The Minelab Sovereign GT Gets Poor Depth

[Michigan Badger]

so some say.

I just ordered a GT and it's due this week. I decided to get this model because it came so highly recommended. Now all of a sudden I'm reading stuff online about it not being a deep machine.

What do you say?

What depth are you getting"

Anybody here use the 15" WOT coil?

Do tell all.

Badger

 

[joecoin]

Well, I've had mine for a month or so. It goes really deep, at least on large iron items. Too deep in fact, I've dug up stuff over 24" deep. My problem is, I don't want that stuff.

I'm having a hard time learning how to properly use the Sovereign. Hopefully I'll get it right with a lot more practice.

If you don't have a lot of time to detect, you might not like it.

 

[plugger]

Relax, the GT goes plenty deep! My GT with the Sun Ray S-8 (8") coil goes 9" deep on a dime, no problem. Personally, I don't want to dig any deeper than that, but, if you do, the WOT will get you very deep. You better start working out and doing stretching exercises, you will need to be in great shape to hunt with a 15" coil and the GT! And, seriously, consider a 5' shovel to retrieve your treasures. Good Luck & HH,

Bill

 

[Rick(ND)]

The Sovereigns don't air test very well as it needs something besides air for it to compare the target to. The Sovereigns don't like speed either so those that swing the coil too fast wont get the deep targets. Those that learn the Sovereigns may tell you they dig deeper good targets than they ever did before. I have dug pennies and dimes with a 8 inch coil at 12 inches deep others have missed, but only going real slow and listening real close to the tones just barely changing. At this depth the meter ID will probably not be correct, but with the GT I have seen some very deep coins that I was able to get the correct ID on with the meter.
The Sovereigns are different than anything you may have used and take some patience and some practice and those that take the time to learn it will tell you it will get good depth and will tell you more about the target so you you dig less trash. The Sovereign hate iron and hate speed of the coil and it may see some iron, but you can tell the difference the way it act. I find iron will will read one way signals or the signal will move when swinging over the target, one swing will show one way and return will show in another spot. I have used a lot of different detectors in my 34 years of detecting and the Sovereign is the one I dig my deepest targets with and the best ID, but when I first got it I thought I made a mistake getting this one until I spent the time to learn it and seen some of the finds it was able to find in many of these worked out parks and ballfields. Just remember to go slow and learn the language of the Sovereign make sure you ask question here on this forum as we have some of the best users right here with the Sovereigns.
On the WOT coil I haven't had much luck with it for land hunting, but beach it works good I am told. I find it is too big to separate well in most area where there is modern trash in the parks and fairground I work. A smaller coil will work better and for a beginner it is easier to learn the Sovereign. The stock coil on the GT does a good job for me, but I have a older 8 inch Coin search coil that I use in some places.
Remember to go slow so you can hear the deep one with the tone changing, soon you will know which tones are the good one and which are not. Have the patience it takes to get to know it and soon you will find it is a very easy detector to use and has some depth that will impress you and others with the good target you will pull out of the ground, but this probably wont happen the first while until you have spent some time with it to learn it. I was told you learn something new each time out with the Sovereign and that was correct and the more you use it the more you will learn and the easier it will be.

Rick

 

[adam in cal]

The machine is very deep. Now when I say very deep I am not saying that at 13 inches a target will blow out your headset, there are many nuances that you need to learn before you can achieve that depth consistently on good targets. The machine is very strong and you need to learn what it is telling you before you realize the true capabilities of the machine. On very deep targets there isn't much of an audio response, more of just a waver in the threshold with a meter reading that is trying to spike upward. I think if you give the machine a true trial run and be patient you will see it is a very deep machine, and among one of the best units available, and in my opinion the best thing going on at that price point..........good luck ......When you get the machine, please come back if you need any pointers or just want to show off some great finds..................

 

[Michigan Badger]

I am a little familiar with Minelab because I once owned an Excalibur (2005).

I didn't really learn it well and sold it only after a few months of buying it new.

I hunt mostly land sites with lumber camps being my best sites. I got the GT mostly
to help me get around the tons of iron that is to be found at these sites. I'd like to pull a lumber era coin out from one of them.

The 19th century lumberjacks didn't have many coins due to problems with gambling. But "lucky" coins or "love tokens" were common.

For years I've hunted with the Nautilus and also Tesoro machines. They do a great job but love iron.

Well, my GT is due in tomorrow and I hope it stops raining.

Badger

 

[Marc(NB)]

who about a button the size of a 5 cent piece at 14 inch's?(did measure it also)Deep enough huh..but I was using the S12 coil,audio was strong enough to tell me it was a good target.Ive never used a WOT but it probably will be too bulky to swing, and also you may have the tendency to step on your coil as you walk and swing at the same time.The S12 is superb!The sov line is very deep you wont regret it.HH

 

[james1969]

Hey Joe if you listen to the treshold as you sweep over large iorn it will null for a split second just before(and sometimes after) it gives a signal,you need to listen real close or you may not hear it,also try turning 90 degrees and sweeping again,if it nulls it's probably iorn,also if the signals moves when you turn like this it is iorn for sure.Another great tip is to switch to all metal fixed and listen to the signal,if it's loud it's probably iorn,if it's real quiet start digging as it's probably a good non ferrous find.

 

[Silverstar_Lawman]

I found a can so deep at the beach in the wet sand it took 5 scoops to reach it, had to be about 20 inches down maybe more, I had my arm into the hole past my elbow trying to pry the can out of the wet sand. Also found a small circle shaped piece of metal no bigger than the white on your fingernail, the hole was deep enough to put a mag light into. Consider when reading reviews its one persons experience and has many variables. Learn this detector and you will not be let down by its performance. Clive (cjc) has a book on the Sovereign which I have ordered and am waiting on that receives high marks. Good luck with the GT, I really doubt you will be sorry you made the choice.

 

[Chrisjarvis]

[quote Michigan Badger]so some say.

I just ordered a GT and it's due this week. I decided to get this model because it came so highly recommended. Now all of a sudden I'm reading stuff online about it not being a deep machine.[/quote]

Where online? Who says this?

 

[joecoin]

Badger,

Do me a favor and postyour experiences when you can.

Thanks,

joe

 

[Michigan Badger]

[quote joecoin]Badger,

Do me a favor and postyour experiences when you can.

Thanks,

joe[/quote]

I will Joe. I figure on taking my time though because I want to be really fair about it.

I owned an Excalibur back in 05 and didn't really like it much. So this time I'm moving ahead
slow and easy.

I know the GT must be a great machine because so many big hunters/finders just love it.

It arrived today and I can tell you one thing right now...it's a quality built machine! In outward appearance
it makes my Tejon look like a willow stick.

We see what happens.

Badger

 

[Chrisjarvis]

[quote Michigan Badger]so some say.

I just ordered a GT and it's due this week. I decided to get this model because it came so highly recommended. Now all of a sudden I'm reading stuff online about it not being a deep machine.Badger[/quote]

I've sent you a pm, and asked you in this thread, with no result, so I'll ask you again- Where did you read this stuff online about the GT not being a deep machine? Name your source please!

 

[JM]

ok guys what is the best set up for farmland detecting ,not using all metal please .im a bit confused over the iron mask switch .

 

[Beachcomber]

But then again maybe they consider 16+ inches with a 15" coil poor depth Mine will go a little over 20" on the beach for Man's gold ring and unfortunately well over 2ft for toy cars, planes, and trucks The GT gets great depth and is an excellent detector. One of the Best that Minelab has built so far!!! In my opinion it can still be improved in a few areas but overall it's an excellent machine!!!!! JMHO

HH

Beachcomber

 

[chuck ky]

you knock out iron with the switch on. on farm land you would hunt with 0 disc. 0 notch. iron mask on unless you want to find iron objects sen. 11 o"clock.

 

[Rick(ND)]

Iron mask on will get you more falsing on iron, but will get non ferrous items close to iron where iron mask off will give you less chatter and will see less non ferrous items close to trash. All the Sovereigns after the original had iron mask on all the time until the GT came out. I run iron mask on so my GT can see my coins next to iron and I do see a little falsing, but by checking the signal from angle will help a lot to tell if it iron. Even a 0 disc it still will reject most small iron.

Rick

 

[JM]

Thanks guys .