What is threshold?

[crazy4coins]

Hey guys, I know that threshold is a feature on many higher end detectors in which you can achieve an audible tone while you are hunting (at least in all metal). I also know that it makes the detector more sensitive and more susceptible to EMI. However, what is the technical definition of threshold, in words that an everyday person could understand?

 

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[G.A.P.metal]

it`s like a fuzzy humm

 

[christo000]

Hey buddy might help
Threshold: Continuous tone that establishes a reference point for tuning the detector to ground balance it. The threshold tone also establishes the minimum sound level for deep targets in the discriminate mode.

I always been told it helps in hearing the,faint signals, but to much threshold you can mask good targets u. I usually turn mine,up yo just a,slight hum

 

[crazy4coins]

Hey buddy might help
Threshold: Continuous tone that establishes a reference point for tuning the detector to ground balance it. The threshold tone also establishes the minimum sound level for deep targets in the discriminate mode.

I always been told it helps in hearing the,faint signals, but to much threshold you can mask good targets u. I usually turn mine,up yo just a,slight hum

Thanks Christo

 

[crazy4coins]

And GAP too

 

[parkgt]

It has nothing to do with sensitivity or EMI. It is just an audio threshold that helps you hear what the detector is trying to tell you. It does not effect the detectors performance, setting it wrong can effect yours. you should set it so you can just barely hear the hum.

 

[RotZorn]

The way Christo worded was an excellent way to think about it- I've never actually thought of threshold in that light - so thank you for that Christo!

I can tell you in my words the way that I use and manipulate threshold on my particular MD (Fisher F5) to get it to do what I want it to.

I think of it as a volume to signal ratio, if I'm hunting a trashy area I basically run my threshold setting lower to hear less trash. Be warned though that when doing this the whole time you hunt, could cause you to miss good targets! Using it in this way is pretty much giving up sensitivity to keep the MD quiet- to listen for targets that have a "better chance" to be something you might want to dig.

The opposite of that is probably already what's in your head now- higher threshold levels will amplify the sounds of tiny, or deeper targets. The downside to running my MD this way is that you hear EVERYTHING in the ground!

I don't know about other detectors, but the F5 could be used for the sole purpose of intentionally finding red clay when set up like this. One spot I hunt along the Mighty Miss, I simply can not hunt with positive threshold numbers (at least not with any amount of gain to get good depth) because of the way it acts due to red clay.

If you ground balance, then adjust the threshold and gain settings together- you can almost always get the MD to act the way you want it to.

If you're just doing casual coin shooting at the park or beach I'd say just run the threshold level at wherever its comfortable (hummy or silent) for you. If you are Gold prospecting or hunting deep relics- you are gonna have to play with it some- to hear, or not hear,- what you are/ are not looking to dig!?! Lol

Practice man, that's the exact phase I'm learning right now with the F5. I plan on doing a LOT of relic hunting this year as soon as it warms up a little, so I've been experimenting a bunch with it- sorry for the long response but I was kinda excited to see someone else talking about the use of threshold?!?!

 

[crazy4coins]

The way Christo worded was an excellent way to think about it- I've never actually thought of threshold in that light - so thank you for that Christo!

I can tell you in my words the way that I use and manipulate threshold on my particular MD (Fisher F5) to get it to do what I want it to.

I think of it as a volume to signal ratio, if I'm hunting a trashy area I basically run my threshold setting lower to hear less trash. Be warned though that when doing this the whole time you hunt, could cause you to miss good targets! Using it in this way is pretty much giving up sensitivity to keep the MD quiet- to listen for targets that have a "better chance" to be something you might want to dig.

The opposite of that is probably already what's in your head now- higher threshold levels will amplify the sounds of tiny, or deeper targets. The downside to running my MD this way is that you hear EVERYTHING in the ground!

I don't know about other detectors, but the F5 could be used for the sole purpose of intentionally finding red clay when set up like this. One spot I hunt along the Mighty Miss, I simply can not hunt with positive threshold numbers (at least not with any amount of gain to get good depth) because of the way it acts due to red clay.

If you ground balance, then adjust the threshold and gain settings together- you can almost always get the MD to act the way you want it to.

If you're just doing casual coin shooting at the park or beach I'd say just run the threshold level at wherever its comfortable (hummy or silent) for you. If you are Gold prospecting or hunting deep relics- you are gonna have to play with it some- to hear, or not hear,- what you are/ are not looking to dig!?! Lol

Practice man, that's the exact phase I'm learning right now with the F5. I plan on doing a LOT of relic hunting this year as soon as it warms up a little, so I've been experimenting a bunch with it- sorry for the long response but I was kinda excited to see someone else talking about the use of threshold?!?!

Thanks RotZorn

 

[beerguy]

Threshold is an important setting. Some people ae annoyed by it. On my XLT, I can hunt with or without it by choosing Silent Search.

I like to have it on, so I know that the detector is working.

Most experienced hunters will tell you that you should have it barely audible, and that really deep targets will cause the threshold to 'blank' over the target.

Not enough signal to get through the disc circuit, but enough to cause the tone to disappear.

It took me a while to learn that deep targets do this.

I cannot tell you how many targets I walked past because they ID'd as iron, or just blanked out!

Shame...

 

[crazy4coins]

Threshold is an important setting. Some people ae annoyed by it. On my XLT, I can hunt with or without it by choosing Silent Search.

I like to have it on, so I know that the detector is working.

Most experienced hunters will tell you that you should have it barely audible, and that really deep targets will cause the threshold to 'blank' over the target.

Not enough signal to get through the disc circuit, but enough to cause the tone to disappear.

It took me a while to learn that deep targets do this.

I cannot tell you how many targets I walked past because they ID'd as iron, or just blanked out!

Shame...

That's one thing I am not find of on my F2. I think it can ID deeper coins as iron and I have no way I knowing that because it doesn't have threshold.

 

[beerguy]

Crazy4coins, I am not familiar with the F2 but if it is a no threshold machine just know that deep targets should be dug by sound, not TID.

There are no machines that can ID at depth, hence the saying that only thing with perfect Target ID is a shovel.

 

[crazy4coins]

Crazy4coins, I am not familiar with the F2 but if it is a no threshold machine just know that deep targets should be dug by sound, not TID.

There are no machines that can ID at depth, hence the saying that only thing with perfect Target ID is a shovel.

True, but for me, deeper coins are at around 6 inches...

 

[Johnnoh]

When you hear the threshold "blank out" that's your discrimination kicking in. Those deep "good" targets should actually cause your threshold to raise ever so slightly. You have to train yourself to hear this - it's easy to miss.