Tecnetics Alpha 2000 - Manual (Page 7)

7
QUICK-START DEMONSTRATION
I. Supplies Needed
• a Nail • a Zinc Penny (dated after 1982)
• a Nickel • a Quarter
II. Position the Detector
a. Place the detector on a table, with the
search coil hanging over the edge.
Or better, have a friend hold the
detector, with the search coil off the
ground.
b. Keep the search coil away from walls,
floors, and metal objects.
c. Remove watches, rings, and jewelry.
d. Turn off lights or appliances, whose electromagnetic emissions may
cause interference.
e. Pivot the search coil back.
III. Power Up. Press .
IV. Wave each object over the search coil.
a. Notice a different tone for each object:
Low Tone: Medium Tone: High Tone:
Nail Zinc Penny, Nickel Quarter
b. Motion is required.
Objects must be in motion over the search coil to be detected.
V. Then press .
a. The word “IRON” disappears from the display
VI. Wave the nail over the search coil.
a. The nail will not be detected
b. The nail has been “discriminated out.”
VII. Press four more times.
a. The words FOIL, 5¢, ALUM, and ZINC disappear.
VIII. Wave the nickel
a. The nickel will not be detected.
IX. Press to toggle down to NOTCH.
Then press 3 times
a. 5¢ reappears on the display
X. Wave the Nickel.
a. The nickel is now again detected.
b. The nickel has been “notched in.”
14
READING THE DISPLAY
The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) shows the
PROBABLE identification of the targeted
metal, as well as the PROBABLE depth of the
target.
The detector will register a consistent target
identification, upon each sweep of the coil,
when a buried target has been located and
identified. If, upon repeated passes over the
same spot, the target identification reads
inconsistently, the target is probably a trash
item, or oxidized metal. With practice, you will
learn to unearth only the repeatable signals.
The segment identifications are highly
accurate, when detecting the objects
described on the label. However, if an object
registers in a given category for an unknown
buried object, you could be detecting a
metallic object other than the object described
on the label, but with the same metallic
signature. Also, the greater the distance
between the target and the coil, the less
accurate the target identification.
GOLD TARGETS Gold objects will register
on the left side of the LCD scale.
Gold flakes will register under iron.
Small gold items will register under foil
or 5¢.
Medium-sized gold items will
register between 5¢ and Alum.
Large gold items will register under
Zinc.
SILVER TARGETS: Silver objects will
register to the right of the scale, under Dime,
Qts. or 50¢+.
IRON: All but the very largest iron objects will
register on the far-left side of the scale. This
could indicate a worthless item such as a nail,
or a more valuable historic iron relic.
FOIL: Aluminum foil, such as a gum
wrapper, will register as foil. A small
broken piece of pull tab may also register
here.
NICKEL: Most newer pull-tabs from beverage
cans, the type intended to stay attached to the
can, will register here. Many gold rings will also
register here.
PT: Older pull tabs, which always detached
completely from the can, register here. Many
medium size gold ring also register here.
ZINC: Newer US pennies (post-1982), and
Canadian $1 and $2 coins register here. Many
non-US coins of recent vintage will also
register here.
DIME: Dimes and older copper pennies (pre-
1982) register here.
50¢+ Qts: Quarters register here, Silver
Dollars, Half-Dollars and very large iron
objects, like a sewer lid, will register here.
Caution: The target indications are visual
references. Many other types of metal can fall
under any one of these categories. While the
detector will eliminate or indicate the presence
of most common trash items, it is impossible
to accurately classify ALL buried objects.
DEPTH INDICATOR: The Depth Indicator is
accurate for coin-sized objects. It indicates
the depth of the target, in inches.
Large and irregularly-shaped objects will yield
less reliable depth readings
When passing over an object, the indicators
will light up and stay illuminated for three
seconds. If the depth indication varies with
each sweep, try sweeping at different angles;
there may be more than one target present.
With practice, you will learn the difference
between accurate readings, multiple targets,
and highly erratic readings which evidence
trash or irregularly shaped objects.
DEPTH AND TARGET DISPLAY