Got my hands on a V3i, WOW

I just got myself a Whites Spectra V3i, it took me a little while to get it dialed in but once I did it was punching deep in my hunted out park. I pulled a couple Barber dimes 1901 and 1898 at a depth of around 10 inches, they were loud and clear and hitting in 2 directions. There are a few things to consider while setting the V3i up but if you get it right it is a beast

Good to hear that coinspader. Is that a unit that's not understood? Have my suspicions.

ozzie Wrote:
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> Good to hear that coinspader. Is that a unit that'
> s not understood? Have my suspicions.

It reminds me a lot of the DFX, it is a machine that you have tinker with to get good performance.

Hi Coinspader.

What sort of settings are you using with the v3i also what sort of coil.

Regards Pinpointa.

pinpointa Wrote:
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> Hi Coinspader.
>
> What sort of settings are you using with the v3i
> also what sort of coil.
>
> Regards Pinpointa.

I have relatively mild soil, I was using the 5.0 band pass filter, three frequencies, RX gain 6, AM 60, Disc 85. coin program, I was using +2 offset on my ground balance, recovery set at 50 because of a lot of trash and nails in the area, D2 coil.

Good job Coinspader!

You’re doing a lot better than have with the V3i, I never could get it dialed in.

Congratulations,
Paul

Thanks Coinspader for your prompt reply.

I have my v3i since 2009 had the update from the 3 to the i. Great detector so many ways of approaching different combinations to get the goodies. Still up there and getting the results.

I have never run a Whites other than an IDXPro. I can’t say what is accurate and what is not. A “loud and clear” dime at 10” is not possible here, so I’m suspecting soil variations are the X-factor when it comes to machines abilities from state to state or even from site to site. And then OPTIMIZING a machine to a site/specific type of target is a whole separate ballgame...it’s good to hear that SOMEONE is getting along with the V3i!

IDXMonster Wrote:
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> I have never run a Whites other than an IDXPro. I
> can’t say what is accurate and what is not. A “lou
> d and clear” dime at 10” is not possible here, so
> I’m suspecting soil variations are the X-factor wh
> en it comes to machines abilities from state to st
> ate or even from site to site. And then OPTIMIZING
> a machine to a site/specific type of target is a w
> hole separate ballgame...it’s good to hear that SO
> MEONE is getting along with the V3i!
I do a lot of youtube video's and I wish I had filmed my experience with the V3i that day because it is also hard for me to believe the depth that I got, but like I said the soil in that area I was hunting in is on the mild side plus there was no issues with EMI either, I'm sure that contributed to the depth I got on those silvers. Anyway that was my first outing with the V3i, so I will capture a hunt or two on film before long.

The V3 is a great instrument once you get your head wrapped around it. Congrats on your 10" silver.

I was very glad to see you had your RX gain at a lower level. The most common failure is setting the RX gain too high.

HH
Mike

Congrats on your barbers!

10 inches is deep for a whites machine. Must have developed a halo.

I took some pics of these 2 digs if I can figure out how to get them on here.

How was the I.D. at 10" on the dime?

Harold,ILL. Wrote:
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> How was the I.D. at 10" on the dime?

The ID was up in the 80's but jumped into the low nineties occasionally also into the high 70's a few times depending on the direction I swung over them, I didn't really get a solid ID but I was getting a sweet sound when I swung over them. All frequencies were saying dig. I didn't use the sizing or polar plot analysis on them, And the strange thing was when I pinpointed them all the lines were even. I thought the low frequency would be dominant but it wasn't.

I think even Ole' Daniel liked the V3i?
It could bust through that hot ground in 7khz and get dem' deep minnies.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2020 08:29PM by Harold,ILL..

Thanks for the report coinspader. The V3i is a really underappreciated detector. It has a well-deserved reputation for being confusingly complex, but for those that have the patience to really learn it, it's an excellent detector. Some people don't like the complexity they just want to go out and find stuff. Others have lots of fun experimenting with all the settings and learning how they affect performance. You can learn a lot about detector technology in general just fiddling with the settings on the V3i. Mike Hillis is totally right about keeping the RX gain down. I never go above 10 on the RX gain, and usually just leave it at 7.

The two most important settings besides RX Gain is 1) filters, and 2) making sure you have the ground balance set right. These machines are very sensitive to having the ground balance set properly - a little off and it throws everything off. I get it balanced just right and then Lock it, every so often rebalancing as necessary. To get the right filter, find a deep non-ferrous target, turn the RX gain all the way down to where you can barely hear the target, and then try the different filters and see which one works best. Most of the rest of the settings you can pretty much leave alone from the stock Coin & Jewelry program.

The V3i is an awesome detector and it's great you are putting in the time to learn it and having some good success!

One more thing, Mike Hillis knows the V3i better than just bout anybody on here. Search his old posts for tips on the V3i, and you'll tap into a huge wealth of knowledge.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2020 08:56PM by wayfarer.

wayfarer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the report coinspader. The V3i is a re
> ally underappreciated detector. It has a well-des
> erved reputation for being confusingly complex, bu
> t for those that have the patience to really learn
> it, it's an excellent detector. Some people don't
> like the complexity they just want to go out and f
> ind stuff. Others, like me, have lots of fun expe
> rimenting with all the settings and learning how t
> hey affect performance. You can learn a lot about
> detector technology in general that way. Mike Hi
> llis is totally right about keeping the RX gain do
> wn. I never go above 10 on the RX gain, and usual
> ly just leave it at 7.
>
> The two most important settings besides RX Gain is
> 1) filters, and 2) making sure you have the ground
> balance set right. These machines are very sensit
> ive to having the ground balance set properly - a
> little off and it throws everything off. I get it
> balanced just right and then Lock it, every so oft
> en rebalancing as necessary. To get the right fil
> ter, find a deep non-ferrous target, turn the RX g
> ain all the way down to where you can barely hear
> the target, and then try the different filters and
> see which one works best. Most of the rest of the
> settings you can pretty much leave alone from the
> stock Coin & Jewelry program.
>
> The V3i is an awesome detector and it's great you
> are putting in the time to learn it and having som
> e good success!
>
> One more thing, Mike Hillis knows the V3i better t
> han just bout anybody on here. Search his old pos
> ts for tips on the V3i, and you'll tap into a huge
> wealth of knowledge. Thanks for the tips Wayfarer, My experience with the DFX has helped me a lot when adjusting the settings on the V3i, It is a lot of fun to use for us guys who like to tinker with settings. Performance is outstanding when you get it just right.

The V3I is a 10 year old platform......still the best Discriminator out there ......hopefully Whites will upgrade it soon.