Air Test Results For Sov GT and Question About The Sovereign Digital Meter

[rcawdor57]

Hello everyone! I own several detectors and have air tested all of them. I received what I expected with the air tests except for the Sov GT. The Sov GT doesn't seem to have as much distance in the air tests as I expected and is even a bit less than my two Tesoro's. I don't seem to have a problem in the field with any of the detectors but if I am not getting the depth I thought I was getting with the Sov GT then I wouldn't know there was a problem.
Here is an example: Air test with the Sov GT for clad quarter, dime, zinc penny and nickel. Quarter was 10 inches, dime was 8 inches, penny was nine inches and nickel was about 6 inches. This is in All Metal mode with sensitivity in Auto. The Cortes I have is 12 inches for a quarter, 10 inches for the dime, 10 inches for the nickel and 8 inches for the penny (also in All Metal mode with sensitivity at 10).
Another question I have is does the digital meter reduce the depth capability of the Sov GT? Also, I have an old Sov Meter for the first model Sovereign. Will the old meter work correctly on the GT or does it cause problems? The connector is the same as the new Digital Meter and it fits perfectly but will it work or harm the Sov GT?

Sorry to ramble!
Thanks,
RC

 

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[Keppy]

On the Minelab Sovereign Meter never had one..But i had a Sovereign and it never air tested as good as my other detectors.And there were times when i could read a target about 7 inches down with my Garrett 1500 and i could not get a tone on my Sovereign they always said that Minelab was the deep detector and i had proof at times it was not.They both had the same size coils on every time i checked them?? .......And i sold my Excalibur i quit water hunting and it was to heavy for the beach......But i do like the Sovereign on the beach ..............Thats All...........

 

[rcawdor57]

Interesting! I heard the same thing about Minelabs being the deepest out there and wonder now if that is the case. I DO love the Iron Mask feature! That is really neat! Turn on Iron Mask and you don't pick up any of the nails and other iron crap that is normally detected. On the beach the other day I picked up a quick blip in Iron Mask On DISC mode and wanted to see what it was. I went to All Metal mode and Pinpoint and it turned out to be a rusty iron 15 inch rod about 18 inches down in the wet sand. The Sov was yelling so loud it sounded like a silver dollar on the surface. I do like using the Sov GT and I especially like the Iron Mask Mode. It isn't a heavy detector and is very comfortable to swing for hours on end. Battery life so far has been excellent as has the amount of items I have found on the beach and in parks. My main worry is the air test and the meter. I read somewhere that the Minelabs test better in actual ground conditions than air tests but I cannot find where I read that.

Thanks!
RC

 

[Sandman]

The Sov and Excals don't air test as well as most of the others because of the many freq. they use. The truth comes out when the target has been in the ground awhile. Extra large pieces of rusty iron can make any detector sound off, but the sound id's it as iron when you get a trained ear.

As for the meter hurting the Sov, it shouldn't. The older meter may need to be calibrated to the different coil and such. The meters on detectors don't take away any depth and use very little power from the batteries too.

The Excal is heavy for dry sand searching and that is why many hip mount it or hang it from the neck and then you only have the pole in your hand. Others like the straight shaft to balance out the shaft. Take a Sov GT and stick a WOT coil on it like Max does and you have a super beach machine.

 

[rcawdor57]

Thanks Sandman! That is what I was hoping. I have a Cortes (wife has it now), a Tiger Shark and an old Whites 5000 TR-Discriminator and decided to get the Sov GT so I would have something that wouldn't wear me out while using it. One of the main reasons for the Sov GT is the Iron Mask feature. I got very tired of digging nails and rusty pieces of steel/iron from the ground on the beaches here in Wisconsin with the T.S. I really like the Tiger Shark but it gets heavy quickly and it picks up everything. I bought an old Sovereign meter which is brand new for $35 and I think it will work on the Sov GT. For $35 I don't mind experimenting with the old Sov meter as long as it isn't detrimental. The new Digi Search meters are anywhere from $138 to $175 which is ridiculous. I did notice that the air tests side by side with the three newer detectors is quite interesting with the Cortes winning the depth detection tests but it seemed on the beach I was doing extremely well with the Sov in DISC mode with Iron Mask On and Auto Sensitivity. I dug a penny from 12 inches in wet sand with the Sov. I thought it was nothing and that the Sov was being thrown off by the wet sand until I finally found the penny.
Once again thanks for your help!

RC

 

[Keppy]

Thanks Sandman! That is what I was hoping. I have a Cortes (wife has it now), a Tiger Shark and an old Whites 5000 TR-Discriminator and decided to get the Sov GT so I would have something that wouldn't wear me out while using it. One of the main reasons for the Sov GT is the Iron Mask feature. I got very tired of digging nails and rusty pieces of steel/iron from the ground on the beaches here in Wisconsin with the T.S. I really like the Tiger Shark but it gets heavy quickly and it picks up everything. I bought an old Sovereign meter which is brand new for $35 and I think it will work on the Sov GT. For $35 I don't mind experimenting with the old Sov meter as long as it isn't detrimental. The new Digi Search meters are anywhere from $138 to $175 which is ridiculous. I did notice that the air tests side by side with the three newer detectors is quite interesting with the Cortes winning the depth detection tests but it seemed on the beach I was doing extremely well with the Sov in DISC mode with Iron Mask On and Auto Sensitivity. I dug a penny from 12 inches in wet sand with the Sov. I thought it was nothing and that the Sov was being thrown off by the wet sand until I finally found the penny.
Once again thanks for your help!

RC

Yes that is right i love my Sovereign on the beach.....

 

[Keppy]

Interesting! I heard the same thing about Minelabs being the deepest out there and wonder now if that is the case. I DO love the Iron Mask feature! That is really neat! Turn on Iron Mask and you don't pick up any of the nails and other iron crap that is normally detected. On the beach the other day I picked up a quick blip in Iron Mask On DISC mode and wanted to see what it was. I went to All Metal mode and Pinpoint and it turned out to be a rusty iron 15 inch rod about 18 inches down in the wet sand. The Sov was yelling so loud it sounded like a silver dollar on the surface. I do like using the Sov GT and I especially like the Iron Mask Mode. It isn't a heavy detector and is very comfortable to swing for hours on end. Battery life so far has been excellent as has the amount of items I have found on the beach and in parks. My main worry is the air test and the meter. I read somewhere that the Minelabs test better in actual ground conditions than air tests but I cannot find where I read that.

Thanks!
RC

That Iron Mask Mode is great can't beat it i use the Sovereign on the beach and also now i am makeing it my main detector.I was going to buy a Quattro but i can't seem to find any one that can tell me if it has iron mask i even talked to the Tech. at Minelab and he did not know untill i find out no Quattro but luck'y me i still have the Sovereign...........................................

 

[rcawdor57]

I looked through the Quattro manual and I don't see a specific setting for Iron Mask but instead see an adjustment for Trash which includes iron (I think) so I guess it sort of does have an iron mask type setup but you have to adjust it for the amount of trash in the area. It is a shame that Minelab doesn't incorporate the Iron Mask switch in all of their detectors. That is one heck of a feature! I like switching it on by a simple toggle switch. Nice!

RC