Learning to use At Pro

[Arkansasrelichunter]

I just bought a Garrett ATPro and I am having trouble learning to use it. I hunt for Civil War Relics and I get a lot of bell tones when I swing it one way and when I swing it back the other way and I don't get a signal. I usually don't dig the signal. Am I missing some good finds or is it probably just junk?

 

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[lockster99]

Roger, Are you using it in Pro mode? If not, change over to pro mode and see if there is a difference. Look at the numbers as well as the LED and tone....dig and learn. Pay attention to what the number was before you dig it. Build a data base in your mind as to what the detector said and did before you dig it. I have had some signals vanish after getting a good signal myself. If it is at the maximum depth, that might be it. If you're curious, go to pinpoint and zero in and dig it. Be patient...it's a very good machine once you learn it.

 

[Chad1972]

I'm in the same boat...trying to figure out good beeps from bad beeps, combination beeps and grunts, faint beeps...there's a lot of sounds for just being three tones.

 

[Arkansasrelichunter]

Roger, Are you using it in Pro mode? If not, change over to pro mode and see if there is a difference. Look at the numbers as well as the LED and tone....dig and learn. Pay attention to what the number was before you dig it. Build a data base in your mind as to what the detector said and did before you dig it. I have had some signals vanish after getting a good signal myself. If it is at the maximum depth, that might be it. If you're curious, go to pinpoint and zero in and dig it. Be patient...it's a very good machine once you learn it.

I use it in STD Coin mode. I have tried the Pro mode but I get so many signals it gets very confusing. This is the first computerized detector I have used and it is all new to me. Should I turn the sensitivity down instead of the maximum?

 

[lockster99]

You can bump the sensitivity down....but you will lose some depth. If you are detecting a very trashy area or an area with lots of nails, try raising the iron descrimination. If you detect lots of trashy areas like I do, you might want to check into a sniper coil. Don't forget to ground balance. Learn the beeps...good machine, after a while it will be second nature.

 

[TampaTroy]

You definitely want to learn to use the pro mode if you want to get the maximum use out of the machine. Take it to the cleanest park or field you can and practice with it awhile. Ditto on turning the sensitivity down and discriminate iron out while your learning it. I made a test garden to learn mine in and it helped me get the hang of the different sound combinations. Make sure you include trash in your test garden too.

 

[Opie]

Hey roger,
Lower your sensitivity to one notch below default, go over and place the machine on "Pro mode", then go into "Coins mode" Now ground balance the machine. I am thinking you may not be ground balanced correctly. Anyway, depth means nothing if you don't know when to dig. The Standard mode is good for learning the machine, but I'm guessing your in the middle of the learning curve. So try this and as you get better with targets, add sensitivity, but remember cranking the sensitivity, will not make the machine go better, or deeper, or more responsive. Good Hunting!!

 

[John-Edmonton]

Roger, here are some links to the Garrett videos for AT Detectors. Some instances are hard to explain, and seeing it explained with both audio and visual effects can make it easier to learn. Good luck!

AT Pro: Garrett AT PRO Video Library

AT Gold: Garrett AT Gold Online Videos





https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8CORF4dsmopibINy0fWzGA

 

[gleaner1]

Use pro mode and enjoy the three tone. Since you are looking for CW relics, you will be digging it all I reckon. But at least you will know you are digging iron before you dig it.

 

[littlehugger]

I do not have an AT Pro, but have had dozens of detectors over many years. Current fave is a Fisher CZ. I have found that if it does not repeat, its usually junk that initially fooled the machine, but was adequately identified after several swings. It might also be a good target next to a bad one.
The trouble with the various identifying tones and displays, is they are based on common coinage, even though you have potentially infinite variety, and they get less and less accurate as depth increases.
I will repeat lockster''s advice. Dig it and find out. That is how you learn a new machine.

 

[MackDog]

If your hearing bell tones your in standard mode, start using the pro mode zero. You'll get different tones for different types of targets. relic hunters should dig all the tones except for iron, which is heavy grunting. The Pro mode is what gives you the depth, start using it. It will take you over a hundred hours to get highly proficient with the Pro and even then you'll will always learn new tricks to improve. Thats why you bought it instead of a turn and go beginners model.

Good luck and happy hunting

 

[badpenny]

Bottom line you have to learn the sounds, buttons on the machine and how to use them all to your advantage. Ground balanced properly your machine should be a quite as a church mouse in clean ground. One thing I found with mine was to run the coil wire up about a foot then attach it tight to the lower rod, that in itself removed a lot of chatter. Next I went with the smaller coil, love it, won't go back. And yes use Pro Mode, to get the most out of the machine.

 

[revelingrelics]

I'm in the same boat...trying to figure out good beeps from bad beeps, combination beeps and grunts, faint beeps...there's a lot of sounds for just being three tones.

I have a field loaded with iron, but have been finding many buttons and LC's mixed in. I know exactly what you mean by the combination tones...many times you get the high tone "chirp" at the beginning or at the end of the sweep with an iron grunt. A sweep at 90 degrees gives me same chirp and grunt. Is it a good target next to iron or not? Rather then dig every target, I simply put the spade in ground and lift the dirt slightly. 95% of the time the high tone chirp goes away and I'm left with just the grunt. The break in the dirt around the target breaks the surrounding halo which is giving you the chirp. If there happens to be a good target next to iron, the high tone becomes more distinct, at that point I'll actually remove the plug and retrieve.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Most likely you're hitting a hot rock.
Very rarely does anything good hit one way only...yes like every other detecting "rule" there are exceptions. That's why most say "repeatable" signal.

Where I live hot rocks are everywhere in more or less amounts. I evvy the people who have sandy, quiet ground to hunt in.
One spot I like has no less than 2 or 3 hot rocks in every swing, I can only stand it long enough to find a couple of targets , and I have to leave.

 

[Polishnugget]

Roger,

I also have a AT Pro and i'm still learning to use it. One thing i have found is when you have a good target and i mean really good you will hear a clear tone and you can reproduce it over and over again on the swing. I only use mine in Pro mode with either zero or coin selected. I will be getting a smaller coil or sniper coil since i like to hunt some pretty trashy areas but take your time and set up some test coins or relics that way you know know what it will do and how it acts.

 

[MackDog]

When you get a good target turn sideways and sweep over it again. Did the signal change, did the target move? It needs to be repeatable from different angles also. Another trick is raise the coil gradually as you make sweeps. Does the target break up or stay the same? This ones great for bottle caps

 

[Budman231]

Practice, practice, practice.

No one will be able to tell you exactly how to use the ATP. Watch the online videos, then go out an try what they show you. Dig your own holes and place stuff in it.. Its the only way you can learn Pro-Mode. Plain and Simple.

I just bought a Garrett ATPro and I am having trouble learning to use it. I hunt for Civil War Relics and I get a lot of bell tones when I swing it one way and when I swing it back the other way and I don't get a signal. I usually don't dig the signal. Am I missing some good finds or is it probably just junk?

 

[JerseyDigger19]

All of the advice here is very good. To start, dig only repeating signals which repeat at least 80% of the same time. High tone to mid tone (in Pro mode) counts as a repeat but high tone or mid tone to grunt tone is not a repeat. Also turn the machine 90 degrees and make sure it repeats from the opposite direction. The Pro does like rusty iron, so an iron target will sometimes bell tone in one direction but should usually "grunt" in the opposite direction. Also, I prefer Pro Zero mode over regular Pro mode, since mid and high tones stick out more from the iron tones and you won't hear so many chirps and pops from falsing targets.

Also, I know most people don't recommend Standard mode, but in trashy areas I've actually found it pretty helpful pulling deeper good targets out of the mix. Running along an area with lots of iron I usually hear tons of cheeps, grunts and chirps - it's hard to pull out the good targets deeper than say, 6 inches (shallower targets have an obvious high/midtone signal). But in Standard mode the Pro will often latch onto a deeper good target with a repeating bell tone - when you check it in Pro mode you'll find it's deep but a little better than the typical signal (a soft steady "cheep" or "sheep") but this same signal would have been tough to separate just scanning in Pro mode. So when in doubt, switch to Standard for a little while and look for repeaters.

 

[badpenny]

Jerseydigger pretty much nailed it, I dig all repeating mid and high-tones so long as they repeat as I circle the target with no grunts, unless I hear more tones in one spot. Sounds are learned, it takes practice, patience and luck.