Bounty Hunter Time Ranger

[treasurejones]

For those of you who have use the Time Ranger Version 4 (Version four has two 9 volt batteries and ready to detect on program 1 when it is turned on)

Can you share what you have found, through constant use, to be the best practices for using this detector for the following?

1.What is the best setting to find gold jewelery on a park?
2.What is the best setting to find gold jewelery on a beach?
3.What is the best setting to find silver coins on a park?
4.What is the best setting to find silver coins on a beach?
5.What is the best setting to find relics in a trashy area?


Thanks for the help.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[treasurejones]

The link below takes you to the product manual for the Bounty Hunter Time Ranger (Version 4 - Last Version)

http://www.kellycodetectors.com/pdf/manuals/timeranger.pdf

 

[treasurejones]

Information on all 4 versions of the Bounty Hunter Time Ranger. (All Info was summarized from the following website)

http://www.whiteriverprep.com/vintage/timeranger/timeranger.html

Version-1 (1997?) Visible Sentron Co-Relator
Version-2 (1998?) Hidden Sentron Co-Relator / Operates the same as Version-1 only looks different
Version-3 (2002-2003) Uses dual C-cell batteries - Operates same but detects better than version 1 and 2
Version-4 (2003 to Present) - Added sensitivity and operates different than versions 1,2 and 3

Version 4 is very different in several keys areas. First, it powers up ready to hunt in Preset One. It is once again powered by two 9-volt batteries. The old Preset button is now called Program Select. A 4th preset has been added, called the Self-Tuning All-Metal mode. This is a Motion mode and is said to be the most sensitive mode. The All Metal Smart Trac No-Motion button is changed in that it does not automatically ground balance unless held down for two seconds. The Blanker now operates as a "Zap Reject" based on the most recent target's ID. The previous Blanker ignored all shallow targets at the depth indicated on the meter in the lower right hand corner of the display. This meter is disabled in the newest version 4. The old Sniff command could either accept or reject targets, so it provided the Zap Reject feature, but required the added "Accept or Reject" keypress to activate it. Now the Sniff feature has only the accept option and is based on the most recent ID displayed. The old Blanker did not seem to function very well in my opinion, so these changes are primarily intended to simplify operation.

There may have been other undocumented internal changes over the years that aren't as simple to track. For example, my Version 2 release has "Revision 8" printed on the circuit board and the main chip is also labeled with its software version.

All in all, Version 4 seems a very worthwhile upgrade. It's more sensitive and easier to use. I bought my Version 2 Time Ranger in early 2000 and it is still my favorite machine, but I would like a chance to try the latest version someday!

 

[treasurejones]

The following information was taken from the same site, but I am not sure if it applies to version 4 since the statement made on "Blanking" does not apply to version 4. (Not sure about that though.)

TIME RANGER DISCRIMINATION TIPS

The following are some suggestions for using the Time Ranger in Discriminate mode. In
Discriminate mode the unit responds to a target with an audible tone based on the type of target.
Some of the following settings may enhance discrimination by reducing the sensitivity of the
unit.

Mineralized/trashy ground hits can be reduced by programming out different levels of iron. Iron
levels Ir1 through Ir4 reduce the size of Iron sensitivity progressively. Ir1 will eliminate small
iron content. Ir2 will blank out small pieces of iron. Ir3 will ignore larger iron hits. And Ir4 will
blank out all iron signal.

The operator must keep in mind that apparent size is reduced by depth. A large iron object a foot
down may have the same signal as a small piece of iron only an inch down. Also, programming
out iron is not a complete solution to iron hits, as some iron can cause a fringe hit in another
'window' in the Time Ranger. For example, a rusted nail may sometimes be detected in the
silver dollar range.

Also, the operator can use the Sniff mode to mask certain types of objects that appear frequently.
If, for example, a certain type of pull tab is found frequently in the area, then the sniff mode can
be set to Reject that type of pull tab. This creates a small 'window' of rejection around that type
of object. Some indirect sweeps over that target may cause a false ID, but detection of this object
is greatly reduced using Sniff Reject.

And the blank mode is useful for ignoring everything on the surface. This can be selected at 2 or
4 inches and is often useful in high trash areas. The operator can, at any time, lift the coil slightly
higher to investigate a suspect good target areas.

With the Time Ranger's extended ranges of detection, combined with its built in sensitivity, it is
often a good practice to reduce the range of discrimination where 'false hits' occur. One 'catch-
all' practice that can limit the number of hits is to Reject Ir2 and $1. This blanks many of the
noise-causing signals.

 

[treasurejones]

Summarized information is from same the same website. (http://www.whiteriverprep.com/vintage/ArticlesTipsAndTech/bhtech.html)

10 Time Ranger Tips for Newbies

1.Time Rangers were correct on most of the id's. If it said it was junk or iron, it almost always was. If the target wouldn't settle down to a specific id, it was also usually junk. I mean the detector signal was swinging wildly from an id at the low end to one at the other extreme and all parts in between! Junky signal, junk target.

2.Solid, repeatable targets that gave the same id when scanned in one direction (move coil left/right) and in another (move coil forward/back); or else by walking a quarter turn around the target and scanning again from side to side, if the signal stayed consistently positive.

3.I dug. A small "test" gold nugget gave a very weak signal that varied somewhat, but was noticiable because of it's "soft" sound. Also, a small ring I found this summer did alternate a bit in the id, but not as radically as most junk targets. It was a different signal than most targets, so I dug it, and was sure glad I did!

4.I switch modes pretty often, depending on the area and number of signals. Few signals, I go to all-metal and once I locate a target, I might change to discriminate to help determine the target id. All metal mode pinpoints better as well. Many signals -In a trashy area, I use discriminate mode with discrimination turned down low or off and increase it only enough to silence the most common trash at the site. If you are digging nothing but nails or other trash target at a location, toss a typical "dud" on the ground and pass the coil over it, changing the settings until the trash item just vanishes from the signal. Now double check with a nickle, dime and quarter or test nugget to make sure you are still picking out the "good stuff". I make sure I carry some coins and other items with me while hunting to provide a reliable test target, if I feel a need to check the machine's operation. I just scatter one or several coins in an area that is cleared of pre-existing signals and pass the coil over the spot. I have also brought along and scattered poptops, nails, bolts, tabs and screwcaps about the test area next to my coins to see if the detector could separate the individual signals. It quickly gave me a lot of experience with the machine in my own backyard and at nearby locations, and one time it helped me discover a loose coil connector while in the field.

5.If your machine suddenly seems to sound off on everything, as you mentioned it did in the creek, the batteries are good and the coil plug is secure, it is probably due to an extreme difference between where you set up and gound-balanced the machine and where you moved to actually use it. This can happen in a matter of a few feet, and water or wet vegetation and soggy soils will change it as well. Just ground-balance the detector again in that area, even right in the water, or turn it off and back on again to start from scratch with ground balancing. Another possibility, sometimes the fancy computer inside locks up or crashes, just like on your computer at home! Ain't technology great? ;-)

6.Reducing sensitivity can help stop false signals, as can scanning from a greater distance above the surface, but also reduces the depth you will achieve, but sometimes this is the only way to hunt highly mineralized areas. A smaller searchcoil can help as well, as it is "seeing" a smaller portion of the troublesome soils, minerals, trash, etc., but again you will lose some depth.


7.If the "auto-groundtrac" feature is available on your particular machine, and when you stop to dig a target, if you set the machine down with the coil facing at an angle to the ground, instead of flat against the ground, I discovered it tries to ground balance to the air while you are digging, which makes it take a long time to settle back down again when placed against the ground as you resume hunting. I either swivel the coil to lay against the ground, or simply turn the detector off while I dig. I own a second pinpointing detector to fine-locate my signal and don't often need to rescan once a target is discovered, so I usually turn off the Bounty Hunter to help preserve the batteries. I noticed that in Discriminate mode, I did not have this problem, only in All-metal mode.

8.As to telling mica from gold, a simple push with a tweezers or sharp fingernail will bend gold, but mica will crush and break apart. No need to beat the poor thing to death with a hammer, but you can if want to! ;-) Mica will also float all over the bottom of your gold pan, while gold usually stubbornly stays put. Fine gold flakes might float about a bit under water, but will readily go to the bottom, unless buoyed aloft by surface tension. Then you can't seem to get them to sink again! Mica will re-sink much more easily from the surface than the fine flake gold. A tiny drop of common dish soap will relieve the surface tension, allowing the fine gold to settle better. When you are down to the black sands and you think you still might have some mica, when you do the "swirl" to separate the gold, the mica will race around to the back, instead of staying in place. Mica will also lose its shine when viewed in shade, but gold will remain bright-looking.

9.If you are finding a lot of suspicious material, try to concentrate and separate it, then check a quantity of it with your detector. While a couple individual flakes will likely not be detected, a small quantity of several dozen or so flakes concentrated in your plastic gold pan or a vial will be confirmed by most any good detector. The signal may be weak, but it will be there if you have sufficient quantity of metal-bearing ore in your pan. Micas and pyrites will not cause your detector to sound off, but gold and other heavy metals will.

10.If you are in all-metal mode, it is not very likely, but it is still possible you may be detecting a quantity of "black sands" or Hematite in the stream or deposit. This is easily checked by using a magnet to attract the Hematite. Put the magnet in a baggie first to help remove the particles from the magnet. Just turn the baggie inside out, and the black sands will now be "in the bag"! Gold is often found with black sands, so if you are finding a great deal of it, pay close attention, and perhaps save some of the sands for further experimentation at home. The gold may be too fine to see without magnification, but the black sands may be leading you to more concentrated deposits.

Hope this long letter has a few hints you and perhaps other newbies can use.[/b]

 

[XSPOT]

hello,
i've had mine since dec. 2010, but started to use in jan, 2011. technology is different since the 70's, so learning the machine(s) is as important as practice. experimentation w/ settings is as variable as the terrain one hunts in. so far in 16 days since jan. (time allowing from work) of about 4-5 hours of hunting each, over 300 clad no silver nor gold as of yet ..... HH

 

[Olegrumpy]

Hi all !

Just got a 2nd hand V4, and am very pleased with the unit.

I noticed, however, that with the 10" coil ID values and tones change a lot. Is this normal?

Anybody fitted the f4 dd coil to the TR?

Thanks.