Sovereign GT Newbie...a few questions...

[Nick Pappagiorgio]

Hello,

I am a Sovereign GT Newbie in need of some help...

I decided on the Sovereign GT after read reviews & lurking around this forum...It is my first High End detector...I am use to tones & meters and I just need some guidance.

First of I have notice there really is not distinct separate tones...when I wave a nickel - dime - quarter - gold medal...I get the same tone is this right or is there a problem with the machine...?

I also noticed that it does not consistently "Air Test" well...I have read that the older Sovereigns never air tested well...they are designed to work with the soil conditions...Is this true with the newer model...? And what types of depth should I expect out of this machine...?

Any help is appreciated....

Nick

 

[hsjrev]

[quote Nick Pappagiorgio]

First of I have notice there really is not distinct separate tones...when I wave a nickel - dime - quarter - gold medal...I get the same tone is this right or is there a problem with the machine...?

[/quote]


I thought the same thing when I first got my GT. It took a while to get my ears accustomed to it but there really are differences in the tones, they're just subtle differences when compared to the tones of a Fisher for instance. Instead of having three or four tones, there is basically an infinite scale of sounds with slight variations in pitch and also quality. Gold has a "twangy" sound sort of like a rubber band, most coins sound "solid" where a lot of aluminum trash sounds "crumbly" or "dirty" in comparison. None of this will make any sense at all until you get a few hours in the field digging trash and good targets to associate the sounds with the finds. Good luck, I know it can be very frustrating at first but it's a good machie once you get used to it.

 

[sandman256]

Hi Nick, I am the same Sandman from other forum. The tones you hear are more like musical notes that can sound different depending on the ground conditions. You should read CJC's books on the Excal and Sovereign's to better understand this. It is best to lay down various targets on ground without any metal to note how the targets sound alone and near each other. Not so much the "tone" but more the way the sound starts off and slopes off. This is best understood when hearing it yourself.

Minelabs still don't really air test for distance well but you can listen to the tones. Depth depends on the amount of minerals and it some locations you will get much deeper on a given target than at another. To quote actual distances is impossible as some dude will report that his detector gets three feet on a dime.

 

[Nick Pappagiorgio]

Thanks for your input guys...I appreciate it...

Sandman I figured that was you...I will get the books you suggested...

Thanks again,

Nick

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

There should be a VERY noticeable difference in tones between a nickel and a quarter, unless you are tone deaf. It sounds like to me that you have the All Metal/Disc toggle in All Metal. In which case you will get fixed tones. If you put it in Disc you will get variable tones. Most Sovereign GT hunters use the Disc mode so as to get the variable tones, turn the Disc all the way down so as to hear EVERYHING, and then dig the tones that sound good...which with a few hunts under your belt you will get pretty good at doing.

I would also recommend setting the Sensitivity at about the 11 o'clock position rather than using Auto, as this will give much better depth. And set the threshold to a slight buzz.

 

[Dman]

Nick,
I am thinking about getting a Minelab. Let me know how you like yours after you have tried it a few times.
Dman

 

[Anonymous]

Nick, Best suggestion would be to talk to your Dealer. He/She should be able to explain how the Sovereign operates and how to get the best out of a stock unit. There are a number of books on the Sovereign, including Andy Sabisch books on it and the Excal. But nothing will help you as fast as talking to your Dealer. They should be able to explain things better than reading. Both are helpful, but discussing this will shorten your learning curve. Good hunting, David@Dixie