GM24k Searching
Goldmaster 24k User Manual 21
Pinpointing or “X” ing the target:
In most cases, pinpointing is easily performed
by merely “X-ing” or criss-crossing. You can also
use the new non-motion pinpoint mode on the
GM24k
. The loudest part of the target will be
under the center of the coil, just as with any detec-
tor. After the approximate location of the target is
determined, take a handful of soil and check the
hole again. Continue this process until the tar-
get is no longer in the hole, but in the hand.
Try
putting the handful of soil in a plastic container
(pan, tray, cup, or scoop). Passing the container
over the coil will determine if the target is really in
it. If so, a series of separations will quickly expose
the nugget. This is called “the 50-50” process. You
take half the dirt out of the scoop, and pass it over
the coil. If the machine beeps, it’s in the scoop.
Dump the empty dirt and repeat until you have
the nugget in hand.
Handful Of Dirt:
Some prefer to pass the handful of dirt across the
coil directly. Caution must be exercised if this is
done. The
GM24k
is sensitive enough to pick up
the salt in your hand and respond with a signal.
Try this with nothing in your hand and you will
see how close you can come to the coil using this
method. One way around this salt sensitivity is to
pinch the soil in small amounts and wave only the
fingers over the searchcoil. You will find the way
best suited to your needs. The condition of the
soil—dry, wet, fine, coarse, etc.—will have a lot to
do with the best method for you.
SENSITIVITY and VARIABLE SAT (Self Ad-
justing Threshold) Speed:
XGB compensates for common ground miner-
als in the area. The V-SAT control compensates
for the consistency of that ground mineraliza-
tion (accessed by holding the Music Note but-
ton). The greater the degree of inconsistencies,
the more SAT is needed to quiet ground noise. If
the THRESHOLD becomes too erratic or noisy,
it might be necessary to use the SAT feature and/
or reduce the SENSITIVITY control. This noisy
behavior will make it difficult to recognize a true
target (possible nugget) from pieces of mineral,
commonly referred to as “hot rocks.”
It is not wise to keep a high level of SENSITIVITY
if the detector will not operate smoothly. This is a
false sense of security. Recognizing a true target
is the most important part of detecting. This is an
example of when less SENSITIVITY will produce
more nuggets. You must be the best judge of just
how much noise you can tolerate and still iden-
tify nuggets, as well as the combination of SAT
and SENSITIVITY which produces the desired
results in your area. Therefore, if you have been
operating your
GM24k
at full sensitivity and you
determine that this is too high because either the
threshold is erratic or the detector is giving false
signals; always begin by reducing the sensitivity
to a more stable range. If this does not correct the
problem, start adding some SAT speed by holding
the Music Note button and using the up arrow. If
this does not correct the problem, go back to the
SENSITIVITY and reduce it a little more.
It is sort of like seasoning a pot of soup. Some salt
and some pepper. Remember any drop in SEN-
SITIVITY below (7-8) will result in some loss of
depth. Any increase in SAT speed above the de-
fault setting of 2 will also reduce overall depth.
However, every ground condition has its opti-
mum setting.
Overall depth is not the ultimate goal. Finding
nuggets is! Unless your threshold is constant and
as smooth as possible, and free from false targets
which confuse the picture, you will never be able
to tell the ground from the gold. We like to use
the analogy of driving on a straight road versus
a curvy road. The object is to get from point A to
point B. 65 mph might get you there on a straight
road, but you will have to slow to 35 mph if the
road is curvy, or you will end up off the road. The
straight road is like low mineralized ground and
the curvy road is like heavy mineralization. High
SENSITIVITY and slower SAT will not get you
the gold in heavy mineralization.
