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® OWNER’S MANUAL If you do not have prior experience with a metal detector, we strongly recommend that you: 1) Adjust the Gain to a low setting in the event false signals. Always begin use at a reduced Gain level; increase Gain only after have become...
Ground Balancing is the ability of the detector to ignore, or "see through" the GROUND B L NCE earth’s naturally occurring minerals, and only sound a tone when a metal object is detected. The Gold Bug incorporates proprietary circuitry and ®...
ASSEMBLY Adjusting the Armrest The armrest may be moved forward or backward by removing the single screw and nut, and then repositioning the 2-piece armrest. Users with shorter arms may find the armrest more comfortable in the forward position. In order to move the armrest backward, the plastic plug must be removed from the aluminum tube.
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ASSEMBLY Caution: Forcing in MIDDLe STeM with CAM LOCK raised may form a burr on camlock. If this happens, remove LOCKING burr with knife to allow insertion. COLLAR Assembly is easy and INTERNAL requires no tools. CAM LOCK SILVER BUTTON Position S-rod upright.
BATTERIES A 3-segment battery indicator at the bottom of the display indicates the battery condition. The detector requires a single 9-volt ALKALINE battery. Do not use ordinary zinc carbon batteries. Do not use “Heavy Duty” batteries. rechargeable batteries can also be used. If you wish to use rechargeable batteries, we recommend using a Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable battery.
QUICK-START DEMONSTRATION Supplies Needed • a Nail • a Zinc Penny (dated after 1982) • a Nickel • a Quarter Position the Detector a. Place the detector on a table, with the searchcoil hanging over the edge. Or better, have a friend hold the detector, with the searchcoil off the ground.
Interference (eMI) emitted from other electrical devices. Use with headphones (not included) The Gold Bug is equipped with a 1/4” headphone jack. Any headphones with a ® stereo plug will work; headphones with a mono plug will not work. Using headphones extends battery life, and also prevents the sounds from bothering bystanders.
4. estimating the size and depth of objects to facilitate digging them up. 5. eliminating the effects of electromagnetic Interference (eMI) from other electronic devices. Your Gold Bug metal detector is designed with these things in mind. ® All soils contain minerals. Signals from ground minerals can interfere with 1.
THE BASICS OF METAL DETECTING If searching for coins, you want to ignore items like aluminum foil, nails and 2. Trash pull-tabs. These undesirable items are generally identified toward the lower end of the 0-100 scale. You can listen to the sounds of all objects detected, and decide on what you want to dig up.
OPERATION & CONTROLS NOTE: Immediately after powering on, your detector's unique 10-digit serial POWERING UP number is displayed once on the LCD. Two digits are displayed at a time; five 2-digit numbers are displayed in sequence. This 10-digit serial number is the same serial number imprinted on the label inside the battery compartment.
CONTROL PANEL CONTROL KNOBS: a. Click right to turn on. Click left to turn off. 1. OFF/ON/G IN b. Turning the knob clockwise increases the detector’s sensitivity; the higher the sensitivity, the deeper targets will be detected, and the more likely the detector will be to detect very small targets.
CONTROL PANEL “Gain” increases, or multiplies, the strength of signals from buried metal objects. G IN versus THRESHOLD For maximum detection of the smallest or most deeply buried objects, increase the Gain. To minimize the weakest signals, reduce the Gain. “Threshold”...
Interference (eMI). Unwanted Noise The Gold Bug is a highly sensitive device. ® It is intended for use outdoors. Indoor operation will subject it to interference from a wide variety of devices in the home or office.
OPERATING IN ALL METAL MODE Most gold prospecting and relic hunting is done by ear. Listen for the louder sounds, Reading the Display riding on top of the constant background hum. As you sweep the searchcoil, notice the Fe (iron oxide) scale to the left of the display.
OPERATING IN DISCRIMINATION MODE Discrimination is used to eliminate trash metal objects (e.g. nails, foil, pull-tabs) from detection. The searchcoil must be in motion to detect metal. The Discrimination Mode is less sensitive to small and deep objects than the All Metal Mode. This feature is not available in Discrimination Mode.
OPERATING IN DISCRIMINATION MODE Press-and-Hold the Pinpoint button to narrow down the location of a buried metal object. Using PINPOINT Pinpoint is a mode of detection which does not require the searchcoil to be in motion. A motionless searchcoil held over a metal object will induce a hum; volume and pitch of the hum increase with target strength.
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OPERATING IN DISCRIMINATION MODE – In Discrimination Mode, pressing will change two detection parameters: 1. Tone Identification 2. Target elimination As the level of discrimination changes, the target segments along the arc on the screen will be displayed in one of three states: 1.
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This value and higher will induce a HIGH tone This discrimination interface for the Gold Bug was designed especially for relic-hunting. relic hunters want control over what sizes of iron are detected, and also control over ® which targets are detected with a low-tone. Target values of 40 or less are ferrous.
GROUND BALANCING What is Ground Balancing? Why do I need to Ground Balance? All soils contain minerals. Signals from ground minerals are often tens or hundreds of times stronger than a buried metal object. The magnetism of iron minerals, found in nearly all soils, causes one type of interfering signal.
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GROUND BALANCING Understanding ground conditions assists the user in setting up the machine, knowing when to readjust ground balance, and in understanding the responses of the machine while searching. This detector displays two kinds of ground data: 1. The type of mineralization (which affects where the ground phase should be set).
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GROUND BALANCING The goal of the Ground Balancing procedure is to eliminate the sound as the searchcoil is being pumped over the ground. In some soils, the sound is not completely eliminated. If the ground balance adjustment is incorrect, there will be a difference in the sound as the searchcoil is either moving toward or away from the ground.
GROUND BALANCING -Technical Info BARGRAPH The Fe 7-segment bar graph indicates the amount of ground mineralization, independent of type, expressed as an equivalent volume concentration of magnetite (Fe ). It updates every second. It is sensitive to motion and will give the most accurate readings if you pump the searchcoil up and down several times over the ground.
With experience in the field, you will recognize many types of metal objects by their When a target is detected, the Gold Bug UDIO FEEDB CK numeric value. ® will respond with two types of sound: OBJECT...
GOLD PROSPECTING In the United States, gold is found in many places in the western states, Alaska, and in a few localities in the Appalachians. The old saying "Gold is where you find it," means that to find gold, you should look in areas where the yellow metal is known to be present.
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GOLD PROSPECTING Because most gold nuggets are tiny, and are usually found in soil which is high in iron oxide minerals, serious gold prospecting requires a detector with high sensitivity and true ground balanced All Metal operation. run the machine with the sensitivity high enough to hear some noise from ground minerals, and learn the language of the sounds you hear.
HOT ROCKS A hot rock is a rock which causes the metal detector to sound off because the rock contains iron minerals. They come in two basic types. Negative hot rocks (also called cold rocks) are usually magnetite or contain magnetite, and give a negative response because their ground balance value is a higher number than the soil they are found in.
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE (EMI) You are likely to encounter electromagnetic Interference (eMI) when using your Gold metal detector. It is important that you recognize eMI and take appropriate ® measures to deal with it. This will prevent you from giving up on a worthwhile search site, or from returning a properly functioning detector for repair.
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ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE (EMI) eMI is usually easier to control in the All Metal Mode than in the Discrimination Mode. On the Gold Bug , setting the discrimination level between 60 and 70 will usually reduce ® interference. In the Discrimination Mode, the detector may chatter if the searchcoil is...
SEARCH TECHNIQUES Target Verification After detecting a target, do the following: WrONG 1. Walk around the target in a circle. 2. While circling target, continue sweeping searchcoil across the target. 3. Sweep once every 30° or 40° of COrreCT the circle. If the tone does not change and the Target-ID value is consistent as you circle the...
TARGET PINPOINTING After you have identified a target using Discrimination Mode, press-and-hold the PINPOINT button to identify the target’s exact location. This technique can yield more information about the target’s shape and size and also find its exact location to facilitate extraction. Pinpoint as follows: 1.
With the purchase of an 11” DD searchcoil, you can bring more power to your coin-shooting and relic- hunting searches. The standard 5” Gold Bug searchcoil is engineered for precision and is best at ®...
Liability under this Warranty is limited to replacing or repairing, at our option, the metal detector returned, shipping cost prepaid to Fisher Labs. Shipping cost to Fisher Labs is the responsibility of the consumer. To return your detector for service, please first contact Fisher Labs for a return Authorization (rA) Number.
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According to FCC part 15.21 Changes or Modifications made to this device not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the users authority to operate this equipment. This device complies with FCC Part 15 Subpart B Section 15.109 Class B. This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt rSS standard(s).
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All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or parts thereof, in any form. Published by Fisher Research Labs, Inc. Fisher ® is a registered trademark of Fisher Research Labs, Inc. www.fisherlab.com 1465 Henry Brennan Dr., El Paso, TX 79936 • (915) 225-0333 GOLD PROSPECTING ORGANIZATIONS www.goldprospectors.org...
® Rugged double stitched construction. Includes handy exterior pocket for extra batteries or small accessories. – 103693000C Fisher Camo Backpack ® Large camouflage and black with Fisher logo. – FCBACKPACK ® Fisher Camo Pouch ® Camo pouch with two inside pockets, belt included. – PCH-F...