AT Pro Ground Balance issues

[fuzymunky]

Just read an article that said quote: "With Grnd Bal on '0'..... the unit is much more sensitive to high conductors (copper/silver coins)..............and gold-dead. With Grnd Bal on '99'...... this unit is substantially detuned to high conductors (copper/silver coins); yet, is extremely sensitive to low conductors such as very small gold jewelry."

If this guy's article is true, could that be the reason for my problem with silver coins? This is how I Grnd Bal: I hold the button and gently "pump" the unit up and down (~6-7" up, ~1/2-1" down). What I've noticed is this: High mineral ground (which is about all we have here in CO) I will hear the low tone of the unit trying to balance, coupled with a somewhat faint high tone resembling that of a "good target" tone. This results in a balance in the mid 80s. Ground with little to no mineral, the low tone of the balancing only, and unit will balance to the low 90s (never seen it go over 93).

I bought this unit from an "authorized" Garrett retail metal detector/prospecting store. Its a very tiny store that would literally be considered 'crowded' with 3-4 customers in it. The guy that showed me "how to use it" was an older man. Said he's got over 30 yrs of MD experience. But he also acted as though his time was extremely 'precious', and while he did offer to give me a "lesson" in using the machine, it lasted all of 5 minutes and he repeatedly interrupted me when I would ask a question. All told, I got to ask zero complete questions.

Anyway, the majority of that 5 minutes was spent on teaching me how to ground balance. He showed me the 'pumping' technique and said that during this process the higher number, the better... So, whenever I've been out swinging, I've strived to obtain the highest Grnd Bal as possible. Is this my problem? If so, how do I fix it? If it was something this simple I swear I'm going to bang head for a week straight.

I've read the manual font to back to front again and watched the DVD that came with it.

Would appreciate any input.

 

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[Dwight S]

Just try to ground balance in a normal fashion. Turn on the detector and sweep the ground to make sure you are not balancing over a target. Then... press and hold the ground balance button and pump the coil up and down as you described until it gets as quiet as possible and the ground balance numbers stop changing. Then stop pumping the coil with it on the ground and release the ground balance button. Now you are ready to hunt. Don't try to over compensate by adjusting the numbers up or down until you are used to the detector. It will find good stuff ground balanced this way.

 

[gleaner1]

The gb number is what you get, a higher or lower number is not possible. The ground dictates the gb number, not the operator. Just auto gb by pumping, it takes a couple seconds. Make sure you are not over any trash, so gb in zero scrim so you can check the area for a good metal free spot to gb at. It is so simple, a caveman can do it.

 

[gleaner1]

After you get the true gb you got from the bobbing method in clean ground, you can tweak the gb number up or down if you wish. I like to run true gb.
The higher the true gb number, the milder the soil is. I have 88 to 91 soil. This is about as good as it gets other than dry sand on a fresh water beach.

 

[Sandman]

You got good advice on ground balancing from the others. In the dealers defense if he had other customers waiting he would want to get to them before they walked out the door, but it was no excuse for not helping you as much as possible. I had my coffee get cold on me plenty of times waiting on customers. At any dealer with a real store front you are better off than ordering online from the big store, as the prices will be the same and you can carry it home knowing it works as it should. You'd be surprised at how UPS treats packages.