Fisher Research Labs Gold Bug Owner's Manual
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Fisher Research Labs Gold Bug Owner's Manual

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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
signals.
begin use at a reduced
Gain level; increase Gain
only
after
become familiar with the detector.
2) Do not use indoors. This detector is for
outdoor use only.
appliances emit electromagnetic energy,
which can interfere with the detector. If
conducting an indoor demonstration, turn
the Gain down and keep the searchcoil
away from appliances such as computers,
televisions and microwave ovens. If your
detector
appliances and lights.
Also keep the searchcoil away from
objects containing metal, such as
floors and walls.
3) Use a 9-volt ALKALINE battery.
Do not use Heavy Duty Batteries.
of
false
Always
you
have
Many household
beeps
erratically,
®
turn
off

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  • Page 1 ® 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...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ..........4 Terminology .

  • Page 4: Introduction

    Out on your own or with a group, places to use your Gold Bug ®...

  • Page 5: Terminology

    GROUND BALANCE Ground Balancing is the ability of the detector to ignore, or "see through" the earth’s naturally occurring minerals, and only sound a tone when a metal object is detected. The Gold Bug incorporates proprietary circuitry and ® programming to eliminate false signals from severe ground conditions.

  • Page 6: Assembly

    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.
  • Page 7 ASSEMBLY Caution: Forcing in MIDDLE STEM with CAM LOCKING LOCK raised may form a burr on COLLAR camlock. If this happens, remove burr with knife to allow insertion. INTERNAL CAM LOCK Assembly is easy and SILVER BUTTON requires no tools. MIDDLE STEM Position S-Rod upright.

  • Page 8: Batteries

    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.

  • Page 9: Quick-Start Demo

    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.

  • Page 10: Headphones

    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.

  • Page 11: The Basics Of Metal Detecting

    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. ® 1. Ground Minerals All soils contain minerals.

  • Page 12: Trash

    THE BASICS OF METAL DETECTING 2. Trash If searching for coins, you want to ignore items like aluminum foil, nails and 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.

  • Page 13: Operation And Controls

    OPERATION & CONTROLS POWERING UP • Click the left knob to turn the detector ON. • After clicking the knob on, continued clockwise rotation will increase the “sensitivity” in DISC Mode or the “GAIN” in ALL METAL Mode. • We suggest keeping the GAIN below 70 until you become familiar with the detector’s operation.

  • Page 14: Control Panel

    CONTROL PANEL CONTROL KNOBS: 1. OFF/ON/GAIN a. Click right to turn on. Click left to turn off. 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. c.

  • Page 15: Disc / All Metal / Threshold

    CONTROL PANEL GAIN versus THRESHOLD “Gain” increases, or multiplies, the strength of signals from buried metal objects. For maximum detection of the smallest or most deeply buried objects, increase the Gain. To minimize the weakest signals, reduce the Gain. “Threshold” controls the detector’s audio level. Positive threshold values amplify the audio response of weak target signals.

  • Page 16: Operating In All Metal Mode

    Unwanted Noise Read the section on Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). 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.

  • Page 17: Reading The Display

    OPERATING IN ALL METAL MODE Reading the Display Most gold prospecting and relic hunting is done by ear. Listen for the louder sounds, 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.

  • Page 18: Operating In Discrimination Mode

    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. Ground Grab ®...

  • Page 19: Using Pinpoint

    OPERATING IN DISCRIMINATION MODE Using PINPOINT Press-and-Hold the Pinpoint button to narrow down the location of a buried metal object. 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.
  • Page 20 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.
  • Page 21 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.

  • Page 22: Ground Balancing

    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.
  • Page 23 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).
  • Page 24 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.

  • Page 25: Ground Balancing Technical Info

    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.

  • Page 26: Target Display & Audio

    AUDIO FEEDBACK objects by their numeric value. When a target is detected, the Gold Bug ® will respond with two types of sound: foil from gum wrapper 47 - 48 V.C.O. (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) is an audio response U.S.

  • Page 27: Gold Prospecting

    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.
  • Page 28 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.

  • Page 29: Hot Rocks

    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.

  • Page 30: Electromagnetic Interference (Emi)

    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.
  • Page 31 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...

  • Page 32: Search Techniques

    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...

  • Page 33: Target Pinpointing

    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.

  • Page 34: Optional 11"Dd Searchcoil

    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 ®...

  • Page 35: Treasure Hunter's Code Of Ethics

    DEVICE SPECIFICATIONS Mechanical: S-rod with electronics housing on rod, 3-piece breakdown construction, nonmetallic telescoping lower rod, adjustable position arm rest Weight: 2 lbs, 8 oz with battery installed Standard searchcoil: 5 inch (12.7 cm) closed-frame round biaxial, waterproof Batteries: Single 9 volt rectangular alkaline Operating principle: VLF induction balance Operating frequency: 19 kHz, crystal controlled Reactive overload: 10,000 micro-cgs (with standard searchcoil)

  • Page 36: Warranty

    5-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY Register your warranty on-line for a chance to win a For details, visit www.fisherlab.com FREE DETECTOR. The Gold Bug ® metal detector is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for 5 years from the date of purchase to the original owner.
  • Page 37 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).
  • Page 38 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...

  • Page 40: Accessories

    ACCESSORIES Fisher Padded Carry Bag ® 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.

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