My Search Programs for Minelab E-Trac and CTX 3030 Metal Detectors
3-Level Search Program #1 For Detecting Coins at Former Homestead Sites, Index Page
ALL PROGRAM SETTINGS and MODES ARE EXPLAINED
TABLE of Contents:
1) Introduction - Index page
2) Article: "Quiet Detector's Operation vs. Detecting Most Deep Coins" - page 1
3) Level 1: "High Discrimination/Low Noise" Program for Detecting Shallow Coins and Artifacts (ALL SETTINGS and MODES ARE EXPLAINED) - page 2
• Discrimination Pattern for Level-1 Program Settings - page 9
• • Secondary Discrimination Zones - Page 10
• • Discrimination Patterns of Level 1 with Appropriate Tone ID Profiles for CTX 3030 - Page 11
• • QuickMask Discrimination Pattern for Minelab E-Trac - Page 12
• • Second Discrimination Pattern for Minelab CTX 3030 - Page 13
• • Three Most Useful CTX 3030 Tone ID Profiles - Page 14
• • How To Edit Discrimination Patterns on E-Trac's CONTROL PANEL - Page 15
• • How To Edit Discrimination Pattern on CTX 3030's CONTROL PANEL - Page 16
4) Level 2: "Medium Discrimination/Moderate Noise" Program Settings for Detecting Coins and Artifacts at Intermediate Depths - page 17
• Discrimination and QuickMask Patterns - page 19
5) Level 3: "Minimum Discrimination" TTF Program Settings for Detecting Deeper Coins and Coins Partially Masked by Iron Nails at "Hunted Out" Sites - page 20
• Discrimination and QuickMask Patterns - page 22
Introduction
This 3-Level search program is designed for detecting coins and other non-ferrous artifacts (tokens, buttons, buckles, etc.) at the metal detecting sites of former homesteads and settlements with moderate-to-high levels of iron junk.
1) BEGINNER's FIRST-Level program - "High Discrimination/Low Noise"
This search program will provide a relatively quiet operation of your detector while allowing you to detect shallow and easy-detectable coins and artifacts. This program will also allow you to rid the site of the shallow large-sized iron objects and non-ferrous junk, and help you determine the "hot pockets" (clusters of coins and other goodies) at the site.
NOTE 1: In this search program description, each program setting's level or mode I utilize is explained in details.
NOTE 2: This search program should be used as an introductory program to the CTX 3030 so that the beginner CTX 3030 users could get familiar with responses of non-ferrous targets and CTX-3030's graphic representation of detected data. Practically, the CTX-3030's capabilities in visual Target ID allow to implement little Discrimination without compromising the CTX-3030 user's ability to identify targets. However, keep in mind that using NO DISCRIMINATION on the CTX 3030 may cause many false signals.
2) SECOND-Level (Beginner's 2nd Level) program - "Medium Discrimination/Moderate Noise"
This search program will allow you to detect coins and artifacts at intermediate depths, hear the "broken" signals of coins slightly masked by iron nails, and clean the site of the medium- and large-sized ferrous targets.
3) THIRD-Level program - "Minimum Discrimination"
This search program will enable your E-Trac or CTX-3030 to detect deepest coins and "catch" the coins adjacent to the iron nails.
NOTE 3: At the end of each search program, you will find two Summary Tables, each giving a rundown on program settings. The first Table shows settings and modes used for detecting on the HIGH-MINERALIZED ground, and the second Table shows settings and modes used for detecting on the LOW-TO-MEDIUM MINERALIZED ground.
NOTE 4: If you begin your search with the Level-1 program settings, and, at some point later on, you stop receiving responses from the non-ferrous targets, this would be a good indication for switching to the Level-2 or Level-3 search programs.
NOTE 5: If you are going to detect coins at the site that has been previously searched by other detectorists, you should use the Level-2 or Level-3 program settings and, more important, the Discrimination patterns created for those settings.
