Garrett AT Gold Information, Questions, Settings and Tips

Hello. I have an AT gold but i dont know if im using it properly. Any advice?

What settings are you using?

Hi Andre, I split your post into a new topic as it may be helpful to others.

My advice would be to read the manual inside and out and watch the DVD that came with it, if yours didnt come with a DVD check out YouTube as Garrett have posted a bunch of instructional videos for the AT-GOLD. Between 50-100 hours seems typical to learn a new machine so dont get discouraged if youre not picking it up right away, just keep at it and you'll master it in no time.

Learn how to ground balance properly and do it often, changes in the ground composition can impact the performance and depth of the detector.

Try each mode in different ground conditions to work out which mode works best in what situation. I personally try to use All Metal Mode wherever possible as this mode provides the most depth but you will lose tone ID and the target ID accuracy is supposedly effected.

In time you will learn the different characteristic of common targets. For example on the AT-GOLD, a modern pull tab in All Metal Mode shows up with a target ID of 54-55 while a Gatorade seal shows up as a 42. Knowing this information can help to answer the "to dig or not to dig question", although I highly recommend digging all targets until you get used to the machine.

It's not always practical to use All Metal Mode, for example in trashy areas I use Discrim 1 which helps quieten it down a little, Discrim 1 also provides tone ID which can be very useful for identifying quality targets. You may also want to use Discrim 1 when the detector is being effected by hot ground or hot rocks, ultimately you would want to at least try to use All Metal Mode when searching for gold as this is the preferred mode for maximum depth and sensitivity. I almost never use Discrim 2 but you could once again use this in trashy areas or when searching specifically for coins.

Practice pinpointing, once again the manual or YouTube might be the best place to learn how to do this.

One last thing, don't detect with Iron Audio turned on, only turn it on to test a target then switch it off. Iron Audio combined with other target indicators can help identify trash metal, BUT be aware that Iron Audio can falsely sound on a quality target, this could be due to the angle of the target in the ground, if corrosion is present or if the quality target is sitting right next to trash metal.

Swing low and slow and just have fun with it. I hope everything made sence, its late

Thank you so much for the advice. I will watch the dvd and read the manual. In regards to the settings i usually go Disc1 with around 28 setting on disc. I dont know how to use it well but i know the detector is great.

What sort of detecting are you doing, beach, parks or gold fields?

Some old gold fields and Forest/s. Within the Miners right.

I usually run my disc around there. Ground balance window @ 4, sensitivity @ 2 notches from the top, threshold just so you can hear it.
Hope this helps. Just remember the all metal mode is just that, it will detect all metals including iron stone & iron oxide.

That helps heaps. Will give that a shot. Thank you.

I use all metal mode a lot on the gold fields unless the ground is super noisey, then I switch over to disc1. If I am on quiet ground I turn the sensitivity up to full. Just remember to keep ground balancing as much as possible. Also use your Iron Audio to check targets.

I was asked to put up a post about the settings I use for gold detecting. So here it is.
I normally run in all metal mode with sensitivity 1 or 2 notches from the top. If I get a target that could be gold then I bump it up to full sensitivity to find it. Avoid using Iron audio unless you really have to (on a big target it is normally ok but on small gold I have found after a few air tests that I was possibly walking away from gold because of Iron Audio) A half gram nugget I found was discriminated out at 35 so if you have to discrim on a gold field then don't use anymore than 20 -25.
On really noisey ground I run the ground balance window on 5 - 6.
Remember to keep ground balancing.
I have found that the AT Gold doesn't like those shiny water worn iron stones so it pays to rake them off the top and check again. If your target has gone then it was probably the ironstone.
I have detected a .1g nugget at Graytown in an area that had been thrashed so keep ya eye on that screen for high numbered targets.
One thing I notice is that a good gold target will repeat the same left and right when you are swinging and a hot rock tends to beep differently one way as apposed to the other way. I always scrape the top crap off the ground with my foot if I am ever in doubt about a target. If the sound gets sweeter then dig it !!
I have found .1g .2g and a .49g nugget with my AT Gold and also a 6 gram miners melt. (And it loves coins)
And remember the AT Gold can be operated with one thumb while you are detecting (unlike a GPX5000) so use it to your advantage. I am constantly changing my settings as I go to suit the ground.
If the ground is nice and quiet then I bump up the sensitivity and re-balance. If the ground gets noisy again then I knock back the sensitivity and balance again.
I run threshold on zero because I get sick of the hum pretty quick !
And most of all remember "Low and slow" don't rush around swinging like a wild man and make sure you are wearing out that coil cover ! I have found gold where a GPX 4500 didn't so I can tell you that the Garrett AT Gold does find gold.
Good luck out there.

Hi luke have been debating yes or no for at gold as can not afford a gpx5000 ,but have been checking out the minelab 705 gold pack both priced similar not sure???? yet

Yeh I thought about the xterra and my mate who is deaf has one and finds heaps of coins with it. I haven't seen any gold found with it yet. I swear by my AT Gold. It's been a great machine so far on gold and coins

hi heavymetal good info about the at gold i have 1 myself and still working it out havent found any gold with it yet but still trying i will put that info in to pracktes

Hi Heavymetal. Apart from the settings, how long did it roughly take for you to get your ear in or are there distinct sounds between say iron and gold.

Im looking to get the AT Gold in the next few months. Probably need to organise a day when we cross paths with a fellow forum member out in the field who has one.

I have just bought a Garrett AT Gold so should be here in a week and I've been reading a little on here about setting it up but are there actual courses you can attend to learn the basics? I'm located at Toukley on the Central Coast.

I'm into more than just looking for nuggets. 90% will be looking for coins etc and the other 10% will be out in the gold fields.

I have also been told that there are a few guys that hit the local beaches as the sun goes down and there's a little turf war going on if new guys rock up. After a little reading, its good to know that I can actually be there no matter what they say.

Well done Goose. You won't be disappointed with the AT Gold, there a sensitive and responsive detector and are killer on coins and relics.

The only thing I will say if you're planning on hitting the local beach, the AT Gold doesn't handle the wet / salty sand very well due to its configuration, on dry sand there fantastic.

I probably wouldn't waste money on a course until you've got in at least 50 hours of operation, by then you should be really getting to know the ins and out of the machine and hopefully won't need the course. As the manual states, it usually takes around 100 hours of use to really master it.

And don't worry too much about getting in a turf war with another detectorist, there's plenty of beach for everyone :lol:

If you ever need any configuration advice let me know and I'll be happy to help you out.

Onya SG, you stand your ground.. Been looking at the 'AT but am leaning towards the TDI pro though I won't be buying just yet. Let us know how you & at goes. Good hunting.
Bill

sluice_goose said:

Hi Heavymetal. Apart from the settings, how long did it roughly take for you to get your ear in or are there distinct sounds between say iron and gold.

Im looking to get the AT Gold in the next few months. Probably need to organise a day when we cross paths with a fellow forum member out in the field who has one.

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It took about a dozen outings before I got used to it. On coins in discrim 1 I can pick a good coin from the trash in very trashy parks, its a very distinct high pitch beep. As for the gold, the iron gives a weird signal left from right whereas the gold gives a nice repeating signal which gets better as you dig it out. I normally give the ground a quick scrape with my foot first and then go from there. If the signal gets cleaner I dig it, if it fades or disappears then it's normally a hot rock and I walk away. Still hoping to swing it over something a bit bigger !

Blinkie said:

Onya SG, you stand your ground.. Been looking at the 'AT but am leaning towards the TDI pro though I won't be buying just yet. Let us know how you & at goes. Good hunting.
Bill

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Will do

I'm going through YouTube trying to familiarize myself with the settings before it arrives but it looks like the only way to truly get used to it is using it over different ground compositions.

Might throw a bucket of pennies on the lawn and hope I get them all back before I have to mow it.

Sluice_goose, I buried a 5c piece in my backyard (about 100mm), the yard has had a top dressing of about 30cm+ of fill so I wasn't expecting to find anything except my 5c.
In a meter square area I found 50 odd cents worth of 1c and 2c coins and my 5c coin. Outside that area, nothing so the previous owner must have chucked them out there when he was filling in the yard as they were down around the 100mm mark, strange. Mick