ATPro display question

Tucson Dan

Sr. Member
Jan 30, 2013
250
37
Tucson, Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett ACE 150, ACE 350, Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting

TruePatriot

Tenderfoot
Jan 17, 2011
9
4
Minnesota
Number is a good starting point on what the target potentially is.

Other factors include:


  • the quality of the audio signal (bottlecap versus penny, they will sound different)
  • the depth of the target
  • how big the target is when pin pointing
  • how ground balancing the machine shifts target ids
  • consistency of the target indicator
  • multiple targets in close proximity can give the illusion of inconsistenct junk targets

Depending on what you are hunting for will determine how much weight you put on each factor.

Generally, if I am hunting for rings, I will dig anything regardless of the other factors if the target id is in the range from foil to nickel. They say you have to dig it all to get rings. If there is a lot of trash, some people only dig the most consistent targets, and they might only dig under a certain depth, if the target is not a coin.

The numbers are very easy to learn. Again, ground balancing can shift the numbers a bit, but on my ATPro it is usually:


  • 1-35 iron
  • 35-49 foil, small piece of aluminum, smaller gold ring (women's)
  • 49-51 nickel, gold ring
  • 53-55 newer pull tab, gold ring
  • 55-57 old pull tab, gold ring
  • 57-70 larger gold rings
  • 71-80 penny, bottlecap
  • 81-84 dime, silver jewelry
  • 85-90 quarter, silver coins
  • 91+ silver coins

I think the best way to have success is to just put in hours using the machine and getting familiar with it. I've put in probably 100 hours with mine so far and finally feel like I have mastered it.
 

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Tucson Dan

Tucson Dan

Sr. Member
Jan 30, 2013
250
37
Tucson, Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett ACE 150, ACE 350, Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
The numbers are very easy to learn. Again, ground balancing can shift the numbers a bit, but on my ATPro it is usually:


[*]1-35 iron
[*]35-49 foil, small piece of aluminum, smaller gold ring (women's)
[*]49-51 nickel, gold ring
[*]53-55 newer pull tab, gold ring
[*]55-57 old pull tab, gold ring
[*]57-70 larger gold rings
[*]71-80 penny, bottlecap
[*]81-84 dime, silver jewelry
[*]85-90 quarter, silver coins
[*]91+ silver

Wow. That list is great. My friend can tell me almost every time what he is getting ready to dig and most of the time he's correct. My 350 combines dimes and quarters on the display and he can differentiate them for instance. I sometimes dig bottlecaps after a dime/quarter signal too. Do you find the numbers are right on or close most of the time? I may go with the ATPro soon.
 

UnrepentantSinner

Jr. Member
Sep 12, 2012
61
18
NW KS
Detector(s) used
Deus, AT GOLD, AT PRO, TM-818, Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
That list is great, I'm gonna see how close it is with my AT Gold
 

pkb

Hero Member
Feb 10, 2013
587
316
Dallas
Detector(s) used
Two Garrett AT PRO's, two Garrett pro pointers
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I've dug silver rings in the 70's with my atpro
 

xr7ator

Gold Member
Sep 2, 2011
5,185
7,172
Denver, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, AT Gold, ATX, MH7 (oldie!) Minelab Explorer SE Pro, EQ800
The numbers are easy to learn but the real trick is learning the tones.
I only look at the visual screen out of curiousity now before I dig because I dig based on the sound.
If you step up to the AT PRO, don't mess with standard mode much and go straight to pro mode(s).
 

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Tucson Dan

Tucson Dan

Sr. Member
Jan 30, 2013
250
37
Tucson, Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett ACE 150, ACE 350, Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
The numbers are easy to learn but the real trick is learning the tones.
I only look at the visual screen out of curiousity now before I dig because I dig based on the sound.
If you step up to the AT PRO, don't mess with standard mode much and go straight to pro mode(s).

Right now all I have are tones with my 350 and the tones on the ATP are completely different. Another learning curve but worth it in the end probably.
 

badpenny

Sr. Member
Mar 28, 2013
456
171
NE PA
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I agree with everything here. I DO use my VDI Number to get an idea of what I am looking at but I listen to the tone more than anything. Once I hear what I expect to be a good target I dig, if I hear crackling and a lot of noise, or I lift my coil and I still got a strong signal I walk on. Good stuff here, remember it.
 

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Tucson Dan

Tucson Dan

Sr. Member
Jan 30, 2013
250
37
Tucson, Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett ACE 150, ACE 350, Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I agree with everything here. I DO use my VDI Number to get an idea of what I am looking at but I listen to the tone more than anything. Once I hear what I expect to be a good target I dig, if I hear crackling and a lot of noise, or I lift my coil and I still got a strong signal I walk on. Good stuff here, remember it.

I talked to my buddy and he said I could borrow his AT Pro anytime. Now I have all the time I need to figure out if it is my upgrade machine or not. Different tones to learn now from the 350.
 

christo000

Silver Member
Mar 17, 2013
3,765
812
mass North Attleboro
Detector(s) used
Xp Deus,m-6 pinpointer, technetics t2ltd (had, whites v3i,minelab xterra 705,atpro,prism 4,sunray probe minlabe profind,garret propointer, f75ltd and many more)
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I talked to my buddy and he said I could borrow his AT Pro anytime. Now I have all the time I need to figure out if it is my upgrade machine or not. Different tones to learn now from the 350.

Probly the best way to figure out if it'll work for or if u should go another route, I got no problem if there's someone near me & they got any questions or wanna c 1 of the detectors I use, I'd b glad to let someone try one out
 

lookindown

Gold Member
Mar 11, 2010
7,089
4,936
Florida
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
ACE 250,AT PRO, CZ21...RTG pro scoop...Stealth 720
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I don't use the numbers to determine whether or not to dig...its just nice having a good idea what your digging. An 87 is a quarter signal and 81 is a dime, so if your digging an 87, a dime isn't going to come out of the hole. A quarter might not come out either, it could be anything, but most times its a quarter...you never know for sure what a target is by the number. Its just nice when most of the time, it is what you thought it was.
 

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Tucson Dan

Tucson Dan

Sr. Member
Jan 30, 2013
250
37
Tucson, Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett ACE 150, ACE 350, Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I don't use the numbers to determine whether or not to dig...its just nice having a good idea what your digging. An 87 is a quarter signal and 81 is a dime, so if your digging an 87, a dime isn't going to come out of the hole. A quarter might not come out either, it could be anything, but most times its a quarter...you never know for sure what a target is by the number. Its just nice when most of the time, it is what you thought it was.

Lookindown, that's very useful info. I know the machine can never be for certain what lies beneath, but at least you can decipher a quarter from a dime. I can't do that on my 350. Tonal quality is what I use primarily as well but it'll be nice to have the secondary display to assist.
 

Normsel

Bronze Member
Sep 10, 2012
1,191
813
D'Iberville MS
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
E-Trac
Equinox 800
Equinox 600
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Like most everyone else i listen to the tones, if it sounds good i look at the vdi for and idea of what it may be but I don't rely on the vdi. The sound will tell you more.
 

rks1949

Hero Member
May 13, 2013
949
380
Lawrenceville,Il.
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Garrett AT Max, Nokta Simplex +, Nokta Legend ,Garrett Pro Pointer , Fisher F Point, Garrett Digging Tool, Gator Razor, Digging Tool, Sampson Digger, Get the Track Hoe! It's a deep one! :)
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I listen for a solid (good ) tone,the last thing I do is look at the numbers,and if it's a faint soft tone,and repeatable,I will dig it! Deep coins often show NO numbers on the display,but if you can hit it consistently,you can bet it's a coin,and a deep one (the Good Stuff). I have a friend that always say's,"if it ain't deep,it ain't old"!:laughing7:
 

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