Metal Detecting

Hello all ....

I'm 18 months into owning my deus with control box and WS5's version 3.2 ( installed when I bought it )I'm extremely impressed with it and have found some lovely finds , I always use deus fast but on Jez's recommendation I drop the sensitivity down to 87 and disc down to 5 , I leave everything else as standard ...I'm confident that I'm not missing anything at all
I was on a rally recently and there was the usual talk of try this ' new ' program that program , lap tops were out , people slatting version 3.2 , etc etc ?
My 9" coil packed up and I'm using the 11" and I haven't noticed any differnce in that either ,

My question is do the custom programs really make a differnce ? And if so how ? I'm a believer that detecting success is down to luck and technique .. I'm digging 177 pellet fragments ok not the best finds but proof I'm not missing anything , I've witnessed detecorist , sprinting across fields with the coil a foot from the ground
Surely by taking it slow , low and concentrating your not going to miss anything , if it's there to be found the deus in any program and being used correctly will find it

Interesting question .. I guess I have my favourite custom programmes like anyone but I still tinker as I'm going along depending on the conditions .. I very rarely change my sensitivity (90) or disc (5) but will adjust reactivity up and down (2/3) depending on how much iron is present .. Other than that I very rarely touch anything nowadays as I trust my settings for my style of detecting .. Only time I change anything else is frequency from 11 to 18 depending on pylons or heavy chatting

I'm usually in a quandary regarding what settings to use. I think that I spend far too much time digging the tiniest- and I mean absolutely miniscule, fragments of metal when maybe I should be concentrating on "better" signals- whatever that means. This problem started some years back when I got my Gold Max Power, but if anything, with the Deus (3.2) it's got worse. When I had my Tesoro machines it seemed that I only ever found coins and artifacts and generally fared better though admittedly, I got a lot more tiny hammered with the GMP. I suppose it's a matter of weighing up what the site is likely to contain and whether I'm in competition with a lot of other people, like on a rally for example.

I usually use the GMP programme on the Deus if its arable land but drop the Disc down to about 5. I'm going to try putting the Silencer down to -1 next time I go out to see if it helps make the signal clearer. So far since using the Deus in the GMP programme, I'm finding it a bit chattery and inclined to signal frequently on large pieces of iron, which I waste a lot of time retrieving. I didn't get either of those problems with my actual GM Power detector and that's something I can't understand at all- particularly as to why the Deus signals on the iron. I'm going to make a dowel rod with a tiny hammered glued on the end to use as a test peg.This should help decide what are the best settings to use for each site

Good question and one I've been pondering lately. I think a lot of it comes down to confidence and competence. If you know your detector, like the back of your hand, then you will have learned how to set it up, in that given situation, to get the very best from it. However, if you're like me, and not st that stage yet, then straying too far from the factory settings can be a recipe for confusion that leaves you worrying about how its set up rather than focusing on your detecting. I was using full tones, almost exclusively, but now I'm trying 2 tones again but I'm sticking with Gary's cold or the stock Deus fast, but in 2 tones, because I know these settings work on my sites. Sometimes I wish there were less options on the deus as I'm indecisive at the best of times. but Having said that though, I wouldn't have found my two Tudor rings without 'tinkering' with the settings but that was only once I'd really got to know full tones. I often consider changing the discrimination on 2 tones but worry if this will impact on other settings
I suppose, like anything though, to get the best out of the deus you need to set it up accordingly, but until you know how, trust the guys at XP who created the programs.
Just my opinion! Cheers, Ollie

A detector in this case a Deus is just like any other detector,its just basically a lump of plastic with some electronics inside,does it 'increase' your finds by being more expensive 'NO'

Does a cheap or expensive detector find you more just by adding a stock program or 'Berts Super Duper Hot 69,once again 'NO' it all down basically to the experience of that 10'' of space between your ears and how you interpret it all and what the detector is telling you.

A detector does not find you decent finds on its own,to a certain extent it also makes no odds how much the detector cost or if it has a screen or not,its still down to how your brain deciphers it all,bottom line its called experience.

The detectors that are basically a switch on and go ones that dont have any custom progs or spare slots they of course dont come with any form of programs,so that i down to basics and learning what each of the controls does.Machines in this case the Deus does come with a basic selection of programs,these are generally designed to cover most detecting scenarios although not perfect,they are more a baseline settings guideline that the operator can adapt to his detecting style or ground conditions.

The beauty of the Deus and many other machines it can be used as simply as you want or as complicated as you want,me i much prefer to keep it simple and basically switch it on when i start detecting and off again when i finish but without much altering it much in between.For this reason i settled on the 'Cold' settings,its then basically used as a beep and dig rig and it works very well,albeit a high tech beep a dig machine.

Its all about the skill of the operator and how you understand what the machine is telling you,i still much prefer audio over a screen any day,of course these are just my personal thoughts and nothing else and what works for me

I too have been thinking about this recently. I've had mine nearly a year now. I tried the HF settings when I first got it, but couldn't get on with those. I then went on to using the factory settings (Basic 1, GMP & Fast), which work well for me, I can't fault them. But, last time out on pasture I tried Gary's cold program for the first time. I also got on well with that, so I'll be trying it on the stubble tomorrow. So, basically, nearly a year on and I'm still experimenting with programs

Darren good question I mainly use hot program which works well found cut quarter today and Romans

Not having a control box (Lite User) I tend to not change much. Use Basic and Fast mainly and have found small hammered's and silver romans with it, so not really wanting / seeing the need to make any changes to the settings as it seems work well enough.

Yes custom programmes will increase your finds (in some situations). But to make this happen you need to fully understand what the settings do and the plus and minus effect they have against each other.

On the other hand custom programmes may lose you finds if you just set your detector to the "settings on the month" and wander off into the sunset on YOUR field/s.