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Understanding All-Metal Mode


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I would like to understand more about what All-Metal Mode does. All the manual basically says is "this disables the current discrimination pattern so that all metal objects will be detected" I normally detect in Orchards using Park2 and Fields using Field2. My main interest is to find artifacts, Jewelry and Coins. My biggest challenge is the amount of farm-related trash such as horseshoes, odd bits of iron, etc. Often I will get a good steady signal in the teens in F2, or P2, only to find it is trash, so NOW my technique is to check it out with All-Metal as well and if I get the deep tones and minus signals I generally decide not to dig. Is this a sound technique? Ok I appreciate that if a coin is right above or below the iron then I may miss it, but I'm happy with that call.

Specifically, I wonder if All-metal mode in Park2 gives different output compared to All-Metal in Field2, i.e. are the different algorithm weightings of the different Search Profiles (P1.P2,F1,F2...) still operating or does All-metal override all these search profiles and it does not matter which Search profile you are in?

PS this is my first post. This is a great blog for the Equinox, I've been following it for months, well done Steve H.

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Welcome to the forum Clive!

The “Horseshoe Button” simply removes any discrimination pattern or notches that have been applied in any mode so that all targets respond. Nothing about the underlying performance changes. You are not going to a different “all metal mode” Field 2 is Field 2 whether items are being rejected/ignored or whether all items are set to “go beep” (all metal).

If you take any mode and use the Accept/Reject button to accept all items you have done the same thing, but with a lot more button pushing. To reject the items again takes a lot more button pushing. The all metal horseshoe button is a shortcut, nothing more, that allows you to quickly remove all target blocking and then toggle back just as quickly.

Most targets produce multiple target id numbers. That’s why target id numbers jump around. When you block any part of the signal, and one of those jumpy numbers, you reduce the target signal strength. You might even miss a target completely.

Many irregular iron and steel targets produce both high tone, high target id response interspersed with the mostly low tone, low target id response. If you block the low tones (negative numbers) all you hear is the high tones. The ferrous target then mimics a coin type target. Hitting the all metal button reveals that instead of an intermittent weak coin target, what you really have is a ferrous target generating 90% low tones and 10% high tones.

Many people always hunt with full tones only, no items rejected due to this mixed target response issue. Others find this too noisy, so suppressing the low tones by blocking them is an option, with the Horseshoe All Metal button giving temporary access to the full tone response once the target is engaged.

Iron Falsing (Ferrous Wrap)

I hope this helps rather than confuses! Click image for larger version....

C6A888CE-37AF-489C-8EF8-EF7BAE395007.jpeg

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Thanks Steve. Your reply was crystal clear, no confusion, confirms my understanding. As usual, you've not only answered the question but provided some useful further insight.  Thanks again for running a brilliant forum. 

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