Auto or Manual Sens and GB for the CTX 3030

Hi All

A bit of a newbie on this forum but I thought I'd throw this one out there.

I have had a 3030 for about 2+ years now and run it in the western US with really bad ground. Lots of black sand etc. In Auto sens the machine typically wants to run in the single digits to low teens. I've tried manual sens. a few times but really see no difference.

Just wondering if there are any advantages to running the CTX in manual sensitivity and or manual ground balance. I have tried manual GB a few times but seem to always go back to auto and let the machine figure things out for fear I might hunt with a bad GB in manual.

It seems I read somewhere that when running in manual sens the machine was actually operating on multiple frequencies and when auto it was picking the best of 3 or something like that.

Kind of a side question but does the CTX run at max gain all the time? Or is the sensitivity linked to the gain.

I'm asking these questions because the crew I hunt with seem to match me on finds with units like the MXT-SEF combo and Excal. Of course a few run pulse units and I can understand the advantage there in bad ground.

This may have been covered before but my searching couldn't sleuth it out.

Thanks in advance

Your CTX has a gain setting---can be accessed via thru the menus.

Manual GB---stay away from, instead use auto GB.

Real bad dirt---CTX struggles. Likes to call even 3 ringer bullets iron at rather shallow depths approx 7"

Manual sens will probably be better, but not high manual sens---maybe low to mid range manual sensitivity.

Forget the TID---dig everything nonferrous toning, to broken nonferrous toning.

CTX really not a good choice for the real hot soils.

Xp Deus will buy you a little more depth.

But the VLF that will definitely get down substantially deeper is the Blisstool V5 or Blisstool V6.
Very possible to get good tone for example on 12" bullet sized targets--maybe more.

And yes the pulse units will get you down deeper too

And remember CTX has no true all metal.

The MXT does for example.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/2015 02:52AM by tnsharpshooter.

I have similar Western soil that in one site runs 6 to 9 sens. in Auto +3 on the CTX. On the F75 , GBs 91 with the entire FeO3 scale darkened. I've actually heard of negative sensitivity numbers on my buddies etrac.
Try the seawater setting , you might be surprised , I certainly was.
Take what the ground will give you but if the ground is clean enough , a PI might be might be worth the investment if the potential finds warrant it.

Thanks for the feedback

TNSS --
I was aware of the volume gain control and have mine set to 27 and my volume limit set to 12-20 depending on which headphones and or wireless module combo I use. I thought this only controled audio amplification relative to target signal strength and not overall power amplification? Do you think 27 to high for the volume gain in bad ground?

Your comment on the CTX not having a true all metal mode vs. the MXT hit home. This factor alone is probaly the difference with the MXT keeping pace with the CTX in the badly mineralized ground we hunt in. I also have an MXT (older model) and would always hunt it in relic mode with low to no disc which essentially set up a TTF mode. I also seem to remember in JF's book on the MXT that when in relic the MXT is running both the all metal and disc modes simultaniously so this would explain its ability to get good depth in bad ground conditions. I think I may get my MXT out for my next hunt and do a little side by side comparison.

Shoveler --
I'm glad to see someone else has ground with low sens. readings. I'll give the seawater setting a try. I used it at the ocean but not on dry land yet.

Atlas,
Transmitter power is fixed on CTX. I like to run both gain and vol limit maxed. This way most shallow and weaker signals get heard better.

Now there are some detectors where tx power is adjustable I.e. Xp deus, white's v3i.
And don't necessarily get this confused with say a f75 with boost.
The term boost when associated with metal detectors is not universally the same.

Sometimes boost can allow for more coil height above ground with detection, not actually more in ground depth, or sometimes just a smidge of in ground additional depth, with boost giving more actual coil height capability.

The key for you is to get your detector somewhat stable----and you may have to tolerate some additional noise to get the CTX to at least give a hint tonal wise of a nonferrous target.
It's tough sometimes.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/2015 06:48PM by tnsharpshooter.

I don't know your soil, but in the southeast, single digits are way unacceptable and a reason to run as high manual as you can stand.

In bad soil you turn GB on and ground balance often. In not so bad soil or saltwater beach you should turn GB off.

As high of manual sens as you can stand as long as you can have intelligent audio feedback..too high and the noise will sound better than the actual target's..

your best to let the machine track the ground...

Now there is some times for ultimate depth in certian dirts Ive tracked it to a hot rock then locked it and ran it in the soil very noisy I might add for added depth...Sort of like off setting the ground bal..But its mor eof trial and error...

90 Percent of the time let it track..

Keith

“I don't care that they stole my idea . . I care that they don't have any of their own”
-Nikola Tesla

I forget say in the hot dirt--- use ground coin, not ferrous coin.

My site is an old burn dump where the trash was burned and piled and burned repeatedly. The tin cans and ferrous items , after repeated burning , then decomposed and rusted away into the clay soil while the noble metals survived , charred and accreated , but recognizable although with nothing but melt value because of the condition.
Manual GB will not work but seawater somehow allows for a more stable machine with a higher sensitivity setting. I have recovered many wheat pennies and silver coins there along with buckets of copper plumbing and electrical fittings but none deeper than 3" unless they were very large.

I've seen a few others comment on using sea water mode for land applications. I never did try.

"As high of manual sens as you can stand as long as you can have intelligent audio feedback..too high and the noise will sound better than the actual targets"...LOL!!!!! Hey that sounds like me on day 2 of the Explorer!!

Thanks for all the good feedback.

I have been running ground coin 90% of the time in my hot ground. I have occasionally tried manual ground balance but tend to go back to letting the machine track. I'll be using manual ground balance a bit more and see how far I can push that. I also haven't tried the seawater setting. That could be interesting with GC and manual sens.

I do switch to high trash from time to time and in certain trash piles it has been effective.

Not much to do in hot ground but keep experimenting I guess.

Atlas, if you soil is real hot in most places you hunt.

There are other Vlf detectors that will buy you a little more depth I.e.xp Deus, Blisstool. You may consider the pulse machine the tdi pro.

You may try private messaging this gent here named Paul, forum name Old California.

He hunts it seems in soil like yours and is successful.

Just food for thought......

[m.youtube.com]

A video I made a few years ago that might answer some of your Questions?

Me? I don't GB the machine 99% of time.

The video [lets you hear] what can happen over bad ground.

Des D