incessant chattering and beeping

[TheFrood]

Finally got out again for a hunt on Sunday with my Legend and I simply couldn't get it to stop
chattering. I EMI balanced it several times, ground balanced, changed sensitivity, discrimination,
anything I could think of but it just wouldn't stop chattering (not threshold noise, but random
signal noises). It was doing this even when in the air, away from anything metallic. Is anyone
else having this issue? Outside of something broken in the detector, the only thing I can think
of is because of the huge sunspots and solar wind/flares that have been hitting us the last week
or two?

Advice much appreciated!

 

[Diga]

Try it with a different coil and see what happens.

Also, if you hold the coil in the air and it chatters in a SMF mode, then try out some single frequencies. If the noise diminishes significantly in single frequency modes, then the issue is EMI.

 

[davemill]

Simple diagnosis:

1. Get away from all buildings and especially power and data wires. If the problem goes away, it was EMI. This is the most likely cause of chattering.
2. Disconnect coil, then reconnect coil. If the problem goes away, it was likely a loose or dirty connection. This is also common.
3. Try a different coil. If the problem goes away, it was likely a fault in the first coil. Confirm by trying the first coil again. My custom small coil has such a fault, alas.
4. Reset to factory settings (if your detector has this function). If the problem goes away, you lost your programs but solved the problem.

Less likely causes: Loose or dirty connections inside the detector case, on the printed circuit board. Did your detector get dunked, or did you open the case? New WiFi router in the house? New cell tower or other RF source next door?

 

[jmaclen]

Sounds like classic electromagnetic interference from the thousands of EMI sources existing today to me unless you have a coil problem.

 

[TheFrood]

Sounds like classic electromagnetic interference from the thousands of EMI sources existing today to me unless you have a coil problem.

I've detected this same location before without the chattering... I will check the coil. I haven't customized the settings overly much (just threshold and changing sensitivity and discrimination on the fly). Maybe it came loose somewhere. I really appreciate the help! I was thinking EMI but couldn't figure out why it had gotten so significantly worse than last time I detected here.

 

[Diga]

I've detected this same location before without the chattering... I will check the coil. I haven't customized the settings overly much (just threshold and changing sensitivity and discrimination on the fly). Maybe it came loose somewhere. I really appreciate the help! I was thinking EMI but couldn't figure out why it had gotten so significantly worse than last time I detected here.

Keep in mind that EMI can change significantly from a daily basis, and even an hourly basis.

Definitely try another coil, as well as my suggestion to try the SF modes to determine if the issue is EMI.

 

[markinmichigan]

I've had the same issue in the past. Did a reset and problem solved.

Mark in Michigan

 

[MasonDixonMding]

Keep in mind that EMI can change significantly from a daily basis, and even an hourly basis

I have a site that can have a small amount of emi. Hours later it’s off the charts. Can hardly keep detecting. I just was a at old house that the one side of the house were the electric come in under ground was undetectable. Lots of good advice from everyone. Good luck!

 

[Tpmetal]

If you have a coil cover on remove it and clean any dirt out

 

[TheFrood]

I'm about 95% sure it was EMI interference now based on where I was hunting and while it may be irrational I think
it may have been from solar activity as well. Yesterday I was playing with the detector and low and behold not a chirp
unless I was on a target.

The amount of chirping from the problem day was just astounding though. I have a short video of it I will try to upload.

 

[jmaclen]

I'm about 95% sure it was EMI interference now based on where I was hunting and while it may be irrational I think
it may have been from solar activity as well. Yesterday I was playing with the detector and low and behold not a chirp
unless I was on a target.

The amount of chirping from the problem day was just astounding though. I have a short video of it I will try to upload.

I was hunting at a USA park yesterday that has an advanced sprinkler system with some wireless operation. I have had some trouble there in the past with EMI plus this park has crazy high iron, volcanic ash and fertilizer mineralization. For the first time I could remember, I was able to crank up my Legend to 30 sensitivity using Park M1 with the G discrimination pattern even though I didn't need 30 sensitivity. The sprinkler system is turned off, it was about 35 degrees F, cloudy and there was about 4" of snow on the ground........why was I out detecting???

 

[Diga]

The sprinkler system is turned off, it was about 35 degrees F, cloudy and there was about 4" of snow on the ground........why was I out detecting???

Probably because you thought of something that you just had to try out in the wild, or you're just as crazy as the rest of us!

 

[markinmichigan]

Theres an ancient park nearby with 2 radio towers directly next to it. First time (a year ago) there with the Legend and I thought the unit was broken.

I cycled through the frequencies and finally got it where it was clean and it's been a good place to hunt

Mark in Michigan

 

[davemill]

As long as we are telling EMI stories:

There’s a sting of parks in a city near here that is almost a mile long on the map. When you arrive, you realize that there is a string of high-voltage towers stretching across them all. You can often hear arcs snapping and buzzing on the wires. It’s the main feed to multiple electric substations.

Hunted the parks with a Whites DFX and round coil when we first got into detecting, with the expected result: chitter, chatter, triple beep. Went back after getting a Bigfoot on the DFX, and found lots of nice targets. Ditto with the double-D coil on the AT-pro.