Tom Dankowski’s Settings for the Minelab Manticore
Tom Danakowski was one of the original beta testers for the Minelab Manticore. During the course of this testing he developed a group of settings that began with the stock “Beach Low Conductor mode. This is arguably the deepest way to run the Manticore and my tests have shown it to be a very deep setting. Here’s how it works:
A metal signal in the ground is not discrete. What I mean by that is that it’s not separate from the ground’s signal. What a detector does is to separate this orderly, distinct signal from the ground’s larger, stronger, more diverse one. Years ago detectors were set up to try and “punch through” the ground to detect a target. “(TR)” Later, with the advent of “ground balance” the machine could be set to “zero out” the ground’s signal by operating from a variable set point. Some detectors featured what was called “tone on tone.” With “tone on tone” you heard both an all metal signal and a non-ferrous signal at once. This made it easier for deep signals to be heard as the ground part of the response was already being amplified and heard. Anyone who has used a detector that features “silent search” would have experienced the performance loss that this creates as good targets have to jump up out of the “null” to be heard. Machines like the Whites “Eagle” and “Nautilus” machines were higlhy regarded for the depth that this “tone on tone” audio gave them.
Ton Danakowski
So with Danakowski’s settings, we have basically the same thing. Ferrous Volume is turned up to maximum (25) to bring up everything under the coil. The setting then relies on the Manticore’s strong processing to separate any non-ferrous targets from this big response. The program also features “Prospecting” type one-tone audio. This brings in the machine’s filtering (bias) to assist in pushing the “random” part of the signal down into the iron tone. The noise of this iron tone takes some getting used to but the results are surprising.
It’s also quite a stable way to run the Manticore—even up at high Sensitivity levels (26/28 or more) because the noise is already there. The operator’s job is to learn to hear through it. If you have an old area where you want to see what’s “way down there”–this is the setting to use–given some practice.
Appendix V: Tom Danakowski’s Open Low Conductor Mode Settings
This is arguably the deepest way to run the Manticore. I would have to concur–it’s a “shocker.” This set up requires the use of basic skills to offset the open Ferrous Limits–sizing signals, using the cross sweep and Pinpoint where needed. As with any Manticore application, the graph also helps here–keeping you off the “partials” and cross-feeds. As with any high-power setting it also requires that you “listen good” and focus upon solid, “peaked” sounding responses.
Beach Low Conductors Mode
Volume: 25
Ferrous Volume: 25
Recovery Speed: 4
Discrimination Pattern: All Metal
Ferrous Limits: Upper = 4, Lower = 0
Nothing Notched out. (Bring in the iron).
Audio Theme = Prospecting
Ground Balance the unit close to the edge of the saltwater
[States Tom…]
Run Sens on 24 or 25 or 26… depending / dictated by the salt-content of your particular beach. (Start at 24….. and see how stable the unit is. Then bump-up Sens accordingly).
I get the feeling that you may be able to bump Sens up…even higher. Maybe even 28. IF you can run Sens 28…you are going to find the results…interesting. [Ed. Note: By this Tom means that the machine has extreme depth with this setting–I concur!].
I do recommend making the hotkeys: Upper Left Button = Noise Cancel. Upper Right Button = Ground Balance. Sidebar button = Iron
Ed. Note. Listen for complete sounds with exension. Use the cross sweep to check your signal for consistency. If you are going to use the “Red Iron Indicator” keep your ID’ing passes narrow so as to get a clean reading. As well, this indicator is not always that accurate in black sand. Also, if the all metal noise is too much turn down either the Ferrous Volume, or the overall Volume. There’s also nothing wrong with adding in a reject block to make for cleaner target assignment although this will detract from the overall power of the program. Try this setting up at 28 and “hold on to your hat!”
For more information on getting results with the Minelab Manticore check out my book: