My Vaquero is on the truck for delivery today

[G.A.P.metal]

Great machine !

 

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[pinenut]

I can't believe how teeny the control box is on my new Vaquero! Sure is a lot different from my huge Minelabs.


I notice the Ground Balance on my old Bandido (not II and not the µMax) just turns and turns and it is hard to even feel when I've come to the end of the 10th turn. On the Vaquero there is a very strong resistance at the 3rd turn.
I probably should send in my Bandido and have them put in a new GB pot? I wonder how much that will cost since I'm not the original owner?
I can still GB it but always wonder where the stop is.

By the way, to Super Tune a Bandido, after ground balancing it, do you turn the GB one turn counter-clockwise or less or more?

Don't send it in unless you need to, like if the GB pot is dirty or so worn that you can't set the GB properly. The old Bandido has a 10 turn GB pot, and the newer Tesoros all use a 3¾ turn. The GB pots Tesoro uses have no end stop, so they'll just keep turning (you know that). Just ground balance in all-metal to start with, then do a little reading about Monte's "power balance" technique. Once you learn how, it'll be quick and easy to ground balance it in disc mode instead of all-metal. If you don't find much info on how to do it, just ask Monte. I think there's no need to "supertune" any Tesoro.. When "power balanced", you've already set the GB to get best depth and signal response (with GB set as negative as it should be). Setting threshold any higher than a low hum just makes deeper the targets sound like shallower ones.

 

[Stoof2010]

What pinenut said ^^^^^

 

[Tony (Michigan)]

What pinenut said ^^^^^

From what I understand, at least on the Vaquero, to get better depth is to ground balance the machine in all metal with the sensitivity around 7ish. Then after doing that, turn the ground balance counter-clockwise about 1/4 to 1/2 turn and you'll be super tuned.

With the Bandido, I'm not shure how much counter-clockwise on the ground balance I turn it to be super tuned for max depth. Maybe it is one full turn?

 

[Tony (Michigan)]

Here is an email I received from Monte back in 2006:

Tony,

Good morning!

"I read a request to you on Carl's forum about power balancing. Could you
elaborate?"

"Power Balancing" is a term I coined about the time the Tesoro Bandido was first introduced as instruction for setting the ground balance for peak performance in the motion discriminate mode.

It requires that you are using a model that provides manual ground balance AND that the GB adjustment is tied to BOTHtheAll Metal and Discriminate modes.

With some models,themanufactures have a slight offset between the All Metal and Discriminate modes when you have ground balanced in the All Metal mode, leaving the Disc. mode set slightly positive or slightly negative. Sometimes, an offset a little more than 'slight' might be in the circuitry design.

Usually, with models such as the Tesoro Bandido or Pantera for example, if you set the GB to be just on the mark in the All Metal mode, it is a bit positive in the Disc. mode. This eliminates some chatter in the Disc. mode. But for peak performanceinmore mineralized ground in the Disc. mode, a proper setting results in a somewhat negative adjustment in the All Metal mode.

With the White's Classic III SL, Classic ID and IDX Pro models, a "just on" GB setting in the All Metal mode results in a slightly negative GB in the Disc. mode and, if the discriminate level is set low enough,somefalsing can result.

The Classic series, of which I am a devoted fan, have aneasilyaccessable GB trimmer, but I prefer to have my models modified by Bill Crabtree at Surfscanner Detectors so that I have an external Threshold and GB control. With the Classic's a peak-performance GB setting for the Disc. mode results in a slightly positive GB setting in All Metal.

"Power Balancing" is the act of adjusting the GBwhiule in the motion Discriminate mode rather than in the All Metal mode. It is best used at sites that are more mineralized, and it's also best when you have a model that provides zero discrimination. An "all metal accept" setting in the motion Disc. mode. Again, this is why I own and use the modified White's Classic III SL and IDX Pro.

To accomplish "Power Balancing" you want to set the Discrimination (usually, depending upon the model) at the lowest discriminate setting.

Next, you will set the Sensitivity as high as possible w/o chatter. Just at the pointofstabiltiy.

If the detector has a tuner control, set the Threshold in the All Metal mode for a slight audio hum.

Moving the search coil from about 6"-8" down to about ½",bob the coiltoawrds-and-away from the ground somewhat briskly. As you do this, reduce the GB adjustment.

When you get to a point where you hear an audio 'beep' on the uplift of the coil, you have a too negative GB setting.

STOP

Now, as you continue to bob the coil towards-and-away from the ground, slowly increase the GBacjustment just to the point where you have eliminated the falsing beep on the uplift of the coil.

STOP.

You are now "Power Balanced" for peak performanceinbad ground in the Discriminate mode. At this point you can switch to the All Metal mode and check to see if you are way too positive or way too negative. Power Balancing for peak performance in the Disc. mode usually results in a somewhat too negative GB in the All Metal/PinPoint mode, and this will cause falsing if you sweep the coil over a hole (plugged hole, for example) in the All Metal/PinPoint mode.

While I will always Power Balance when I am hunting strictly in the motion Disc. mode, I tend to do this first and then check and fine-tune the All Metal mode's GB setting so that it won't be a problem if I need to use it for pinpointing, etc.

It's actually a fast setting to acomplish, and much quicker than it takes to read what I just typed.

Monte

I'm not sure about the "beep" on the upswing when ground balancing. My Bandido doesn't "beep" when Ground Balancing.

 

[digger27]

From what I understand, at least on the Vaquero, to get better depth is to ground balance the machine in all metal with the sensitivity around 7ish. Then after doing that, turn the ground balance counter-clockwise about 1/4 to 1/2 turn and you'll be super tuned.

With the Bandido, I'm not shure how much counter-clockwise on the ground balance I turn it to be super tuned for max depth. Maybe it is one full turn?

Supertuning is pushing the threshold control up past the normal "just so you can hear it" level somewhere around he 12-1:00 area to at least 3:00 if not maxed.

Adjusting the GB control has nothing to do with this...that is more about power balancing.

In bad ground I have used both methods plus normal settings.
Might have been some advantages, maybe a rarer deeper target I could notice supertuning than not, a bit quieter adjusting the GB different ways, but overall I enjoyed using regular settings more and the ability to use the pinpointer plus judge depth better...two things you can't do supertuned.
Still found a ton of great stuff using all different ways.