ON THE HORIZON = MDT-8000

Spent a great deal of time in the field with detector today.

Detector gives lots of intel if a user will study targets using all 3 modes- AM, mixed mode, and disc.

This detector it is the mixed mode that is the standout, meaning if it didn’t have my unit would already be up for sale,

Mixed mode remember delivers an AM component to targets, ironically mixed mode imo is what sniffs out the ferrous mostly not disc mode.
Ferrous tends to have longer AM component to signals, with most bigger iron reporting 22-24 inthe meter. Seems toggling to disc these signals can be exposed too by the laboring of tone with Tarsacci and user will notice sweep speed more critical as well as coil position for disc signal to be achieved on ferrous.

I used pinpoint today, but seems pinpoint on Tarsacci is best not for pinpointing but to judge actual target depth. I find pinpointing easier to just watch where signal is coming in on spot on the ground or go to AM and sweep and watch.
AM can expose nails with more wispy tones. These same targets swept using disc or mixed mode tend to read in the 12-14 region. Digging a few of these exposed them to be vertical standing nails.

More masked (soil) nonferrous seems using mixed mode the AM component of whole signal provided in mixed mode can be longer ( like ferrous can do),this is where the rubber meets the road imo as far as using this detector. ID behavior though of nonferous and how target responds will give good clues.

This detector imo one of the hardest to describe overall how it behaves in the field over ferrous and nonferous.

Folks who purchase to dirt hunt. My ADVICE is to get into the wild using pronto. Don’t Waste too much time testing on buried targets, especially on FRESHLY buried targets. If you decide to do you I think will be dissapointed thinking you have a dud detector. When you infact DON’T.

This detector seems runs very quiet from an Emi standpoint.
My detector today seemed to like settings of threshold -2 sensitivty at 7.

This detector I can say right now, is unmasking (soil) some nonferous at least that Deus and LF coil is struggling on ( Consider previous statement as one site assessment.)

No heads to heads done. Don’t Worry i will be doing some and reporting.

Pulled some finds today besides the unusual looking to me small stainless steel fixed blade knife.

I expect to be back in the field with this detector REAL soon.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/25/2018 03:59AM by tnsharpshooter.

If anyone does not want their MDT-800 after testing I have a recently purchased Equinox 800(used once) with all three coils and pinpointer I would trade straight up. PM Me if you do in the future. The Equinox will not be used again till spring due to a foot injury. I hunt red dirt with an occasional visit to salt beaches. Thanks



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/25/2018 01:28PM by texkinzee.

Is the warranty transferable?

One thing I noticed and wonder if just mine is when adjusting Salt balance when I push the down arrow it beeps and a number appears on screen. Sens setting lowered still nothing different thinking it might be EMI related on screen numbers appearing. Every number beeps no matter if you hold it for rapid number change or one number at a time. But not beeping using the up arrow. If I go to any other setting and use arrow it is silent in both directions which I prefer when balancing. Its quite an aggravating sound. Sounds like a Garrett bell tone. Yuk!

The number on PP mean nothing as I nothing to relate them to in inches but knowing that the lower the number the deeper has me looking at them when I use PP that is, just as a reference. Ordered a 1/8to 1/4 adapter so to be able to use My headphones with volume control. If you use PP on a shallow target it can take your ears out.

Haven't given mix mode a shot yet. I have never cared for AM in past even with ID but on the beach it works. When you have very few targets and a lot of space to cover(Beaches very flat) it helps with the tone volume so you can pick up speed a little and hear target then investigate closer. With all the iron fence pieces, bobby pins and awning clips if I use disc. I would hear a pop sound a non ferrous would make(wrap around) but could look at display and see the iron numbers with an occasional positive number bouncing. In disc cut the set point back to -30 and then got a lower tone for the iron if you still want to hear iron so as not to have to look at display. 3 tone machine then. Tones sound like the ones from Mario Brothers game. Synthesizer kind of sound.

ShovelNose Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One thing I noticed and wonder if just mine is whe
> n adjusting Salt balance when I push the down arro
> w it beeps and a number appears on screen. Sens se
> tting lowered still nothing different thinking it
> might be EMI related on screen numbers appearing.
> Every number beeps no matter if you hold it for ra
> pid number change or one number at a time. But not
> beeping using the up arrow. If I go to any other s
> etting and use arrow it is silent in both directio
> ns which I prefer when balancing. Its quite an agg
> ravating sound. Sounds like a Garrett bell tone. Y
> uk!
>
> The number on PP mean nothing as I nothing to rela
> te them to in inches but knowing that the lower th
> e number the deeper has me looking at them when I
> use PP that is, just as a reference. Ordered a 1/
> 8to 1/4 adapter so to be able to use My headphones
> with volume control. If you use PP on a shallow ta
> rget it can take your ears out.
>
> Haven't given mix mode a shot yet. I have never ca
> red for AM in past even with ID but on the beach i
> t works. When you have very few targets and a lot
> of space to cover(Beaches very flat) it helps wit
> h the tone volume so you can pick up speed a littl
> e and hear target then investigate closer. With
> all the iron fence pieces, bobby pins and awning c
> lips if I use disc. I would hear a pop sound a non
> ferrous would make(wrap around) but could look at
> display and see the iron numbers with an occasiona
> l positive number bouncing. In disc cut the set po
> int back to -30 and then got a lower tone for the
> iron if you still want to hear iron so as not to h
> ave to look at display. 3 tone machine then. Tones
> sound like the ones from Mario Brothers game. Synt
> hesizer kind of sound.


Checked my unit. Seems to mirror what you comment on above with your unit.

JR.…. yes …… this is normal. It's a very powerful/disrupting adjustment...…...and...….. when the unit is 'in-between' a Salt +- adjustment digit..... it'll squawk at you.

Warranty is not transferable; however...…. let me know of the "to-from" transfer names...…. and...…. we'll certainly help. We can't cover everything; yet, we will 'try'.

I have been asked by several folks …. about the 'need' for a larger coil. This would be very difficult to create for this electronics-platform; yet, if demand is extremely high...… it may force us to place 'focus' on a different coil option (instead of placing engineering energy on further inventions/advancements). Holler if you are not satisfied with the unit..... because you need a larger coil. . . . . . and we may redirect our 'focus'.

Video of menu system navigation.
[m.youtube.com]

Short supplemental video showing the time out feature of black sand and salt when boxes are highlighted as well when they are selected.
[m.youtube.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/26/2018 04:24AM by tnsharpshooter.

tnsharpshooter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> ...I used pinpoint today, but seems pinpoint on Tarsa
> cci is best not for pinpointing but to judge actua
> l target depth. I find pinpointing easier to just
> watch where signal is coming in on spot on the gro
> und or go to AM and sweep and watch.
> AM can expose nails with more wispy tones. These
> same targets swept using disc or mixed mode tend t
> o read in the 12-14 region. Digging a few of thes
> e exposed them to be vertical standing nails....
>
>
Thanks for the detailed field assessment TNSS I haven’t had a chance to get to the beach yet for testing and try out, but looking forward to it. One thing about pinpoint I noticed right away which I find very odd is: when holding the detector, I have to move my thumb a bit backwards in order to use it?! Seems to me It would have been much better if the housing had been moved a half inch or so further down the rod in order to accommodate easier access to the buttons while detecting. Or is it just me? Other than that, the fit and feel of the Tarsacci is excellent, very well-made and actually very easy to use. Mastering it may take a while longer...

I owe all of you guys an apology. I was lucky enough to get one of the first detectors that shipped. An over abundance of rain kept me in the first week and a half-ish. A trip scheduled for today to Daniel's neck of the woods was called on account of pneumonia. I'll tell you, a day spent detecting no matter what the purpose is far better than a day spent in the ER.

As soon as I'm able to walk more than 30' at a time without being short of breath I promise I'll put in my due diligence and report back anything I find that hasn't already been brought up/pointed out by others.

Chris



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/26/2018 04:37PM by Chris Woods.

Chris Woods Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I owe all of you guys an apology. I was lucky enou
> gh to get one of the first detectors that shipped.
> An over abundance of rain kept me in the first wee
> k and a half-ish. A trip scheduled for today to Da
> niel's neck of the woods was called on account of
> pneumonia. I'll tell you, a day spent detecting no
> matter what the purpose is far better than a day s
> pent in the ER.
>
> As soon as I'm able to walk more than 30' at a tim
> e without being short of breath I promise I'll put
> in my due diligence and report back anything I fin
> d that hasn't already been brought up/pointed out
> by others.
>
> Chris


Get well soon!
No detecting outing is worth sacrificing one’s health risk.

More considerable time in the field with detector. The more I use this detecfor the more and more I am liking AM, I already like mixed mode.
This unit to me seems a bit unusual around ferrous. This saying unusual is GOOD.
I went to a site likely deemed a Tarsacci user (at least a super green horn should stay away from) today.
All detecting done today with Tarsacci disc level set to 0.

I witnessed some good performance as far as things made of ferrous. I did dig some ferrous for “verification”reasons.

Before I go any further. Seems with drier ground, I was able to get my unit using 18khz to run at level 8 sensitivty with little to no feedback doing GB. I checked this same site 3 times prior and level 7 seemed was necessary to limit feedback when GBing (ground was wetter).

Tarsacci seems to have the ability to spot ferrous round and square with enclosure. Better than any detector I have run. What I mean is sure other VLF detector would alert on these enclosed ferrous items but could alert on bigger and or thicker ferrous items too,
Using AM on Tarsacci to me exposes round anything pretty darn good, Remember though I have already pleaded 90 ignorance level here as far as AM use with VLF detector. But I can still say this after today.

Here is what Tarsacci does it seems when it gets around enclosed fixtures made of ferrous. Mixed mode seems to my ears to yield longer AM tone with disc tone chiming in. But Tarsassi can do this on more ferrous besides enclosed fixtures like buckles and rings of ferrous. When a user goes to disc mode and with steady sweep if one gets 2 way disc tone hits, odds a great it is a ferrous whatever with opening and likely closed. I found myself not even having to pivot and check with mixed mode and disc mode to recognize these and yes verification was done many times. Use of AM was used, didn’t want to dig a round or square anything as big as basketball lol.

Use of AM on Tarsacci exposed nails with wavering tone when swept. Vertical standing nails the harder to decipher but wispy AM tone when swept is clue imo.

I ran Deus with Hf coil a bit just so I could get things right in my mind how this site stacked ferrous wise. I did get over a target with Deus reading 90s in the meter. And would have given 90 % chance of it being ferrous. Btw trying to run Deus with hf coil st 28khz in this site running pitch tones with disc tough p, tough, tough, with loads of ferrous coming over disc setting.
Anyway back to this target I suspect was iron with Deus. I got the Tarsacci out just to see if I could use what I had learned so far and gather Intel on target. Sure enough mixed mode was playing jingle bells after longer AM signal and going to disc mode I got nice 2way hit of disc tone provided. Digging target sure enough a ferrous round item looks like something that is part of small bearing.

I look forward to other relic hunters who indeed use Tarsacci,
It will be interesting to see how they like both AM and mixed modes.

More later with more coil time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/26/2018 10:30PM by tnsharpshooter.

3 hour water hunt today, wind was from the north and cold. stayed in knee deep water because waves coming in were mid-thigh deep.Took the Equinox along just to try long enough to see if it ran quieter than the Tarsacci in my mega salt environment. Could not get the Equinox quiet (just as I remembered the last time I tried it). Running beach 2 sensitivity all the way down to 12, Recovery maxed out, 5 tones and was still getting constant chirps in the 1-2 range, overload was off and on constantly as well.

The Tarsacci ran quiet as could be once I got the settings right. Settings were mode mixed, disc 0, black sand ON, salinity at 29, manual GB, sensitivity at 2, threshold -4, had to kick the volume up to 12 to compensate for the low sensitivity setting. Tarsacci is very easy to swing in the water and handle is much more comfortable than the Equinox. Very sturdy unit in the water as well, no slop in the shaft like the Equinox. touch pad was easy to navigate even with thick neoprene gloves on.

Finds other than the usual pull tabs, lead bullets and shotgun hulls were, 2 memorial cents, 1 clad dime, 1962 quarter, aluminum tax token and a 1901 V-Nickel. The nickle really surprised me because this beach has only been used since the 1930's, as far as I know.

One thing I learned with the Tarsacci is that you have to play with the settings to get the machine quiet. I tried running the sensitivity up a few times but it resulted in chirping every time the coil sweep direction was changed. Tarsacci is still deep even at a sensitivity setting of 2 but you do have to raise the volume to compensate for the audio modulation when running low sensitivity. If you don't get the Tarsacci quiet in the water you will miss those deep targets covered by the slight chirping.

Tom, being ignorant as far as what is happening technologically under the hood of the MDT and given that it's main purpose is to ID at depth in salt or highly mineralized dirt, wouldn't using a bigger coil be counterintuitive?

Like you've stated previously, a larger coil equals more "hot" dirt that has to be compensated for in any given position along the arc of a single sweep. Can the tech. that's powering the MDT handle this increased area under the coil in really "hot" dirt?

Chris

TNSS...…. good/correct report..... especially in regards to closed-loop iron items. Yes..... the MDT has a bit of a language ...of-it's-own.

Andrew.... Sounds like your conditions would be a perfect candidate for 6-Khz or 9-Khz. Also...… 'V' Nickels were rapidly coming out-of-circulation in the 1950's. . . . . but...… (for instance)…… in 1952...… it was not uncommon to have a 40-year old nickel in you pocket. Just like today...… digging through my pocket change..... I see I have a 1960 & 1964 nickel..... and a 1961 penny.

Chris...… Absolutely! A larger coil will always 'view' more ground (although...not as intensely). . . . . . and can more-readily become masked/self-defeating. The Tarsacci platform has two major incarcerations that restrict it to it's existing coil. It would take a fairly major engineering feat to overcome...… barring any major platform overhauls... to accommodate.

Additional coils...if possible to do..

Seems to me a good approach would be to accommodate both beach hunters and dirt hunters.

I would be interested in a say 10x12” Coil, or 11x13” Coil, or 12x 13” Coil or even say shape of round 11.5-12” coil. These sized coils imo a good compromise here for dirt and beach hunters. And keep weight reasonable with setup. A 12x15” too big and heavy imo.

I sure don’t know what is entailed to make happen from engineering standpoint.

I would if it is necessary to pay shipping to and fro to service facility (my detector) in case there is a detector requirement to get things right. (Maybe matched)

If a bigger new coil does come to fruition folks could buy Tarsacci in future with having a choice of coils.

We’ll see.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/27/2018 02:47PM by tnsharpshooter.

NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No.…. and probably never.,.,.,.,.,. for very discr
> ete justification.

Daniel I asked if other coil options s would be available & this is what I was told.

Ok. I'm configured to launch some more Tarsacci's. Should anyone be interested...…. send me a PM.
(((And..... we could also ship a few...… Internationally; yet, without the battery...….. but you will certainly get the battery charger. It's a very common 26650 battery))).

NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have been asked by several folks …. about the 'need' for a larger coil. This would be very difficult to create for this electronics-platform; yet, if demand is extremely high...… it may force us to
> place 'focus' on a different coil option (instead of placing engineering energy on further inventions/advancements). Holler if you are not satisfied with the unit..... because you need a larger coil.
> . . . . . and we may redirect our 'focus'.

Tom can you provide some insight into said "further inventions/advancements" ?

I would like some insight on wet sand depth.

Is the MDT 8000 capable of identifying non-ferrous targets 5 - 10% deeper than the CZ21 or Equinox?

If so, I'm in.

.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2018 07:43AM by Badger in NH.

Badger in NH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would like some insight on wet sand depth.
>
> Is the MDT 8000 capable of identifying non-ferrous
> targets 5 - 10% deeper than the CZ20 or Equinox?
>
> If so, I'm in.
>
> .

Pretty sure that's already been covered if you read through this thread.....

Cal_cobra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Badger in NH Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I would like some insight on wet sand depth.
> >
> > Is the MDT 8000 capable of identifying non-ferro
> us
> > targets 5 - 10% deeper than the CZ20 or Equinox?
> >
> > If so, I'm in.
> >
> > .
>
> Pretty sure that's already been covered if you rea
> d through this thread.....



What was the conclusion?

I've been following this thread since the beginning. I remember some vague comments about depth but don't recall any definitive data. The thread is 18 pages long. Do you expect me to read every post again?

.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2018 08:04AM by Badger in NH.

Badger in NH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cal_cobra Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Badger in NH Wrote:
> > ------------------------------------------------
> --
> > -----
> > > I would like some insight on wet sand depth.
> > >
> > > Is the MDT 8000 capable of identifying non-fer
> ro
> > us
> > > targets 5 - 10% deeper than the CZ20 or Equino
> x?
> > >
> > > If so, I'm in.
> > >
> > > .
> >
> > Pretty sure that's already been covered if you r
> ea
> > d through this thread.....
>
>
>
> What was the conclusion?
>
> I've been following this thread since the beginnin
> g. I remember some vague comments about depth but
> don't recall any definitive data. The thread is 18
> pages long. Do you expect me to read every post ag
> ain?
>
> .
Badger,
Here are passages from this thread copied related to depth-NASA Tom posted

> * Inches deeper than Excal/CZ/Sov for coins and go
> ld rings..... in a wet-salt environment. ((( Almos
> t exactly parallels the performance of my 'tuned/t
> weaked' AquaStar-II..... in the wet-salt. . . . .
> but. . . . . with FULL ID capabilities. ))) Resona
> nt (great) for tiny gold rings, small, medium and
> large gold rings. This is where the depth advancem
> ents have taken place.
>

I think I can share this now. I have head-to-head
> tested this unit in the wet-salt. Compared to Exca
> l/CZ/Sov…(first-hand)…… this unit is deeper on rin
> gs & coins...… including Nickels. No...… it is not
> a tiny gold jewelry hunter. Yes.,.,.,.,.,., we're
> working on that; but/yet..... that may be 1 or 2 y
> ears down the pike.

NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tom..... on a clad dime in neutral soil...… it's i
> dentical in depth performance to a CZ.

> NASA-Tom Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Badger..... would you believe: the depth increas
> es
> > ....in the wet-salt.
> > Tarsacci also goes quite a bit deeper on gold ri
> ng
> > s in wet-salt.... over CZ/Sov/Excal.
> > Tarsacci goes quite a bit deeper on non-ferrous
> ta
> > rgets..... in mineralization.

This uni
> t
> > will air-test a U.S. Nickel at 12.7". In my Flor
> id
> > a (almost zero mineral) dirt..... It'll detect a
> N
> > ickel to 12.9". IN the wet-salt..... it'll detec
> t
> > a Nickel to (at least) 14". I've never seen/witn
> es
> > sed something like this before. Not to this orde
> r-
> > of-magnitude.

****Badger on page 10 are some comments from other folks related to depth. Take a look.****



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2018 09:16AM by tnsharpshooter.

Along this line Larry and I met with Dimitar today at the beach to get our early units software updated and a tweek of the battery cap design to conform with already shipped units- don't even ask. To check out our performance he flipped each 8000 over and set a plastic ruler on the coil bottom and waved a silver dime to where it faded out. Both units saw the dime to the end at 12 inches. I know air testing is not representative of ground depth but it is the easiest universal way to compare without mineral variables. There did not appear to be EMI but who knows. In most cases the detector range increases with the mineral and salt medium over thin air. Larry and I have scored 1 to 2 gram gold and silver rings at 6 to 8 inches in the water and wet sand while the other guys are reporting no jewelry finds just coins.

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

Never mind



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2018 06:48PM by dewcon4414.

TSS, thanks for going to the trouble to find that info. That is very helpful when you put all the posts together like that.

.

You are welcome Badger. I almost have this entire thread memorized. Lol. Looked at it so many times.

Badger in NH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would like some insight on wet sand depth.
>
> Is the MDT 8000 capable of identifying non-ferrous
> targets 5 - 10% deeper than the CZ21 or Equinox?
>
> If so, I'm in.
>
> .

Badger,

I’ve had the MDT 8000 out for about 6 hours on the beach and even with crummy beach Conditions.here, I can say I am well pleased with the depth. Most of my targets have been in the 2 to 3 scoop range and a few, including 2 crusty nickles, have been in the 13” to 14” inch measured range. A few targets were too deep to recover and I had to give up on them due to incoming surf. Most targets were too hard to accurately measure depth with collapsing wet sand. My settings were in all metal, 18 KHz (preferred) using other recommended settings in the manual. I have not tried to ‘super tweak’ it, or run it over sensitivity 7 as yet. One definite positive is no EMI encountered. At this point I would venture a opinion that it is deeper than my Nox, especially on default settings.

Cal……. as of right now...…. I am not able to provide further 'insights' into future technological advancements. This is also to include: I can not explain the 'undiscovered'.

Because I'm on the "in" with this unit...…. I am not going to post my findings with this unit. You guys (the real end-users) are doing very well..... with your findings...…. and also with your reports.

MS update on laptop has given my unit the blue screen of death. Working through it this am. Using my wife's laptop. I have to emphasis that with 2 more beach hunts I still have no upper arm fatigue. The EQ800 was nose heavy so I still had arm fatigue. I finally feel I have been able to get the salt balance right. I have been able to get up to sens. 8, threshold -1 SB 23, GB 535, 18K. Stable as can be. I will agree with TNSS that this machine seems to love round objects. I have a bunch of coins that are corroded bad and in the wet sand 2-3 scoops deep using a Stealth 9 scoop. 2 pan, truss headed screws fooled md when scanning the top but not when placed on side it sees iron. I've had had several targets so deep that I have hit hard base below the soggy wet sand. digging fast I got 2 coins and one a flat piece of aluminum. These targets were unseen by my friends Safari. Hard scooping! I also am finding fishing weights which tells me I'm getting in the right area but no gold yet. Lots of costume.

As far as depth I believe I am getting more because of all the targets I see my friend can't see in the wet sand. I cant get over the separation it has in areas that has a lot of iron pieces from fences that have come apart during storms. Its PP is dead on it. I like AM but started using mixed and it has it place. When in Disc if it just ticks I watch the id and can see the iron. I feel this is dead on the id with iron. All faint signals with a -30 ID have always been iron. On the corroded coins it would bounce the id a little higher but if not corroded it would id coin where it should be. I have to give up laptop right now but working on mine and will be back on soon.

Something to share.
Tarsacci rod when in one hole (spring loaded protruding catch) makes detecfor ideally too long for me, and the next hole (making rod shorter) is ideally too short for me. So I run mine in the middle with catch not engaged in hole. Clamping device seems to hold rod just fine when doing. Detector feels way better for me to sweep. This is dirt hunting. Can’t say about water hunting.

Cheers