This old dog can still HUNT! Got out for 3 hours today...

[gfatizzi]

Man did I have a great time today! The weather was perfect for detecting: just enough clouds to block the sun with a nice breeze down by the Hudson River. This is a tough site to hunt as it is loaded with iron, coke and bricks everywhere. Auto sensitivity was the key to a fruitful hunt today. Minelab really knew what they were doing when they put this feature on the Sovereign. I feel this mode of operation doesn't get the accolades it truly deserves. Truth be told, I have found most of my targets over the years (many of them DEEP) using auto sense. I was so intrigued by my luck discovering all of these new targets in my POUNDED site that I tried some real world testing to confirm some questions I was pondering about this mode in particular. Now as Sovereign owners all know, optimum hunting conditions dictate that you have a steady threshold as you sweep. No manual sensitivity setting was optimal (including the most minimal) I tried. I thought to myself, "How could that be?" Then I wondered if the Sovereign actually speeds the threshold up in auto sense as well as auto adjusts the sensitivity! Why do I think that? Well how the hell is the Sov able to still find me targets at decent depths WITH a threshold when even absolute minimal sensitivity is still dropping the threshold? I doubt auto sens is setting the sensitivity even lower than the most minimal manual setting! I also noticed two other things: sensitivity to smaller targets (especially lower conductors and the audio of these targets sound much cleaner. This seems to at least be true for targets in the lousy ground I like to hunt. Big fan of auto sens and the mighty CoinSearch coil right here! Managed a little silver in the form of 1941 Washington, 1963 Roosie and sterling religious medal. Also nabbed a 1927 Buffalo, undated trashed Injun and a cool Swiss Helvetia bronze 2 rappen coin(1944?), heart pendant, key, button, 1946 nickel, 11 wheats ranging from early 20s to late 50s and 4 memorials. Gotta love this great hobby of ours! HH George

 

[fwcrawford]

Nice finds you have there!
I bet you are glad to have a Sovereign in your hands again.
You did good with it!!

 

[gfatizzi]

Thanks Felix. It's like riding a bike! You just never forget no matter how many years away. I'm getting too old to keep trying new detectors now so this is and will be my one and only. I DO also have a Fisher F11 which is a great little detector in it's own right but I need to send it back to Fisher for a new power switch. I hope to be active again here with my Sovereign family! HH George

 

[bootyhoundpa]

I’ve had my Gt over10 years now and it’s a fun and powerful machine... very productive hunt you had there..I’ve eventually resorted to auto as well when necessary on those days the ground doesn’t want to maintain a threshold .. I do however prefer to set it up on the frisky side unless it starts hitting on deep iron.. I’m sure you are aware that max sensitivity setting is on the same side as auto and the minimum setting is on the far right side (some get it backward and can’t figure out why they on in constant null)..but judging by your finds I would say you got figured out...congrats..

 

[Ron from Michigan]

George nice hunt, you had a very good day. By accident years ago I found in auto it was next to impossible to calibrate or adjust a 180 meter with out a ID bounce. Trying different ID meters Minelab ,Sunray and mine they all react the same way. My theory is in Auto the frequency changes., proof of this is the difference with ID numbers on targets. The Sovereign overall is still one of the best detectors around. HH Ron

 

[gfatizzi]

Wow that's interesting Ron, I didn't know that! I just learned something new with the Sov even after all these years. I don't use a meter so I've never noticed that...

 

[gfatizzi]

One of the wheats was dug with iron fused to it's face! If you look at the group of wheats, the one under the nickel looks like Abe's face was obliterated. That's because it came out of the hole with a chunk of iron that was fused to it! Even with the Sov's slower recovery speed, it still manages to give a good tone out of the null if you're sweeping slow enough. Still an amazing detector in this day and age and this isn't the first target I have dug like that over the years! HH, George

 

[goodmore]

I drank the kool aid and went Equinox. A part of me will always wish I had a Sovereign. I just loved beach hunting with one of them. The Equinox performs well, but I just don't think I have as much fun.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Goodmore, been there, if I had to choose one it would be the Sovereign hands down. HH Ron