AT MAX all metal mode vdi numbers test

[Calabash Digger]

heres a look at the at max in all metal mode and its vdi numbers on in ground targets.

 

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[Dan B]

I suppose if you're going to dig it all, might as well get a Tesoro and save some money.

 

[John-Edmonton]

I probably would have dug a lot of those signals.Why:

-VDI tends to bounce around and include the high numbers, typically where silver/copper read
- I accept the true all metal mode as being very sensitive, inculuding signals bouncing around due to orientation of target to coil, mineralization in soil, possible contaminated soil with ferrous dust or fragments.
- My philosophy has always been "if in doubt, dig!"
- I would have used a concentric coil, which gives a more accurate VDI
- Because the target is registering as deep, I would have raised the coil, still swinging it, to see at what height the audio cuts out. Once practiced often, you get to guess with great accuracy the size of the target ie tin can vs. coin sized object, therefore, if not a tin can sized object, I dig it
- I accept the fact that all metal detectors, under near perfect laboratoty laboratory conditions, are given a certain designated value (VDI) of a coin sized object, representing it as silver, copper, pull tab, tin foil and so on. Any variation in the field such as mineralization, angle of target, mass of target, size of target, moisture in soil, halo effect, oxidation amount/type on target (there are many others) will effect the VDI numbers along with strength of signal and cut off of signal.

What you failed to do, was to utilize was the iron audio.

-A quick test of the iron audio set to a value of 44 would have shown you that these targets were not in fact iron, again, another reason to dig.
-Decrease your sensitivity and look for a change. A target overloaded on sensitivity, on any metal detector will in fact replicate your results.
-Switch to zero discriminate mode, to see if you get a second opinion.

I have only used the true all metal mode in 2 areas. The woods and deep water. These areas produce the least amount of hits, yet often times the best targets. Has it worked for me with the MAX? You betcha it has. A buffalo nickel, some silver coins, some gold rings, all found in hunted to death areas which others including myself have hunted to death many, many times. Hunting in parks or ploughed fields loaded with copious amounts of iron is purely a lesson in frustration.

I don't need to have the perfect VDI number to dig it. Lots of tricks are out there, whether you use a Garrett, Minelab, Fisher, Tesoro and all the other makes/models I haven't mentioned. You have to learn a lot of those tricks on different detectors, as they are not in the manual, but are picked up in the field with lots and lots of experience.

You have obviously mastered the Deuce Calabash......you know it inside out. Good luck with your hunting!

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[Calabash Digger]

I have video uploading of the all metal with disc got a target I want you to take a look at in it........ will have it posted later.

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

I suppose if you're going to dig it all, might as well get a Tesoro and save some money.

hey, what is wrong with a Tesoro? they have a really cool logo and spanish named models, so must be good detectors. see coin shooters at the park with them all the time.

 

[Hal2k]

Really could care less about the VDI numbers, I listen to tones to know whether to dig or not. Now do I dig junk sure, do I dig good targets sure. I learned years ago to hunt based on tones back in day before there was all the fancy screens that tell you if you are digging a penny or a quarter. First detecror I ever used had several knobs and a anlog needle. Maybe I missed something in your post but you seem to be quite angery with the AT.

 

[Calabash Digger]

Yeah I don't use numbers myself I hunt by audio and my remote on my detector stays in my pocket. The post is about all metal mode hard to hunt by tone alone it that scenario... I'm just posting test videos and will have one up in a little while in the all metal mode with the disc feature engage. The big boast is that all metal is deep and it is ,but how do you use the function in the real world?? If you are reading this and hunting in all metal mode please watch the next video I will call it all metal mode with disc. Its a must see really.....

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

i am no expert with the Deus since i am relatively new with it, but i thought that was the point of using full tones. The UK guy says setup the detector and put the remote away, "we dont need it anymore..." i listen to the tones. full tones mode. i know we are talking about the AT Max here, but just wanted to throw that out there. i tried using my AT Pro after a few months with my Deus and put that heavy clunker back in the closet. it is only coming out when i hunt rivers.

 

[Hal2k]

Thanks I will take a look. I just purchased the Max last week hoping it's not a mistake, probaly will not get to use for at least another two to three weeks.

 

[Calabash Digger]

Its a deep detector with a good recovery speed the audio is what I don't care for but that's different for everyone .Ive been doing some test with it and will have quite a few test videos with it in the next few days.

 

[Hal2k]

Its a deep detector with a good recovery speed the audio is what I don't care for but that's different for everyone .Ive been doing some test with it and will have quite a few test videos with it in the next few days.

That is the one thing that I feel a bit uneasy about is the tones. From what I've seen they are quite different than the AT-Pro. It's going to be a learning curve of course it would be with any new detector maybe it will not be that big of a steep. One thing I'm hoping to do is to get the Max to work as well in saltwater as my AT Pro. I have worked with the Pro over the past year to get it where it works really well on the beach in both dry and wet sand. What I do with my pro is to lower the sensitively down from full about two to four bars, pump the coil and check what the auto GB number is, let’s say its 9 I will lower that number up to 3 to 5 points lower and then try the coil. It's usually quiet then I start to bring the sensitively up, I can usually get the sensitively up to full or one bar below full in wet or dry sand.

 

[the lama]

That is the one thing that I feel a bit uneasy about is the tones. From what I've seen they are quite different than the AT-Pro. It's going to be a learning curve of course it would be with any new detector maybe it will not be that big of a steep. One thing I'm hoping to do is to get the Max to work as well in saltwater as my AT Pro. I have worked with the Pro over the past year to get it where it works really well on the beach in both dry and wet sand. What I do with my pro is to lower the sensitively down from full about two to four bars, pump the coil and check what the auto GB number is, let’s say its 9 I will lower that number up to 3 to 5 points lower and then try the coil. It's usually quiet then I start to bring the sensitively up, I can usually get the sensitively up to full or one bar below full in wet or dry sand.

glad to see another person who has success with the at pro on salt water beaches ,i was thinking the at max would be better on wet sand where you have streaks of black sand because of the ability to spread the ground balance,any thoughts on that

 

[WaterScoop]

The falsing on 100+ year square nails at an old home site as “good” targets would drive me insane. I am all for digg everything but have you truly visited a home site that is peppered with square nails every 1-2 feet. NOT FUN.

Here is a quote” I will spend good money on a metal detector that can help me separate the “ flysh*t from the pepper”

After all wouldn’t we all rather dig winners then losers.

Garrett missed the boat by not having a volume control on their Iron Audio in their new “flag ship” I am pretty sure that Minelab capitalized on that weakness and they will have it in their Equinox series to “try” to compete with the runaway Deus.

 

[Hal2k]

glad to see another person who has success with the at pro on salt water beaches ,i was thinking the at max would be better on wet sand where you have streaks of black sand because of the ability to spread the ground balance,any thoughts on that

I have been back and forth on purchasing the AT Max, the more I read the more I think it will work as good as the Pro on beach sand with the setting's I have found and may work better. The reason I feel it may work better is the AT Max has the ability to adjust the threshhold. I will know in few weeks how it works in the sand, I will be in Mobile Alabama for several days and will be able to try out the Max on the beach. There is no black sand in the gulf but I will find out just how the Max will work in sand.

 

[WaterScoop]

Hal2k please post back and tell us your findings once you swing the ATMax. Right now I have an AT Pro I swing the swimming holes I truly like and also have considered the Max until I heard that Minelab had a multi frequency Equinox in the wings not much $ difference from the ATMax.

 

[Hal2k]

Couple things on my AT Pro beach setting's that I failed to list. First I run in Pro Zero with zero discrim. Second I take my coil cover off, this is very important with coil cover on sand and salt will get between the cover and coil and cause falsing.

I will let all know how the Max works out for me on the beach.

I thought about getting the Equinox also but have really had good exprence with the Garrett. One of the main things I like about the AT is that I can change out the batteries for RnB battery pack and easy get 40 hours of detecting. All that I have read on the Equinox is that it has a built in Lithium batteries but you only get about 6-8 hours of detecting.

 

[WaterScoop]

.... I take my coil cover off, this is very important with coil cover on sand and salt will get between the cover and coil and cause falsing. ...

I use the CTX now on the beach with the cover I actaually skim the sand with my coil touching the sand. Go through covers ... my style of detecting in the sand would “sand away” my coil if I did not have a cover.

 

[Hal2k]

I keep my coil about 1 inch above the sand.

 

[Dan B]

hey, what is wrong with a Tesoro? they have a really cool logo and spanish named models, so must be good detectors. see coin shooters at the park with them all the time.

I swung Tesoros for years. Nice machines, and great for parks. But you do tend to dig more trash, at least that's my experience. This was my first year with the ATPro and it was my most productive year ever. Lots of personal bests. Most rings, most silver, oldest coins. It was a good year.

 

[Calabash Digger]

Tesoro has a loyal following but for the life of me I cant figure out why... If you dig almost all targets your gonna dig something good ..... but I like to be able to guess before I dig it.. lol