GPZ Front Panel Button Lag And WM12 Audio Drop Out

[Jonathan Porter]

Firstly settings please, but I think I can guess at it a bit.

When you change modes there is a massive change to the Tx and Rx of the machine, often if the sensitivity is cranked up to high levels the poor little chip overloads and throws the detector into the state described. To avoid lower your sensitivity or pick the coil up and away from the ground so the detector is not blasted with a massive change while loading up its new parameters.

I’m not sure if the sluggish button presses are linked as I find the GPZ frustrating slow at the best of times (press, waiting waiting waiting.....change ?), the sluggish button behaviour can also be corrected by firming up the Mylar power strip.

The other thing that can send the GPZ into conniptions is having the WM12 turned on before the detector boots up, it tries to connect up the audio before all the parameters are fully loaded and can throw the detector into a looping power cycle. Best work flow is to turn on the detector and wait till the battery icon appears then turn on the WM12, follow this procedure and all is well.

About one in 20 units do this with the stock that comes through our shop and is something I check during assembly and initial training. One customers machine does it religiously every time if he forgets whereas others only do it on occasion or not at all. There could be a correlation between the two scenarios and could be associated with a sensitive machine that is slightly vulnerable when it’s loading up its coefficients.

During the load up period the detector is performing diagnostics and takes into account a lot of things like temperature and slight differences between components, this is why there are so few variations between GPZs. This type of process is vital due to the absolute need to get a near perfect voltage for the tech to work, Zero Voltage Transmission means ZERO variation in the voltage.

Hope this helps
JP

[afreakofnature]

42 minutes ago, Jonathan Porter said:

Firstly settings please, but I think I can guess at it a bit.

Sorry, should have thought of that.  My setting are very similar to Lunk's (because he was the one I learned from ?) and I have not really strayed to much from them for the last few years.  Although this year I am going to make a point to change it up in some old "patches" and see what comes about.

Gold Mode: High Yield (mostly); Ground Type: Normal; Sensitivity: 10-15; Ground Balance Mode: Semi; Ground Smoothing: Locate Patch; Volume: 15; Volume Limit: 3; Audio Smoothing: High; Threshold Level: 27; Threshold Pitch: 25.

49 minutes ago, Jonathan Porter said:

I’m not sure if the sluggish button presses are linked as I find the GPZ frustrating slow at the best of times (press, waiting waiting waiting.....change ?), the sluggish button behavior can also be corrected by firming up the Mylar power strip.

What you described is exactly what happens to me, sluggish or lagging button behavior.  I used to think I was not pushing the button fully, then I realized that I push the button and wait......it changes or selects.  After being able to fly through buttons like on an iPhone, this is so........slow........?   My Z is no longer under warranty so I could open it up and take a look at the Mylar power strip, but that sure does make me nervous.  I think first I will try Rick's suggestion of turning off the GPS and see if it speeds things up.  Have you ever tried that or anyone for that matter?  More people who give it a go, the more we might know.

53 minutes ago, Jonathan Porter said:

The other thing that can send the GPZ into conniptions is having the WM12 turned on before the detector boots up, it tries to connect up the audio before all the parameters are fully loaded and can throw the detector into a looping power cycle. Best work flow is to turn on the detector and wait till the battery icon appears then turn on the WM12, follow this procedure and all is well.

I will give this a try too.  I always have done it completely backwards than you described.  I always liked hearing that Minelab tune intro.  Kind of gets you all excited to metal detect?.  But I will do your way, especially since you have had much better results.

Thank you for the help JP!

 

[afreakofnature]

Any more input from anyone?