Attention NEW F2 owners.

Coin Machine

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
499
Location
NW Indiana
Yes..I'm a nOOb, but I'm also very technical orientated.

After dealing with my new F2 and it's problems and talking with Fisher several times I thought I'd share the info..in one thread.

My F2 came just last Friday..not long ago, just a few short days.
That day I put it together and took it out to a local park. Its a BIG park, no power lines, no underground electric that I know about.
I gave up after 20 minutes.
On it's lowest sensitivity setting it was going "nuts." As in sounding signals fast, very fast random patterns...but a pattern non-the-less.no matter were I was or what I was doing. Nothing would stop it other than powering it off.

The next day I went back to the same park, same area and it worked great, for about 30 minutes, then it started going "nuts" again. This time, during the working period, I noticed it would signal when sweeping from right to left..just at the beginning of the arc.

The F2 is designed to signal multiple targets fast, and it will signal a "mixed" target using different sounds too.....so having an F2 sound two or more signals/targets can be normal.
Signaling EMIs is normal too. But my F2 would go "nuts", and NOT stop, when there wasn't any known EMI or targets of any kind...then after a period of time..it would just stop, and all would be well...for a while, then repeat. This was repeated in my back yard as well.

I met a forum member at the park too, he has a Garrett. Mine was going NUTS, and his was silent. He just shook his head.
I was out today and the F2 worked GREAT....until the last few minutes when it went NUTS again..and wasn't stopping. I was getting hot anyway so I quit.

So...I called fisher and spoke with Felix. He transferred me to David, their Tech guy. I stated I had two issues.
After telling him about the F2 going NUTS...he stopped me and asked if I was getting signals while sweeping, but just in one direction..that's when I started telling him about the signals I would get when sweeping right to left and getting hits at the arc of the sweep.
David stated...and I'll quote. "Yeh, we're getting some bad ones."
Then David transferred me back to Felix to get a replacement ordered.

So, new F2 owners....if your MD randomly goes NUTS..and you're sure its not trash or multiple targets and/or you're getting signals at the arc of your sweep..you may have a known "issue" with your unit.
Before calling...here's a short checklist.
Possible EMI?
Possible trash?
Possible multi targets?
Lose the cell phone in your pocket.
Are the batteries NEW...replace with new regardless if it came with a set.
The coil cable needs to be wrapped LIGHTLY around the pole..not to tight but not too loose to be able to move.
The coil wire needs to be tight in the head unit. It's hard to get tight as there's not much finger room...bad design.

So..I hope I've relayed the info in a nice and easy way to understand.
The F2 is a GREAT MD, when it works. EVERY place makes a bad unit once in a while, it happens.

I hope this helps.
 
Great advice to F2 users!! I dont own one but I am going to get one for my dad so when he comes to town we can hunt. Thanks,
HH,
AFMIKE
 
Great advice i bought mine used so its an older model and has no problems luckly besides while swinging the battery meter will jump around so I never know my current bat level.
 
good to know, my f2 does sound off once and a wile on the swing but not enough to make me returne it. thanks for the info.

Could be your coil wire is wrapped TOO tight....pulling on itself during the swing...esp. at the arc. make sure it has "wiggle room'
 
Thanks for your post... I've been thinking of buying one.. I'll follow this post while deciding..
 
Thanks for your post... I've been thinking of buying one.. I'll follow this post while deciding..

Don't get me wrong. The F2 is an outstanding MD, esp considering the price.
EVERY manufacturer, including ME, will occasionally make a mistake. It happens.
There are many. many posts here about the virtues of the F2, thats why I bought one...I just got a "bad" one.

It s all good. :)
 
Where is "the arc of the sweep"?

Sorry to have to ask but I'm new and the language is not yet second nature to me yet. I am considering an F2 purchase within the next few days and I want to be sure I understand how to recognize this issue.

You said you were "getting hits at the arc of the sweep". Is that at the middle point of the sweep or is it at the end point as you finish the sweep.

Thanks for the heads up!
 
air test alot of differant targets, use a paint stick or something you can put more targets on one stick. the f2 can drive you crazy untill you learn to seperate targets but its a great md
 
Welcome

Welcome from Lake Dallas Texas. I am asking anyone new to MD to Please Read "The Treasure Hunters Code of Ethics", and to Please learn to cut Flaps/Plugs and to be sure you know proper digging and REPAIR Techniques! Please use Shovels only in the Woods or Farm fields, Please Don't Dig in Sports fields During Season, And Don"t Leave any debris or scrap at a search site! Realize everything you do now Reflects on our Hobby and on MDers everywhere!!! Please make the effort to be an Asset not a Liability!!! Good Luck and Happy Hunting..... :biker: :signals: :digginahole: :biker:
 
When they are good, they are GREAT

Just bought a F2 a few months ago, and it's GREAT! It's quite versatile and recovery from a previous target is FAST! It will indicate multiple targets with VERY little target separation. Sometimes all you can do is wiggle the coil to keep on the repeating target you want, because something else is hiding it. Something discriminated out for instance. Where I am, if I don't disc. iron out, it sounds like a day at the rifle range with so many iron targets. I have had no interference with my cell phone, and am even using a FM transmitter to go wireless, w/o issues.
It's quite sensitive. I had it correctly locate a tiny silver cross that was only 1/4" tall and thin like heavy paper. It was down about 5 inches.
Don't be afraid to buy a F2. Sure, there are bad items produced by any company. Folks considering a F2 will probably find it more capable than guys like me with little experience can handle at first. Just be sure to get the connector tight and secure the cable. I use a small pair of tapered nose pliers. I can't get it tight by hand. Listen to the machine. Pay attention to it's subtle changes in tones. It will tell you a lot.
 
Just bought a F2 a few months ago, and it's GREAT! It's quite versatile and recovery from a previous target is FAST! It will indicate multiple targets with VERY little target separation. Sometimes all you can do is wiggle the coil to keep on the repeating target you want, because something else is hiding it. Something discriminated out for instance. Where I am, if I don't disc. iron out, it sounds like a day at the rifle range with so many iron targets. I have had no interference with my cell phone, and am even using a FM transmitter to go wireless, w/o issues.
It's quite sensitive. I had it correctly locate a tiny silver cross that was only 1/4" tall and thin like heavy paper. It was down about 5 inches.
Don't be afraid to buy a F2. Sure, there are bad items produced by any company. Folks considering a F2 will probably find it more capable than guys like me with little experience can handle at first. Just be sure to get the connector tight and secure the cable. I use a small pair of tapered nose pliers. I can't get it tight by hand. Listen to the machine. Pay attention to it's subtle changes in tones. It will tell you a lot.
what coil are you using? DD?
 
I have 3 coils for it. It came as a package with a 4" and a 8" concentric. I also have a 11" double-d. The double-d is my favorite, but I use them all when appropriate. The double-d is kind of like using a broom with it's wide swath that it covers. Lots of multiple target indications unless you are in the woods.
Not having much experience, the multiple targets can be a challenge to interperate. (But I'm catching on to the tone variations and rapid changing VDI numbers.)
 
Sorry to have to ask but I'm new and the language is not yet second nature to me yet. I am considering an F2 purchase within the next few days and I want to be sure I understand how to recognize this issue.

You said you were "getting hits at the arc of the sweep". Is that at the middle point of the sweep or is it at the end point as you finish the sweep.

Thanks for the heads up!

Mine was going from right to left...just at the start of the sweep.
 
Sounds like a cold solder joint.
More likely a loose shaft (wobbling), tipping the edge of the coil up at the end/beginning of the swing, tapping the ground at the end/beginning of the swing, or near enough to a large conductor (fence, steel building, gas line, etc...) on that side.
 
The Fisher rep said "we're getting some bad ones". So, that brings to mind (at least to me), that they are having mfr. problems. In mass produced electronics, soldering is one of the most troublesome aspects. Cold joints can give intermittent problems that will drive you nuts. JMHO
Fortunately, some touch up with a soldering iron and a little solder fixes it easily.
 
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