New V3i user here

[Epi-hunter]

So I took the plunge and ordered a V3i from midas (see his post HERE -- it is a very good deal I could not pass up!) I highly recommend midas/John, by the way... he is very knowledgeable, helpful, and reliable. And fast shipping! thumbsup01

I am still keeping my E-Trac, of course. But there are things about the V3i that appeal to me.

I did own and use a V3 last spring briefly (about two weeks) and I think that a lot of the issues that had me frustrated then have since been ironed out.

I don't have the V3i in my hands yet, but I'm trying to read whatever I can get my hands on to gain a solid foundation (okay, I would be happy at this point with even a cracked, weak, sagging foundation ) of how this machine works and what settings I need to use. I know much of it will be experience in the field.

But here is my question. Among the vast amount of excellent information here on this forum and in the &quotook of Jack (which is great by the way, thanks CyberSage and lowjiber! thumbsup01 )... is there something of a 'cliff notes' version? By that I mean is there a summary, one or two paragraphs, of what to do with the machine right after taking it out of the box, to head out the door with it and use it in the field? I feel like if I had something basic to go on, I could then more easily build upon that when actually using it, and then incorporating the rest of the information here at the appropriate time. I know that this is a bit like asking you to explain the color green to a blind person.

Go easy on me people... I am analytic and detail-oriented, and I am going to be asking a lot of questions. lol

Thanks

[Lowjiber]

I'll pass along the best tip I got (from Jimmy Sierra) when I first started using the V (they were new on the market waaaay back then).

We all know that working with a machine that is not stable is almost impossible. Obviously, we have to ground balance the machine. However, after eliminating most of the ground issues it's time to settle the machine itself down (or up). Here's the paraphrased tip...

Sacrifice Rx Gain for Discrimination Sensitivity (Disc Sens).

In other words, adjust the two controls to obtain as high of Disc Sens setting as possible (within reason). Increasing the Disc Sens almost always, in mineralized soil, necessitates reducing Rx Gain.

When I switched from a MXT to a Vision, my mindset was to increase the Gain as much as possible. That's because the single Gain knob on an MXT controls both the sensitivity (Disc Sens) and Rx gain in a non-linear fashion. My thought was naturally that more Gain meant more depth. Well, it ain't necessarily so with a machine that allows each variable to be adjusted.

If you have my original mindset and crank Rx Gain too high, you'll have to reduce Disc Sens downward to get the machine stable. You want to do just the opposite...hunt the machine with a higher Disc Sens and reduce the Rx gain for stability.

There are a zillion other tips...many are covered in TBoJ.

I don't know ANYTHING about the E-trac's filter adjustments. The Visions don't use hard-wired filter networks. Instead, they use a set of software algorithms (similar to a Blackman Filter in inertial navigation) to achieve the same effect.

What's the bottom line on filters? The lower the blocking frequency of the filter you're using, the slower you should be swinging.

I'll send you an email with the technical explanation of detector filtering, but all you really need to know is the single tip above. lol

[yazoo]

Congrats on the purchase Epi.If there is anything I can help you with give a PM ,will be glad to help. Yazoo

[Epi-hunter]

Thanks so much John. That helps a lot. I remember trying to crank up the Gain when I had my V3, thinking exactly as you said.

I remember reading a thread awhile back (elsewhere) where you and Rudy were discussing all that detail about filters. I recall thinking &quotMG. Engineers! lol Seriously, I like to have an understanding of how things work, as it helps me fit it all together and make sense of things, so I appreciate the email. Thanks again!

[Epi-hunter]

Congrats on the purchase Epi.If there is anything I can help you with give a PM ,will be glad to help. Yazoo

Thank you yazoo. You may end up regretting that offer lol

[rsarge1]

congrats if you had the vision before you will enjoy how much different the v3i is and how much more stable it is, i want another one as a back up but i can't seem to justify the expendature to the wife LOL have fun and happy hunting. sarge