Need help with Garrett AT Max

[Rockin' Randy]

Howdy,

I was looking for the appropriate place to post this question but wasn't having any luck when I was reading the other posts under "Brands-Garrett-AT Max". If I am posting in the wrong place I apologize. Let me know how to get it in the right topic area.

Anyway, I am new to this forum and new to the Garrett AT Max. I have approximately 10 hours on the machine but probably a hundred hours in of watching every YouTube video out there on this machine.

I have been detecting an old Stage Stop on my property near Durango, Colorado which has loads of iron. I have been digging up mostly old square nails and old horseshoes and horseshoe nails and other misc. iron stuff. That is fun and all but I am wondering if my machine is malfunctioning? By that I mean I think the Iron Descrimination may not be working. Am I wrong or isn't the iron noise supposed to be suppressed when I am in "Coin Mode" or any mode where I have the iron discrimination up to 44? It doesn't seem to matter - I get all the iron low tones no matter what I try. I was hoping to just look for coins and not have to hear any iron but that isn't happening for me. Even setting my Sensitivity down all the way, I still get all the iron noise. Am I doing something wrong? Is my machine defective? Or am I just misunderstanding what discrimination is supposed to do? Also, when I get a higher number in the upper 70s or 80s and a high tone, it still turns out to be iron every time. I know before I dig because I engage the Iron Audio and get the grunt but I dig it anyway to get it out of the way. My Target ID seems to be all over the place - at least down there at the Stage Stop.

I have done tests with modern coins, my gold wedding ring etc. laying in the grass in front of my house. The Target ID for them seem right in line. Perhaps all the iron is just too much? But the stage stop is where I was thinking I may find old coins.

Thank you anybody for any information or tips.

Rockin'Randy

 

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[xr7ator]

Welcome, Rockin! Here's my take as a coinshooter that has had very little luck in areas like the one you are working.
First, go to the park or school for some hours and learn what the dang thing is telling you in an area that has lots of coin sized objects to dig up without huge amounts of iron getting in the mix. Once you do that I think you'll be able to answer your own questions.
I worked areas, back in the 80's even, in the mountains and found mostly iron. When it's not iron, it's lead and brass form all the gun shooting that has gone on up there all these years. I have worked areas that I thought for sure I could find older coins, only to give up after many many hours of not finding ANY coin. Not even any brass/copper relics.
I have a friend that showed me a spot up above Central City that he was told might be a good spot. It was littered with trash. He decided that he would go up with a truck and trash bags and clean the area up of all the tin cans and every other piece of metal trash. He took a weekend to do that and loaded his truck and disposed of all the trash properly. Then, he went the next weekend to detect and did have some luck finding a walker and a seated quarter. He worked extremely hard to find those two coins.
Maybe this will help. Good luck over there!

 

[BLK HOLE]

RR, First of all welcome to T-Net from Northern Virginia I can't be of any assistance to your regarding your AT Max , I use the Pro but have a Max on the way so I will be very interested in seeing what advice you do get. This forum is the right place to get some answers. Best of luck and HH

 

[bologna321]

Put some of the iron you dug up with those clean targets like silver coins and see what they sound like

 

[Hawks88]

Welcome to tnet from Niagara Falls

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Hey Randy, machine is working fine, and as XR7ator stated, when you get in HEAVY iron infested areas you're going to get the signals you're getting. If it were me, I would do also as stated above, and get to a park, school or private yards to dig some (lots) of clad, bottle caps, pull tabs etc...and get to really know your new machine on those conditions. As far as your iron site, dig all that iron out of there that is masking the good targets. Good luck..looking forward to seeing your finds..Ddf.

 

[xr7ator]

BLK HOLE. I think you'll find that your learning curve is next to nothing going from the pro to the max.

 

[vpnavy]

1st - I noticed this was your very first post - so, Welcome Aboard Rockin' Randy! You didn't list your state (or country) in your profile. So, you might consider jumping over to Sub-Forum: Select Your Area.... for information (i.e., clubs, hunts, finds, legends, maps, etc.) directly related to your state (or country).

2nd - I moved ya from HELP! over over to BRANDS > GARRETT > GARRETT AT MAX for more exposure since others with the Max will be able to help you after they read your question.

 

[Rockin' Randy]

Thanks a bunch everybody. I hope to go to the town park tomorrow and just have some fun.

Also, thanks for moving my post to the proper place. I read up on how and where to post it by googling last night. I was just getting ready to repost it and found that it had been moved to the right area. Thanks again!

I will get my profile filled out as soon a I get some time.

 

[HighVDI]

Could also pick up a NEL snake coil for your stage stop after you get some hours in and acclimated to your max. Might help get in between all the iron and isolate some goodies.

 

[A2coins]

A smaller coil helps all machines will go a little nuts on iron my advice is iron audio all the way up use your notch out notch everything out from 70 down also turn your ground balance to about 10 more also Garrett has many tech guys who love to give advice hope this helps Tommy

 

[A2coins]

Welcome also from MI