Bouncy Targets on the AT Pro...what gives?

[jackedliberty]

I've been in my back yard hunting most recently, which as far as I know is pretty clean. But it seems that no matter where I go, my back yard included, I've been getting fairly consistent erratic chatter on the ground, mostly iron audio, but there are almost always several high tones mixed in. Eliminating possible machine error, I've already ensured the coil is snug around the shaft, made sure metal wasn't stuck to the coil, checked connections, decreased sensitivity two from the max, changed the batteries, ground balanced, and factory reset, all SEVERAL times. Now the thing is that despite all this, I've still been finding the occasional strong consistent signals without chatter feedback, but I notice these targets are usually shallow. My issue is wondering how many targets I've truly missed because of the chatter.

I hunt in Pro Zero mode, but it seems I'm getting the chatter in all modes. I've dug a few of the high tones in the chatter anyways, just to see what happened. One time the signal completely went away after the hole was dug, one time it read the target was two inches away when it was about eight away still in the hole, one time it was reading the target was 4 inches away directly over an open hole OVER a foot deep, and one time it was a piece of rusty steel. I'm using the standard 8.5x11" DD search coil that came with my detector when purchased. I'm also without pro pointer mind you, but it is on its way in the mail (I'm hoping that will be the solution). I've been using the AT Pro's in-built pro pointer in the meantime, but half the time nothing is there.

I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't frustrated, but I don't plan to give up, because I know that practice makes perfect and this is all a learning experience. I'm very excited because I was just recently granted permission to hunt on 80 acres of ground with rich Civil War history, but it isn't going to do me a lick of good if the owners come after me guns ablazing when they see me digging holes to China trying to find a damn target. I'm just wondering if you guys would have any tips to make this experience ride a bit smoother. I just don't know what the heck is going on.

 

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[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

Are you by any power lines and does it happen even when the detector is far from the ground...like pointing sideways?


The reason I ask is because mine went and had a bit of a seizure (as best as I can describe it) and I needed to send it in for repair.

 

[bigfoot1]

if a neighborhood resident is a ham radio operator...could be it.also turn off your phone and iron audio.iron audio is to check targets already located,not for full time

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

Good point Bigfoot, reread the post and yeah if you're in 0 with iron audio on you won't hear low tones and it'll confuse the heck out of ya.


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[perry2]

I was going to start a post on the ATP chatter but this is a good start; when swinging over a ball field (fairly clean) in pro,-0-25 out and sens -1- I will first get a 32-65-55-etc sig. good tone// then wiggle over the area and it settles into a digable 79-80 etc-over and over?? getting used to it but why the low numbers first ?? if and when I hit a solid first pass 84-85,bam// digit//// Perry

 

[gleaner1]

I find the atp very stable with no "bouncy" targets. I only have chatter under high voltage lines, but only at max sense. Try your machine over clean ground, spread coins and rings, silver and gold, copper and brass crap, clad, nickels, bullets, small and round, at least ten inches spacing. Dont forget the rusty nail and washer, and the aluminum screw cap and zinky. Set pro mode, zero scrim, iron scrim at 30. Sway the coil over the crap, back and forth, and listen to the signals. Listen for the three tones. The atpro is a motion machine, the coil has to move over the target to get a response. Try it on your car. Keep the coil at least five inches over the targets, and keep the sense at three, no more, too much sense and the experiment wont be indicative of typical older coins, three to five inches deep, and it overloads the circuit. Sweep back and forth over the targets, quickly, like back an forth within one second. This will produce the responses you are listening for in the field. Solid, repeatable signals. Solid. Repeatable. No chatter. Just solid, and repeatable. I doubt your machine is bad, but it has been known to happen. We will work on pinpointing next Tuesday.

 

[barrywk]

Im not sure if im reading right or not....but when you say chatter,do u mean a constant chatter or when you detect a target chatter.....if its when u detect a target then its prob a junk target or multiple targets near each other

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

I pulled a tiny rivet from some jeans today on the beach at about 6 inches. Solid, repeating tone on it too. Sensitivity was two from max. I dropped the sens down a few notches after that and it's definitely quieter.

The atpro is a powerful machine, lower that sensitivity and trust that if you get your coil over something good, you'll hear it. Now just listen for that repeating tone and cover some ground!

 

[jackedliberty]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I switched the frequency from 2 to 1 and took off the iron audio and have been finding targets with ease now. I think this was part of my problem. Do you have any tips when to use iron audio? Also, is it typical to constantly get iron signals? I'm guessing that is what the iron discrim is for.

 

[RobRieman]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I switched the frequency from 2 to 1 and took off the iron audio and have been finding targets with ease now. I think this was part of my problem. Do you have any tips when to use iron audio? Also, is it typical to constantly get iron signals? I'm guessing that is what the iron discrim is for.

Changing frequencies won't find targets any better but if your getting interference from say another close detector or maybe some forms of EMI it will take care of that. Scrim out the iron if you don't want to hear it or just ignore it and let it tell you it's there. Iron is the number one target you will find anywhere you go. What the videos online on how iron audio works, it's much simpler than trying to explain it. Good luck!