Jump to content

What Does A Break In The Threshold Mean?


Recommended Posts

I just watched a video made by metal detecting NYC and the other guy that he was detecting with used that break in the threshold as an indicator of a good target. And it turn out to be was deep too. What actually does that break do? What is it blanking out on?  Without getting into specific detectors, do any of you use that as part of your analysis of a target. I do know what threshold his but never did much with it as I have very bad hearing and any other sound (or lack there of) makes it even more difficult for me to hear good signals. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


I think I saw that video...it was Phil who found that silver Merc, right? A one way tone and a blanking threshold the other way (swing direction)?

When you run a threshold, you'll hear a constant hum. When your threshold breaks (or blanks), you hear silence. This occurs when your detector detetects something, but it's something you discriminated out. Some people like to hunt this way, as it helps you catch those deeper or partially masked targets.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like this thread. I love threshold and always used it with pulse inductions but with VLF as well. During the nulling of the threshold I knew that under the coil there was or iron but a deep target as well. Somewhere else I began a thread about a threshold issue: a steady hum without any variation in my opinion is absolutely useless..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The threshold on the equinox in park mode is called a reference threshold. It only breaks if the coil swings over something that you've discriminated out.  The equinox IDs targets just out of range as iron.  That's why the deep coin that was silver was breaking the threshold.  If he swung the coil over that target after taking it out of the ground the threshold wouldn't have broken.

Hope this helps 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, stevejhgla said:

The equinox IDs targets just out of range as iron. 

How is that possible? If the Equinox can't detect a target, how does it know it's there, let alone know to give it a particular ID # or tone?

Or are you saying that the Equinox will lower a VDI or tone for a target it can detect, but is at the limits of its range? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What do you mean break? When hunting in all metal I listen for a rise in tone and keep base hum at a minimum. If the hum gradually rises or drops off I know I am out of ground balance.  I can often find faint targets that may not even have an ID and are just on the fringe of detection for the machine/coil combination.

Useful in moderate and low trash areas for deeper searching.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Whites DF PI is another which has the drop out of the threshold on edge of the detection field targets. Those that have described it to me as a blank out of the threshold. I called it the inverted signal, but I never liked the DF..way to noisy threshold.

The Minelab Excalibur in All metal with a very low threshold will rarely have the inverted signal but if it does happen it's only on the swing left, on deep targets. Sometime times on deep targets I will get the grainy mix of a signal. It's like a very long faint (strain) of the target trying to break thru the threshold. There is no shape to it. Most deep targets will give that disruption of the threshold, where the faint target does have a faint ramp up....... then back down to the normal threshold. A Great set of head phones is very important when using the excalibur, without them your missing deep gold and silver.

I'm not a NOx user but I seen Terry Shannon talk about the drop out on the Nox...see if I can find that video.

Go to 7 minute in the video they start talking about the blank out, he calls it a hiccup.

 

 

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, mh9162013 said:

How is that possible? If the Equinox can't detect a target, how does it know it's there, let alone know to give it a particular ID # or tone?

Or are you saying that the Equinox will lower a VDI or tone for a target it can detect, but is at the limits of its range? 

 

17 hours ago, stevejhgla said:

This. 

I have written about this before, but will again. Everything I reference is hunting beach mode 2 in wet sand. IB 6, Recovery 6. 

The Equinox in Horseshoe Mode is a very powerful discriminator and will identify nonferrous targets that register as iron Tid numbers, and sometimes no number if the signal is faint enough.

I run one or two threshold level. Which, is not really audible even with the best of phones, and am usually able to work at 22 or 23 sensitivity. By doing this it enhances deep targets. 

When a deep target is heard identify the center, then start a 360 sweep around the target making sure you are passing the center of the coil over the target. Coil control is important, go slow. If possible, increase your sensitivity to look at just this target to identify better.

If at anytime that target double rings, or has a breakdown in response in one direction it is iron 100% of the time.  

If the target remains consistent in response it is nonferrous. Very accurate, probably 92 percent of the time, Meaning I have about 8 targets out of a 100 that fool me. 

I have no idea if this works in other modes for the Equinox, but it sure does in Beach 2.  This is how we compared the depth of the Deus 2 for targets that were past identification. The Deus 2 has issues with clean tones at depth, where the Equinox is whisper clean. 

I find true threshold breaks very hard to hunt, and time is spent chasing ghost targets. This method of enhancing small bumps is more effective. 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...