Diggler
04-02-2011, 10:11 AM
I had an Ace 250 for a while. Had to try one out since so many people use them. Anyway I copied a bunch of reviews and useful tips... and here it is:
Good Luck!
Some info I found on Ace 250... Wow!
Ace 250 tips, from THE One and Only Bill Revis:
Somewhere on this forum I spoke of it when I field tested it way back. It's very sensitive so run your sensitivity at four bars to start with. Target response and recovery is lightning fast so it's virtually impossible too swing to fast to miss targets. This makes the Ace 250 a great candidate for competition hunting.
Also, if you whip the coil it will go somewhat deeper. Careful scanning still works best, though.
( And that is one of the great things about the Ace 250 - it will allow both tactics.
Let me add here that my testing corroborates the info given on fast swing speeds. In fact, deep targets are often picked up more reliably by fast scanning than with slow swings. On my wedding band, which is 14K and thus just above nickels in conductivity - that is to say a weak conductor - the only way to pick it up at anything over 5†is to whip the coil. Now, keep in mind, this is at my normal hunt setting of SENS at half scale, or 4! At higher settings it registers better, but the point is deeper targets are not lost for fast scanning.
My favorite method of working a “tot lot†is to run the SENS at 4 or 5 and sweep quickly along. The surface targets are picked up with no problem due to the Ace‘s wide “response bubble“ but the deeper targets come through clearly, too. Once I have a deeper target, I can up the SENS and work it a little more carefully. One caveat: Be sure you don’t sweep so fast that you I lose control of the coil!)
Practice pinpointing, as it is a little different. The hotspot is the center, front tip of the inside oval on the coil. It almost pinpoints like a DD coil. Just scan side to side to center the target then drag the coil straight back until the instant the signal stops and your target will be right there. If you have trouble with a target turn ninety degrees to the target and scan it again and you'll hit it right on. On deep targets the hotspot will move back from the tip of the inside oval a bit. Garrett has an animated diagram on their site that gives a general idea on
pinpointing.
The 250 is sensitive to small objects and gold and you will find it performs like detectors costing three times as much - which is why Garrett is selling tons of them. The 12-inch coil will get you another 2-3 inches in depth and operates and pinpoints just like the standard coil. The Sniper coil is hot in trashy areas and gets great depth for a small coil and is sensitive to small objects. -- Bill
Testing The Garrett Ace 250 By Ben Myers
As many of you know by now, Garrett’s Ace 250 is a metal detector that is very light on weight yet heavy on features and performance. Charles Garrett has not only responded to the call of customers who want an easy to use, real-world detector in a fatigue free package, but to top it off, he somehow offers it at a retail price of only $250. This unit will knock the socks off cheap electronics packages masquerading as metal detectors. It puts an honest-to-goodness, quality machine within the budget of nearly
everyone.
How they managed it is a mystery, but Garrett is now providing many top end, working features at an unheard-of low price. If you are just becoming acquainted with the Ace 250, you will be stunned by the multitude of features and controls packed into it. It was nothing short of amazing to me, because even though I was aware of the super low price beforehand, I never dreamed you could get so much for so little. The Ace 250 has some very exciting features, so sit back and read along as we look over this bright new star of Garrett Electronics.
Features
The Ace 250 is an interesting, ergonomic arrangement with a three-piece S-handle design having an elbow rest/stand at one end, a 6.5 x 9†elliptical coil on the other, and a control box at the top of the handle. The controls are within finger and thumb reach for quick adjustments and pinpointing in the field. The housing contains an external speaker or one can use the /4†headphone jack. The top slides off easily to reveal four AA batteries. The searchcoil is waterproof and interchangeable to allow the use of various size loops.
The control box and elbow rest are a pleasing yellow color, which contrasts strikingly with the black of the coil and rod. I hate to harp on cost, but the low price didn’t stop Garrett from providing a comfortably padded handle-grip and elbow rest.
At first glance the housing face looks simple enough to operate, with a good-sized LCD screen, three push pads, and three adjustable +/- pads. However, while it is indeed simple to operate, a closer look makes it
apparent that it took some engineering ingenuity to incorporate so many electronic abilities into this easy to use format.
The features of the Ace 250 are remarkable and include 12-segment adjustable notch discrimination (trash elimination), eight levels of sensitivity (depth and interference regulation), all-metal non-motion Pinpoint (exact target location), coin depth readout to 8â€, Visual Target ID (LCD screen), plus three-tone Audio Target ID, and five preset yet adjustable search modes (All-Metal, Jewelry, Custom, Relics, and Coins)— all packed into a total weight of only 2.7 lbs. (1.2 kgs.). Its length is adjustable from 42†to 51â€, and its operating frequency is 7.2 kHz. Don’t let all these features throw you, newcomers. Thanks to Garrett’s microprocessor controlled electronics and a well thought-out design, the Ace 250 can hunt at the push of one button.
Just turn it on by pressing the PWR (Power) button, and this intuitive detector does the work of setting the controls for you. You can choose to start out in the factory preset Coins mode to automatically eliminate signals from common trash. It doesn’t get much easier, and as you gain experience the controls can be adjusted
to your own wishes.
The ability of the user to choose his own settings, if desired, makes the Ace 250 a valuable tool for seasoned metal detectorists as well. As a side note, I did very little discrimination changing because it was easy to jump from one mode to another with a push of the Mode button to cover just about any detecting situation.
Controls In Depth
• LCD Screen
The screen is a good-sized viewing area with red lettering and dark black cursors for indications. As you can see in the accompanying photo, the LCD’s left side lists the modes available, the center indicates sensitivity level, and the right side the depth readings. This is a great feature, as I don’t recall another detector of this
price having any depth meter at all. Between the latter two displays is the always-visible battery life scale. Just above the sensitivity level is a row of indicators that create 12 different sections or notches of discrimination. Above these is the cursor that appears when a detected object identifies itself by pointing the cursor to a
target above the LCD screen, from Iron through Silver Dollar.
The depth readings on the right of the screen function while one is hunting, rather than after Pinpoint is employed. I offer a couple of cautions here for the newcomer. While it is convenient to know the depth before stopping to pinpoint, you should be aware that on any brand of metal detector with this capability, depth readings and target ID are much more accurate when the center of the coil goes over the center of the target. Otherwise, an outer part of the coil may not be receiving the full signal, and that can result in an error (not enough information to deliver a dependable result). Therefore, once there is a signal to investigate, it may be a good
idea to pinpoint the exact location and then run “center over center†for a more accurate depth and target ID. Try to keep a coil height of about an inch over the surface to avoid overload from surface signals.
Another thing to keep in mind during depth readings is that the Ace 250 provides it in two-inch increments. So when you dig a coin that indicated 4†but ended up being maybe 2-1/2 or 3â€, that is still
correct. The reason is that it is an approximation. The 2†level is not necessarily 2â€â€” it is anything up to 2â€. The 4†mark is actually over 2†to 4â€, and so forth up to the 8†mark, which will also serve for over 8†if that case should occur.
• Control Pads
Below the screen are six control pads. The top three for Mode, Sensitivity, and Discrimination save space in that separate minus and plus pads for each control are not needed. Using the same pad, just press left or right to run the range of the settings. The bottom three pads are the push-button type with a press and release for PWR (Power) and ELIM (Discrimination), while the Pinpoint in the center is a press and hold.
• Modes
Press the switch marked Mode and watch as each mode is chosen at the left of the screen. The five modes are all preset at the factory but are adjustable to the user’s likes and dislikes. These represent two
top-of-the-line features in that not only do you have the choice of various modes, but you can also save favorite settings in the Custom
Mode:
All-Metal is just what it implies— it has no discrimination set and therefore detects all metals. The Ace 250 is very sensitive to tiny objects; therefore, gold seekers and beach hunters may want to use this mode, depending upon hunting conditions.
Jewelry mode knocks out the first two discrimination segments and
thereby eliminates signals from small iron and thin foil. Again, depending upon hunting conditions, including trash level, beach hunters should love this mode for finding rings, bracelets, and other jewelry.
Custom mode is the one that will save your discrimination settings. The first time used, it starts in a Coins set-up but is adjustable as needed. Any discrimination changes that you make in the other modes will be lost when the detector is turned off.
Relics mode generally eliminates signals from small iron trash yet retains signals from lower end lead and brass objects.
Coins mode is the one to use in a trashy park or any location where the junk is driving you crazy. It eliminates signals from the lower end trash such as tinfoil and iron nails, yet retains the nickel-range signals while also rejecting most pulltabs. In this mode, you will see the 12-segment discrimination scale with darkened cursors to accept nickels, and the higher six segments for most coins with no cursors shown to reject the trash icons just mentioned.
• Sensitivity
Press this pad left or right to lower or raise the sensitivity of the detector. As experienced detectorists know, sensitivity can be a double-edged sword. It can be your friend or your nemesis. All metal detectors should be run at a sensitivity level that allows the highest setting yet operates smoothly. Running a detector “too hot†can actually be detrimental to your unit’s performance. The ground balance on this detector is factory preset. While sweeping the coil across the ground, raise the sensitivity until falsing signals are heard, and then back it down until the detector becomes stable. This will provide the best depth for existing conditions, including
ground mineralization and trash.
Many newer detectorists try to use a sensitivity that is too high and become frustrated. The Ace 250 is
a very sensitivity machine, and full sensitivity at eight bars is not necessary to obtain good depth. The user will be amazed at the excellent depth gained with 50% to 75% sensitivity in this low-cost detector.
• Discrimination
The DISCRIM pad works in conjunction with the ELIM pad below it. Use the DISCRIM pad to range the Target ID cursor across the top of the 12 discrimination cursors. As the ID cursor stops over each one, a
press of the ELIM pad will make the discrimination cursor either darken or disappear, thereby allowing the signal to be heard or not heard. In this way, the hunter can change the discrimination settings of the current mode to match the situation in the field. As with all detectors, be aware that eliminating the signals of bad targets may also reject good targets. For example, a gold ring with the same conductivity as a pulltab that is being rejected, will also be rejected. However, thanks to the Ace 250’s 12-segment range, one can fine tune with notches in the discrimination to decide what is accepted or rejected.
• PWR & Pinpoint
What’s to say about Power, right? It turns the detector on and off. Pinpoint is pressed and held as the center of the coil comes over the target to locate its exact location. As the sound increases, the top row of darkened cursors increases with the signal strength. One can also detune to narrow down the size of the target by releasing the Pinpoint pad, re-pressing, and holding it as the center of the coil comes closer to the center of the target. Using this method, I found that targets were located just forward of the notch in the center of the coil and below the top of the inside loop.
I also was able to obtain an accurate pinpoint by bringing the searchcoil side to side over the target, then pointing the top of the coil into the target until the sound increases. The object will be just below the nose of that inside loop. On deeper targets, the all-metal pinpoint tone was often not as strong as the motion discriminate mode. My guess would be that the motion discriminate mode has an audio boost employed to ensure that those deep signals are heard and not missed when hunting.
In The Field
There wasn’t a great deal of time to field test the detector before old man winter froze the ground in the East. However, it didn’t take long to learn that, despite its lightweight and low cost, the Ace 250 is no toy. Although there was no opportunity for a trip to the seashore for beach testing, reports from others indicate that they are finding the detector works smoothly at the beach as long as the sensitivity is reduced a bit to accommodate the wet salt conditions of the sand. The open design of the coil should make for easier sweeping through shallow water.
On dry sand areas inland, I was digging nickels with strong signals at up to 8â€, and that is a good indication for gold rings of similar conductivity. In other tests on dry land, I also found some incredibly tiny and thin pieces of metal with strong signals, so I have to believe that jewelry hunters will do well on the beach.
My first trip was to the local park, where modern clad coins frequently popped up, unable to hide from the Ace 250. The elliptical shape of the coil covered more ground with each sweep, which translated into missing fewer coins. Pinpointing with the elliptical coil took a little getting used to at first. When going to Pinpoint, I could hear a faint threshold. Then the audio increased as the coil neared each target, and the signal strength
cursors could be seen on the display screen. After detuning practice on a couple of targets, I was able to locate that hotspot on the coil, and pinpointing became a snap. I didn’t know how well I would do at playgrounds due to the larger coil, but it turned out well. By dropping down the sensitivity level, I was able to get the coil close to the metal playground equipment. I knew I was getting closer than others were when coins turned up close to swing poles, while the rest of the playground had been cleaned out.
Most of the time I used the All-Metal and Jewelry modes to pick up those little pieces of jewelry that the kids lose. This is where I came across bits of metal no larger than a teardrop, with solid signals— and that means a very sensitive machine.
Starting in the Jewelry Mode at the next park, it didn’t take me long to decide that digging pulltabs was no fun. The grounds turned out to be laden with junk. However, two presses on the minus side of the Mode button put the Ace 250 in the Coins mode, and those pulltab signals disappeared. A nice thing about the Mode button is that it eliminates scrolling through layers in the LCD. All five modes are right there to see, and with just a couple of presses the desired discrimination settings were immediately available. It also didn’t take long to realize that the good sound of the Belltone in both directions of the sweep meant treasure, but no signal in the other direction meant trash.
I don’t believe the higher level of discrimination had any effect on depth ability, because two silver dimes were found on this day, one at 7†and one at 8â€. Also noticed were good targets near bad. Sometimes, when a good sound came through mixed with an iffy one, a slow, careful sweep could separate junk near a good coin. I can only conclude that the detector has a quick recovery time, and that means good target separation— and that, in turn, means pulling more treasure out of the trash.
Several more hunts at parks and yards followed with similar results. The visual Target ID was generally good except when there were multiple targets under the coil, and that result is the same for any detector. As noted earlier, the Ace 250 seems to have a knack of separating those targets, especially when one raises the coil off the ground and works slowly. At one area, some wicked “hot rocks†were recognized when the detector gave a beep in one direction but not the other. ....even in this harsh environment, several coins made themselves known at 6†and went straight to the goodie pouch. In every instance, though, the Ace 250 ran stable and smooth as long as I matched the sensitivity to the site. Even at half sensitivity, coins still beeped loudly at a good 6â€.
By the way, you will want to get a good set of headphones for this detector, as there is no volume control. Of course, most headphones today have their own volume controls, and that solves the situation nicely.
In areas where the trash was light, it was enjoyable to run the detector in All-Metal mode to hear the different audio tones and watch the Target ID. Iron gave itself away with a low tone and Target ID. These were the times when the sensitivity of the machine astounded me. I couldn’t get over the tiny and thin pieces of metal that did not elude the power of this Garrett. No doubt that will be good news to gold and relic hunters. In all modes, the Ace 250 consistently found coins at 6-7†with sensitivity set at only half to three-quarters of its ability. It never let me down at any location.
Summary
Once again, I have to come back to price. I lost count of the times I shook my head in wonderment when the Ace 250 performed yet another feat of the much more expensive detectors. Even though one can appreciate this machine as an experienced detectorist, the real news is that it is an enormous breakthrough for the beginner. It puts previously expensive features into the hands of the newcomer, who generally doesn’t want to invest a great deal of money until he’s sure that this is the hobby for him. In addition, how many new detectorists have been discouraged due to a cheap detector that was difficult to use and couldn’t find a manhole cover at 6�
Does this mean that the more expensive machines are now swept away? No, of course not. However, the Ace 250 makes many of their top-of-the-line features affordable, and that keeps people in the hobby/sport. No longer will they quit in frustration before they have barely started. The Ace 250 has real ability and many things going for it.
It is extremely light, and that means more comfortable detecting hour after hour, greater convenience in backpacking and traveling, and low-fatigue competition hunting. It is easy to understand and fun to use. Most of all, it incorporates those wonderfully expensive features into a most affordable package.
The Ace 250 may be low in price, but it is definitely not bottom of the line. Who would have dreamed that such an affordable detector would include features such as pinpointing, notch discrimination,
mode selection, visual and audio Target ID, and depth reading? If you are looking for a metal detector, you owe it to yourself to check out the Garrett Ace 250.
More information can be obtained from Garrett Metal Detectors, 1881 W. State Street, Garland, TX, 75042
Phone: 1-800-527-4011
Website: www.garrett.com (http://www.garrett.com)
Posted by: Andy,NM The Garrett Ace 250 Info
When Garrett introduced the Ace 250 to the market they couldn't know how much success they would have with this detector, could they ?
I own an Ace 250 along with other top of the line detectors and i tried to find the answer for the success of this detector nicknamed yeller Feller on the Internet forums.
UPS delivered my Yeller Feller in the nice high quality box. I paid 199$ for it with some freebies and didn't expect much. Then, I opened the box and took a close look at all the detector parts.
The coil is with the Rhino tough design and the oval size of 6.5 by 9 inch is one of the best made coils i have ever seen. Other companies charge about 160$ for a coil in that quality and in this case this coil is part of a 199$ detector. New is its oval design that is usually found on DD coils. Why is this coil shaped like that ? I will answer that later.
Next I inspected the control housing, the rods and the armrest and had no complaints about the quality here either. All is so well made that the price of 199$ seems way to low for this detector. How can a company make a quality detector like that and sell it for such a low price? I’ll have to ask Mr. Garrett about that. Or maybe I shouldn't…I don't want to give him some hint to raise the price for the Ace!
Assembling the Ace was just a matter of minutes because it is easy to do. Next i noticed is that is just needs 4 AA Batteries (pre-installed by the factory). How smart, I thought. I can buy me a charger at Walmart with 4 NIMH batteries for just 10 $ and don't have to buy batteries for years. How much money do people waste in a year of detecting if they have to buy 8 AA alkaline batteries for their XXX brand detector in a week ? That can easily add up to 400 $ in just one year !! That is what 2 Ace 250’s would costs !!!!!!
Installing or un-installing the batteries couldn't be easier than on the Ace detector, either. Just slide the cover on top of the control-box back and change or charge them.
Lets take a look at the features of this well build detector :
++ Display with these features:
Graphic Target ID Cursor (12 Segments)
Discrimination: Notch
Electronic Pinpoint Tone and Visual
Battery Condition Indicator
Coin Depth Indicator
Push Button Controls
Tone ID, 3 levels
Touch-n-Go Operation
Lightweight design
++ Search Modes:
All Metal
Jewelry
Custom
Relics
Coins
Let me repeat the price........199$. Now read the features list again :
Discrimination with Notch Accept / Reject , 5 Modes, tone ID. I know more expensive detectors that don't offer that. Lightweight, yes ! I never liked this heavy machines that wear you out in less than two hours.
Later I found this statement on Garretts homepage :
Introducing the ALL-NEW Garrett ACE series - not just a new line of detectors, but a new way of thinking. We've taken much of the leading edge technology and well thought-out features from our GTI and GTAx lines and packaged them into the most aggressive, rugged outdoor design in the industry. These attention-stealing detectors are turning heads and sending the competition back to the drawing board.
But put aside their aggressive good looks and you'll see just how much amazing technology we've packed into these NEW machines. From custom notch discrimination, pinpointing, adjustable sensitivity and depth settings to the newest addition of the PROformance coils series, the 6.5x9 ACE coil, these detectors will never stop impressing you - or finding treasure!
If one would read that without having seen the Ace 250 first he may think, this is just hype. But after using the Ace now for over a year I couldn't have said it better. Let me add some tips here that Garrett hasn’t included on their homepage and which will help you shorten your learning curve on the Ace:
1. Tape the coil cable straight up the lower rod. That way you can run sensitivity much higher without falsing.
2. Hunt in the Relic or All Metal Mode. If you start notching out more you will easily loose 2 inches of depth.
3. If you get a weak signal try to swing the coil faster over the target. That improves target ID and depth.
4. If the target just jumps in the coin range, it is a deep coin most of the time. If it jumps all over the ID range it is trash.
5. If you use the 4.5 sniper coil (just 60$) run sensitivity as close to max as you can. You can still get coins 6 to 7 inches deep ! This small sniper coil is important for trashy sides (around old houses, around trees in parks). The standard coil sees to many targets at once and good targets will be masked by trash. Try it...it will open your eyes what target separation is.
6. Pinpointing:
If the pinpointing area seems too large, go to the side of the target and press and immediately release the pinpoint button. Then press and hold it and go OVER the target, as normal. That is called ‘detuning’ and the target will shrink and be in the center of the coil. Here is the reason Garrett made the oval 6.5 x 9 coil :
+ covers more ground per sweep
+ no air inside, better for wading
+ the “Rhino Tough PROFormance†coil is solid and even better made than previous Garrett coils.
This coil makes a great standard coil but is has a large inner receiving loop and would see to many targets at once in a trashy area like parks or around old houses.
If you don't choose the right coil-size for your type of hunting the display will bounce around because it tries to display for you what's under the coil. Some people think if they use a smaller coil they will loose depth. But depth is worthless if the good targets a masked by rejected targets. This is the reason you need the 4.5 sniper coil. Street-price of that coil is just 60$ and worth every cent you pay for it.
Buy one and go back to the spots you hunted before and I am sure that will open your eyes. I believe that more coins are hidden by target masking than by depth. With the 4.5 sniper coil you will still get coins up to 7 deep. The fast target response and recovery speed of the Ace in combination with the 4.5 sniper coil makes it a killer in trash .
Now you may ask why Garrett just introduced a 9 x 12 inch coil. If you have to cover a large area where you don't expect much trash the 9x12 will cover more ground faster and give you more depth. Its street-price is 80$.
Is the Ace 250 the best detector money can buy ? NO, it is not !!!!! But it is sure the best you can buy for 199$.
I wish Garrett would put automatic ground tracking and a true All Metal Mode in it, make an 8 inch round ProFormance coil and charge 100$ more. That would make a good detector even better.
What if you don't like the Ace 250 after a few weeks ? Used Ace 250s still sell for about 150$. So all you can loose is about 50$ if you decide to cash it in. But, if you stay in the hobby and want to upgrade some day you will never forget what this detector did for you at a price of 199$.
How come I still own one next to my more expensive detectors ? Could it be the Yeller Feller Fun Factor (YFFF)? Yes !!!!!!!
Buy one and start the Fun......and no, I don't get paid by Garrett.
HH,
Andy
“I've been The Route these past many years, testing and hunting for the absolute fastest target response and best target separation I could find in a small coil/detector combination. It takes alot to even consider adding to those I'm already using and happy with. The 150 has been one of those rare exceptions as I'm sure the 250 will be, not only due to it's quick target response, but also the addition of tone/visual-ID which is something you just don't see too often coupled with a quick response.
Most of the upper-end ID units tend to have an annoying delay in their target response, something I really dislike for my kind of hunting. Searching wide-open clean areas has it's benefits at times I suppose, but I really enjoy the challenge of picking coins out of areas where others have long since given up as too trashy or worked out. That's more rewarding than the coins themselves I think.
I'm sure the Aces are going to fill that little ID Niche from here on out, or at least until something better comes along. I'm not just real brand loyal …and tend to use what works best rather than dwelling on who's name is on the box. But these little Ace machines are a nice exception. The other manufacturers would do well to sit up and listen, and take a few hard-earned lessons from ole' Charlie.†- - Ralph Bryant
PINPOINT TRAINING by: Uncle Willy Date: December 22, 2005 09:53PM
Study the instructions then tape some coins and junk items ( pulltabs-bottlecaps )spaced several inches apart to a fair-sized piece of cardboard, turn the cardboard over, then scan over it and locate and pinpoint the coins and other items. Use something sharp like an ice pick to probe through the cardboard to see if you have centered and pinpointed the coin. Learning the pinpoint procedure is the most important thing since the 150 has no pinpoint button on it.
Best way to do this after you have located a target is to scan side to side in very short strokes over the target as you move the coil straight back until the instant the signal stops. The target then will be under the front center tip of the inside oval on the coil. -- Bill
My Personal Observations
First impressions; The Ace 250 is:
1. Solid. I read the griping from some folks that the 250 was flimsy and felt cheap, like plastic junk. I have to disagree. It has a solid feel to it, a weightiness, that I didn't expect.
There is some minor lower rod wobble and some made a fuss over this, too. The lower rod is a just a slide fit into the S-handle, since there is no locking collar. Every detector I've ever owned that went together that way had the same non-problem - there is a little wobble at the connection. If it really bugs you, a coupla wraps of electrical tape on the lower rod will ease your worries. I'd like to see a locking collar on the rod. I wont cry for lack of one.
2. Functional. In initial testing on my slab floor, it does good enough, 4“ on a zincer with SENS set at only half level. This slab is mineralized, and GB's slightly negative, compared to the usual soils around here. That should be good enough, if previous experience is anything to go by.
3. Complete. Opening the colorful box is fun! 2 Garrett books, an instruction manual, a detector bag, a coin apron, 4 AA batteries AND a set of digi-phones were in there. Only thing missing was a trowel! I'm heading out the door to try the 250 within fifteen minutes, including my functional testing - no kidding.
Now, after I've used it for awhile, here's what I'd add:
Light weight - easy to swing, all day.
Functional discrimination - Being a notch arrangement, it is as accurate as you need it to be.
Better than adequate target separation abilities. I get distinct target signals on zinc cents at a measured two inches distance from each other - like I said better than adequate!
Very nice tone ID:
One for lower range targets: iron, foil, etc.
One for midrange targets: Nicks, gold, pulltabs screwcaps
One for high range targets: Coins, silver
- three tones are all you really need, anyway
Uses only 4 AA batteries
It is very sensitive. VERY (see note below).
And lest you think I'm getting paid by Garrett, Inc. for all this slobbering, here's some con's:
The headphone jack is oddly placed, on the offside rear of the control housing. I relocated the jack on my Ace to the rear of the arm cuff. Use coiled headphone cables and this will be less of a problem.
The external speaker is LOUD. I never use it, but that sucker would draw a crowd in the Sahara, in July.
The pinpoint is sort of vague, not real sharp. However, it offers a quick focusing (detuning) ability with just an off-target punch of the PP button. (see A response concerning pinpointing, below).
The response is very broad. It signals across a broad area over a target and you have to really focus on the response to get a minds eye pinpoint. It isn't difficult to master, and can be a real benefit, when working quickly, but for a newcomer, it could be disconcerting.
The depth accuracy of the display is just good. It aint bad, mind you, but is best kept as an approximation. There are two other ways to help determine depth of targets:
1. The beep of the detector will shorten up to a 'blip' on deeper targets.
2. The tried and true coil lift method of determining depth - simply raise your coil as you scan the target. Deep targets will stop signaling right away, as the coil retreats from them!
The display is peckish, ie, small and lacks a nite light. For less than 200$, whaddaya want? - it still has all the data you need. But, it ain't real big. Oh, and if it's too dark to see the display, GO HOME for dinner!
NOTE: Enough warning should be given to newcomers about the sensitivity of this baby. I'd call it barely restrained, especially at high SENS settings and it WILL false plenty if you crank her too high and get into the trash, or if you lift you coil at the end of your sweep strokes.
- - TIP: For general hunting, keep the SENS at between 4-6 and don’t go too slow with your sweeps. Keep ‘em moving. Go even lower on the SENS, like 2, when close in around metal poles, metal benches, etc. Then when you get a signal you suspect may be deep, use the higher SENS settings to help define these deep or 'iffy' targets.
So what do these things mean? Much of my observations are as much my own preference, and not any real lacking of the detector. The Ace 250 works and does what you'll need it to do, at a value price that is nearly untouchable. It has a language all it's own, as do all detectors. It's up to you to learn it.
A RESPONSE CONCERNING PINPOINTING
Ace 250 signal fades when de-tuned...By: DavHut - yours truly
From: Ed Burke
Ed: “When I de-tune the 250 it loses the signal or fades nearly completely. I've tried pinpointing without de-tuning, but then the signal is not well defined and drop-off at the coils edge is gradual and pin-pointing is vague. Is this
common and is there a fix for it?â€
Ed, I've noted the same problems and have heard and tried the recommended methods for detuning over the target and they just fall short, IMHO. What I do is a holdover from my old Silver Sabre days when they didn’t have auto retune and is very simple. Just move the coil off from the target (Andreas suggests this with lifting the coil away from the ground) and hit the pinpoint button once. I call this the, Pinpoint Pop. Then, quickly, press and hold the button again and pinpoint as usual for a much sharper response.
(Here again, as with your coil sweeps while hunting, don’t “hover†your coil over the target and attempt to pinpoint. The Ace is NOT a “non-motion†machine, it requires motion of the coil to function. Fortunately, the required motion is small, which leads to the next point…)
Once you get the hang of the Pinpoint Pop, the next refinement is to adopt another technique that I have begun calling the MindsEye Pinpoint Method, where you don’t use the pinpoint function at all. It helps to simplify things and saves a little time, too. Let me have Bill Revis tell it:
Practice pinpointing, as it is a little different. The hotspot is the center, front tip of the inside loop oval on the coil. It almost pinpoints like a DD coil. Just scan side to side in short waggles as you center the target, then 'walk' the coil straight back as you continue 'waggling' the coil until the instant the signal stops - your target will be right there, at the tip of the inside oval.
If you have trouble with a target turn ninety degrees to the target and scan it again and you'll hit it right on. On deep targets the hotspot will move back from the tip of the inside oval a bit, towards the coils center. Garrett has an animated diagram on their site that gives a general idea on pinpointing.
I might add that I and others have put a little 3/8 yellow dot on the top center tip of the inner coil loop. This helps with the “MindsEye visualization. I also have a similar dot on my 1350 and, in fact, put some such marker on all my coils.
A tip for finding gold rings from a forum user:
“I took a combined total of 65 gold rings found, mostly in swimming areas. I set the detector in the COIN mode with one extra block added to the left of the nickel block as some small white gold and platinum read quite low in the foil range. The rings ranged from very small white gold to zinc penny. Two read zinc penny. Because the notches are wide you will dig a certain amount of pulltabs, but not too many.
Of the 65 gold rings air tested with the Ace 250, 55 registered as hits. That’s 84.6%
Not bad odds if you want to find gold rings where gold rings may be lost. Parks, jogging trails, where frisbees are thrown, etc. A really good spot to use this setup would be the grassy area of public swimming areas that are roped off for swimming.
Of course, at some sites like volleyball courts or swimming holes, I dig all targets.
And , whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned veteran, the following should be required reading:
Metal Detecting: the Lingo by B.G. Revis
The hobby of metal detecting is exploding, with newcomers climbing on board by the day. When they read the treasure magazines or pop onto the internet treasure forums the first obstacle they come up
against is the technical jargon tossed around by the oldtimers and they immediately wonder if they have stumbled into a foreign country. They are bombarded with terms like, Audio Response - All Metal - Concentric - Detuning - Discrimination - False Signal ( or falseing ) - Frequency Shift - Ground Balance - No-Motion - Null , and a host of other alien terms seemingly designed to confound the newcomer.
Well, this month I hope to list and clarify some of these alien terms so that the newcomers ( and maybe a few not so newcomers ) can understand what experienced detectorists are talking about and better understand the hobby they have just entered or are about to enter.
AIR TEST AND BENCH TEST- A procedure performed by placing the detector on a non-conductive surface and passing various sized metal objects beneath the searchcoil to check the detector’s target response, target ID, depth, the coil’s area of detection, and at what approximate discriminate settings various metal samples are
rejected or accepted.
ALL METAL - A separate mode on the detector that allows total acceptance of any type of metal sans any discrimination. This usually works in conjunction with the Ground Balance feature.
AUTO TUNE - A feature that continuously retunes the detector threshold to the original manually tuned audio level.
BACK SHOOT - Caused by slightly tipping the outside edge of the coil up at the end of your scan ( detuning the coil ). Often, users mistake this for a defect in the detector or falseing.
BLACK SAND - Known as magnetite or magnetic iron oxide, and one of the most extremely nonconductive, negative ground minerals. Found mostly in gold bearing areas and sandy beaches.
CACHE - A secret hoard of money, jewels, gold, valuables, intentionally buried.
COIL - A circular or variously shaped plastic housing containing the transmit and receive windings ( wire coils ), either single or multiple in a special configuration. Also called head, loop, searchcoil. Emits and receives signals to and from the ground and any metal target.
CONCENTRIC - A coil using one or more transmit and receive windings having unequal diameters aligned on a common center. Coplanar concentric , if arranged on the same level or plane.
CONDUCTIVITY - The manner in which a metal target allows eddy currents to generate on its surface.
DETUNING - method of narrowing the target signal width manually for precise pinpointing by adjusting audio threshold into the null or less sensitive tuning zone. Accomplished by releasing and pressing the pinpoint control one or more times while the coil is over the target.
DISCRIMINATION - An adjustable control and method by which a detector tells one metal target from another, ignoring or nulling audio responses from a specific conductivity range. This allows positive responses to be heard from metal higher on the conductive scale above the discrimination control setting, and eliminating responses from lower conductive trash.
DOUBLE-D, 2D, or WIDE SCAN COIL - A searchcoil capable of detecting a target across at least its full diameter. It is a coplanar coil with two “D†shaped windings positioned back to back and overlapping each other.
FAINT SIGNAL - A small or deep target that barely produces an audio response.
FALSEING, FALSE SIGNAL or BACK READING - When in the discriminate mode, a signal caused by a rejected target coming within one inch of or contacting the coil bottom. A false signal created by overshoot,
backshoot, uneven ground, or highly mineralized hot rocks.
FERROUS - Any iron or iron bearing mineral or target.
FREQUENCY - The number of alternating current cycles produced by the transmit oscillator per second, measured in KHZ or cycles per second.
FREQUENCY SHIFT - A feature which eliminates the cross talk between two detectors working side by side operating on identical transmit frequencies.
GROUND BALANCE - A detector’s ability to ignore the masking and disruptive affects that iron ground minerals have over targets. Similar to fog lights penetrating heavy fog.
HALO - This is generated over time by the combination of acids and water in the soil leaching minute particles off a coin and into the surrounding soil creating a metallic halo around the coin.
HOT ROCK - Rock that contains a higher concentration of nonconductive ground minerals than the surrounding ground that the detector is balanced to. This causes the detector to signal as if over a good target in motion and non-motion modes and a null in threshold in the all metal, ground balanced mode. ALSO IRONSTONE - A rock
heavily laced with iron.
MATRIX - The total volume of ground penetrated by the electromagnetic field transmitted by the coil. METAL DETECTORIST - A person who operates a metal detector. Other names are Treasure Hunter (TH’er), or “beeper swinger“. Unfortunately, those in academic and government positions often to detectorists as looters, pirates, robbers etc.
MINERALIZATION - Conductive or nonconductive components found in the soil.
MODE - The operating settings you select on your detector, such as all metal.
NARROW OR TIGHT RESPONSE - A target that produces a signal so short that pinpointing is almost unnecessary.
NON-FERROUS - Metals not made of iron, such as gold, silver, copper, etc.
NOTCH DISCRIMINATION - A circuitry that allows a “window’ of good targets to be accepted within the rejection range of unwanted targets, such as rejecting pulltabs, foil, nails while accepting gold rings and nickels of the same conductivity. Can also be set to accept a specific target while rejecting all others or vice versa.
NULL - In metal detector tuning, the zone just below audible threshold. Also, the momentary silent response of threshold audio as the searchcoil scans over a discriminated or rejected target.
PINPOINTING - Centering the target under the coil by interpreting the exact spot of loudest audio response from both directions.
PI or PULSE INDUCTION - A detector with a transmitter circuit that pulses an electrical current into the ground just before it shuts down. Metals hold the eddy currents because they are better conductors while the currents quickly dissipate from poor conductors such as ground minerals or wet salt sand. The receiver circuit then comes on and picks up the signal from metal while the eddy currents in the ground minerals have quickly disappeared. This is done at speeds of between 400 and 1000 pps.
SCAN or SWEEP - The procedure of passing the searchcoil back and forth over the ground.
SCRUBBING - Pressing the searchcoil tight against the ground as you scan to maintain even audio threshold and gain more depth.
SENSITIVITY - The ability of a detector to sense changes in conductivity within the signal pattern or making the coil more sensitive to the targets you are seeking. The more sensitivity you can use the greater depth you will achieve.
TARGET - Any object that generates an audio or visual response from your detector.
TARGET MASKING - Basically when junk or concentrations of junk hide or suppress a response from a good or small target from the searchcoil’s signal.
TEN-TURN - A control used with manual ground balance that can be turned ten times to cover the full electrical range of the function and balance the coil to the ground. In some ways like the fine tuner on an FM radio. TEST GARDEN - A plot of ground in which one buries various targets at different depths to check and learn about the performance of a detector in regards to depth, discrimination, target responses, etc.
Caution: Due to an effect known as “ Metallurgical Phenomenon†(say what ??!!), newly buried coins are difficult to detect, so if you bury them deep don’t plan on locating them for some time until they have had time to react with the acids in the soil and form a halo.
TH’er or TH’ing - Word contractions for treasure hunter and treasure hunting.
THRESHOLD - Probably the most misunderstood term in metal detecting. It is a continuous tone that establishes the lowest sound level for deep targets in the discrimination mode, establishes the audio level
for pinpointing, and establishes a reference point for tuning the machine to ground balance it .
TONE ID - Is the ability of the detector to generate different audio tones for each target’s conductivity range such as, low tone for junk and nickels and high tone for all other coins.
VISUAL ID - Sometimes called VID or TID that gives a visual identification of a target and its depth, or size in the case of imaging detectors.
WIDE RESPONSE - This is caused by a target that generates an audio signal over an area wider than the searchcoil, as opposed to TIGHT RESPONSE which produces a signal much smaller than the diameter of the coil.
ZERO DISCRIMINATION - This is a control that allows the acceptance of all metals at zero setting.
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