Minelab SOVEREIGN GT user guide
MINELAB
S
OVEREIGN
GT
Contact Details:
Minelab USA
871 Grier Drive, Suite B1
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
email: minelab@minelabusa.com
tel: +1-702-891 8809
www.minelab.com
Minelab Electronics Pty Ltd
PO Box 537 Torrensville Plaza
South Australia 5031
AUSTRALIA
email: minelab@minelab.com.au
tel: +61-8-8238 0888
Minelab International Limited
Laragh, Bandon
Co. Cork
IRELAND
email: minelab@minelab.ie
tel: +353-23 52101
MINELAB
User Manual
© 2005 Minelab Electronics Pty Ltd
This document contains proprietary information that is protected by copyright. Apart from any use as
permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written
permission from Minelab Electronics Pty Ltd, 118 Hayward Avenue, Torrensville, SA 5031, Australia.
Notice:The words ‘Sovereign’, ‘Broad Band Spectrum’ & ‘BBS’ are all trademarks of Minelab Pty Ltd.
WARNING.This document contains Minelab Electronics Pty Ltd rights, technical data or restricted
rights data, or both. Patents and trademarks apply.
FCC Compliance
NOTE:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
Disclaimer
The Minelab metal detector discussed in this operating manual has been expressly designed and
manufactured as a quality hobbyist metal detector and is recommended for use in coin, treasure and
general metal detection in non-hazardous environments. This metal detector has not been designed
for use as a mine detector or as a live munitions detection tool.
Please read the operating manual prior to using your new detector.
Warranty and Service
There is a two-year parts and labour warranty for the electronic control box of the
Sovereign GT
Note: Please return the enclosed warranty card, correctly filled out, to your dealer
or direct to Minelab Electronics. This will assist Minelab to service your needs
promptly.
The Minelab warranty does not cover damage caused by accident, misuse, neglect,
alteration, modifications, or unauthorised service.
. Conditions apply; Please refer to the Warranty Card for further details.
•
Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna of the radio or television.
•
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
•
Consult your local dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
EC Conformity
NOTE:
This product complies with the essential requirements of EMC Directive 89/336/EEC.
Working for a Cleaner,
Greener Future
Disclaimer:
For Consumers within the European Union:
Do not dispose of this equipment in general
household waste.
The crossed out wheeled bin indicated
on this equipment is an indicator that
this unit should not be disposed of in
general household waste, but recycled
in compliance with local government
regulations or environmental requirements.
Please dispose of this equipment via a
recycling service or centre, or by returning
the unit to the respective Minelab or Halcro
outlet as appropriate for your unit. This will
enable the equipment to be disposed of in
an environmentally safe manner.
Disposal of unwanted electronic equipment
in landfi lled waste may contribute to
adverse long term environmental effect
due to the leaching of contaminating and
toxic substances contained within some
electronic equipment.
The Minelab metal detector discussed
in this operating manual has been
expressly designed and manufactured
as a quality hobbyist metal detector
and is recommended for use in coin,
treasure and general metal detection in
non-hazardous environments. This metal
detector has not been designed for use
as a mine detector or as a live munitions
detection tool.
Please note:
Since there may be a variety of options
available for this detector, equipment
may vary according to the Model or
items ordered with your detector. Certain
descriptions and illustrations may also
differ (in this manual) from the exact Model
that you purchased. In addition, Minelab
reserves the right to respond to ongoing
technical progress by introducing changes
in design, equipment and technical
features at any time.
THIS DEVICE COMPLIES WITH
PART 15 OF THE FCC RULES
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause
undesired operation.
Item Number: 4901 - 0051
Revision: 1.1
table of contents
www.minelab.com
1. INTRODUCTION 3
2. BBS TECHNOLOGY 4
3. LIST OF PARTS 6
4. ACCESSORIES 6
5. ASSEMBLING THE DETECTOR 7
5.1. Lower Shaft Assembly 7
5.2. Armrest / Upper Shaft Assembly 7
5.3. Completing the Shaft Assembly 8
5.4. Shaft Mount the Control Box 8
5.5. Hipmounting/Chest Mount 9
6. BATTERIES 10
6.1. Installation of NiMH Battery Pack 10
6.2. Installation of Alkaline Batteries 10
6.3. Low Battery Warning and NiMH Recharging 11
6.4. Using your NiMH Chargers 11
p1
table of contents
www.minelab.com
1. Introducing the Sovereign GT
www.minelab.com
7. CONTROL PANEL 12
7.1. Quickstart Operating Instructions 12
7.2. Volume Control and On/Off Switch 13
7.3. Sensitivity Control 14
7.4. Threshold Control 15
7.5. Disct/All Metal Switch 16
7.6. Discrimination Control 17
7.7. Notch Variable Control 19
7.8. Ground Balance Switch 20
7.9. Noise Cancel 22
7.10. Audio Output 22
8. DIGITAL TARGET IDENTIFICATION METER 23
9. PRACTISING THE CONTROLS 26
10. TREASURE HUNTING TIPS 27
11. ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS 28
12. DETECTOR CARE 29
13. TROUBLESHOOTING 30
13. SPECIFICATIONS 31
14. WARRANTY & SERVICE Service Repair Form 32
1. Introduction
Congratulations on purchasing Minelab’s Sovereign GT detector. The Sovereign GT metal
detector has been designed for general purpose detecting with features to suit the coin and
treasure hunter plus automatic ground balance for the gold fields.
The Sovereign GT detector uses Minelab’s unique
technology,
multiple frequencies.
The benefits of multiple frequency technology are numerous and include increased depth,
greater sensitivity to non-ferrous metal objects, increased accuracy in discrimination and
increased accuracy in target identification. Add to this, Minelab’s automatic ground balance
and the Sovereign GT becomes a very versatile, all-purpose detector.
The Sovereign GT is designed to locate valuable metal objects in high trash areas and in
areas of extreme salt or mineralisation, conditions commonly encountered by gold and
treasure hunters around the world. When using a single or dual-frequency detector under
these conditions, a detectorist may experience a significant loss of detection depth and
discrimination accuracy. However, the Sovereign GT, with its BBS technology and automatic
ground balance, compensates for interference from these ground conditions and enables you
to penetrate deeply and discriminate accurately at full depth.
The Sovereign GT is simple to operate, having very few controls that require adjustment after
they have been set. The extremely advanced, yet simple-to-use, discrimination features
enable you to accurately select only the types of metal objects that you want to find and to
ignore those that you consider junk. The variable signal tone responses enable you to
accurately identify the object found before you recover it.
If you have any questions or comments regarding the Sovereign GT or any other Minelab
product, then please feel free to contact us via your local Authorised Minelab Dealer or write
to us direct.
which enables the Sovereign GT to automatically transmit simultaneously in
Minelab Electronics wish you every success in your treasure hunting.
Broad Band Spectrum (BBS)
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Please Note:
Since there may be a range of options available in this
model of detector, equipment may vary according to
the product number or the country of purchase.
Certain descriptions and illustrations may differ
(in this manual) from the exact model that you have
purchased. Minelab reserves the right to respond to
ongoing technical progress by introducing changes in
design, equipment and technical features at any time.
p3
1. introducing the Sovereign GT
www.minelab.com
www.minelab.com
2.
BBS Technology
When developing BBS technology, Minelab’s scientists first looked at
technology that was already available in the market and identified its
limitations in field use. Discussions with seasoned treasure hunters
from around the world identified a number of common problems
facing detector operators including :
• Loss of detection depth in mineralised ground.
• Inaccurate target identification beyond 5 or 6 inches.
• Inability to detect good targets in close proximity to iron trash.
• Erratic operation when searching salt-water beaches.
Most detectors on the market operate on a single (or dual)
frequency. Although this technology has served the industry well
for years, Minelab’s scientists found that a frequency that worked
well in one area would often offer only marginal performance
when used in another location. Ground mineralization, trash
content, and target size all had an effect on how well a
detector transmitting a single frequency would operate.
The BBS circuit automatically transmits a number of
frequencies simultaneously; a feature which is unique to
Minelab metal detectors. Ranging from 1.5 to 25.5 kHz in
1.5 kHz increments, the signal received from the coil is
analysed and information is relayed to the operator via
the speaker, headphone, and meter (if attached).
Through the use of so many frequencies, the
Sovereign GT
accurately identify valuable targets in variable
ground and high trash areas.
is designed to locate and
The Sovereign GT combines Minelab’s unique multiple frequency BBS technology with
automatic ground balance and improved signal processing to give:
•
Greater detecting depth.
•
Consistent sensitivity over a wide range of targets.
•
Good target identification & discrimination of trash.
•
Operation in mineralised ground.
Therefore, the treasure hunter is more likely to detect targets normally missed by other
detectors.
One of the major overall benefits of BBS technology is that although it automatically
operates at so many frequencies, all at the same time, it is actually easier to use than most
of its competitors. Because it is microprocessor controlled, all you need do is set the
threshold, discrimination and volume, and the rest is done for you automatically.
Most coin detectors do not work well on saltwater beaches, and Pulse Induction detectors
designed for beach use have very little or no Discrimination ability. The Sovereign GT not only
performs flawlessly on a saltwater beach, whilst discriminating targets with amazing
accuracy, it also has a true ground balancing all-metal mode that allows operators to find very
low conductive items such as gold nuggets, and ferrous based relics in mineralised soils.
A BBS detector will penetrate deeply, discriminate accurately and can be used in a variety of
ground conditions. The bottom line is that when using a Minelab detector such as the
Sovereign GT with its BBS technology, you will find good targets, more often.
Essentially, when using a
with BBS technology, it is like swinging a
number of single-frequency detectors at
the same time. Because BBS operates in
a number of frequencies that no other
detector does, BBS detectors such
Sovereign GT
as the
broad range of objects that no
other individual detector
has the ability to find.
p4
Sovereign GT
can find a
p5
2. list of parts
www.minelab.com
5. assembling the detector
www.minelab.com
3. List of Parts
The box in which the Sovereign GT is shipped should contain the following items.
Please check that all of these items are in the box:
• Control Box
• 10" or 8” Round Tornado coil (inc. skid plate attached)
• 2-Piece Shaft Assembly (inc. Fiberglass lower shaft)
• Black Aluminium Armrest (inc. nuts & bolts) (2 part)
• Arm Rest Neoprene Cover
• Arm Rest Strap (2 part)
• Rear Control Box Bracket
• Battery Pack
TM
• Velcro
• Teardrop Washers (2)
• Nylon Nuts and Bolts
• Warranty Card
• Instruction Manual
Note: There may be variations to the items included in different countries so if you believe there may
be something missing, check with your dealer/supplier that it is standard issue.
Straps (2 pair)
- See note
4. Accessories
The following accessories are available to further improve your machine.
• Digital Target Identification Meter
• Alkaline Battery Holder ( holds 8 x ‘AA’ Batteries)
• NiMH rechargeable battery
• Mains Charger (240v/230v or 110v)
• 12V NiMH Vehicle Charger
• Headphones
• Hipmount Bag with Raincoat Protective Cover for Control Box
• Meter Protective Cover & hipmount Bag
• Padded Detector Transport Bag
• Minelab Padded Sleeveless Jacket
• Blue Minelab Polo Shirt
• Blue Minelab Cap
For further information on these and other Minelab products call your nearest
Authorised Minelab dealer.
5. Assembling the Detector
Please follow these instructions to assemble the Sovereign GT. Refer to the
drawings to identify parts and how they are positioned. Please contact your
Minelab dealer for further instructions should any difficulties arise.
5.1.Lower Shaft Assembly
a) Remove the tape on the lower fiberglass tube (3) that is
holding the black teardrop washers (12) in place.
Note: Ensure the washers do not fall out after removing the tape.
b) Remove the black nylon wing nut (11), and bolt (10) from
the coil (1).
c) With the teardrop washers in place, push the lower tube (3)
into the coil bracket so that the holes line up.
Note: Ensure that the black nylon spring clip near the top of
the fibreglass tube is pointing toward the rear of the coil.
d) Push the black nylon bolt (10) through the holes in the
bracket on the coil from the cable entry side and tighten
the wing nut (11) by hand.
Figure 1 - The coil and
lower shaft assembly
5.2.Armrest/Upper Straight Shaft Assembly
Note: In some countries the Sovereign GT is issued with an S-bend upper shaft and in
other countries it will have a straight shaft.
a) Slide the handle (5) onto the upper end of the upper shaft (4)
and push it on about a foot.
b) Place the two arm rest halves (6) on either side of the upper
shaft (4) and ensure that the bolt holes are aligned.
c) Slide the nylon bolts (10) through the bolt holes
and screw the nylon wing nuts (11) onto the bolts
with a couple of turns (do not tighten).
d) Slide the plastic control box bracket (9) into
the runners of the arm rest (6) & tighten the nylon
wing nuts by hand.
e) Attach the arm rest straps (8) using the
press studs on both sides of the arm rest.
f) Push the arm rest straps through the slots
in the arm rest cover (7) and push the cover
over the arm rest.
g) Position your arm into the arm rest and slide the
handle (5) along the shaft into a comfortable position.
Tighten the two screws in the base of the handle with a
small screwdriver.
Figure 2 - Armrest/upper
shaft assembly
p6
If your detector is supplied with the S-bend shaft, assembly will be identical except that you
will not have to assemble the separate handle
p7
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