Here is an example of balancing: After setting up the detector, you raise the coil and then push it
to the ground. As the coil drops, the threshold hum gets louder. You then turn the GROUND
ADJUST knob counterclockwise toward the minus sign. You pick up the coil and push down
again. This time you get a slightly negative response. Turn the GROUND ADJUST knob a little
bit toward the positive or in a clockwise direction. When raising and lowering the coil, the
threshold makes no change as the coil is dropped. At this point, the detector is balanced for the
area and is ready to hunt.
Ground balancing is a learned skill, one that you should practice often. It is easy to practice
almost anywhere— your front or backyard, a local park, or a fair-sized flower garden. When you
are practicing, make sure that there are no pieces of metal underneath your coil that may cause a
target sound.
NOTE: Please remember that the coil must be lifted straight off the ground. Swinging the coil
in an arc, like a pendulum, will cause false readings and will result in an improper ground
balance.
Handling Your Detector
The detector should be held in a position that is comfortable for you as shown in the
“Adjusting
The Pole & Searchcoil”
section in
GETTING STARTED.
Swing the detector from side to side
in about a three foot arc, overlapping succeeding strokes well. This motion is called a “sweep.”
The Tejón is designed to get maximum depth without the frantic pace required of earlier motion
detectors, so go at a pace that is comfortable for you. In fact, trying to hunt too fast may even
cause a loss of depth in heavily mineralized locations.
Regardless of which mode you are using, try to keep your searchcoil height constant and close to
the ground. Most people tend to raise the coil at the end of a sweep—much like a pendulum—
especially if they are in a hurry. Try to avoid this as any increase in height from the ground will
cause a corresponding loss of depth.
In areas with well-kept lawns, the easiest way to maintain a constant searchcoil height is to allow
the coil to rest on the grass as you sweep from side to side. In rough and rocky areas, it is best
not to “scrub” the coil on the ground, as the rocks will act like abrasives and wear away the coil
bottom (a coil scuff cover will protect against this). Sweep the coil as close to the ground as
possible without touching. Hitting the ground or rocks may cause a false signal. Sweeping the
coil too high above the ground results in a loss of depth.
Pinpointing a Target
When pinpointing a target, the all metal mode can offer advantages over the discriminate mode,
such as no false signals and no need to move the searchcoil to get a target response.
Agood method for pinpointing in the all metal mode is “X-ing” the target with the searchcoil.
Remember that the target's response sound is always greatest when the target is directly under
the center of the searchcoil. To “X” a target, sweep the searchcoil over the target from side to