off next week. So I really don't see much time for me to go detecting for awhile.
But I should have lots of time to read that manual!
Oh! This is my 8th (!) detector and I can tell already she's something special.

 

[Rick(ND)]

Once you see how the GT works it is real easy to use. Volume up all the way, notch and disc turn all the way counterclockwise, the one toggle to disc iron mask on, the other toggle to pinpoint as it only active in all metal and makes it easy to pinpoint after you get the signal in disc. Freq seem to work best at 2 and sensitivity all the way counter clockwise until it click in auto to learn the GT. I run with a threshold so I do not turn on silent search, but if you do adjust the threshold in all metal pinpoint, then switch to disc. Other than that just swing the coil slow and listen for the tones and dig the repeatable until you learn the good from the bad.
When you get a signal you want to check out then switch to all metal as the other toggle will be in pinpoint, then when done just switch back to disc and you are ready to hunt.
If you do use notch it will only reject items and give a broken signal or a null on items that are higher than what the disc is set to reject. Also the disc or notch will not disc or notch out the new zinc pennies or screwcaps.

Good luck and be sure to ask questions as you go.

Rick

 

[madmax800]

I say DON'T read the manual.
If you need to know anything, and I mean anything about the GT "just ask Rick".. He has helped me no end. Thank the great people here , they are great.

I have had my GT a month now, yep, like you wanted to get out there and find all that treasure, but the only advise I can give you is practice, listen, dig , ask.


I even waste money on an extra battery pack,and I went away with work last week, used the detector every arvo so total about 10 hours and never even thought about putting on the spare battery pack.

Cant wait for the next 10 years when I become a GT master ....

Have fun, go slow, the treasure will be there waiting for you.

 

[Dang]

Well I went out with the Sov this morning. Andy Sabiisch is right when he says in his book about hunting with a Sovereigns after using a traditional VLF will take a little longer to get the hang of. At first I thought I was getting along just fine. But after a hour I was getting high and low tone signals no matter where I swung the coil. I thought the cable was loose but it wasn't. I can pin point with it with no problem. Just takes a tad longer then what I'm use to.
Now. when searching for a target slowly the threshold nulls. Then returns at a hight pitch and this repeats in both directions. But I can't seem to get a signal to pinpoint.....is this a deep coin perhaps?
Dang

 

[Art (NWOH)]

What are your settings?????

At first I am inclined to say you are in a bunch or large iron junk or hot rocks, but could be caused by something else.

HH

 

[Rick(ND)]

When you say it nulls means it just went over a disc out target and more than likely it is iron. Now for it to repeat would have to repeat in the same spot every time, but if it nulls then signals one way then coming back it nulls and signals again I bet it is not in the same place is it?? If it is then switch to all metal pinpoint and it should also repeat there, but if you notice it only signals one way then it is iron for sure as a good signal will repeat in the same spot.
Like we all say it takes time to get to know your Sovereign as it is different, but when you do you will see it is one of the best if not the best there is.

Rick

 

[Dang]

[quote Art (NWOH)]What are your settings?????

At first I am inclined to say you are in a bunch or large iron junk or hot rocks, but could be caused by something else.

HH[/quote]
I started out as the manual suggest:
Switch to Disc. Iron Mask off.
GB switch to pinpoint.
Volume to 3 o'clock.
Threshold/silent switch to Threshold. Just audible.
Sens to auto.
Disc to 3rd dot. Notch to zero

After awhile I did flip a swith here or there to see what would happen.

Also, while the detector was lying next to me as I was digging a target the threshold would change. Is that a normal occurance?

 

[Art (NWOH)]

You were set up OK.

Sounds like you were picking up your digging tool while digging. You need to be careful about how you carry your digger while hunting also. The Sov can pick it up on each sweep if you let it hang in your hand.

If you set the detector down and keep your digger away from it and the threshold keeps jumping around....you have noise. If so, you learn to live with it. Can be very bad in some locations.

Hardest thing to get used to for me was the iron that "talks". Often gives you a high pitched coin tone, but just don't have the right feel in the sound and motion pattern to be a coin. Then there is a coin in combination with iron. Don't sound quite right to be either one. You need to play with these hits and get the feel of them. After a while you get a feel for which ones to dig.

You also need to be careful about digging in the iron. It throws off your pinpointing.

You will have to dig some trash to learn just what you are hearing. Take your time and really play with each target. The sounds will start sticking in your head, and this will get much easier before long.

HH

 

[Dang]

I had a much more stable day with the sovereign today. It's a big help to remember to switch off "All Metal" after pinpointing to keep it stable while digging. I played around with the mask and I think I figured out the proper speed for that. I found 6 dimes, 2 quarters, 2 nickles and a dozen or so of zinc pennies. Not 1 copper penny. odd.
Very little trash at this park. And I was hunting with very little disc. Odd. Maybe another detectorist lives in the park's neighborhood and I was finding his misses.
Anyway I only spent about an hour and a half there before the heat got to me so I think I did pretty good with it for a beginner.

 

[adam in cal]

n/t