OleSarge
Elite Member
You mentioned the "ghost" signals only being audible in Pro mode. Please take a look at this scan of an AT Pro manual page in this thread:
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=176937
Note where it says that Pro mode is additionally sensitive, and that it is possible to hear deep targets that do not register a target ID.
My experience has been that the 5x8 coil does not quite get the depth of the 9x11 and is very useful in a first or second pass over an area, and to clear out trashy areas, but then you need to go over the area again with the stock coil to find out about those deeper targets. Since the 5x8 doesn't go as deep, you will get more signals where the AT Pro can't tell the target ID.
Also, I've found that the 5x8 is more sensitive to smaller shallow targets such as teeny pins and screws, bird shot and BB's, and other things that are tough if not impossible to find in the hole. A magnet can help with some of these, patience is needed for the rest. If it is making you nuts, reducing senstivity will make a difference as well.
Abbynormal, I think you, kickindirt and ohiochris are all correct. I did go out to a well pounded park and ran the sensitivity all way back to zero. After a good manual ground balance I started a measured course with absolutely no signals, audio or visual. I swung the course a number of times, adjusting the sensitivity up a bar each lap until the ghost images started to sound off then I started backing off the sensitivity until they stopped. I had been running at 2 bars down on sensitivity and when the ghosting stopped I was down 5 bars. Then I left the measured course and within a few seconds scored a dime at about 4 inches. I suppose the 5X8 is just more sensitive to surface targets than the 8 1/2 X 11 and lacks the depth to clearly identify deeper targets. I think I can run it 5 bars down and make adjustments as I get used to it. Thanks for the help...it is appreciated.
AT Pro/GPP/Fiskars Diggers/BH outback/CT hand held