sensitivity question

[funkman]

The instructions with me detector go into the basics of sensitivity but I was wondering if someone could explain it a little further for me. The default sensitivity that is displayed when I turn on the machine (Bounty Hunter Discovery 2200) shows 2 lines which the manual states will detect a coin about 7 inches deep. When detecting I have not changed the sensitivity. I would like to get a better understanding on what my detector can do so that is why I am reading a little further into the manual.
Now the question comes.....why would I increase the sensitivity? The manual states that if I suspect there the be multiple targets that I would reduce the sensitivity to block out the deepr target and detect the shallow one. Does this mean that if I increase the sensitivity would I find deeper targets?

Thanks in advance

Funkman

still learning this hobby but having a great time....and found $1.83 total in change. Oldest was a 1954-D nickel.

 

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[Jeffro]

If you increase the sensitivity you should gain depth, but it comes at a price. Ground mineralization wreaks havoc if you go TOO high and you will be re ground balancing more often. start with what you have, what the manual recommends, and learn the other features first, would be my recommendation. Then after you have a good feel for your machine, start bumping it up a bit.

If you start getting alot of false signals, and/or find you have to ground balance a lot, you probably have the sensitivity up a bit too high.

Most finds are in the 4 inch and less range, and you will get that at least on a setting of 2, depending on the minerals in the ground.

If you get really lucky and find an area where the mineralization is almost absent, go ahead and crank it up.

 

[The Seeker]

When it come to sensitivity , that is a good question! but I can tell you this when you increase the sensitivity you will run hotter then you would with it less...higher means you will pick up more ground mineralization and smaller iron fragments , etc.... lower will give you amore stable running machine in those high mineral areas....What I do is turn it up in like farm fields which have lower ground mineralization....and vise-versa....Now if your machine has preamp -gain, this feature would control your depth....What you should do is go to an area that has good ground mineralization and bury a coin at the depth ofsay 8 inches or what you feel comfrotable with and practice with the sencitivity until you get the machine where you want it...but all areas are different....Thats where learning in the field is the best way! Good Luck

 

[funkman]

Thanks for the replies people. I have scoured my property with the detector at the default power-up setting and will try it with an increase in sensitivity just to see if I have missed anything.

Funkman

 

[Sandman]

More than likely you missed stuff because you have to overlap sweeps at least by half. Keep the coil level with the ground and not swing it pendulum style. To much sensitivity also lets the detector react more to the ground matrix which can give you less depth, not more.

 

[funkman]

Thanks for the input people. I raised the sensitivity one more notch last night and went around a smal section of my yard again that I had hit before and I did find a couple more pennies and another dime. I also found some strange looking lead object that I will take a pic of and post it in the "whats is it" section tomorrow (forgot the camera again). Anyway it is heavy like lead and it looks like it could be a rifle or pistol slug.

Ayway, adjusting the sensitivity did reel me in a couple more finds.

Also I got permission to search a few acres of land of the grounds of a religious shrine by my house. It has a lake and stream where people have fished for many years, an indian tribe has had a pow wow there a couple of times, and there is a walking path and picnic tables for people to use and enjoy the scenery, so I should find quite a lot of items.

Will keep you all posted on my finds.

Have fun.

Funkman