New Garrett AT PRO

Since you already are experienced with a BH, I would jump straight to pro zero. Don't max out sensitivity, I normally run 3 bars down.
 
Definitely use Pro zero and listen to the tones...they make a huge difference. Set your iron disc to about 30 or so (it's what I do at least) to filter out a lot of the iron.

Dig as much as you can reasonably do, and make sure you remember the tones.
 
Garrett has some instructional videos included with the package, and also on YouTube. They're basic, but I definitely recommend watching those first. I've always used Pro Zero mode, nothing else, so I can't speak to the other settings, but the ATPRO slams on coins and rings, or anything else circular. Study a tone/VDI reading before digging, then dig. Learn what your machine is telling you. And have fun!
 
Use the headphones, if its not too hot outside. Listen to the different sounds things make.
Coins and rings are mostly solid sounding
Alum foil can be scratchy sounding
Some foil sounds solid with a scratch
Modern pulltabs can sound good but have numbers bouncing around
They can also double beep.
I've found a lot of gold ring up as a nickel.
I run pro mode with iron audio up to 40 and off.
Max sensitivity
Good luck!
 
Agree with the above - pro mode zero, but I do not normally disc out any iron. I like the sound better that way - less "clipping" of tones.
 
If you know BH, you will love this machine even more. I agree with what everyone already says. But I think the “Iron Audio” display on OR off is important. BH has no “Iron Audio”. It is new territory to learn. I would leave it off the first few times you hunt till you are comfortable with the machine. Its a on going discussion about how to use it. I leave it off mostly, till I get any high tones, then turn it on. it will isolate the coin sound very well out of all the iron around the coin. When it’s on, you really can hear tons of iron sounds, that some people don’t like to hear all the time. It can be distracting. But it still will isolate and find that clean high tone coin sound out of all that iron chatter. Also,,,, the tone is a different range when audio is on, but I don’t care about the range change. I just know what it does to isolates coins from iron. I still learn all the time. HH
 
Since you already are experienced with a BH, I would jump straight to pro zero. Don't max out sensitivity, I normally run 3 bars down.

I like that reply Jim! Accurate and succinct! That setting WILL find a guy treasures...I run my Pro like this even after 3yrs....I dont even bother ground balancing the thing...deep hunter in all sorts of a mess...
 
Just purchased a new Garrett AT PRO. Any tips for a good smooth start?

Congratulation on the purchase of a very good machine. But only a few minor things to watch...

when and if you change coils do it very carefully. The cable to the control unit is a !!!!! to line up and if you don't do it properly you can bend the pins. same goes for head phone cable. Also FACTORY RESET THE MACHINE every time you change coils.

your next coil should be a 5x8". really enhances a lot of your hunting experiences.

if you beach hunt absolutely take apart shaft and rinse off in fresh water very good. failing to do that several times can get the salt and fine sand to concrete and freeze the twist locks. good news is garrett will give you new twist locks for free. Garrett customer service is the very good.

These were the only complaints I had from using the AT Pro for 3 years. Loved that machine. on any given day, I wished I had not sold it. now have a Nox 800 which is also a great machine, but oh my, you do have to really know your stuff to get the most out of the 800 and quiet it down. enough about the 800, this is an AT Pro post.
 
Another question on my ATP

So if you want to find a missing gold ring what is the best setting?
 
So if you want to find a missing gold ring what is the best setting?
Any setting that doesn't discriminate out anything above 45 or so, depending on how large the ring is. I've been beeping the AT Max for about 7 months and have found 4 gold rings so far. They ranged from 49 to 61 on the VDI, all signals I wouldn't dig in the first several months that I was detecting.

You have to dig every signal above 50...not every solid signal above 50...every signal above 50. I dug a nice, but plain, 14k wedding band recently that was jumpy from 53 up into the 70s. I found the ring first, got excited after cleaning it off and seeing the hallmark, and flipped the plug back into the hole. Rescanning, there was a squashed 1/2 of an aluminum can about 2 inches under where I found the ring, which was kicking the jumpy signal up out of the 50s.

You will dig a ton of trash using that strategy, I promise. But finding just one gold ring will make it worthwhile.
 
Any setting that doesn't discriminate out anything above 45 or so, depending on how large the ring is. I've been beeping the AT Max for about 7 months and have found 4 gold rings so far. They ranged from 49 to 61 on the VDI, all signals I wouldn't dig in the first several months that I was detecting.

You have to dig every signal above 50...not every solid signal above 50...every signal above 50. I dug a nice, but plain, 14k wedding band recently that was jumpy from 53 up into the 70s. I found the ring first, got excited after cleaning it off and seeing the hallmark, and flipped the plug back into the hole. Rescanning, there was a squashed 1/2 of an aluminum can about 2 inches under where I found the ring, which was kicking the jumpy signal up out of the 50s.

You will dig a ton of trash using that strategy, I promise. But finding just one gold ring will make it worthwhile.

Agree, I have found that most wedding bands I have found came in at 50-53, the two large 10k school rings came in 70-72 same as zink, my small bands 14k were in the 45-49 range.
 
I found a 10k gold ring with a ruby (or garnet...I don't know diddly about gemstones) with 8 diamonds around it yesterday at about 3 inches. Size 4...first ring that I've found with the size next to the maker's mark. The thing was dinging the AT Max at a solid 46. I almost didn't dig it, because I had already dug dozens of small pieces of can slaw in the general area. But I had dug a jumpy 46-48 junk ring recently, so I popped a plug and found this thing. I still have never found any gold pendants or charms, and have no idea what they would look like on my machine's VDI...I imagine low 40s or high 30s. But if I started digging every signal in that range, I'd never get anything accomplished. My ring finding has taken off since I've been digging all (or most, to be honest...I get lazy and tired) signals 45 and above. Up to 31 rings and 5 gold...
 
I like to run my at pro in pro custom. That way you can set the iron disc at whatever you prefer then when you turn your machine of it remembers where you had it set. I’m bad about turning the machine off while I’m diggin targets. My tip dig any sound that repeats above 40. Don’t trust vdi numbers, soil condition and depth can change the vdi readings you get. If it’s deep enough you’ll lose all vdi readings.
 
It ALL DEPENDS....... That is detecting. A park has one setting, A field searching for Civil War relics is a whole different game. Read the instructions, Start simple.
 
Definitely use Pro zero and listen to the tones...they make a huge difference. Set your iron disc to about 30 or so (it's what I do at least) to filter out a lot of the iron.

Dig as much as you can reasonably do, and make sure you remember the tones.

very good advice. AT Pro is a sweet machine so easy to learn and so dependable. Get the 5x8" coil as soon as possible. you will love it.
 
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