How do I use this Whites Goldmaster 3 (GM3)?

[TheIVJackal]

Hello, I was wondering if the community here at MDF could help me out and teach me how to use my GM3. I've read the manual a few times but still cant calibrate it enough to where I think its correct. For example, when I try to ground balance it I end up turning the G.E.B. Coarse knob all the way down. I dont know if that was just the soil I was in (public grass field with irrigation) or if I am not doing something right. How do I know if the V-SAT is right and the Gain and all the other knobs?! I dont get a nice smooth hum when im passing over the ground, it kinda jumps around. I tried to follow the directions in the manual but it still just doesn't feel right. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
- Aaron

[grouser]

huummmmm I think my GMT is simular,,,,, is there little triangles on the dial scale to show yiou suggested starting points?,,,, if so start there with the gain Mine around 8), and vsat( about 3), turn the volume for the thres all the way down then back up again to just an audible tone. Now GB it by raising and lifting the coil off the ground from 1 to 12 inches while turning the GB knob untill you get NO or VERY LITTLE variation in the thres. now swing it and adjust the gain up or down slowly with the vsat adjusments to follow untill you get a steady hummm,,,,, this should find you gold flakes and nuggets when you pass the coil over them,,,,, if you cannot get a steady thres with ANY adjustments them get a friend that knows how to do it or call Whites for help,,,,, hope this helps and good luck !!!

[TheIVJackal]

Thanks for that Grouser. Mine does not have the initial setting triangles but it does mention where to put them in the manual for the initial start. Wen you say "swing it", are you saying to use it how I would if I were scanning the ground? And once I lower the gain to where I get a steady hum, how do I know what Vsat setting to set to? I read somewhere that keeping it low should be good enough for "90%" of the time I use the detector.

[grouser]

yes ,,,, swing the detector over the ground and see how the thres sounds..... if you hold the MD still it should hum steady as a rock with no interferance,,,you want the thres to break and the MD to sound off on gold,,, not every hot rock or mineral in the ground thant's what your adjusting it for


the higher the vsat the less likely you will find samller , tiny flakes of gold I think,,, but have been told not to worry so much about it even if your running as high as 7 or 8. as it still finds little nuggets just fine,,,, mayby not the micro stuff,,, the vsat controls how fast the thres is returned after it has been dixrupted by minerals or ground or other itmes in the ground,,,, so if you have a REALLY slow swing you and the thres is still not steady then bump u the vsat ,,,, if you get reall high with the vsat ( upeer limits like 7,8,9,10,,, then then move the gain dwon a little then lower the vsat,,,,,, a little confussing to explain but use the combination of the two controls keeping in mind the higher the gain the deepr our MD will go, and the vsat needs to be as low as you can go with out losing a steady thres

[TheIVJackal]

When trying to ground balance, I find my self turning the GEB all the way down. This is in the grass at a school but find the same problem at the beach sometimes. Why is it doing that? What am I doing wrong?

[grouser]

well now I don't know what t say,,, I run a GMT and don't have a GEB (what is that?),,,, you need to download a manual or call Whites befor you throw the thing LOL good luck

[TheIVJackal]

So the knob goes from 0 to 10. 0 indicates "Positive ground mineralization (Alkali/Salt)" and 10 is "Negative Ground Mineralization (Iron)". Is this similar to the "discrimination" many of you mention in other threads?
Manual says that if it's doing that, it may be because there is little iron in the ground and to set the GEB control to the middle, doesn't sound very precise to me...