Ground balance question

[Pops1959]

I am basically returning to detecting after a twenty year hiatus. I am not in the process of determining what metal detector will fit my needs and budget. But while these is much I still remember, so much has changed technologically from when I had my old C-Scope. On several of the units I am looking at the specifications state "ground balance all the way to salt." What exactly does this mean and how important is this? Any help appreciated greatly.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

If you are going to use it in the wet saltwater sand, or in saltwater, you need a multi-frequency, or pulse induction metal detector to get the best depth and sensitivity. Any single-frequency detector will work fine on dry sand, dirt, and in freshwater.

 

[1KBlueTuber]

Never used a c-scope but this may help
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=--OrynZQkck

 

[: Michael-Robert.]

[FONT=&quot]Ground Balance is a variable setting that increases detection depth in mineralized ground. This ground may contain salts, such as in wet beach sand or fine iron particles, such as in red earth. These minerals respond to a detector’s transmit field in a similar way that a target does. Due to the much larger mass of the ground compared to a buried target, the effect of mineralization can easily mask small targets. To correct this the Ground Balance setting removes the responding ground signals, so you clearly hear target signals and are not distracted by ground noise.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]There are three main types of Ground Balance:[/FONT]

1. Manual Ground Balance – Manually adjust the Ground Balance setting, so the minimum amount of ground signal is heard.
2. Automatic Ground Balance – The detector automatically determines the best Ground Balance setting. This is quick, simple and more accurate than a manually set Ground Balance
3. Tracking Ground Balance – The detector continuously adjusts the Ground Balance setting while detecting. This ensures that the Ground Balance setting is always correct.

 

[Pops1959]

Thanks for the information! That goes a long way towards helping me make my decision.

 

[Carl-NC]

Sorry Pops, no one actually answered your question. Targets have a wide range of responses, from about 0° to 180° in terms of raw phase. Most detectors report these responses as some numeric range, like 0-100. Normal ground mineralization (ferrite) is close to 0°; salt is close to 90°; silver dollar is close to 180°. Most detectors, whether manual GB or auto GB, have a GB range from 0° to only perhaps 10-15° so they will adjust to most normal ground mineralization. But they will respond strongly to salt, which is seen as a very low non-ferrous conductor.

Some detector models allow their GB range to extend all the way to salt. Although not as effective as a true multifrequency detector which can notch out salt responses, it's usually better than a detector whose GB doesn't include salt. They tend to be slightly noisy in salt, whereas non-salt GB is very noisy. They also will track out ferrous targets, and an auto salt GB can easily get pull off by ferrous targets.

 

[Pops1959]

Sorry Pops, no one actually answered your question. Targets have a wide range of responses, from about 0° to 180° in terms of raw phase. Most detectors report these responses as some numeric range, like 0-100. Normal ground mineralization (ferrite) is close to 0°; salt is close to 90°; silver dollar is close to 180°. Most detectors, whether manual GB or auto GB, have a GB range from 0° to only perhaps 10-15° so they will adjust to most normal ground mineralization. But they will respond strongly to salt, which is seen as a very low non-ferrous conductor.

Some detector models allow their GB range to extend all the way to salt. Although not as effective as a true multifrequency detector which can notch out salt responses, it's usually better than a detector whose GB doesn't include salt. They tend to be slightly noisy in salt, whereas non-salt GB is very noisy. They also will track out ferrous targets, and an auto salt GB can easily get pull off by ferrous targets.

Ah! Ok. Thank you! That makes sense!