Ace 250 Question On PinPointing

[Natman]

HI all,

My uncle in New Jersey got an Ace 250 not long ago, but told me he's having trouble pinpointing targets with it. I don't have any experience with this unit as I have a White's machine.

Could anyone tell me if pinpointing problems are common with the Ace or is there an easy fix as far as getting it to pinpoint more accurately? He was wondering if it has anything to do with the coil not being solid like his old unit.

Thanks in advance for any info you can pass on.

Nat

 

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[skydiv]

mine works great, hold the pin point button down off to the side of the target, swing detector over the target left to right watching the scale, when it gets all the way to the right your over the target. eyeball the spot. now do the same thing up and down makeing the X watching the scale again, all the way to the right and your over the target. the target will be within the center hole of the coil. place a penny in the grass and practice.

 

[txkickergirl]

tell him to throw a quarter on the ground and pin point it, the coil has a little U like groove in the middle of it and that is the center. When you have the strongest sound and all the bars on the top are lit up the you got the center. Just make sure you are going a coil length on each side when moving it.

 

[robert roy]

Hello:

Most people have complained that their ACE 250 is not much good pinpointing past 4in. Personally my only problem with pinpointing with my ACE 250 was when I relied on the visual pinpoint indicator.

I used to watch the indicator until the the line was all the way to the right blacked out. I don't use the visual aspect of pinpointing anymore because it was usually off!

Now, I just listen for the tone like I do with my MXT. Practice and you'll get good at it.

I just recently had a reading of a target at 8". Yes, 8" but it turned out to be a crushed can. Hahahaha. But the point is, the depth reader said it was at 8" and there it was.
My coil was right over it. My advice is to learn to use your ear and not the visual aspect of the pinpointer. I think you'll get great improvement.

Also if you don't already have a sniper 4.5 coild, you will want to get one. You don't cover ground very quickly, but whats the hurry. It cuts through trash like butter. I never take my sniper cooil off anymore.

Regards

Robert R

 

[hsjrev]

If it's a strong signal near the surface, sometimes it helps to hold the coil a few inches off the ground for pinpointing so it doesn't get "overwhelmed" by the strong signal.

 

[artemis moon]

With my Ace, I find that it pinpoints slightly off center of the inner coil. I've gotten pretty dependent on using a probe, and that's a big help.

 

[Ricardo_NY1]

Hey Nat, there are other posts I've written about PP'ing with the 250 in the Garrett section........for here, tell your uncle to keep his eyes off the display. The worse thing you can do is train yourself to look at those bars. The first step in PP'ing with the 250 is understanding where the target is sounding off when it passes under the coil. You can't PP'ing something if you have not narrowed down its location with a machine that will PP in all metal mode. Unless you can get the best idea of where the object you want to PP is, you may as well end up PP'ing targets nearby. When you PP, the machine will PP anything, as it is in all metal mode. Back to the coil......when you swing over a target, on a left to right sweep, it will sound off when it passes the left outer coil and vice versa. Based on this fact, you should be able to narrow the location down by tightening the left and right swings and observing the outer coils when the machine sounds off. Once you do have that initial PP'ing skill in order, then you can start using the actual PP'er. Pick a spot in the middle, right around that little U will do and make that the center. Instead of going for precision, sweep carelessly to get an idea. Disregard the garrett site's advice about moving the coil forward and backward. Instead turn your body 90' and repeat the same. You want the smaller sideways length of the coil to do the PP'ing. Precision will come with practice. Precision can also come by re'pressing the PP button. I never used this at first, but have and it does work well. After the initial PP, let the button go and press it again. This "Detuning?" makes the objects signature smaller. Also, try not to PP with alot of sensitivity, especially with shallow objects. If you know or think that it's around an inch or two, go lower on the sens. This will make the objects field and signature while PP'ing even smaller.

 

[robert roy]

Right on Ricardo!!! Stop looking at the display when Pinpoiting.
Robert R

 

[Mike Spicer]

Read this some place and found it to be true while using my 250. While pin pointing a shallow target (0-2") use the front of the inner circle of the coil. When the target is deeper use the center of the inner coil.

Below is how someone else put it!!!! (found it in my notes on the ace 250)

Practice pinpointing, as it is a little different. The "hotspot" is the center, front tip of the inside oval on the coil. It almost pinpoints like a DD coil. Just scan side to side to center the target then drag the coil straight back until the instant the signal stops and your target will be right there. If you have trouble with a target turn ninety degrees to the target and scan it again and you'll hit it right on. On deep targets the hotspot will move back from the tip of the inside oval a bit. Garrett has an animated diagram on their site that gives a general idea on
pinpointing.

Hope this helps
Mike

 

[mtntrekr2]

I have my ace about a year now and I am still learning how to use it. But I have been having a lot of success in sweeping just above the target and moving in til I get a signal then sweeping below the same way. Then I turn 90 deg. and repeat. usually I can get within a 2"-3" circle. The only problem with this is if I am in a lot of trash or have multiple targets or the first is something large.

Joe

 

[Natman]

Thanks alot everyone! I appreciate you all taking the time to respond. I'll be sure to pass the information along.

Nat

 

[Rob66]

That's one of the reason I like analog.... I'm not constantly trying to look at the readout.I set my machine... it gose into my back pack. and not seen till I have to ground balance.