Ground Balancing - Do We Really Do It Wrong?

[davidtn]

Watching the cold rain fall today, I got to thinking about Ground Balancing.

Perhaps I'm overly anal about it but I'm just curious...How big of deal do you make of ground balancing? Do you "pump" the ground in a special way while standing on your head and patting your tummy, or do you just turn your unit on, make sure there's no metal directly below the coil, set it and go? Don't most newer models do a pretty good job of balancing provided you attempt it, or is it really that important that you precisely follow the owner's manual?

 

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[liftloop]

If you lower the loop and it's making a lot of noise I would try to calm it down but i think you want too set it a little on the + side and then you be running a little on the rich side.and that i've been told is a good thing.watch the gmt vidio on the white's add they show you how too ground balance and i would think that that works for all white's detectors.

 

[Mick93]

If your talking of your MXT,,, you can ground balance the old way or just turn it on and start swinging, after two or three swings in auto ground and its balanced.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I do it frequently whether the ground appears to be variable or not. I like a slightly positive response ("pushing" gives the tone rather than lifting). My F-75 has a FASTGRAB ground balance that is quick & easy and sets itself neutral; but it is so easy I don't bother manually changing the balance to positive. Takes two seconds.

You're handicapping yourself if you don't have the proper ground balance for conditions.

 

[Seamuss]

I do it frequently whether the ground appears to be variable or not. I like a slightly positive response ("pushing" gives the tone rather than lifting). My F-75 has a FASTGRAB ground balance that is quick & easy and sets itself neutral; but it is so easy I don't bother manually changing the balance to positive. Takes two seconds.

You're handicapping yourself if you don't have the proper ground balance for conditions.

I ground balance pretty much the same way with my Garrett Scorpion. With my hearing going bad, it's a good idea to be slightly on the + side of ground balance.

 

[tabdog]

I use Tesoro'es.

Two are manual ground balance only, and I
have three that have to be opened to set the
ground balance.

It is usually easy, and most ground doesn't
change much. There for I can leave it.

I can tell, as I use it, if it gets out of adjustment,
then I simply set it. It is second natuer after
a while.

If it is not set properly, you are mostly skimming
the surface. You may get an occasional 3 or 4
inch target, or even a 6 in target. But most stuff
will be invisible.

Proper adjustment and interpretation helps.

Happy Huntin,

Tabdog

 

[Digger]

The balancing act

I feel that ground balancing is very important and yet one of the least understood aspects of metal detecting, so I thought I'd do my best to make it a bit simpler. I like comparing ground balancing a detector to a more familiar process such as tuning your car radio.

Ground balancing(GB), also known as "tuning" your detector is very important for getting those really deep faint signals. Much like tuning in a distant weak radio station. The trick is to get a good strong signal through the background noise. Background noise is that static you hear on your radio in between stations. A metal detector has the same kind of background noise to deal with. That background noise can be interference from nearby electronics, sun spots, ground minerals and trash.

As important as proper tuning of your car radio to hear those faint stations, so is proper GB/tuning your detector to hear those faint targets.

Not all detectors have the same GB abilities. You have Auto GB(more on this later), Manual GB and Auto Tracking. Some detector manufactures advertise having Auto GB when this is a play on meaning, and misleading. One would think that Auto GB means it automatically adjusts the GB for best performance, when in fact it is a factory set GB, and is not always set to give you optimum performance in some ground conditions. I like the analogy that Auto GB is like welding your gas pedal half way down and calling it cruse control.

Manual GB is the preferred method for optimum performance. It allows you to fine tune your detectors GB so that hearing and identifying those very faint signals is easier. The process is to hold the coil about waist height and in all-metal mode listen for a change in the threshold as the coil is lowered to the ground. Of course this has got to be done over ground that is free from any targets. If when the coil is lowered to the ground and the threshold changes(lower of higher) then your GB is not set for optimum performance. If your detector has no GB adjustments, then you've got nothing you can do. For shallower targets(closer radio stations) this isn't much of an issue, but you probably won't hear those deep faint(far way stations) targets. When a detector is properly GB's there will be no changes in the threshold when lowered from the waist to the ground. Also called a neutral GB.

TIP: Experienced detectorist often prefer a slight positive GB. This means the detector is set so that there is a slight rise in the threshold as the coil is lowered to the ground. This setting can give you a slight more gain on those very deep faint signals.

Auto Tracking is a feature, offered by some of the high end detectors, that can track changes in the ground minerals, and adjust automatically on the fly to maintain optimum performance. Just as the background noise(ground minerals) can change on your car radio as you move, so can the background noise on your detector. Auto Tracking monitors the ground changes and adjusts as needed. Some detectors such as the White's DFX even gives you a way to adjust the ground tracking. Very aggressive ground tracking can give the very best in performance in certain conditions, but having too aggressive tracking can cause false signals.

 

[fmerg]

my bh 505 only has a button for ground balancing
the video show that you hold the unit about 4 inches above the ground in the "all metal mode" and press the button
as i use the machine i have noticed that after awhile it will start to jump from one type of hit to another or only hit when the swing is moving one direction but not sound in the no motion mode
its at that point that i will redo the balance then back track for about 10 to 15 feet just to make sure i did not miss anything
(i never do find anything on the back tracks)

 

[Digger]

I'm not familiar with the BH 505 fmerg. but erratic VDI is an indication of a need to ground balance. On my DFX I can tell when the ground changes by the nulling of the threshold. When properly ground balanced my threshold will be solid and maintain a steady tone. When the ground balance is off I will hear lots of changes in the threshold.

 

[Lowbatts]

Yeah I've gotten erratic indications before. I just dig 'em up. Sometimes large cents mixed with old nails will do that!

 

[mlayers]

With my DFX I don't have to worry about it as it is automticly pre set But hen I am out with my Bounty Hunter I have to make sure I ground balance. You want to make sure you have the same sound when your coil is in the air as it is near the ground....Matt

 

[Monty]

I have a Radio Shack 3300, same as a Bounty Hunter that is my loaner. I have never been able to ground balance it as it says in the manual. But it still finds stuff just the same. I have read several posts where other owners of this unit have had the same problem. I think the manual is wrong! Monty

 

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Re: The balancing act

I like comparing ground balancing a detector to a more familiar process such as tuning your car radio.

Ground balancing(GB), also known as "tuning" your detector is very important for getting those really deep faint signals. Much like tuning in a distant weak radio station. The trick is to get a good strong signal through the background noise. Background noise is that static you hear on your radio in between stations. A metal detector has the same kind of background noise to deal with. That background noise can be interference from nearby electronics, sun spots, ground minerals and trash.

As important as proper tuning of your car radio to hear those faint stations, so is proper GB/tuning your detector to hear those faint targets.

WOW DIGGER!!!
What a FANTASTIC post!

Thanks!

I am a huge fan of using analogies in explanations and you played them VERY well sir! (The auto GB to welding gas pedal as well!)


-

 

[rockhound]

I have owned or now own several different brands of detectors, and all have a different method they use for ground balancing. I have tried all these ground balancing methods with differing amounts of success. If you have a coin garden, then try different ways of ground balancing to determine which is best for your detector in terms of depth and accuracy. I have found by experimenting with different techniqes, that i have been able to obtain more depth and accuracy in target ID. As treasure hunters, I think we are always trying different techniqes for finding deeper and older coins, and ground balancing can definitely help out in depth. With the detector properly ground balanced, you may even be able to increase sensitivity to obtain even more depth in areas where there is a possibility of finding the older coins and relics. HH