Newbie could use help with ATPro

flakefinder

Bronze Member
Jul 21, 2010
1,151
161
Michigan
Detector(s) used
2 Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I know they have had some problem with the ATPro this is my first mental detector so I have nothing to compare it to, when I first started using it there wasn't a lot of noise, now there is noise all the time and the numbers will just start flipping by them self even if I don't have it pointed to the ground. I get a good tone at the end of my swing both ways. I think I should just send it in but it has become my best friend and I hate to be without it! :dontknow:
 

zincmaster

Full Member
Mar 8, 2011
174
11
col. ohio
Detector(s) used
bounty hunter quick draw 2 and at pro
hi newbie, im pretty new myself. send it in, i got mine delivered , sent it back within 1 month it should be back tomorrow. got a new coil and recallibrated. also some circuit work . garrett is great and get it back quick. hh
 

khouse

Hero Member
Dec 6, 2006
789
74
Call Garrett. They will help you run a simple test and decide if it needs work. But there is a good chance it might need some tweaking if the serial number's first 3 digits is under 510
 

zincmaster

Full Member
Mar 8, 2011
174
11
col. ohio
Detector(s) used
bounty hunter quick draw 2 and at pro
khouse said:
Call Garrett. They will help you run a simple test and decide if it needs work. But there is a good chance it might need some tweaking if the serial number's first 3 digits is under 510


(my s.n. starts 5111XXXX) so theres still problems somewhere :dontknow: i waited hoping not to get an early one and still got a bad unit) glad garrett has such great customer service. :notworthy:
 

relicswinger

Jr. Member
Jun 19, 2008
51
5
Hey Newbie, I don't have an AT Pro but your description sounds familiar.

The noisy all the time could be due to the sensitivity being set too high and you are getting "falsing".

The solid tones at both sides of the swing could be due to your swing not being flat to the ground and you have a bit of an arc. This would lift the coil at each end of the swing and give a tone due to the coil seeing a change in it's field caused by it being raised at the end of the swing.

With my Garrett I had each of those issues and cured the first one by setting sensitivity just low enough so it stops doing that.

The second one got cured by swinging the coil strictly parallel to the ground. I now use two methods to do this, the first I call the "Big C" since I rotate from left to right making a big C on the ground around my body. The next one is a straight flat swing in front of me. This is where I lean a little to the left set the coil barely touching the grass and drag it to the right ending up leaning a little to my right. This would draw a straight line in the sand if you were to drag it. With both methods the coil stays the same distance from the dirt with no lift at the end.

Hope this helps...
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You no doubt need to send it in to Garrett for a coil replacement among other things. It should not false if you are holding it still while outside away from over head wires. Should not false even on the ends of sweeps. Should be rock steady at half sens. setting.
 

John-Edmonton

Silver Member
Mar 21, 2005
4,399
3,950
Canada
Detector(s) used
Garrett- Master Hunter CX,Infinium, 1350, 2500, ACE 150-water converted 250, GTA 500,1500 Scorpion, AT Pro
Try resetting the machine and it will reset itself to factory default.machine. Hold the on/off button for a length of time untill it gives a double beep.
 

relicswinger

Jr. Member
Jun 19, 2008
51
5
"Should be rock steady at half sens. setting." That is why I mentioned the sensitivity setting possibly being set too high. If the sensitivity setting is too high the unit can be setting on the ground and will give you random tones due to electrical interference in the area.
When describing a problem it is helpful to mention what program setting, sensitivity setting, notching/discrimination, ground balance (especially ground balance), etc. I have had settings conspire to give me a tone at each end of the swing since I was swinging up away from the ground at each end of the swing.
My usual newbie mistake was cranking the sensitivity up too high. Yes it will give you more depth but it is like shining an extremely bright, extremely large light into fog. The back spill of light will make it tough to see small items but you might be able to see that white barn reflected back when it is further away. I was missing little things that were found by my buddy checking out where I'd been...
Sometimes we adjust the settings trying to use the machine without having a full understanding of what we have done. In the beginning of using my unit my best friend was the "Big Reset". You just hold down the power button until you get a double beep and let go. This will put you in the factory default settings for everything.
 

Bart@Big Boys Hobbies

Supporting Vendor
Supporting Vendor
Jul 24, 2005
4,594
1,219
Moore Oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Call for your Treasurenet special discount! Be sure to mention Tnet when you call!
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
before you send it in be sure it wasn't EMI interference. Take it several places to see if it reacts same way. Might have been just the place you were at.
 

OP
OP
flakefinder

flakefinder

Bronze Member
Jul 21, 2010
1,151
161
Michigan
Detector(s) used
2 Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Newbie could use help with ATPro , Thanks for the Help.

Thanks for all the help, I will try the C swing and check my sensitivity and see if it helps, really sucks buying your first Detector and knowing they are having problems with them and not knowing whats right and whats not right!
 

playdan1

Jr. Member
May 18, 2011
36
0
Sandown, NH
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250
Re: Newbie could use help with ATPro , Thanks for the Help.

flakefinder said:
Thanks for all the help, I will try the C swing and check my sensitivity and see if it helps, really sucks buying your first Detector and knowing they are having problems with them and not knowing whats right and whats not right!

I'm in the same boat!! I've had my ace 250 for 2.5 weeks now and having the same issues with the random noise thing and rapid fluctuations on the display when the detector is laying down. When I first started, nothing. Now it's becoming regular. The EMI idea is great. I don't know how else to test for it other than to go somewhere else and see if it still happens. I hope I don't have to send it in because I don't want to be away from it for that long!
 

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