Threshold question(s)

[oneguy]

Just got a Tejon so threshold and ground balancing are new to me. GB seems easy enough and I thought threshold was also easy enough but this quote from another thread raised some questions for me...????

I like to hunt in all metal . and if I am at a park looking for gowrld rings i like threshold AM and turn the threshold to about 11:00 oklock and this eliminates most junk

Would someone explain to me what exactly "threshold" is and what does it actually do? The above quote makes it sound like some form of discrimination...????? Thanks........

 

[hatpin]

I cant figure that post out either. Threshold is just volume control.

 

[BarberBill]

That thread is confusing to me as well. Basically threshold is a setting that gives an audible hum in all metal. After ground balancing, it should be set to just a light audible hum. The purpose of this hum is to help enhance the signal from a very deep or very small target that otherwise is far enough out of the normal detecting range that it wouldn't trigger the normal audible response. Often targets in this range won't be heard normally, but will be indicated by a slight bump in the threshold hum. Another argument for wearing good headphones, as well. As to the statement above about eliminating most junk, maybe he means it's easier to recognize a junk signal with his setting? Confusing because all metal should respond to all metals including junk regardless of threshold setting.
BB

 

[JB(MS)]

As Hatpin said the threshold pot is basically a volume control, but it can also be used as an all metal mode sensitivity control to eliminate deep objects. By setting the threshold in the null range, all metal mode can be used to find shallow and surface targets and deep trash will give either a weak response or no response, depending on size and how deep the object is. That's something we did with the old TR's 40 years ago, and I still do it when using my Golden

 

[kaolinwasher]

Thanks JB thats exactly what i was talking about , its not just a volume control but a sensitivity control with the threshold huming you get the deep things and small things with it turned silent and back only the rings and coins will come thru ur very near suface small Items

 

[plidn1]

This goes for all detectors.
Set your detector up the way your manual says. Then learn what it is telling you at those settings. If you are hitting deeper then your liking, turn the sensitivity down a little.
The more you discriminate, the more you lose.
Gold can be found in the metal range of iron to dimes and everywhere in between.
I just found a gold link bracelet at 7" in a heavy iron field. It hit as pure trash, ID'ing all over the place without giving a good signal. But something in the way it hit told me to dig. That only comes from knowing your detector.
I was passing on 9" + targets. I don't like digging much deeper then 6" normally. I run my detector at 3/4 sensitivity. That gives me well over 7" depth. That is more then enough depth 98% of the time.
Who really knows what was down there unless you dig it.
There is no special "Tweak" of the machine that will make finding gold easier. No magic setting. The only sure fire way to find it is to dig everything that is not iron. You will earn every piece.
The worst thing you can do when learning a new detector is max out or try and Tweak out the settings. If you don't learn the detector at the factory settings, you will never know if it is working correctly.
Take it slow and enjoy what you find.

 

[BarberBill]

Thanx for the clarification guys. I've never considered or tried to hunt heavily enough in all metal to need to try the settings mentioned, nor had I heard of that till now. Mostly because if I chose to hunt in am it would be for the opposite reasons - more sensitivity and depth. I have to agree with Plidn1 - the best advice is to really learn your detector.
BB

 

[oneguy]

Thanks guys....!!!! That helped clear things up. Hard frost here last night but sun is out and I'll be out MDing shortly when it warms up a tad.

 

[kaolinwasher]

Frost hear in cambridge MN as well kau dawn it

 

[WV62]

I am thinking threshold to me is more of delay in response. For example if you are running AM with a slight audio threshold there is no delay you will hear the slightest auto response. Now if you are running AM and no threshold you build in a delay in response so if the target is small or deep your detector may never overcome the delay and may not hear the response. Now if it were a large or shallow target you would hear the response.

Now for real high threshold settings I can't figure any reason for all that range of setting above just audible is for, unless it would be for people hard of hearing like me. So somebody to pickup my machine they may need a little more or less threshold setting.

Ron in WV

 

[MarkCZ]

Setting the threshold really HIGH on some of the Tesoro's is part of what's called "Super Tuning" like the Vaquero. But on units like the Tejon you can't super tune it.

Mark