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TrpnBils
Mike - Anyway - I wanted to ask you...you mentioned the "pinpoint trace/lock hunting mode that has been discussed here before". Are you talking about the videos that sube has been posting where he's getting poor trace marks until he uses pinpoint mode? If not, could you link something so I can see what you're talking about? I've read through about two years' worth of stuff on here since getting my 3030 so I'm sure I've seen it, just not sure I'm thinking of the same thing you're talking about!
Thanks again!
Sorry it took so long to respond...weather has been perfect for hunting (which is rare around here in the summer).
Jonnyanglo alluded to it in his well-reasoned response to your OP, when he mentioned going even deeper in the All-Metal Pinpoint mode.
Firstly, make sure the Target Trace Pinpoint option is enabled...(note that is separate from your basic Target Trace option)
Then make sure 'pinpoint lock' option is enabled.
With the coil held at roughly your swing height, click the pinpoint button to lock into pinpoint mode. (Clicking again when done exits from pinpoint mode)
Not only is the audio now All-Metal, Non-Motion...your screen still gives you target ID info...with trace info.
Sort of a deep non-motion, Visually Discriminating mode. Lot's of guys use this trick to squeeze every bit of depth from the CTX...but note that you'll hear every little piece of metal in the ground. (no audio disc)
Same rules of watching where the iffy signals want to group on the screen.
Now, if you're in serious mineralization...like I am...you will notice that the height above the ground you hold the coil will affect the threshold tone you get when you lock into pinpoint mode.
This is because the CTX does a 'ground grab' when you pinpoint. This can cause an annoying threshold shift as you lower/raise the coil.
If there's too much (or too little) threshold, just click off and click on at a slightly different height above the ground until it's satisfactory.
If it's really bad, one thing you can do to help eliminate the pinpoint threshold shift, is to turn on GB and carefully/precisely ground balance.
That will eliminate the ground/tone shift when you lock pinpoint.
However...You've got to be very, very precise when ground balancing though...as if you're off (even a little) it will adversely affect depth.
I check to see I've got it right (after balancing), by first locking pinpoint on the (clean) ground and listening for a change while I raise the coil...
...then quick off/on while holding the coil a foot or two off the ground, and listening while I lower the coil.
If there's any tone change, re-do the balance until there's not.
You know you've got it right when you can hear multiple faint signals every pass of the coil.
(One other interesting thing to note, is that even if you now turn GB back off, at this point the threshold shift effect still won't be as bad as it was before you GB'd.)
Another slight oddity to the CTX, is if you do a noise cancel after GB, it tends to throw the GB off, and you'll need to redo it.
Good luck, and post pics of those deep, old coins you find.
:)
mike