Owner´s Manual AT PRO International AT PRO INTERNATIONAL Owner´s Manual 1 AT Pro International™ DTI Detector Trade International GmbH & Co.
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING GARRETT METAL DETECTORS! Congratulations on the purchase of your new Garrett AT Pro™ metal detector. This enhanced metal detector has been specifically designed for use in Europe's challenging environments. The AT Pro includes Garrett's exclusive Target ID technology and patented discrimination features. Two indicator scales allow you to see the detector’s discrimination setting (Lower Scale) as well as the analysis of each target (Upper Scale).
TABLE OF CONTENTS AT PRO CONTROL PANEL.................................................................... 4 QUICK START GUIDE............................................................................ 5 AT PRO COMPONENTS........................................................................ 6 LIST OF PARTS..................................................................................... 7 ASSEMBLY........................................................................................... 8 POWERING ON.
AT Pro CONTROL PANEL Target ID Legend indicates metal types. High Resolution Iron Discrimination indicates level of iron discrimination selected. Digital Target ID Target ID Cursor (also shows indicates ground balance probable settings while in target identity. GND-BAL mode.) Lower Scale indicates notch discrimination pattern. Coin Depth Indicator indicates depth of coin-sized target. Mode Indicator Sensitivity Setting Iron Disc Pushbutton Use (+) or (-) to change iron discrimination level.
QUICK START GUIDE 1. Install batteries. The AT Pro operates with four (4) AA batteries which are already installed by Garrett. 2. Power ON. Press and release the ON / OFF Power button. The AT Pro powers on in the last mode used and is ready to search. (Factory default mode is Coins.) 3. Select Mode. Use the Mode Pushbutton to select a different detection mode, when desired. 4. Adjust settings. Adjust Sensitivity or Discrimination settings, if desired. 5. Begin scanning.
AT Pro COMPONENTS Search coil Lower Stem Upper Stem Control Housing LCD Screen Pushbutton Controls Spring Clip Arm strap S-shaped Stem Handle Grip Detector Stand 6 Garrett Metal Detectors Padded Arm Cuff
LIST OF PARTS No tools are required to assemble the AT Pro. Four (4) AA batteries are included with the detector. The box for your detector contains the following parts: One (1) control housing with S-shaped stem One (1) upper stem and one (1) lower stem connected One (1) wing nut, two (2) mounting washers and one (1) threaded bolt One (1) 28x22 cm DD searchcoil Owner's manual Warranty Card Headphones If any part is missing, please contact your local dealer.
ASSEMBLY 1. Align the holes in the mounting washers with the small posts on the lower stem and press firmly into place. 1. 2. 2. Slide the searchcoil onto the stem. 3. Insert the threaded bolt through the holes of the lower stem and searchcoil. Hand-tighten the searchcoil assembly with the wing nut. 3. 4. 4. Depress the spring clip in the S-stem and insert the control housing into the upper stem.
5. Depress the spring clip in the lower stem and adjust to the most comfortable operating length. 5. 6. 6. Wrap the cable snugly about the stem with the first turn of the cable over the stem. 7. Insert the coil connector into the 4-pin connector of the control housing and hand-tighten. 7. 8. 8. If needed, adjust the arm cuff by removing the screw on the bottom and moving it to the other hole.
9. If desired, attach headphones to the 2-pin connector of the Control Housing. Note: Headphones are not required but are desired by many hunters to hear faint targets. Connecting the headphones will silence the detector's speaker. Note: The provided headphones are for dry use only; see page 54 for optional waterproof headphones.
POWERING ON ON/OFF Power and MODE Pushbutton Switch the detector on with the power button. Press and release to switch the unit ON and resume hunting with the same settings used prior to switching the unit OFF. To turn off the detector, press and hold this pushbutton for one (1) second (until the detector produces a second beep). To restore the factory settings, press and hold the power button for 5 to 10 seconds (until the detector produces a fast double beep).
SEARCH MODES The AT Pro includes six detection modes: three Standard (STD) Modes and three Professional (PRO) Modes. It is recommended to begin searching with one of the Standard Modes to become familiar with the AT Pro before switching to the more advanced audio features provided by the Pro Modes. Tap the Mode button to scroll through the six modes: the modes are Custom, Coins or Zero in the STD Mode and Custom, Coins or Zero in the PRO Mode.
STANDARD (STD) DETECTION MODES In the STD modes, the AT Pro produces a full-strength binary audio beep to indicate a detected target. Standard detection mode operation is ideal for learning the AT Pro because of its consistent audio signals. Detected targets are heard at the same full-strength beep regardless of their size or depth. Three discrimination patterns are available in the Standard Mode: Zero, Coins or Custom. Note: These three discrimination patterns are the same in either Standard or Pro modes.
• COINS Mode Designed to find most types of coins, jewelry, etc., while eliminating trash items such as iron and foil. High-Res Iron Discrimination level has been preset to 35 to exclude most iron targets. In addition, one pixel of foil has been excluded. Be aware that most pulltabs and pieces of tabs have not be eliminated from detection as these trash items have conductivities similar to small coins and jewelry.
PRO DETECTION MODES Zero, Coins or Custom have the same discrimination patterns as in STD Mode. In PRO Mode, however, the AT Pro utilizes its Pro Audio functions—including Proportional Audio and Tone Roll Audio—to offer more target information. The Pro Mode audio provides more target information and faster recovery speed for separating adjacent targets. This is especially important in areas where good targets may be scattered amongst iron trash.
Audio Target Response Comparison: Standard vs Pro Mode Shallow coin Deep coin Notice the differences in Standard binary audio versus PRO audio in the two target scenarios above. The binary audio gives a solid, consistent beep for both the shallow and the deep coin. In contrast, PRO Mode's proportional audio provides a stronger signal for the shallow coin and a softer signal for the deeper coin. The actual profile, or signature, of the target’s response is heard, thereby providing more information.
Adjacent Targets Comparison: Standard vs Pro Mode Adjacent targets These two adjacent coins would produce one strong signal while in STD Mode. In PRO Mode, the proportional audio provides two peaks of audio response to allow the user to identify multiple targets.
Tone Roll Audio (Pro Mode) This feature of Pro Mode provides the user with more audible target information to help identify targets, particularly flat iron objects, such as bottle caps and washers. Standard Mode audio produces a single tone based upon the target’s strongest signal. For flat iron objects, this single tone is often the same as a good target. Tone Roll Audio, however, provides a variance of target tones as the searchcoil approaches and passes over the target.
TARGET ID INFORMATION Target ID Legend Target ID Cursor (Upper Scale) Discrimination Pattern (Lower Scale) Target ID Legend—Works in conjunction with the Target ID Cursor to indicate a target's probable identity. Ferrous (iron) targets will indicate on the left half, non-ferrous targets that are thin or have low conductivity will indicate in the middle, and thick or high conductivity targets (e.g. thick silver) will indicate at the right.
DIGITAL TARGET ID Digital Target ID Target ID Cursor The AT Pro’s Digital Target ID system provides a specific target value to help identify targets more precisely. Targets are identified on the LCD by number, with items near 1 being the most ferrous. The most conductive targets (such as thick silver) register closer to to 99. The Digital Target ID is a more precise version of the Target ID Cursor shown in the Upper Scale. Each Target ID Cursor has a width of 5 digital points.
Note: Target values can vary based on the orientation of the target in the ground, amount of ground mineralization, etc. It is important to practice in the field to learn how these factors can affect Target ID. TONE ID The Tone ID feature produces three distinct audible tones based on a target’s metal type and conductivity: Low-Tone: Ferrous targets such as nails, iron, steel, etc.
DISCRIMINATION Notch Discrimination—The AT Pro's NOTCH DISC pushbuttons are used in conjunction with the ELIM pushbutton to eliminate trash objects from detection such as foil or pulltabs. NOTCH DISC Pushbutton ELIM Pushbutton The AT Pro has 12 pixels or "notches" of discrimination (in addition to the 40 points of High-Res Iron Discrimination). Any combination of these pixels can be switched on or off based upon your preference.
Example: Manual Modification of Notch Discrimination Pattern Use the NOTCH DISC buttons to position the Target ID Cursor above the pixel you wish to eliminate (see above illustration). Use the ELIM pushbutton to delete this pixel from the Lower Scale (see below). This item is now rejected. The second method of modifying the Notch Discrimination pattern involves the use of only the ELIM pushbutton.
on either side. The AT Pro is now programmed to find the missing earring based on the conductivity of its matching pair. Note: The notch discrimination function can be used to modify each Mode’s discrimination pattern. Notch Discrimination modifications made while in CUSTOM (either in Standard or Pro mode) will be retained when the detector is switched OFF.
The examples shown below illustrate how an iron object can often "mask" out the signal of an adjacent good target when too much iron discrimination has been applied. Using the AT Pro's High-Res Iron Discrimination, apply just enough iron discrimination to reject the undesired iron nail shown in this example. By using only a minimal amount of iron discrimination, the detector will detect the combined conductivity of the coin and nail together thus overcoming the potential "masking" problem.
Example: Detecting Targets in Trash with High-Res Iron Discrimination In the illustration above, the AT Pro is operating with an IRON DISC setting of 20. The nail seen in Illustration 1 (on page 25) registers from 10 to 25 on the Digital Target ID scale. To eliminate the nail from detection, increase the iron discrimination level to 25 using the IRON DISC (+) pushbutton. In Illustration 2, the same iron nail is laying above a good coin target.
IRON AUDIO Iron Audio ON IRON AUDIO Pushbutton Press and release the IRON AUDIO pushbutton to switch the Iron Audio feature ON/OFF. When this feature is on the words "IRON AUDIO" appear on the LCD (as shown in the illustration above). The Iron Audio feature can be used in any of the AT Pro's six modes. Scattered iron objects in the ground can mask good targets and even create “ghost signals” that appear to be a good target.
Refer to the illustrations below regarding the use of the Iron Audio feature: IRON AUDIO OFF: Normal division of low, mid and high tones. IRON AUDIO OFF: With the Iron Discrimination set to 20, all targets below 20 are silent. IRON AUDIO ON: Targets below 20 are now heard as a low tone and targets above 20 will produce a mid or high tone. When Iron Audio is on in the PRO Mode, iron target will not only be heard, but they will produce an even more distinctive response with multiple tones.
iron object like a bottle cap or steel washer will produce a very distinctive Low-High-Low response. Tip for using Iron Audio: In areas with high concentrations of iron, it is recommended to switch off Iron Audio. Otherwise, it may produce far too many signals. Then, if a target is detected that has a questionable or inconsistent response, switch on Iron Audio to check if it is iron. To fully appreciate the additional information offered by the Iron Audio feature, conduct the following experiment.
SENSITIVITY SENSITIVITY Pushbutton Sensitivity Indicator The AT Pro has eight (8) settings for sensitivity. Use the (+) or (-) SENSITIVITY buttons to step through the eight levels, which are continuously shown on the LCD. Use higher sensitivity levels when searching for very small or very deep targets.
GROUND BALANCE GND BAL Indicator (only displays on LCD when in use) GND BAL Setting (only displays while in Ground Balance mode) NOTCH DISC Pushbutton (use with GND BAL) GND BAL Pushbutton GND BAL Pushbutton—Hold for Automatic Ground Balance or use in conjunction with the NOTCH DISC pushbuttons for Manual Ground Balance. Detector performance can be negatively affected by ground mineralization.
balance values indicate conductive soil; high ground balance values indicate ferrous soil. Manual Ground Balance: You may want to use the Manual Ground Balance function to ground balance slightly positive to enhance detection of small targets or balance slightly negative to reduce detection of "hot rocks" and terra cotta. Press and release the GND BAL pushbutton and continually bounce (pump) the searchcoil from 2 to 20 cm above the ground.
FREQUENCY ADJUSTMENT SENSITIVITY Pushbutton PINPOIINT/ Freq Adjust Pushbutton Use the PINPOINT/Freq Adj pushbutton in conjunction with the (+) or (-) SENSITIVITY pushbuttons to adjust frequency. The AT Pro is capable of operating at four slightly different frequencies in order to minimize the interference caused by electrical sources (e.g. power lines) or other metal detectors.
PINPOINTING Press and hold the Pinpoint pushbutton to determine the exact location of a target. To use the pinpoint function, position the searchcoil to the side of the target's suspected location at a fixed height above the ground (e.g. 2cm). Press and hold the Pinpoint button and sweep the searchcoil over the target area while maintaining the same fixed height above the ground (e.g. 2cm). Sweep the searchcoil sideto-side and front-to-back in a crosshair pattern to locate the peak signal.
Upper Scale indicates signal strength Coin Depth Indicator PINPOINT Pushbutton (Press and hold to pinpoint) Traditional pinpointing technique using Pinpoint pushbutton. Note: For best pinpointing results, maintain a constant height above the ground (e.g. 2cm) and ensure that the detector is properly ground balanced.
Tip for narrowing the detection area: Large targets can produce wide signals while pinpointing, making it difficult to precisely locate the target's center. To help pinpoint, the detector can be retuned to the target to narrow the detection field as follows. While holding down the Pinpoint pushbutton, move the coil toward the target until the LCD just reaches a full-scale response. Then, quickly release and depress the Pinpoint button again to retune the detector and narrow its detection field.
• Alternative pinpointing technique: DD-tip or tail. In the standard pinpointing method described on pages 34, the target is pinpointed beneath the center of the searchcoil. Some detectorists using DD coils prefer to pinpoint off the tip or tail of the searchcoil.
You can reverse this pinpointing technique to pinpoint off the DD coil's tail; in this case, push the coil away from you. The audio and LCD meter will place the target just off the searchcoil's tail. • Alternative pinpointing technique: DD-wiggle. Quickly locate targets without using the Pinpoint button as follows. Continuously swing the searchcoil side-to-side using fast, narrow swings of 5–10cm (i.e. wiggle).
HUNTING TIPS • Begin hunting in STD Mode, then switch to PRO Mode after you have become more experienced. • If you are new to metal detecting, start searching in areas with sandy and loose soil to make it easier to learn how to use your metal detector, pinpoint and dig targets. • Keep your searchcoil at a constant height of 2 to 3 cm above and parallel to the ground at all times for best detection results. Do not lift or tilt the coil at the end of swings.
Walk slowly to allow overlapping of the searchcoil Scan side to side approx. 1m per second.
• Walk slowly as you scan your searchcoil in a straight line from side to side at a speed of about 1 meter per second. Advance the searchcoil about half the length of the searchcoil at the end of each sweep. Overlap Swing by 14 cm 1m/sec 1m/sec Overlap Swing by 14 cm 1m/sec In order to fully search an area, overlap the swings of your searchcoil by half the length of the coil (about 14 cm). Sweep the searchcoil in a straight line or with a slight arc at a sweep speed of about 1m/sec.
• • • • Swing the searchcoil flat and at a constant height. Do not bounce the coil and do not lift the coil at the end of swings. Swing the searchcoil parallel to the water's edge. If necessary, notch out the first pixel under Foil. It is important to note that by notching out this pixel, detection of some small jewelry items will be reduced. The detector will be less stable in shallow, breaking surf where the searchcoil is in and out of the saltwater.
• Isolating adjacent targets. The narrow detection field of the AT Pro's DD searchcoil allows better separation of adjacent targets versus a similar size concentric searchcoil. Use narrow swings of the searchcoil in trashy areas to isolate good targets amongst the trash. DD Searchcoil Concentric Searchcoil • Swing your searchcoil parallel to plow lines and the water's edge. This will minimize the negative effects caused by uneven ground in plowed fields and varying amounts of moisture near the water.
BENCH TESTS You should conduct bench tests to become more familiar with the AT Pro’s operation in both Standard and PRO modes. In addition, the use of the Iron Audio feature should be tested in both Standard and PRO modes. Suggested test items should include: • Coins • Iron nail • Bottle cap or steel washer To conduct a bench test, place the searchcoil on a flat, non-metallic surface that is several feet from other metallic objects. Begin by testing in the STD Mode with the ZERO discrimination pattern.
with ZERO discrimination and pass the same coins across the searchcoil. Observe the sounds as well as the Target ID as each target is tested. The proportional audio characteristics of the PRO Mode can be easily understood using such bench testing. Pass the coins across the searchcoil at distances that vary from 5 cm to 10 cm to 15 cm. In STD Modes, the test targets will produce a consistent, full-strength tone regardless of their distance from the coil.
at a distance of 8 to 10 cm. Note that the bottle cap's flat surface gives a Digital Target ID reading in the 75–85 range and produces the high tone of a "good" target. Next, switch to PRO Mode and pass the bottle cap across the coil again and notice the different audio. The clean sound heard in STD has been replaced with a mixed, chirping tone that has subtle low tones at the beginning and end, indicating a possible junk target.
UNDERWATER OPERATION The AT Pro can be immersed in water to a 3-meter depth (maximum) to search in and along shorelines, rivers, piers, docks or swimming holes. Use of the AT Pro at depths exceeding 3 meters can cause leaks and damage the detector. Use of the AT Pro beyond the recommended depth will void the manufacturer's warranty. For use in saltwater, see tips on pages 41–42. The AT Pro is shipped with standard land-use headphones.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE Battery Level Indicator Battery Replacement—The AT Pro is operating with fresh or fully charged batteries when 4 illuminated bars on the Battery Level Indicator (see above) are displayed. The detector will maintain full performance until the batteries need to be replaced. Replace batteries when there is only Remove the battery cover by rotating the cover onequarter turn in a counterclockwise direction. Grasp the cap by top and bottom and pull it straight back.
one segment remaining. NiMH rechargeable batteries may be used. Expect 20 to 40 hours of operation depending on battery type and quality. Access and replace the batteries by rotating the battery cover housing one-quarter turn counterclockwise. Pull and remove the cap to slide battery holder out. Remove batteries when the AT Pro will be stored for longer than 30 days. The AT Pro is a rugged machine, designed for outdoor use in all environments.
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE SYMPTOM No power Erratic sounds or target ID cursor movement SOLUTION 1. Ensure batteries are installed in the correct position. 2. Replace all old batteries with all new batteries. 1. Ensure your searchcoil is securely connected and the coil cable is snugly wound around the stem. 2. If using the detector indoors, be aware that excessive amounts of electrical interference exists, plus excessive amounts of metal can be found in floors and walls. 3.
METAL DETECTING CODE OF ETHICS The following is a Code of Ethics that many treasure hunt clubs endorse and hobbyists follow to preserve our exciting hobby of metal detecting. We encourage you to do the same: • I will respect private and public property, all historical and archaeological sites and will do no metal detecting on these lands without proper permission. • I will keep informed on and obey all local and national European legislation relating to the discovery and reporting of found treasures.
CAUTIONS When searching for treasure with your Garrett detector, observe these precautions: • Never trespass or hunt on private property without permission. • Avoid areas where pipelines or electric lines may be buried. • National and state parks / monuments, etc are absolutely off-limits. • Deepseeking detectors can detect concealed pipes, wiring and other potentially dangerous material. When those are located, the proper authorities should be notified.
WARRANTY & SERVICE Your AT Pro detector is warranted for 36 months, limited parts and labor, but does not cover damage caused by alteration, modification, neglect, accident or misuse. Use of the AT Pro at submerged depths exceeding 3 meters will void this warranty. In the event you encounter problems with your AT Pro detector please read through this Owner’s Manual carefully to ensure the detector is not inoperable due to misadjustments.
