The White"s GMT and V/SAT Settings

Hard Prospector

Hero Member
Aug 29, 2012
974
1,386
SO CAL
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SDC2300, Gold Monster, Sierra Gold Trac, GB2, the Falcon......and just as many drywashers
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First I would like to thank Steve Herschbach for his great writings on the subject of threshold auto tune, it sure helped me a lot and I appreciate it. I guess I still have some nagging questions about the V/SAT feature on my GMT perhaps some of you could comment on.
For example:

*Does speeding up or slowing down the SAT effect sensitivity/depth?

*Is there any benefit to changing the SAT settings when switching coils(say, going from a 4x6 shooter back to the 6x10 Goldmaster)

*I have heard some say that when looking for the smallest gold, you want to go with slower SAT settings but when detecting in harsh mineralized ground a fast SAT in will really help quiet the machine down.

*Any thoughts of running the machine in AutoTrac or Manual? (I almost always run in manual)

Thanks, Rob
 

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roadrunner

Bronze Member
Jan 28, 2012
1,230
520
Pinal Mountains,Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett Groundhog-2012-1st MD.
White's Goldmaster V/Sat-2nd-MD-2013
Tesoro Lobo-2015-3rd
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Do you know anyone who has the books by Larry Sallee?
The zip zip series.I have the Unabridged zip zip, and will get it out tomorrow and look up the chapter on the settings and get back here.
I have the V/Sat model myself. The 95-98 model.

For one,the 3rd one down, you want your sat set at the best position to hear the gold nuggets for the ground you are searching. You should carry a 2-3 grain nugget with you, I bought one from ebay. Then you put in the ground (in a small plastic pill bottle) you are searching 1 inch, and then set your machine at what ever the best settings are to hear the nugget, not the loudest sound from the nugget,the best sound that lets you hear the difference between the ground,and nugget.

#4. I dont have auto track on mine so I cant comment. But I will look in the book.Does your manual say anything?
Also, on mine,If I move the gain knob, I have to reset the ground balance. On the newer v/sat,it says it is not necessary,might be the case on your gmt. so I have to call Whites and see if mine is a 95 model,or 98 model.
 

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Steve Herschbach

Hero Member
Apr 1, 2005
659
1,016
Nevada
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I rarely leave ground tracking on. Only been of use for me running over cobble piles of mixed composition to smooth the response while hunting larger gold. I never track when hunting small gold.

V/SAT is pretty easy for me. I run it as low as I can that provides me with the desired threshold stability I am seeking. Higher setting smooth responses but deaden gold responses also. In theory the machine is jacked to the max at full gain and minimum V/SAT. But in reality you lower Gain and increase V/SAT as required to get stable operation. Different coils usually require tweaking the settings. There is no rule though. It is like asking how far a gas pedal on a car should be depressed. Answer: as far as it takes to get the desired effect. When in doubt just leave it at the preset and lower the gain as needed to get stable operation.

Small test nuggets and lots of playing around can do wonders for questions like these.
 

63bkpkr

Silver Member
Aug 9, 2007
4,069
4,618
Southern California
Detector(s) used
XLT, GMT, 6000D Coinmaster
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
"Small test nuggets and lots of playing around can do wonders for questions like these."

Yes They Can!!!!!......................63bkpkr
202_0289.JPG Test targets I carry with me glued to colorful plastic poker chips. Dime is there for size. Crystal is there for grins and giggles and was found out at Hefty1's place
 

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