Algoforce 2.0 Firmware Upgrade

[mn90403]

I have a new computer so I had to download the loader program also.  Once done it goes automatically.

[Aureous]

I just updated to 2.0 and I like the new look and feel to the machine. Very intuitive especially the 'Coil Un-calibrated' warning on startup when you have changed coils. But, todays hunt, although goldless (32 targets, mostly lead shot) was an interesting one. I got a copper percussion cap (small caliber black powder pistol by the looks) that ID'd at 00. I re-tried a couple times and was still 00. SMH. Copper anything shouldn't do that methinks..... I also got a hot rock that ID'd at 12-14. I crushed it and nope, no gold inside. Still, the ID helped me to ignore perhaps another 20 bits of lead (mostly larger than the ones I dug) which gave me more time in the field. The new 8x6 AT coil is super quiet so the extra tiny lead shot rang through a lot better. But....no gold. Try again on Tuesday....

[PhaseTech]

Hi everyone, I've seen a few comments (mainly on Fbook) on the new software, so I thought I'd clarify a couple of points.

The Auto ground balance has not been sped up - it has actually always been quite quick. If you listen to the audio when ground balancing, as you start to pump the coil up and down any variation in the audio is usually gone within 2 seconds max. What was always a little slow to catch up was the ground drift indicator bars, sometimes taking many more seconds before making their way back to the centre. This behaviour is what has been sped up in Version 2.0.0.

Changes to Coil Calibration.

There has been an important change implemented in the Coil Calibration process, but I'll first explain what was happening in the past.

Firstly, the Ultra Fine mode is a specialty setting, and it requires specific coil specs in order for it to work correctly. Older coils were hit and miss whether you'd get a successful calibration in Ultra Fine.

So, if you had a coil that would not calibrate in Ultra Fine, it would say Not Optimal. Yes, you could use it, but the threshold would be a little erratic, and you'd most likely have to reduce the sensitivity considerably. In all cases, a user would be much better off detecting in Fine with a higher Sensitivity, rather than use the coil in a "Not Optimal" Ultra Fine mode. So the decision was made that if a coil doesn't calibrate in Ultra, then that mode would not be available to use. This is to provide the best possible user experience.

The Sadie Mk2 and new Coiltek Elite Max series will all calibrate in Ultra Fine.

Hope that helps.

[phrunt]

I went through all of my coils during testing and all worked well, I didn't find any coils that wouldn't calibrate in ultra fine except a Concentric coil I already knew wouldn't, must be about 15 or more coils. Almost all of my coils are X-coils though, except the odd Detech, NF and Coiltek.  

There has been a report of Sadie MK2 having problems with ultra fine calibration.  In that case I'd try another Mk2, if it works I'd be sending the coil back for replacement as it's obviously too far out of spec.   Alex has asked that person to send his detector and coil to him to check, and no doubt he'll do that testing.

As Nenad said, it's generally older coils and they can be hit and miss, for example one Commander 11" will work fine, another won't.  It appears coil manufacturing was a lot less consistent than it probably should have been in the past but the detectors didn't really care or know and probably didn't affect them much at all on the older less sensitive detectors but it always brings to mind the theory people had when they thought they had a particularly hot coil of a same coil their mates had yet they thought theirs was better, a coil they'd never part with.  I just think maybe there was a lot of truth to that theory and it's only coming to light now with coils that won't calibrate in ultra fine.