ON THE HORIZON = MDT-8000

Got a question on GB if anyone can answer. Manual says auto GB put the coil 1 inch above the ground hold the GB button and raise to 4-5 inches above the ground and release button. Just a few posts back it says hold the coil 10 inches above the ground push the GB button lower to 1 inch above the ground and release. Which one is it? or will either work? I've been doping what the manual says.But the later actually makes more sense IMO.

SN, thanks for the tip. I must have skipped over page 21 where is says to set the salinity at 27. That is very helpful.

.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2019 11:22PM by Badger in NH.

Badger in NH Wrote:
--
>
> My beaches are wet salt. I didn't think it necessa
> ry to specify because 99% of the time, wet sand me
> ans wet salt to most people.
>
> My question now is where/how do I ground balance i
> f the beach has no dry sand?
>
> This video shows one of the beaches we detect in N
> H. In the summer the sand is three or four feet de
> ep here. In the winter it's mostly rocks. Awesome
> ring find at 7:30. [youtu.be]
>
> The diamond turned out to be real.
>
>
Hi badger,
Been enjoying your videos, amazing amount of gold and ‘silva’ under those rocks, here in Florida East Coast we’d love to have a beach producing gold and old silver that consistently.
I would think you could try to ground balance over some dry sand on any approach to the beach, and use that for your ground balance setting. Tom suggested I run with the presets in the manual for the first three or four trips out and even though I never moved the ground balance or salt balance after setting them, the 8000 ran remarkably great. As Tom told me, you shouldn’t really have to adjust it every time you go out, it will hold the settings for you.
Personally I run without the coil cover on our sandy beach, but on the rock covered beach like yours I’m not sure I would suggest that.
There are so many nice features I could mention about the 8000 besides depth (like battery life and excellent target ID even at depth) but since it’s mentioned so frequently I can say I am finding Nickels and other targets at depths that I never found with the Nox 800 (18khz). I’m still learning like everyone else is here, but I know that I’m liking the 8000 more each time I take it out.

Badger in NH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SN, thanks for the tip. I must have skipped over p
> age 21 where is says to set the salinity at 27. Th
> at is very helpful.
>
> .

Just for fun, I’ve tried to manually balance salt right at the waters edge, and it’s still settled at 25.

Gary in Daytona Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi badger,
> Been enjoying your videos, amazing amount of gold
> and ‘silva’ under those rocks, here in Florida Eas
> t Coast we’d love to have a beach producing gold a
> nd old silver that consistently.
> I would think you could try to ground balance over
> some dry sand on any approach to the beach, and us
> e that for your ground balance setting. Tom sugges
> ted I run with the presets in the manual for the f
> irst three or four trips out and even though I nev
> er moved the ground balance or salt balance after
> setting them, the 8000 ran remarkably great. As To
> m told me, you shouldn’t really have to adjust it
> every time you go out, it will hold the settings f
> or you.
> Personally I run without the coil cover on our san
> dy beach, but on the rock covered beach like yours
> I’m not sure I would suggest that.
> There are so many nice features I could mention ab
> out the 8000 besides depth (like battery life and
> excellent target ID even at depth) but since it’s
> mentioned so frequently I can say I am finding Nic
> kels and other targets at depths that I never foun
> d with the Nox 800 (18khz). I’m still learning lik
> e everyone else is here, but I know that I’m likin
> g the 8000 more each time I take it out.


Hi Gary, thanks. That's good info. Just what I wanted to hear. Sounds like you're getting good performance.

.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2019 11:41PM by Badger in NH.

Yes...… you can run the Tarsacci without a coil cover...… as long as there are no jagged rocks. Yes...….. I run the Tarsacci without a coil cover.

As far as Grnd Balancing the Tarsacci…. by 'pulling' the coil from the sand...……. or by lowering the coil to the sand; both methods work. On my beaches...… I have yet to see a delta/difference with either method.

I will be in Ft. Lauderdale next week with the Tarsacci to see if it likes the Atlantic as much as the Pacific.

Past(or)Tom
Using a Legend, a Deus 2, an Equinox 800, a Tarsacci MDT 8000, & a few others...
with my beloved, fading Corgi, Sadie

Friend sent me auxillary external speaker for unit.
[m.youtube.com]

Here’s pic of box for better view.

Not meant to be submerged.

Waterproof rating IPX5. User’s guide says unit with rating seen here, it can survive splashes up tto 12.5 liters per minute for up to 3 minutes.
Model # BB730

Forgot to say. Unit provides a way so cord can be routed and a user could wear around neck and then if they are doing a video unplug from headphones and plug into external speaker. This wearing around neck would allow speaker to be closer to camera worn on head. In a noisier environment might allow tone(s) to be heard better in video.

This speaker could be used with other detectors when videoing too. Especially on windier days.

Here is someone else’s box opening video. Seems you get the charging cable and one other cable.
[m.youtube.com]



Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2019 10:12PM by tnsharpshooter.

Had a short time to post yesterday but wanted to mention the settings on the hunt I was on yesterday with the deep nickels. We found them in an area about 100yrds long that had noticeable EMI and had to change settings but didn't seem to lose depth on the Tarsacci. Hard to explain in mix mode. Nickels and tabs seem to have a hard blaring tone to them. Easy to hear even deep and the aluminum shards have less of a clarity almost rough sounding. I played around and was able to get Freq. 18 salt 27 GB 647 Sens 5 Threshold -4 to hum. Quite and nickels I found so green thay are toast. Not sure if Jefferson or what they are but sure nickels. Pennies looked like rocks with barnacles so thick so picking up what's not been seen. Real close to start digging only in mix as it has a lot of nuance and if you only want to dig a "clean" high low tone pretty sure you got the ring range covered. I still dig coins because of the silvery jewelry but beginning to have the confidence of the option. Still have to mention no shoulder strain. Can't tell you how not having a nose heavy machine and less weight has saved me a lot of discomfort and Advil. HH JR

As Daniel said in an earlier post we tested the Tarsacci on his bullet field a few days ago with what I would call mixed results. Due to my lack of experience with it in "real world" scenarios and subsequent conversations with both Tom and Dimitar I'm not going to say much more than that about this hunt at this time. I'll fill in the details after I've got a better feel for why things happened the way they did.

When I got back from the hunt I PM'd Tom about my findings and he put me in touch with Dimitar. As a consumer I can say that Dimitar is the kind of guy that you want in charge of any company whose product(s) you buy. He is genuinely interested in any honest feedback, both positive and negative, his customers have to offer. He also comes across as the kind of guy that values a firm handshake and a man's word over a signed contract. That kind of old school attitude/integrity is sadly all to rare in the "modern" world we live in.

We spent quite a bit of time going over the ground conditions, sweep speeds, settings used and how changing them affected the feedback I got from the Tarsacci as well as the results Daniel and Alan got using their GPXs. Dimitar isn't just an engineer that designs detectors. He's a coin and relic hunter that's lucky enough to get payed to design some of equipment uses in his hobby. He was very open about not only the advantages the Tarsacci has over other detectors in some scenarios but also it's disadvantages in others.

He asked me to ship the detector back to Ca. so he can verify it's performance and tweak it if necessary then return it to me (all on his dime) to test again in my red clay and Daniel's HIGHLY mineralized ground then report the results back to him and go from there. That's great customer service and just plain old good business. I'll post our findings here as the process unfolds.

I also want to thank Daniel for having me out and I look forward to doing it again after I get the Tarsacci back.

Chris

Badger asked about how the Tarsacci handles hot rocks. Dimitar brought that up in our last conversation. He said that you should use the Salt setting to salt balance the detector to the hot rock. Apparently doing so doesn't simply filter out the hot rock, it renders the hot rock nonexistent to the detector.

Let me post an addition to what Chris said and make it clear what our objective was.

When we were testing the other day, the intent was not to do a versus style thing between the detectors. The objective is to simply use a machine we know well to locate targets with and then take whatever machine we are testing to see if we can dial it in on known marked targets. In this case, its American Civil War bullets that range in depth from 5 to 16 inches deep in some pretty rough ground. The average depth of them is about 6 to 7 inches. Often times with most VLF machines, even the shallower bullets will go undetected and or give an all iron report. That is what we were doing. We weren't expecting a machine with a small 8x11 biaxle coil to depth match a GPX with 15" round coil. I was more interested to see if it behaved similar to the CoinStrike and how it compared to a Nox in that kind of ground.

In some ways it is very similar to the C$. Especially the threshold and ground balance procedure. But apart from that, that's where the differences start to show. We weren't 100% sure if we were setting the machine to its fullest potential either. That's why you didn't see video footage or a big post about the hunt. Chris wanted to cover all the bases...that's what engineers do I reckon...and do more follow up testing. The ground was also super saturated from all the rain. I checked my game cameras the other day and instead of deer in the pics, I had a 80 lb catfish haha.

Chris Woods Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Badger asked about how the Tarsacci handles hot ro
> cks. Dimitar brought that up in our last conversat
> ion. He said that you should use the Salt setting
> to salt balance the detector to the hot rock. Appa
> rently doing so doesn't simply filter out the hot
> rock, it renders the hot rock nonexistent to the d
> etector.


Thanks Chris, I'll have to remember that. The rocky beach cuts we've been detecting are full of hot rocks and so are some of our colonial cornfields. This might be the edge I need. Can't wait to try it. My 8000 is arriving today!

.

Several random thoughts/comments:

* I'm quite surprised at the learning-curve of several folks..... due to this 'different' detector.
Recently...… I had a somewhat humorous and fascinating conversation with a new MDT owner. He claimed that his unit was 'breaking-in' properly. When he first started detecting with it...… it would acquire a Nickel at 11". Then..... about a week later..... ((and his unit was 'breaking-in' properly))..... and could (now) go 12" on a Nickel. Today...… his unit is "fully broke-in"...… and can get 14" deep Nickels! Then his question: "Will it break-in any further". (((Sounds like aging wine!))). He has NOT changed any settings (yet)…… through this entire evolutionary process. (((What this exactly means to me is: He as {subconsciously} improved coil-control..... and (secondarily) increased his understanding of the audio))).
Which brings me to trigger you guys to the next level of performance:
IF you have (at minimum) 35-hours of run-time with the MDT (in particular: on the wet-salt beach)...… and you are 'use to' the performance of Thresh -2 and Sens 8.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., now...………. lets progress to the next level. Drop Sens to '6'...…. but raise Thresh to '-1'. As your unsuspecting subconscious mind 'recalibrates' to these new settings (it's going to take some time)...….. and you acquire a fair amount of skill-set with these settings; you may then want o raise Sens to '7'. ……….. Then...……. Sens to '8'. NOT to be taken for granted: It's going to take some time (read: experience) to gain the next level of performance ...…. by virtue of these new settings. . . . . . more than suspected.

* The MDT was not designed to compete with a PI. This is apples-to-oranges. And...…. then to add a 15" coil on a PI...…. is really multiple apples away from the orange. BUT..... using a PI in this config..... to locate targets for testing purposes..... is a good idea. The MDT will fall short of PI performance in the severest mineralization …. Culpeper-like dirt.

* The findings from MDT users (thus far)….. in regards to mineralization: MDT does well in bad dirt. MDT not so good in severest Culpeper-like dirt. (There's software & a special coil for MDT that may be better suited for severe mineralization; yet, still not at the level of PI).

It makes me wonder if you can have sens. to high when doing salt balance. While 7 is recommended could in some causes it might be better to back down to say 5 and SB. With 0, -1 being the ideal setting it appears to appoint you cut the sens back and only bring the threshold down if a small drop in sens noise remains then a threshold drop would be in line to keep sens up as reasonable possible without over powering it.
I'm becoming to really like mix mode and the info I can get from it with out looking at the dial. I start out cutting disc down to -30 Not all the good targets are going to read 100% all on the positive side. I believe I remember a story Tom told about missing a Rolex but anyway I can tell a lot about what's there. AM then lot of iron and just a touch of high is going to be iron. AM some iron but a high low, high tone seems to be a bottle cap or other trash. So far I'm seeing a AM and a solid tone is a better target and pop tabs or large aluminum. Getting good at calling what's coming out of hole but still can get fooled. Still digging all but iron.
Has anyone found in air testing if any gold target sends ID above 15? All gold I have stays in the low conductor range.

Found my first gold ring on beach yesterday with the Tarsacci. ID was 3-4. Very small 14k gold perhaps baby ring approx. 1 gr. at 6-7”. Beaches have been bad lately, but I found a little spot with numerous targets, fun digging for a while.
I was running 18khz, threshold -1 and sens. 7. Yup, it is a little chatty at those settings, but can be kept to a minimum with smooth, even coil control. For me personally, these settings make you feel like you’re running the detector optimally. Most of you guys know what I mean. Targets you weren’t hearing before now being heard - you’re in the zone, with just you, the detector and the ground. Oh BTW, I rarely have to change from the 500/27 settings for GB / Salt as recommended in the manual as there is no mineralization here.
Usually I run in AM on the beach until I get into too much iron trash targets like flake iron, nails, screws and tent stakes, then either switch to Mix or more likely Disc. for a break in the amount of audio translations required. Haven’t noticed any loss of depth and these modes.
Thus far, In AM, literally every target I’ve dug which had NO positive ID numbers have been ferrous junk, many identifiable by the negative number or range displayed. If the Tarsacci reports some (or obviously all) positive IDs while IDing the target, I dig it. This has resulted in some deep coins (junk) jewelry and fishing tackle, etc. Yup, still digging an old corroded bottle cap at times too. As with a lot of top detectors, the more I use the Tarsacci, the more I realize what it’s been telling me all along.
Disclaimer - your mileage may vary in your area...

Congrats on the ring. Trying to get out today.

Platinum ladies setting with 3 diamonds and 4 emeralds! Small but 4.5g. Faint but clear tone with steady 9,10 ID. Mixed mode. Can tell you it was at least 6" in the wet sand. At the base of the slope in a cut with moving water. Winds moved some sand around at the beach and it uncovered some corroded targets. Steep slope and then a shell base for days. May be gone tomorrow but hit lots of weights and some with the wire corroded off them. Also a Tungsten ring that had barnacles on it. Been there awhile. 50 caliber cartridge from WW2. Got to get some pictures on here. 3.5hrs today and over 14 more and still has 3 on battery bars and no arm fatigue.

Outstanding finds ShovelNose. I've got to figure out how to convince my wife to move to the beach.

Wow John. Congrat's! Would like to see the ring next to a penny or dime. Were you on 18-Khz?

Thanks guys. 18k SB23 GB 523 Sens 7 Thrs. -1 disc 0. Coil control was necessary as the coil would false if touches sand in the swing. Smooth and steady. My first platinum ring. I will be working on pic with penny this morning and it is the same diameter as a penny. I will have it looked at by a jeweler sometime today. I'm not sure if wedding band or just reg. ring. I'm posting on SC Dirt Diggers FB page and Palmetto Metal detecting page.
Just wanted to mention how easy the controls are to use and navigate around when needed. The main thing is understanding how the setting can effect the others. While coil control is always necessary the higher the sens the more important it becomes to keep it from giving false signal by hitting sand in swing. When I pick up the E Trac it feels like I lifting a brick. I expected my right shoulder to still be sore from swinging but I get no arm pain in the area you would get rotor cuff tear when swinging the 8000 like I did with almost all of the MDs I have swung in the past.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2019 01:25PM by ShovelNose.

Congratulations Shovelnose, awesome recovery, yeah I’m trying to figure out the pictures on this site too. I think some use tiny pics. Hopefully we can continue to compare notes on the Tarsacci as we learn. Yesterday was silver day. Along with the usual crusty coins and flotsam and jetsam, found a couple of silver ‘rings’ and a silver chain at 10+” - all in 18khz! I think I sliced the chain into three while digging it, will see about posting a pictures of those too.

Gary in Daytona Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Congratulations Shovelnose, awesome recovery, yeah
> I’m trying to figure out the pictures on this site
> too. I think some use tiny pics. Hopefully we can
> continue to compare notes on the Tarsacci as we le
> arn. Yesterday was silver day. Along with the usu
> al crusty coins and flotsam and jetsam, found a co
> uple of silver ‘rings’ and a silver chain at 10+”
> - all in 18khz! I think I sliced the chain into t
> hree while digging it, will see about posting a pi
> ctures of those too.


Posting pics.
I use tinypic.com.
Create account.
Load your pic
Select size
Upload
Then select all the info in url box for forums and message boards.
Copy and past that info here in your thread.
A preview of your post here will reveal your pic if you want to verify before posting your pic final.
Then post.
Not hard.
Some folks here use other sites to do like flicker.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2019 03:05PM by tnsharpshooter.

As TNSS says, Tiny Pic is a good choice

Go to tinypic.com - if you google it and try another link you might get a sign-in page - it’s not necessary to sign in or join anything - just go to the main webpage.

Also, you may want to choose “resize” and from the drop down menu choose 640x480 - or the “15” screen” choices, this will avoid the pic being too large.

Upload your chosen picture via your camera or photo library. If you get the security page, just type in the words which appear in the bottom of the box.

When it is uploaded, copy the link which says “IMG code...” then just paste that into the post you want to make.

Click preview and see the results before you post.

Here’s an example at the “15” screen” resize setting.

Phoenix is a pretty inexpensive place to live as you can see ...LOL



Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2019 03:56PM by lytle78.

Thanks for the tip. Day from Hades but back in the saddle. Dang 9" scoop works on the back when done oh 50 times or more. Rolling to new spot tomorrow and the temp is up, winds are down and tides are going kind of flat so not a lot of sand movement. Still will be fluid and move if conditions call for it. Got an array of MD's swinging with me tomorrow so could be fun. When the headphones go on we all go our way. We brag at the end!

Put on your glasses!



Target rich environment!. 50 cal. WW 2 cartridge. Used to be a treble hook on that lure! Tungsten ring with barnacles



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2019 12:52AM by ShovelNose.

Here’s the ring I mentioned yesterday and the days finds, small (see group photo) and certainly not in the same category as that platinum beauty above, but it’s gold. Note all the gray matter. You know the detectors functioning well in the mid range when you’re digging these at several inches. The silver chain was at least 8-9 inches and probably was a complete chain before I dug it out. It was not bunched up.







Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2019 02:57AM by Gary in Daytona.

Nice score Shovel.

Just as impressive is the junk. I don't see much if any iron. Small fishing swivels can mimic small gold. Looks like the MDT was humming.

Hard to tell the size of these rings; yet, both appear they would fit on the tip of a mans thumb...……… suggesting about a: Size '6' or a Size '7' ring.

Beautiful finds!!! Congrat's to both of you!
And thanks for posting this (including the trash)...… so as to keep all: publicly educated, publicly announced, and 'above-board'.

Tom..... does anyone have the machine on this side of the Island yet? I like to see whats dug when introducing a new machine..... you can get a feel for conditions and watch the users growth as they learn the machine.