Garrett AT Pro

And I replaced it with the 5 x 8 that everyone here is recommending. Since the vast majority of ATP users seem to prefer the smaller coil I'm wondering why the 5 by 8 is not the default coil that comes on the machine when you buy it.


It's not the default coil because now you have to buy one :)
 
I have had my ATP for a couple of years now and have found I don't use the pinpoint feature at all.

Using the 5x8 coil (which is by far my favorite), once I have a signal I want to dig, I wiggle the coil toward me until the signal fades. That places the target at the tip of the coil. If there are any doubts as to whether this is accurate or if the signal is faint, I will check the spot at a 90 degree angle from my original try. This has been very accurate method for me. Hope this helps on the pinpointing question.
 
Everyone is hunting for silver,and most isn't worth the time it takes to find it.Take that sniper or 5x8 and snag 10 bucks in clad in the trashiest ball field or concession stand,,and go buy a silver half or maybe 2,,with no environment damage.lol
 
Everyone is hunting for silver,and most isn't worth the time it takes to find it.Take that sniper or 5x8 and snag 10 bucks in clad in the trashiest ball field or concession stand,,and go buy a silver half or maybe 2,,with no environment damage.lol

Your aproach takes the fun out of it. It is kinda like saying you should skip fishing and just buy a fish dinner, after all it is cheaper than buying a license and fishing gear. For the amount of money I’ve spent on detecting, i could own a nice stack of gold coins. Instead I have stories and memories that I’ve earned. It is up to each individual which is more valuable. I literally have hundreds of purchased silver coins. Not one of them has an interesting story that I can tell. I have lots of interesting stories about the places I’ve been and the friends I’ve made detecting. I have learned tons of history by listening to stories from the local folks who are eager to tell me Their Story. There isn’t enough clad in the ground anywhere to buy that experience.
 
Your aproach takes the fun out of it. It is kinda like saying you should skip fishing and just buy a fish dinner, after all it is cheaper than buying a license and fishing gear. For the amount of money I’ve spent on detecting, i could own a nice stack of gold coins. Instead I have stories and memories that I’ve earned. It is up to each individual which is more valuable. I literally have hundreds of purchased silver coins. Not one of them has an interesting story that I can tell. I have lots of interesting stories about the places I’ve been and the friends I’ve made detecting. I have learned tons of history by listening to stories from the local folks who are eager to tell me Their Story. There isn’t enough clad in the ground anywhere to buy that experience.

Not to derail the thread, but I have found there are folks on this site that have some profound wisdom. . . maybe more importantly, the communication skills to share it with others.

Got my AT Pro 10 days ago. Logged about 15 hours so far. No MDing experience before this, so no expert. I have the 8.5 x 11 standard coil and have had the same issues with pinpointing. However, in the last two days found two things that work:

1. Audio: I sweep back and forth over the object standing at the 6 and 9 o'clock positions, sweeping slowly towards and away from my body. When audio is the strongest, I mentally mark the center of mass of the coil with a stick, plant, rock or whatever. I then turn the 90 degrees and do the same thing again. Usually the two points intersect.

2. Pointer: For the shallower finds, I turn my pointer on max sensitivity and pinpoint where I need to dig. Super easy, but doesn't always apply.

I've used the pinpoint function a handful of times, but I feel the two methods above are quicker.

Good luck with the AT Pro.
 
On my AT pro I preferred the 5x8 coil because I hunted trashy parks, old home site overgrown with small saplings and it is easier to get in these tight areas and it is lighter so my arm rarely got tired or sore the next day. If I could only have one coil for the AT Pro it would be the 5x8. Bought the NEL thunder and that was not for me. Just had to dig further down for trash and wasted a lot of time digging in dirt full of rocks and roots. For a different type of area like a open field it would be a better fit. Not many open fields available in north atlanta but plenty of asphalt parking lots.
 
And I replaced it with the 5 x 8 that everyone here is recommending. Since the vast majority of ATP users seem to prefer the smaller coil I'm wondering why the 5 by 8 is not the default coil that comes on the machine when you buy it.


If it was the default coil, everyone would be asking why the smaller coil is the default coil? The 8.5 coil is in the medium size range, very popular and does a great job for most types of hunting. As is the case with many situations, there are specific tools that work best for specific jobs. The 5 x 8 coil gets decent depth and excellent separation capabilities. The 8.5 x 11 coil gets better depth. Sometimes getting a new coil is like almost the same as getting a new detector. Garrett has a variety of coils available at a decent price and there are also after market coils available.

https://www.garrett.com/hobbysite/hbby_at_searchcoils_en.aspx
 

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EMI could be causing chatter. Move away from it or lower sensitivity.
Also ground balance. Gotta do it often, note the changes.
I agree with turning 90 degrees after the 1st pinpoint. X marks the spot.

Hope it helps.
GL HH
 
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