White’s Electronics, Inc.
The World’s Finest Metal Detectors manufactured in Sweet Home, Oregon USA
2 Complete Owner’s Guide - Spectra
Spectra is the result of years of research and development, time proven manufacturing
and testing techniques, and most of all ... listening to our customers.
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Congratulations and thank you for
choosing White’s Spectra V 3 .
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The Spectra represents many firsts for metal detector technology. More capabilities
than any metal detector ever. Spectra has Preset Programs developed by our experts,
already set up and ready to find what others have left behind.
This instruction manual will give you a good understanding of the basics. There are no
substitutes for field experience. Practice using the Spectra, and then study this manual
further. Before long, you may well be teaching the experts a thing or two.
I am proud of the Spectra, and the people here at White’s who designed and built it for
you.
We’ve been designing, building, and distributing world wide for nearly 60 years from our
factory in Sweet Home, Oregon, USA. We put our “Made In America” label on every
metal detector we build!
Happy Hunting!
Ken White
President
White’s Electronics, Inc.
All White’s Metal Detectors are
Manufactured in
Sweet Home, Oregon USA
Complete Owner’s Guide - Spectra 3
Table of CONTENTS -
Explore Your Spectra ........................................................................................................................7
Turn On & Go ......................................................................................................................................7
In-depth Turn-on and Go ................................................................................................................7
Auto Powr Off ..........................................................................................................................46
SpectraSound System Note .........................................................................................................47
Program Charts ............................................................................................................................48
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You are invited to comment, make suggestions
and corrections.
If any section is unclear, please let us know.
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REPLY TO:
showard@whiteselectronics.com
Complete Owner’s Guide - Spectra 7
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Explore Your Spectra -
Explore your Spectra metal detector with complete confidence. You cannot harm or destroy the original
factory presets or software. Original programs are easily restored under Programs, Restore.
Option selections remain through ON/OFF and battery changes. To return to original selections, manually return to
underlined or check marked levels, or Restore.
More on Memory after Program section.
A Word About “Turn On & Go” -
All the Spectra features and performance are available by selecting a Program suited to your type of hunting. Typical settings and uses are available within the Program choices. Experts have developed these programs for you.
Feel free to edit and experiment. Remember - It is easy to RESTORE.
In depth Turn-On & Go -
• Press ON/OFF: When first turned on the Spectra display shows the battery condition, (owner details) if
registered, ARROW DOWN for more information about the detector and general features.
• Option - press ZOOM to select the size of text that best suits your eyesight and preference. Larger size
text slightly changes display arrangements or feature positions.
• Squeeze and release the Trigger on the handle grip.
• Ground Balance - Squeeze and hold the Trigger press and hold the ENTER button, pump the search coil
(loop) over the ground (1-12 inches) until the background hum becomes steady, release ENTER and then release
trigger and begin searching.
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At anytime during searching, this “ground balance sequence” may be repeated to ground balance the
Spectra to ignore ground minerals. The Spectra will automatically track to normal ground mineral changes. Quick
(abrupt) and dramatic (usually visible) ground changes may require a manual sequence such as dirt to gravel, dry
sand to wet salt sand, wood chips to dirt, sand to dirt, sand/dirt to rock, or other obvious ground changes.
• At initial turn-on, the Spectra begins in a general COIN Program. This program provides typical coin
discrimination (reject iron and small foil, accept nickels, reject old style aluminum pull tabs, and accept from just
above old style pull tabs and up). The Discrimination pattern is visible by a color bar located across the bottom of
the yellow/tan rectangle, RED representing rejected ranges, and GREEN representing accepted ranges.
• If you have already been using the Spectra and have switched to a different Program, the Spectra
retains your preference and will begin in that Program (last used Program always returns regardless of battery
condition or installation).
• The Program in use is indicated on the center lower portion of the display. COIN indicates that this is the
original factory COIN program, all settings are at the original default or SAVED levels. A triangle in front of COIN
indicates there has been a recent change to the COIN program. (+/-) Behind COIN indicates there is an older
change to the COIN program that has been brought back from memory. Both indicate recent changes and older
changes recalled from memory.
Backlight - On the same line as COIN, to the far left, a light bulb indicates the display BACKLIGHT is on.
Press “ARROW RIGHT” until Backlight appears highlighted on the far right bottom corner of display. Press “ARROW UP” and “ARROW DOWN” to adjust the degree of backlight. Backlight will affect the ability to see the display
in all light conditions. At medium backlight settings 15% reduction in battery life is expected (a 1.5 hour reduction
out of ten hours use). At maximum backlight settings a 25% reduction in battery life is expected.
Live Controls - across the bottom of the display offer quick and easy “on the fly” adjustment of all common
metal detector features. Use ARROW LEFT & RIGHT to highlight a feature, then ARROW UP & DOWN to adjust
it or ENTER to turn it ON/OFF. No need to enter a MENU. Adjustments are instant, like having knobs! Another
White’s innovation.
VDI Numbers and Spectragraph “R” - Within the yellow / tan rectangle which dominates the display
important target indications are provided;
• A small target reference number scale VDI (Visual Discrimination Indication numbers) from -95-0-+95
are listed. -95 to 0 represents the negative (ferrous) or magnetic target range (most iron and steel). +1 to +95
represents the conductive (nonferrous) target range (most precious metals). The VDI number will vary depending
upon the exact characteristics of the metal itself. These VDI numbers are the same reference numbers the Spectra
uses to accept or reject different target types, especially important when customizing the Discrimination.
Complete Owner’s Guide - Spectra 9
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The current target VDI number appears much larger above the rectangle upper left side of display. Listen for a
solid repeatable (over multiple search coil passes) audio “beep” then look for a consistent Icon and/or VDI number
indicating a good quality metal target.
• While sweeping the search coil metal targets will produce blocks above the -95-0-+95 metal range for
each frequency currently in use. Their position in relation to the -95-0-+95 range will indicate the electrical characteristics (target signature) of the metal itself, which is based on the exact metal alloy and size.
In the COIN Program rejected VDI range blocks appear in RED, Accept VDI range blocks appear in Green.
Taller and narrower block patterns indicate higher quality metal alloys. Top block (always the highest frequency) represents 22.5 kHz, center blocks 7.5 kHz, and bottom blocks (always the lowest frequency) 2.5 kHz. Typically gold
and nickel respond better / stronger at 22.5 kHz, brass better / stronger at 7.5, and silver/copper better / stronger at
2.5 kHz. Noting which line of blocks fades last (lingers longest) is a further indication of the targets likely alloy.
Multiple targets near each other can be tricky. When unusual variations are noticed, sweep the area from
several different directions and/or hold the toggle on the grip and “X” the area to check for multiple targets. Then
sweep each separately and note audio and display.
ICONs - In combination with the VDI number and target signature blocks, an ICON will appear above the
rectangle in the upper right side of display, and a large VDI (visual discrimination indication or reference number)
that represents that range will appear on the upper left side of the display. Some variation is expected from one
search coil sweep to the next. However, overall consistency over several sweeps will produce an accurate indication of the metal alloy. Multiple targets near each other can be tricky. When unusual variations are noticed, sweep
the area from several different directions, hold the toggle, to check for multiple targets.
• Sweep the search coil close to the ground, scrubbing in grass, an inch above rocky, sandy, or coarse
grounds, from side to side, overlapping each pass by 50%. Avoid arching at the end of each sweep, maintain about
two seconds per pass from left to right and about two seconds returning from right to left. The search coil must
remain in motion for metals to respond.
• Ignore the display and listen for a solid sounding, repeatable audio “BEEP” upon several passes of the
search coil. Ignore inconsistent, or broken sounds. Solid, repeatable “BEEPs”, after multiple passes indicate a
metal target of interest.
• Then look at display. Once a solid and repeatable “BEEP” has been located, sweep over it several times,
and look at the display. A narrow tall bar graph in a desired range plus the large VDI number in the upper left side
of display, and a desired target ICON will indicate a good metal target worth digging.
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• Optional Step (Analyze) Push the toggle forward (away from the grip) sweep over the target
several times, and look at the analysis. The Analyze Screen provides a visual of the actual target signal. The Screen provides an indication of the size of the target (distance between the two black lines),
and the differences at each frequency. Each of the three frequencies are color coded (22.5 kHz, 7.5
kHz, 2.5 kHz).
Most metal alloys produce a set of smooth bumps similar to a single camel hump, slightly different in height
(signal strength) at each primary frequency. Coins on edge or irregular shapes often produce dips before and/or after this hump. “Size” will track search coil sweep speed. Different metal alloys respond at different frequencies. As
well, irregularities (dips in normal pattern) at specific frequencies better identifies trash, particularly iron. The sizing
rule is shown on the lower left side of display. This size applies to each increment marked with dots across the bottom of the screen. The default shows two inches as the display width. This would indicate that the data shown from
the left to right edge of the display was collected within a time interval where the loop moved two inches. Accuracy
depends on search coil sweep speed, and consistency.
Next to the large VDI number is a calculation displayed as a percentage (%). 100% is sure target information, and 10% should be considered questionable. If the information is questionable, note the depth. If it is a
deeper target (5+ inches) questionable display information is typical and one may still want to dig.
Pinpoint -
• To Pinpoint exactly where to dig, squeeze and hold the toggle in (towards the grip) and slowly “X” the area
where the “BEEP” was heard. Standard Equipment “DD” loop requires special attention to side to side, then forward
to back. Pivot 90 degrees and repeat “X” area. Display indicates depth in inches and bars indicates target center.
The strongest signal will be the exact center of the target.
NOTE: With multi frequency pinpoint bar option, strongest bar suggest likely target alloy. Nickel, gold, and
small targets strongest at 22.5 kHz (top bar), brass strongest at 7.5 kHz (center bar), silver/copper strongest at 2.5
kHz (bottom bar).
The Spectra can be locked into the pinpoint mode, while squeezing the trigger, press and hold ENTER
and release the trigger, then release ENTER. Pinpoint mode will then remain until trigger is squeezed and released
twice. Note, it is normal for the pinpoint mode threshold to gradually wander up or down over relatively short periods of time. Pinpoint is not intended for prolonged searching.
Live Controls -
Complete Owner’s Guide - Spectra 11
UP/DOWN moves the Cursor vertical to select from a list.
SIDE/SIDE moves the highlighted selection horizontally.
MENU/TAB brings up menu or moves the Cursor to the next item or
selection on the screen. Selection is highighted.
MENU/TAB x2
advanced menu (see page 11).
ENTER selects the option.
ZOOM/VIEW increases text size or provides more detailed Menu.
BACKUP or ESCAPE squeeze and release trigger from any Menu or
control.
brings up information screen. Includes backlight and
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• The LIVE CONTROLS (Like Backlight) across the bottom of the display offer quick and easy “on the fly”
adjustment of all the normal metal detector controls. Use ARROW LEFT & RIGHT to highlight a feature, then ARROW UP & DOWN to adjust, ENTER to activate or deactivate. No need to enter a MENU. Adjustments are instant,
like having control knobs.
• Maximize Live Controls by holding ZOOM and pressing ARROW Up X1 or X2.
• Minimize or hide Live Controls by holding ZOOM and pressing ARROW Down X1, X2, or X3.
• Minimize or hide Live Controls when few further adjustments are expected allowing a better
target screen size. To bring them back anytime on the fly Minimized or Full Size, hold ZOOM
and press ARROW UP.
• The selection of live controls and the order in which they appear changes depending on which Program
is selected. In other words COIN has different Live Controls and a different order compared to PROSPECTING.
Live controls can be selected, rearranged, and changed in their appearance (Expert Menu).
• Personal preference selections within the Expert Menu will automatically export to the Live Controls and
Six Block Menu. For example selecting a different method of making Discrimination adjustments within the Expert
Menu will automatically install that same specific method in the Live Controls and Six Block Menu.
• The COIN and COIN AND JEWELRY program initially offers the most popular options and arrangement
one would expect to find on most high-end general use metal detectors.
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• “Quick Save” During adjustment of any Live Control, or within any Menu one change can be quickly
added individually as that programs new Saved Defaults “quick save”.
• Immediately after making a single Live Control adjustment, if you want to then Save it as a
default for that Program, press and hold ENTER, and press MENU (new box appears).
• Use ARROW Up and Down to select “Save As Default” and press ENTER.
• That individual change has now been added as that Programs new default setting.
• Restore Default, reverts “only that specific setting” to it’s original or last Saved setting
for that Program.
• Exit, exits that option or squeeze and release Trigger to exit.
• RESTORE under Programs will now restore that program to original, with the addition
of that single change you “SAVED as Default”.
• This sequence only SAVEs the very last change. It will not save multiple changes nor will it
SAVE multiple VDI Accept/Reject changes within the Disc Edit Feature. Only one change
(the very last one made) will be saved as default.
• To use this “quick save” method to save multiple changes, first make all the desired changes,
highlight Program Live Control, hold ENTER, press MENU, select SAVE as Default, and Press
ENTER. Multiple changes to any program selected via Live Control can be retained by using
the “Quick Save”.
• “Quick Save” also can be used in any Menu to save any individual change as a default for
the current Program. After a change, hold MENU, press ENTER, select Save As Default,
press ENTER.
• Sensitivity, and Ground Track Live controls - When Zoomed, (highlight then press ZOOM)
provide additional measurements used for advanced comparisons and option selections.
• Sensitivity Live Control Zoomed – Probe provides a Signal %, Noise %, and
reasonable Rx Gain recommendation. See Sensitivity Section.
•
Ground Tracking Live Control Zoomed – Provides a Ground Probe for measuring
and comparing the ground, or a target in the ground. The probe provides phase,
phase angle, and signal strength, at each primary frequency.
See Ground Trac Section.
MENU -
Complete Owner’s Guide - Spectra 13
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When a Live Control is selected
and highlighted with ARROW LEFT & RIGHT, pressing and releasing
ZOOM accesses more options for that specific option, next level menu. At any point in a regular or zoomed menu, pushing the toggle forword accesses “Help Balloon” to describe that particular option. Help Balloons
do not appear on unzoomed Live Controls. Squeeze and release the toggle to return to a search mode.
Help Balloon
Trigger Forward
• Live Controls are basically the same features and adjustments listed under Six Block MENU. Changes
to the Live Controls show up in the MENU and Changes in the MENU show up as changes in the Live CONTROLS.
The Spectra remembers and automatically saves all changes automatically. Restore under Program restores to
original settings.
• LIVE CONTROLS, MENU, and EXPERT MENU are all different windows for the same set of features or
adjustments. Progressively greater detail and option choices are offered. This progression keeps rarely adjusted
features out of the way during normal searching yet allowing quick access from either Live Controls or Menu. LIVE
CONTROL features can originate from either MENU or Expert Menu. Using some Programs you will note options
on the live controls that are not found within the regular MENU. These are EXPERT menu features that are made
available on the live controls to enhance that specific Program.
Navigation and Program Selection -
• In addition to accessing specific sections of the MENU from the LIVE CONTROLS, to access the regular
formatted MENU press MENU.
• Six categories appear following the options one would expect to find on a typical metal detector. Use the
Arrows to highlight (select) a category, press ENTER.
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Programs -
Check mark in front of program name indicates it is the original factory or manual saved default
✓
program (no changes from default settings).
Triangle in front of Program name indicates it has been modified from the original or manually saved
defaults (changed from default).
• Coin – Provides for typical COIN and general use, rejects some older styles of aluminum pull-tabs.
• Coin & Jewelry – Similar to Coin, however, less trash discrimination (accepts aluminum pull tabs)
so as to respond to typical jewelry.
• Salt Beach – Similar to Coin & Jewelry, however, provides for typical Salt Water Beach and Jewelry
use. Less trash rejection compared to COIN, plus employs special salt subtraction multi-frequency
technique. Note: Coin & Jewelry would be a better choice for fresh water beaches (no salt).
• Relic – Provides for typical American Civil War & Revolutionary War relic type searching, very little
trash rejection, small and large iron indicated by a lower tone beep.
• Prospecting – Provides for Gold Nugget searching. Also a great program for other types of nature
metals prospecting, natural silver nugget, copper nugget, etc.
• Deep Silver – Just high range VDI numbers for high range targets (Silver). When the entire
low range is eliminated, one can concentrate or separate the high VDI number (silver) among trash.
• High Trash – High trash rejection for difficult (trashy) public areas. Attempts to dissect/reject a
majority of common trash while accepting a majority of common good targets. Always a gamble, however,
hedges the odds considerably towards spending more time digging good targets in high trash areas.
• Hi Pro – High performance general search mode. User must interpret most trash from the
display indications.
• Meteorite – Specific to nickel/iron meteorites (extreme <-> VDI numbers).
• Mixed Mode Pro – High Performance general search mode. Combines aspects of both
Discrimination and All Metal modes.
Complete Owner’s Guide - Spectra 15
TO RESTORE FACTORY PROGRAMS
• Common – Collect your common personal preference settings to later substitute by category
within Programs being saved from Expert, Programs, Setup, and Exclude feature. Note: COMMON, from
the factory, contains a showroom demonstration program designed to work in high interference indoor areas
(Reduced Sensitivity) intended only for Dealer Showrooms or demonstrating and experimenting with basic
Spectra functions indoors.
• Using Common as a complete user-search program, you can set some or all preferred
levels and feature choices. Most categories of your COMMON settings can be substituted
to any Program effectively overriding all other selections for that category of options. It is
not necessary to set all categories for your common preferred settings.
• Expert, Program, Setup, Exclude allows you to exclude only the following sections
as complete groups of choices - Discrimination, Sensitivity, Volume & Threshold, Audio Tones,
Audio Modes, Frequency, Ground Tracking, Filter & Speed, and Configuration.
• To eliminate your Common selections for that program go to Expert, Program, Setup, Exclude,
and deselect sections for that Program by category then re-save that program.
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• Original (Indoor Showroom) settings are automatically saved in the library under COMMON.
• Because of higher-level use, Common is the only Program that cannot be erased.
• Restore – Returns the specified Program to the original or last manually SAVED defaults. Changes
that were automatically saved will all return to their last manually saved defaults. In other words, if you have not
manually saved anything, Restore returns everything to original factory recommended settings for that program.
• Select RESTORE with ARROW Up & Down, then press ENTER.
• Use ARROW Up & Down to select the PROGRAM you wish to restore.
• Press MENU / TAB to toggle between highlighting RESTORE or CANCEL.
TO RESTORE FACTORY PROGRAMS
FROM
to RESTORE - Press
Use to select program. Use to highlight RESTORE.
Selected program displays checkmark and is restored to factory settings.
• Wireless Headphone “enable on/off setting is NOT changed by “Restore”.
• Removing battery does NOT restore factory programs.
Press
16 Complete Owner’s Guide - Spectra
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• Press ENTER to either RESTORE that PROGRAM or CANCEL.
• Squeeze and release toggle “once” to exit to six block MENU,
squeeze and release toggle “twice” to exit to the search mode.
Memory Capabilities - The Spectra offers the most intuitive and advanced memory system ever offered
with a metal detector.
• A MENU listing of an unchanged, original, or manually saved Program has a “Check” mark . A MENU
✓
listing of a modified Program has a “Triangle” . Preset levels are underlined in the Live Controls.
• Setting or option changes remain as changed, removed battery or not. Note: If the battery fails or is removed during use, the exact settings from the last OFF cycle will return.
• Excluding “global settings” (described below) most Changes made to one Program (COIN) are not changed in other Programs. The COMMON feature (described under Programs) allows sharing.
• If you don’t like the change you made, change it back manually, or use RESTORE under Programs.
• If you want your new settings to be the permanent defaults for that Program (line under your custom setting, or check mark), manually Save under Expert / Programs. Or SAVE an individual setting only
from the Live control by selecting and adjusting it, then holding Enter and pressing MENU, Arrow to
Save as Default, and press ENTER.
• If you want to go back to all the original settings, RESTORE under Programs. Restores to original
or last manual Save.
• Can’t remember if you changed it or not? Look at the name of the Program, triangle in front indicates
recent change, “+ / -“ behind indicates older changes have been brought back from memory. Both,
Program contains both recent changes and changes brought back from memory.
• Some options (because of the way they are normally used) are not included in regular manual Save sequences. Change them once in one Program and they remain at that setting for all
Programs. They stay changed for all programs until manually changed back.
(Global Selection)
• All or part of the following options are treated as “global selections” exempt from the
standard Save sequences;
Backlight, Metric Units, Share, Wireless Selections, Frequency Offset,
(Menu – Size, Expert, Wrap, Top), (Control - Size, Wrap, Min, Hide)
Battery Type, Auto Power Off Time, Key click, Effects, Audio Samples,
Status Normal, Auto Track Report, Bookmarks.
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