DetectingWales.com

H my name is Colin, can any one help me please.Many years ago I owned a C Scope T R descriminater,that gave me many hours of pleasure,with hundreds of finds--predecimal coinage,parts of old toys,cap badges,and off coarse loads of scrap. A few years before my recent retirement the detecting bug got rekindled by the purchase of a metal detecting mag, together with my comments on the price off the modern day machines ! Digging out my old C Scope that had been packed away in our move to wales,it was found to be sadly well and truly trashed,I think the box had been dropped badly from the lorry? The years went by [detector less]. However-- my wife bless her had crafterly noted the name of a what was then a fairly new machine I was reading up on,and upon my retirement she precented me with a second hand Quattro that she won on an eBay auction. Like any boy with his new toy,I was itching to get out and try my hand again. I know I am not very experienced in metal detecting,so this is not really a good choice of machine to start learning again on,but it is supposed to be a "quote" switch on and go machine.I have tried it in factory modes,ground balancing,sweeping low and slow,then the doubts set in to wether I have a metal detector or is it an electronic organ? The main problem is that when an item is registered on the screen[good or trash] the reading stays on the screen as I carry on sweeping.I am unsure as wether this is normal?or the doubt of wether the machine being second hand is faulty? I have read off very slow recovery rates that this machine has been labelled with. I would be very gratefull for any help.as the wife thinks i am being ungratefull for my great prezzy,but flustration sets in,if the machine is ok then I will try try and keep on trying as I would love to get back into this great pastime.If there is any one near Aberystwyth that knows how the Quattro ticks I would gladly bring the machine along to let them check it out for me.

Hi does  the screen id change when you detect another target

Hello Grump and welcome to Detecting Wales.  I agree, it's probably not the best 'starter' machine. Being a multi frequency machine it will sound very different to what you used before. It'll be a long learning curve and almost impossible to give instruction on in the short term.  My advice would be to get hold of the Minelab Quattro & Safari Handbook by Andy Sabisch.
They are available from a Company called Joan Allen for £19 95. and worth every penny. Click on the link below to take you to the shop.
In the meantime I think the answer to your main question is, yes, I think the reading stays the same till you go over a different target. Until you get used to it (or get the book) put it into 'All Metal' and stick with that to get used to the sounds. Dig everything that doesn't sound like a buried ground hog and be patient. Don't be frightened to ask questions. There are a few one here that have the Safari, which is similar.

 http://www.joanallen.co.uk/product-p/10452.htm (http://www.joanallen.co.uk/product-p/10452.htm)

Val

Hi Colin and welcome to the forum, You are probably using the machine in coin and jewellery which is the program that uses the pretty pictures lol but yes the reading does stay on the screen until another target is detected so relax.
Have a look at this video which may give you a bit more information and put your mind at rest ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPCvXNjhbsY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPCvXNjhbsY)

Welcome to the forum Colin :)

I've never used a Quattro, but have used a few other minelabs of similar design, I'm sure Geoff and others here will tell us if the tones are any different, but basically if its similar to the others from that stable (Explorer, E-Trac, Safari etc.) then you'll get a good ear bashing...  Basically listen through the trashy bips and beeps and listen for "Flutey Whoop Whoops", put a pound coin down and sweep over it, you'll see what I mean, it should have a nice rounded whoop to it...

My explorer II was a 6 month learning curve as it was the first Minelab from the explorer stable of detectors I had used, (had an XS2A Pro before but that was a different machine completely) ... so don't expect to know it over night, it will take months ...

If learning I'd live with the slower recovery speed and run with a little iron discrim in, just to get used to the sounds, then you can always open it out when you know what you are looking for...

One thing that has changed since your last machine is that most are now "motion detectors", ie the coil has to be moving in order for the machine to detect anything (unless in pinpoint mode), the old machines were non-motion and detected whether the coil was moving or not. This takes a bit of getting used to if you are used to the old ones.

Your missus has bought you a good machine there, good on inland and beach sites, so you should do well :)

Good luck and dont forget to post your finds for us all to see ;)

- Andy

hi,
the safari was my first detector (safari is same as a quattro just a bit faster processor and a different coil).
When i first got it i thought i had bitten off more than i can chew its a noise machine in all metal mode.
Now i love my machine in fact im on my second one (my first met a sticky end due to a rogue wave )
My advice is drop some different metals on the ground in the garden and swing over them and get an idea of the different tones.
I hardly look at the screen anymore .
Silver is a sweet tone , copper is a strong tweet, aluminium is the nicest noise really tweety flutey sound, gold sounds silmilar to aluminium .
Iron sounds grunty low (like the sound the x used to make on family fortunes lol).
The processor speed recovery time is a bit slow on a quattro so you want to swing low and slow ,its a habit the quattro will force upon you but to be honest its a habit every detectorist should learn  :P

ps i can call up aberystwyth sometime and help you sort your machine out

Hi,thanks for your help,I have not tried to carry on with my machine,as I wanted to find out about the screen reading because it was bought second hand I straight away feared it faulty.Now I have found this forum, I will have a go again[time seems to fly by when you retire,and all the small jobs seem to mount up you wonder how you had time to go to work let alown enjoy any hobbies].I have had a tip to place some different items along the surface,distanced apart and slow low over them to see how my machine responds.I know it will be completely different to items buried for some time,but I can report back on readings and if they change etc.I know it will be long slow steps at a time,but I now know where to find help from friendly people on this forum once again thanks for your help and will report back to forum as soon as I try a little better,and give the machine a chance,regards Colin.