White’s Electronics Coinmaster GT User Manual

Coinmaster GT
®
White’s Electronics, Inc.
Sweet Home, Oregon USA
Building the World’s Finest
metal detectors for over 60 years.
Owner’s Manual
CONTENTS
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
QuickStart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Controls
On/Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tone ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Trac Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Pinpoint/All Metal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
More Info
VDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Depth & Discrimination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Coil Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Sweep Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Sizing, Pinpointing, & Digging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Code of Ethics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover
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Low battery indicator
Backlight indicator
Sensitivity strength
Tone ID mode indicator
Disc cursor
Reject icons
Depth bar
Numeric VDI
and depth
Owner’s Manual
Introduction
The Coinmaster GT (or CoinGT) is an easy-to-use metal detector with features and performance that rival more expen­sive models. The CoinGT has automatic ground tracking (Auto-
Trac®) which maximizes performance across many different
ground conditions. It also features a 9-zone discriminator with both audio and visual target identification. Each zone may be accepted or rejected, providing the user with a way to ignore certain types of targets like iron or foil.
In normal search mode (i.e., “Disc” mode) the audio has a silent threshold and optional Tone ID with 9 tones that correlate to the 9 different discrimination zones. In addition to the audio response, the display provides visual information with an icon cursor that points to a probable target type and a Visual Display Indicator (VDI) number that provides even more detailed target information (see More Info for an explanation of VDI numbers). An estimated target depth is given by the depth bar. The Pin­point and All Metal modes provide an audible threshold tone and a user-selectable VCO response or a loudness response (non-VCO).
The CoinGT uses 8 “AA” batteries and will typically run 25 hours on fresh alkaline batteries. The display includes an optional backlight which allows for extended hunting, but will increase battery consumption.
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Assembly
Owner’s Manual
1. Remove all parts from the shipping carton and check assem-
bly diagram to ensure all parts are present.
2. Install black rubber washers on fiber clevis/lower rod, insert
clevis lower rod onto loop ears. Use only nonmetallic wash­ers, fiber bolt, and fiber thumb nut to secure loop/search coil to clevis/lower fiber rod.
3. Insert clevis/lower rod into curved “S” rod so that stainless
steel spring clip buttons line up and lock into one of the adjustment holes in the curved “S” rod. The second or third adjustment holes are suitable for average sized adults.
4. Wind the loop cable around the rod assembly, first revolu-
tion over the top of the rod, all the way to the top of the curved “S” rod, about five revolutions. Use the black cable retainers, one near the loop, and one near the top of the curved “S” rod, to hold the loop cable in place. Plug the cable into the jack on the front of the control box.
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5. Grip the instrument by the handle, with your arm in the
elbow cup with strap and sweep the loop/search coil over
the floor. If the instrument fit feels uncomfortable, readjust
clevis/lower rod length with spring clip button and cam-
lock so that search coil can be held near the floor without
stooping over.
6. Adjust the elbow cup strap so that it is loose enough for you
to slide your arm in and out without loosening each time
you want to set the detector down. The elbow cup strap pro-
vides extra leverage and control. However, some prefer not
to use it.
7. Install the battery pack.
Owner’s Manual
Batteries
1. Remove the battery pack by pressing both buttons on sides
of battery compartment.
2. Slide open the tray cover. Install eight (8) “AA” alkaline
batteries taking note of correct (+) and (-) positions and
close cover.
3. Slide battery pack into compartment. A vigorous ‘slam’
may be needed to ensure a good seating.
4. Press ON/OFF button. Good batteries will produce a high
pitched beep on power-up. A low pitched beep indicates
low batteries.
5. Batteries that are weak, or become weak during use, will
automatically indicate Low Batt with a battery icon on the
center portion of the display. A three-beep alarm also
sounds to indicate batteries are too low for operation.
6. Most alkaline batteries will give about 25 hours of continu-
ous operation. Battery life will vary with intermittent use,
back-light use, temperature, control settings, target indica-
tions, battery quality, battery condition upon purchase, and
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shelf life. It is a good idea to carry back up batteries.
7. A rechargeable NiMH battery pack may be purchased sepa-
rately. Rechargeable batteries typically provide similar or slightly less run time than alkaline batteries.
Owner’s Manual
QuickStart
1. Turn on the power.
2. The CoinGT has automatic ground tracking. To speed up
the initial tracking process, find a spot free of targets and bob the coil up & down a few times (optional).
3. Sensitivity (SENS) defaults to a reasonable level. If the
audio is chattery or constantly overloads, reduce the sensi­tivity level.
4. Sweep the search coil from
side-to-side, keeping the coil level and close to the ground. Overlap each sweep by 50% to avoid missing targets.
5. Once a target is detected, use
the Pinpoint button to isolate its exact location.
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Owner’s Manual
Controls
ON/OFF
Besides the obvious, the ON/OFF button also controls the display backlight. Press and hold the button to toggle the back­light.
SENS
The Sensitivity control increases or decreases the respon­siveness of the CoinGT. Normally, this determines how deep the detector will “see” a target.
However, increasing the sensitivity not only increases the response to target signals, but also that of ground signals and electromagnetic interference (EMI). A common mistake is to assume that higher sensitivity will always give better depth. In air tests this is generally true, but ground results can depend on the amount and type of mineralization.
In general, run the sensitivity as high as possible while maintaining smooth operation. If the audio is chattery or the ground is causing overload, reduce the sensitivity.
DISC
The Discrimination control allows you to enable or disable the audio response for select ranges of targets. The CoinGT has 9 ranges:
1. Small iron
2. Large iron
3. Foil
4. Nickel
5. Pull tab
6. Zinc cent
7. Copper cent
8. Small silver
9. Large silver
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Owner’s Manual
Use the circular arrow button to cycle the disc cursor
through the 9 ranges, and press the disc select button to toggle the selection of a particular range. The range is disabled
when the symbol is displayed.
TONE ID
By default the CoinGT has a single tone audio response
regardless of the type of target. Pressing the TONE ID button enables a multi-tone audio response whereby each of the 9 tar­get zones has a different audio tone. When Tone ID is enabled a “TONE ID” icon will appear on the display.
TRAC LOCK
The CoinGT has automatic ground tracking (AutoTrac®)
which effectively nulls most ground mineralization. If the audio is chattery and reducing sensitivity doesn’t help, lock the ground tracking with the Trac Lock button. Pressing Trac Lock again immediately updates the ground tracking and returns to
AutoTrac® mode.
BEACH
Wet salt sand (and sometimes highly fertilized ground) is
mildly conductive and difficult for most metal detectors. The
Beach mode expands the ground tracking range of the CoinGT
to handle wet salt sand. You may still need to use a slower sweep rate to avoid falsing. This mode is not recommended for normal soils and may cause some targets to track out. Also gen­erally not needed for dry beach sand.
P/P (ALL METAL)
The Pinpoint (P/P) button performs two functions. When
briefly pressed it switches the CoinGT in and out of “All Metal” mode. Discrimination is not applied in the All Metal mode and the CoinGT will respond to any metal target. However, Target ID (both the VDI number and the icon cursor) and Depth indi­cation work the same in All Metal mode as in Disc mode. Also
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like Disc mode, the All Metal mode requires that the coil be in motion in order to respond to a target. If the coil is held steady over a target it will get tuned out after a few seconds.
When the Pinpoint button is pressed and held it performs the second function of enabling Pinpoint mode, which is typi­cally used to assist in pinpointing a detected target. Pinpoint mode is a true static mode in that audio response is maintained as the coil is held steady over the target.
In both All Metal and Pinpoint mode a threshold audio is applied and a target will cause the loudness to increase. The
CoinGT also supports VCO1 audio whereby a target causes the pitch of the threshold to increase. VCO audio is enabled by pressing the Tone I D button while in Pinpoint mode.
Owner’s Manual
Display
The CoinGT display provides information on the operation of the detector as well as the detected target. On the right is the segmented bar which shows the sensitivity level. On the left is another segmented bar which shows the estimated target depth in increments of 2”. A “TONE ID” icon indicates that multi­tone audio is enabled. A low-battery icon will appear when bat­tery voltage falls below about 9 volts.
A large 2-digit number gives the VDI response of the target in both Disc and All Metal modes and the depth of the target in Pinpoint mode. VDI responses are covered in the “More Info” section. The numeric depth is given in 1/2” increments with no decimal point. Therefore, a depth readout of “50” is 5 inches, and a readout of “55” is 5.5 inches.
Across the top of the display are the segments for the 9 dis­crimination zones. When a target is detected a pointer/cursor points to the zone that corresponds to the type of target. Addi­tionally, these zones can be disabled (rejected) by using the Disc keypad buttons to move the cursor and select/deselect each
1. “VCO” means voltage-controlled oscillator
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VDI SCALE
HOT ROCK
DOLLAR
HALF / LG
QUARTER
DIME
+95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
S
I L V E R
ZN CENT
CENT
CU-NI CENT
PULL TAB
SQ TAB
NICKEL
FOIL IRON
SALT
NAILS
LG IRON
C U
G O
L
D
F E R R O U S
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-10
-20
-95
SILVER RING
c
LATE CENT
-40
-60
-90
EARLY CENT
GOLD RING
$2.50 GOLD
$5 GOLD
SC CAP
SM NUGGET
LEAD
MINIE
Owner’s Manual
zone. Rejecting a zone only affects the audio; the display will still show target information even if you can’t hear an audible response.
The CoinGT display includes a backlight for extended hunt­ing. Press and hold the On/Off button to toggle the backlight. In daylight it can be difficult to tell whether the backlight is on or off, so a backlight icon is also displayed. The backlight will reduce battery life by 30% so it’s best to turn it off when not needed.
More Info
VDI
VDI stands for Visual Display Indi­cator and is a numeric representation of
the target’s response. So-called VLF detectors transmit a magnetic field which is disrupted by nearby metal tar­gets. The disruption is seen by the receiver as an increase in signal ampli­tude (which gives a basic “I found something!”) but also creates a signal phase shift. This phase shift usually indicates the type of target and can be used both for identifying targets and for discriminating or rejecting them.
+95, where negative numbers corre­spond to ferrous (iron) targets and posi­tive numbers to non-ferrous targets. A chart of typical VDIs is shown on the right.
gets. For example, due to the variety of sizes and alloys, gold rings can give the
White’s uses a VDI scale of -95 to
There is a lot of overlap amongst tar-
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Owner’s Manual
same responses as foil, nickels, and pull tabs. Likewise, pull
tabs often look like nickels and vice-versa.
Target ID is by no means foolproof and should be consid­ered only a probability estimate. As we’ll see in the next sec­tion, the probability decreases with depth. An excellent approach is to work with test targets (especially planted at dif­ferent depths) to get familiar with target responses.
Depth and Discrimination
The CoinGT has both audio and visual target ID, as well as the ability to reject certain ranges of targets. It is important to understand the limitations of target ID — and, because it is based on target ID, discrimination — to avoid missing good tar­gets.
As explained in the section on VDI, target ID is based on the phase shift of a target’s received signal. We’ve already seen that many different types of targets can share VDI responses. Depth also plays a role. A strong target signal (either from a shallow target or a large target) provides for a strong and repeat­able phase response from which we can extract a pretty reliable VDI. As the target signal weakens, its VDI becomes less reli­able. This can show up as an inconsistent target response as the coil is repeatedly swept over the target. It is not unusual for deep targets to produce an inaccurate target ID, and perhaps even cross over into a rejected zone.
Furthermore, ground mineralization can cause errors in tar­get phase. Even targets of moderate depth can produce an inac­curate target ID if ground mineralization is severe enough.
Reliance on target ID should be tempered, and discrimina­tion should be used with care. A “test garden” with multiple types of targets buried at various depths is a good way to see how target responses behave and to hone your skills in reading these responses.
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Owner’s Manual
Overload
If the received signal is too large to process the CoinGT will
give an overload response. This is heard as an obnoxious alarm sound, plus the display will read “OL”. An overload can be the result of a large metal target near the surface, or from extreme ground mineralization. If it is the latter, the only recourse is to reduce the sensitivity level until the detector can operate smoothly.
Coil Size
With any metal detector, the size of the search coil presents
a trade-off between depth and sensitivity. A larger coil offers better depth on larger targets at the expense of small-target sen­sitivity, and a smaller coil has better sensitivity to small targets, but at a lesser depth. Small coils also do a better job of separat­ing targets when hunting in trashy areas.
The CoinGT comes standard with a 9” concentric coil. An
optional 4x6 “DD” coil is also available.
Sweep Methods
Proper sweep technique is
important with any detector. Round coils tend to have a conical pattern of sensitivity as illustrated here. As such, coverage at maximum depth is less than the size of the coil, so it is always recommended that successive sweeps are overlapped by about 50%.
Besides overlapping each sweep, it is important to keep the
coil close and parallel to the ground. Pendulum-swinging the coil results in loss of depth, and if the ground balance isn’t per­fectly set the variation in loop height will create a ground response. The following illustration shows improper and proper coil sweep motion.
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Wrong Right
Owner’s Manual
Finally, sweep speed affects target response and depth. Some detectors are designed for an exceptionally slow sweep speed, some need a fast sweep. The CoinGT works best at a moderate rate of about 3 feet per second. Somewhat slower or somewhat faster is fine, but whipping the coil at a fast rate is a good way to miss deeper targets. The bottom line is: swing level, moderate speed, and overlap.
Sizing, Pinpointing, and Digging
When a target is detected move the coil well away from the target area and press/hold the Pinpoint button to switch to the Pinpoint mode. A normal sweep over the target in Pinpoint mode will give an idea of target size. If the response is narrow then it is likely a small coin-sized target. If the response is broad then it could be e.g. a beer can. Small shallow targets can give a broad response, and large deep targets can give a narrow response, so use judgement with this.
Once you determine you want to dig a target, use the Pin­point mode to zero in on the location. A criss-cross pattern works best, especially using VCO audio to listen for the peak tone. Watch the ground through the open coil to better deter­mine the exact spot.
Be mindful of proper digging techniques when extracting the target. Use the smallest appropriate digging tool, especially in public areas. Learn how to cut plugs that avoid turf damage or, better yet, how to “pop” coins. There are lots of videos on YouTube that demonstrate good extraction protocol.
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Owner’s Manual
Specifications
Operating mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VLF-IB
Frequency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.192kHz
Search modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Disc, All Metal
Ground balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AutoTrac
Disc Audio . . . . . . . . . . . Silent search with (optional) 9 tones
All Metal Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . VCO or non-VCO, selectable
Audio output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Speaker, headphones
Search coil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9” Concentric
Weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 lbs 9 oz
Length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 - 50 inches, adjustable
Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (8) AA alkaline
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 hours typical
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 years, transferrable
Customer Support
Questions concerning your CoinGT? There are three ways to contact us:
Internet: http://whiteselectronics.com/support.html
Phone:
1-800-547-6911 (US) (0044) 1463 223456 (UK)
Or mail us:
White's Electronics White's Electronics
1011 Pleasant Valley Road 35 Harbour Road
Sweet Home, OR 97386 Inverness, Scotland
IV1 1UA
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Owner’s Manual
Warranty
If within two years (24 months) from the original date of purchase, your White’s detector fails due to defects in either material or workmanship, White’s will repair or replace at its option, all necessary parts without charge for parts or labor.
Simply return the complete detector to the Dealer where you purchased it, or to your nearest Authorized Service Center. The unit must be accompa­nied by a detailed explanation of the symptoms of the failure. You must pro­vide proof of date-of-purchase before the unit is serviced.
This is a transferable manufacturer warranty, which covers the instru­ment two years from the original purchase date, regardless of the owner.
Items excluded from the warranty are non-rechargeable batteries, acces­sories that are not standard equipment, shipping/handling costs outside the continental USA, Special Delivery costs (Air Freight, Next Day, 2nd Day, Packaging Services, etc.) and all shipping/handling costs inside the conti­nental USA 90 days after purchase.
White’s registers your purchase only if the Sales Registration Card is filled out and returned to the factory address by your dealer, soon after origi­nal purchase for the purpose of recording this information, and keeping you up-to-date regarding White’s ongoing research & development.
The warranty does not cover damage caused by accident, misuse, neglect, alterations, modifications, unauthorized service, or prolonged expo­sure to corrosive compounds, including salt. Duration of any implied war­ranty (e.g., merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose) shall not be longer than the stated warranty. Neither the manufacturer or the retailer shall be liable for any incidental or consequential damages.
Some states however, do not allow the limitation on the length of implied warranties, or the exclusion of incidental or consequential damages. Therefore, the above limitations may not apply to you. In addition, the stated warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary from state-to-state.
The foregoing is the only warranty provided by White’s as the manufac­turer of your metal detector. Any “extended warranty” period beyond two years, which may be provided by a Dealer or other third party on your detec­tor, may be without White’s authority involvement and consent, and might not be honored by White’s Electronics, Inc.
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®
Owner’s Manual
Coinmaster GT
Treasure Hunter’s Code of Ethics
1. Always check federal, state, county, and local laws before searching.
2. Always obtain the owner’s permission before access­ing private property.
3. Take care to refill all holes and leave no trace.
4. Remove and dispose of any and all trash and litter found.
5. Whenever possible, return identifiable property to its rightful owner.
6. Never destroy historical or archaeological treasures.
7. Appreciate and protect natural resources, wildlife and property, both public and private.
8. Act as an ambassador for the hobby; be thoughtful, considerate, and courteous at all times.
White’s metal detectors are proudly designed, built, and tested in Sweet Home, Oregon USA
by the employees of White’s Electronics.
Part Number 621-0535 — V1.1
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