266-X & 1266-XB Deep Search Metal Detector Operating Manual FISHER RESEARCH LABORATORY
CONTENTS About Your 1266-X ................................................................. pg. 1 Condensed Operating Instructions ..................................... pg. 2 Setting Up................................................................................ pg. 3 Control Housing ..................................................................... pg. 5 Discrimination Points ............................................................. pg. 6 Dual Discrimination .....................................
ABOUT YOUR DETECTOR The 1266-X was designed to excel in three ways: depth, discrimination and simplicity. It offers a better combination of these three characteristics than any other metal detector we’ve ever built. And we’ve been building metal detectors since 1931. Depth. Engineered to go deep in mineralized soil at high levels of discrimination. If you’re an experienced detector operator, you’ll find yourself recovering good targets at depths you never reached before.
CONDENSED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS The 1266-X is basically a turn-on-and-go metal detector. It doesn’t take an engineer to operate it but you’ll have more fun and a better chance of making that BIG find if you have a complete understanding of what you’re doing. That’s why we strongly recommend that you read the entire manual. But if you just can’t wait any longer and you’ve already used a Fisher “X” detector, here’s some quick instructions to get you going. 1.
SETTING UP Your 1266-X is just about ready to use. The only adjustment required is the angle of the search coil and the length of the stem. Take a look at Figure 1 and familiarize yourself with the parts of the 1266-X before proceeding. 1. Unpack it carefully. You may want to save the carton and inserts for future storage or shipment. 2. Depress the spring lock on the lower stem and slip the lower stem into the upper stem. Connect the search coil cable to the control housing. 3.
SETTING UP REMEMBER • THE LONGER THE SHAFT, THE MORE YOU WILL HAVE TO BEND YOUR ELBOW AND THE SOONER YOUR ARM WILL GET TIRED. THE 1266-X IS BALANCED FOR COMFORTABLE SEARCHING IN A TIGHT SEMICIRCLE AROUND THE FRONT OF THE OPERATOR. 6. With the stem length properly adjusted, tighten the lock nut and search coil wing nut. CAUTION: Never use a pliers or anything other than your hand to tighten the lock nut or wing nut. 7. Disconnect the search coil cable from the control housing and wrap it around the stem.
CONTROL HOUSING 1. DISC 1: DISCRIMINATE 1 is the search mode. The 1266-X automatically operates in DISC 1 unless the TRIGGER-SWITCH is pushed and held or pulled and held. DISC 1 is a full range discrimination mode. All types of metal are detected at the zero level and most small pieces of trash are rejected at the maximum level of ten. 2. DISC 2: DISCRIMINATE 2 is similar to DISC 1 except that it operates only when the TRIGGER SWITCH is pushed and held.
CONROL HOUSING or weak batteries will give no tone. Batteries do not have to be replaced as long as you can hear a tone. As a general rule, you’ll be able to operate your 1266-X for an hour or two after the tone goes silent. 6. OFF/VOL: Power on-off and volume control. This control turns the power off at the full counter clockwise position and adjusts volume to maximum at full clockwise. 7. TRIGGER SWITCH: This spring loaded trigger has three-positions: 1.
DISCRIMINATION POINTS 2. Pull the SENSITIVITY control out and turn full clockwise. (Back it off slightly if circuit noise is too loud or annoying in the full clockwise position.) 3. Turn the OFF/VOL control full clockwise. (If you’re wearing headphones reduce the volume to a comfortable level when the search coil is over a large target). 4. Set DISC 1 and DISC 2 at zero. 5. Hold the search coil about 2 inches above and parallel to the ground.
DISCRIMINATION POINTS others. You have now determined the approximate discrimination points for the rejected objects. For example, the small nail discrimination point may be 4 and the pull-tab discrimination point 6. 7. Push and hold the TRIGGER-SWITCH. The 1266-X is now operating in the DISC 2 mode. 8. Repeat steps 5 and 6 and you will note that the DISC 2 discrimination points are about the same as DISC 1 discrimination points. 9.
DUAL DISCRIMINATION 1 2 3 4 Figure 4. Search coil detection pattern and the effects of sweep spread, discrimination and ground mineralization. Motion Mode. 1. Minimum Depth a. Very slow or fast sweep speed. b. Discrimination set at “10.” 2. Good Depth a. Moderate sweep speed. b. Discrimination set at “5.” 3. Maximum Depth a. Moderate sweep speed. b. Discrimination set at “0.” 4. Missed Target Many targets within the range of your 1225-X will not be detected unless you closely overlap your swings.
DUAL DISRCRIMINATION may be detected in DISC 1 and pinpointed in DISC 2. (Lower levels of discrimination produce stronger signals on deep or small targets and it may be difficult to use the pinpoint mode if there’s a lot of nearby trash.) SEARCHING Good search techniques are every bit as important as having a good metal detector. 1. Adjust your SENSITIVITY control. Only experience will tell you how to set it in every situation but start out in the ‘pull” position, turned fully clockwise.
SEARCHING important for maximum coverage and depth. 4. If you’re hunting on a lawn you can set the coil right on the grass and search. 5. Take your time and overlap your sweeps by at least 50%. 6. Search in a methodical manner. Pay close attention to where you’re going and where you’ve been. 7. Keep the search coil moving at a comfortable rate. Remember that the 1266-X is a motion detector and responds only when the search coil (or the target) is moving while in the DISC modes. 8. TAKE YOUR TIME.
PINPOINTING ZERO MOTION PINPOINTING MODE Target location is a snap using the Zero-Motion Pinpointing mode. You do not have to keep the coil moving to get a response in this mode. 1. Once the presence of a buried target is indicated by the “beep-beep” of the 1266-X, simply place the coil LIGHTLY on the ground, away from the target area. Pull the TRIGGERSWITCH and hold. (At maximum sensitivity you may hear a faint tone, which will disappear as soon as the coil is raised.
PINPOINTING lose the audio signal. You MUST keep the coil moving at least slightly to determine the location of the strongest signal before you stop it. 1. For very strong signals, you may improve your DISC mode pinpointing accuracy by, adding one or more of the following steps. a. Lift the coil until the signal is just barely heard. b. Reduce the sensitivity level. c. Increase the discrimination level. d. Rest the coil on the ground and move it back and forth very slowly. 2.
RECOVERY TOOLS 1. A heavy duty, blunt screwdriver is commonly used by expert Treasure Hunters and the tool of choice for cut lawns. 2. A sturdy hunting knife with a 5-inch blade will do the job in most other soils. A high quality double-edged “survival” knife is even better (and more expensive) choice since it will be almost impossible to bend or break. CAUTION: Using a jack knife without a locking blade is a good way to lose a finger! 3. A narrow garden trowel will work in loose or wet soil. 4.
OPERATING TIPS ground mineralization, the higher the sensitivity loss. For example, you may be able to detect a penny 6 inches deep at zero discrimination, but no deeper than 4 inches at the pull tab discrimination point. Also, ground mineralization can reduce a detector’s ability to discriminate accurately. In highly mineralized soil, some trash targets may not be rejected. 6.
FALSE SIGNALS Due to the extreme sensitivity of the 1266-X, you’re bound to get some “false signals” once in awhile. A false signal occurs when something that shouldn’t sounds like a good target. The 1266-X does a good job of rejecting junk but it is so sensitive that “hot” mineralized spots in the soil, large, can fool it pieces of junk, some kinds of bottle caps and pull tabs or trash less than 2 inches from the coil.
FALSE SIGNALS the beeps or, if you sweep at right angles to your original direction, you’ll receive a single beep directly over the target (except for the very shallow coin). One way to tell the difference between a coin and a nail is to set your discrimination at about 5. Most small nails will be tuned out while most coins will respond with a good, smooth signal. 5. EXTREMELY TRASHY SOIL: May result in a constant chatter or “snap, crackle and pop” with assorted, hard to find “good signals”.
BATTERY REPLACEMENT 1. Two drop-in battery packs are located in the battery housing below the armrest. Each pack contains four 1.5 volt AA batteries. 2. Remove the battery end cap by partially unscrewing the knob on the battery end cap. 3. Remove the battery packs and replace the batteries. Make sure the batteries are oriented correctly as indicated by the polarity marks on the inside of the packs. 4. Reinstall the battery packs, connector end first.
BATTERY RECHARGING batteries will eventually only hold a three-hour charge. 3. Nicads may reverse polarity if discharged too far and will not recharge. Don’t leave your detector on and don’t continue to operate it more than an hour after the battery check tone goes silent. The optional 1266-X recharge kit includes (2) battery packs, (8) nicad batteries, (1) 110v, 60 cycle home recharger and (1) 12v negativeground auto cigarette lighter recharger. 110-VOLT RECHARGER 1. Install the nicad batteries. 2.
MAINTENANCE Your 1266-X doesn’t require a lot of care but there are a few things you should do to keep it in peak operating condition. 1. If you’re not going to be using it for a while, take the batteries out. Acid damage caused by leaking batteries can be severe. 2. Avoid extreme temperatures like the inside of a closed car sitting in the sun. Even worse, inside the trunk of a car. 3. If you “scrub” the search coil on the ground, you’ll eventually wear through the bottom. Replacement coils are expensive.
Where To Use Your Metal Detector In The U.S. National Forest and Federal Lands—Metal detecting is allowed only by special permit acquired from the federal government. Each area has a district office. Corps of Engineers, Lakes, Shorelines and Lands—Permission has been granted only on predisturbed sites, such as beaches and attached swimming areas. New Corps lakes and lands must be okayed by the main office of the Army Corps of Engineers. Each area has a district office.
SPECIFICATIONS Length 1 ......................... Extended ................................................ 54” Collapsed .............................................. 43” Carrying case............... 6 x 15 x 21 inches Weight ..................................................................................3.9 Pounds Frequency ..................... VLF-Search ............ 4.8KHz, Quartz Crystal Controlled Audio Target Response ................. 370 Hz Unipolar 3 Operating Modes ........ DISC 1 4 .......
SPECIFICATIONS NOTES 1. Subject to modification or improvement without notice 2. Approximate 3. Pulsegate Unipolar Audio Processing-advanced Fisher circuitry that allows silent operation below the “Audio-Threshold Tone” with no sensitivity loss. 4. DISC 1 and DISC 2 are motion modes, i.e. the search coil must be moving at least slightly to detect a target. 5. Electro-Static-Insulated 6.
QUALITY Fisher detectors are renowned for their quality. Each detector is hand crafted in the USA with pride PERFORMANCE Treasure Hunters worldwide rely on Fisher. Our detectors are durable, dependable, and search deeper.. REPUTATION Fisher produced the first patented metal detector in 1931. For over 70 years, the Fisher logo has been a mark of excellence.
