DEPTH AND DISCRIMINATION

I know each unit is not the same, but on my ShadowX2, I never set it any higher then 7 1/2. Anything higher, like a setting of 8, it starts trying to discriminate out the cents and dimes unless their real shallow. What you asked is not an easy question to answer since the deeper coins mixed in with the ground minerals start discriminating the target out with a lower setting then the shallow targets. So if you look at it one way, you could say you loose depth. Look at it another way, the discrimination rejection point is just different. On deep targets, using the coin check button can produce a broken signal. On the other hand, real shallow zinc cents can still be detected using the coin check button.

I made myself a little chart of what I considered to be the rejection points for a shallow target versus a deep target. For the most part, the two settings are 1 number a part or a little less. For example on my ShadowX2, shallow nickels reject at 4 1/2, but I get better depth on nickels if I don't set it any higher then 3 1/2. Indian heads get the best depth at a setting of 6, but don't reject out until 7 if they are shallow. The range for zinc cents overlaps a little with copper cents or dimes. To complicate this, the "halo" effect has a tendency to push the rejection point higher. The coin check button kicks in with a discrimination setting of "7". I have found enough coins at the 6" depth to know that this setting will give a broken signal sometimes for coins at this depth, based on the ground mineral content for my area, and nothing else in the hole with the coin.

James (KY)