TreasureHawk
Junior Member
Here are some tips to help detecting with the White’s Eagle Spectrum.
These are some of the basics to get you started without too much extra confusion of changing other
settings. You can learn the other settings as you get better.
Be sure to read the manual. It is well written and I still refer to it after owning the
Spectrum since 1991. Also, a book on the Spectrum if still available is called
“Spectrum Better Depth & Performance” by Daryl J.R. Townley.
You will find the book complements the user manual.
Okay….let’s get started!
Start with either the preset programs like “Coin & Jewelry” or “Jewelry & Beach”.
“Jewelry & Beach” provides for less discrimination, but is desirable because of the degree of
variance in jewelry alloys as stated per manual outline. I use “Jewelry &Beach”.
Learn how to ground balance properly.
A.C. Sensitivity
Turn up “A.C. Sensitivity”. Under “Basic ADJ”. This will help with depth detection. Default is 60. Try 65-70.
Only go as high as you can without affecting detector stability. If detector responds erratically, lower the setting.
You could go higher, but it depends on soil conditions and the surrounding area of how much electrical interference
such as electromagnetic interference (EMI), also called radio-frequency interference (RFI) there is in the area you are detecting.
Modulation
“Modulation” under “Audio Menu” is ‘On” by default in Preset Programs.
“When on, it allows the depth of the target to dictate the volume of the response, thus deep targets are immediately recognized.”
I leave mine “On”. However, you might want to try this setting in the “Unchecked or Off” position.
This gives the same volume of response to all targets regardless of how deep they are.
VCO
Turn on VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator). Turn on VCO under “Audio Menu”.
This is an excellent aid in pinpointing.
Recovery Speed
Recovery Speed is under “Disc. Menu”.
This is the time it takes to process the first metal target so that the second metal target can respond. The default is 20. Try between 20 and 30.
Start at 25 and see how you like that setting. 1 is the slowest recovery and 40 is the fastest recovery speed.
As a good rule, the closer the targets are where you are detecting, the faster recovery speed should be.
The more spacing between targets, the slower the recovery speed setting.
Bottlecap Reject
Bottlecap Reject is under “Disc. Menu”.
This setting adjusts how strongly the Spectrum Eagle rejects iron.
The default is at 1. This is the minimum setting. Try setting Bottlecap Reject to 3.
Preamp Gain
Preamp Gain, formerly called Signal Balance on earlier models, is used to promote stability and detection depth.
For maximum detection depth adjust the Preamp Gain to the highest setting without causing the detector to become unstable
or “OVERLOAD” to appear on the display.
The default for all preset programs is 1. This is the minimum setting. Try 2 and see how stable your detector is….
You can go to a higher Preamp Gain setting, but it depends on your area and conditions as stated earlier in the “A.C. Sensitivity” recommendations.
ALWAYS RE-GROUND BALANCE AFTER ADJUSTING “PREAMP GAIN”.
Try to really understand what the sounds and display are relaying to you. Better understand what the Spectrum graph and VDI numbers are telling you. Practice with quarters, nickels, dimes, bottlecaps, pull tabs, rings etc. Throw in a nail or piece of aluminum foil in the mix and see how your detector responds. Try putting a valuable target next to or close to a junk target. What is the detector showing you on the Spectrum graph and how are the VDI numbers looking? How does the Spectrum Eagle sound on the various targets?
In closing, always make sure your detector is stable. A nice constant “threshold” and a stable display that does not jump around erratically is what you want.
“OVERLOAD” should not be displaying.
If you Spectrum becomes unstable, try lowering “A.C. Sensitivity” and “Preamp Gain”. These are two settings that can make the detector become erratic and unstable if set too high. Only go as high as you can with both of these settings to keep your detector stable.
Save your “custom program” in the Custom Program 1 or Custom Program 2 settings.
I hope some of these suggestions are useful and help you become better acquainted with your
White’s Eagle Spectrum.
These are some of the basics to get you started without too much extra confusion of changing other
settings. You can learn the other settings as you get better.
Be sure to read the manual. It is well written and I still refer to it after owning the
Spectrum since 1991. Also, a book on the Spectrum if still available is called
“Spectrum Better Depth & Performance” by Daryl J.R. Townley.
You will find the book complements the user manual.
Okay….let’s get started!
Start with either the preset programs like “Coin & Jewelry” or “Jewelry & Beach”.
“Jewelry & Beach” provides for less discrimination, but is desirable because of the degree of
variance in jewelry alloys as stated per manual outline. I use “Jewelry &Beach”.
Learn how to ground balance properly.
A.C. Sensitivity
Turn up “A.C. Sensitivity”. Under “Basic ADJ”. This will help with depth detection. Default is 60. Try 65-70.
Only go as high as you can without affecting detector stability. If detector responds erratically, lower the setting.
You could go higher, but it depends on soil conditions and the surrounding area of how much electrical interference
such as electromagnetic interference (EMI), also called radio-frequency interference (RFI) there is in the area you are detecting.
Modulation
“Modulation” under “Audio Menu” is ‘On” by default in Preset Programs.
“When on, it allows the depth of the target to dictate the volume of the response, thus deep targets are immediately recognized.”
I leave mine “On”. However, you might want to try this setting in the “Unchecked or Off” position.
This gives the same volume of response to all targets regardless of how deep they are.
VCO
Turn on VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator). Turn on VCO under “Audio Menu”.
This is an excellent aid in pinpointing.
Recovery Speed
Recovery Speed is under “Disc. Menu”.
This is the time it takes to process the first metal target so that the second metal target can respond. The default is 20. Try between 20 and 30.
Start at 25 and see how you like that setting. 1 is the slowest recovery and 40 is the fastest recovery speed.
As a good rule, the closer the targets are where you are detecting, the faster recovery speed should be.
The more spacing between targets, the slower the recovery speed setting.
Bottlecap Reject
Bottlecap Reject is under “Disc. Menu”.
This setting adjusts how strongly the Spectrum Eagle rejects iron.
The default is at 1. This is the minimum setting. Try setting Bottlecap Reject to 3.
Preamp Gain
Preamp Gain, formerly called Signal Balance on earlier models, is used to promote stability and detection depth.
For maximum detection depth adjust the Preamp Gain to the highest setting without causing the detector to become unstable
or “OVERLOAD” to appear on the display.
The default for all preset programs is 1. This is the minimum setting. Try 2 and see how stable your detector is….
You can go to a higher Preamp Gain setting, but it depends on your area and conditions as stated earlier in the “A.C. Sensitivity” recommendations.
ALWAYS RE-GROUND BALANCE AFTER ADJUSTING “PREAMP GAIN”.
Try to really understand what the sounds and display are relaying to you. Better understand what the Spectrum graph and VDI numbers are telling you. Practice with quarters, nickels, dimes, bottlecaps, pull tabs, rings etc. Throw in a nail or piece of aluminum foil in the mix and see how your detector responds. Try putting a valuable target next to or close to a junk target. What is the detector showing you on the Spectrum graph and how are the VDI numbers looking? How does the Spectrum Eagle sound on the various targets?
In closing, always make sure your detector is stable. A nice constant “threshold” and a stable display that does not jump around erratically is what you want.
“OVERLOAD” should not be displaying.
If you Spectrum becomes unstable, try lowering “A.C. Sensitivity” and “Preamp Gain”. These are two settings that can make the detector become erratic and unstable if set too high. Only go as high as you can with both of these settings to keep your detector stable.
Save your “custom program” in the Custom Program 1 or Custom Program 2 settings.
I hope some of these suggestions are useful and help you become better acquainted with your
White’s Eagle Spectrum.
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