Whites Spectra V3i
Important information and tips for U.K searching

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It's probably pointless posting up programmes for the V3 as I have found some days the machine runs like a dream...take it to the same field a week later and it's false signalling all over the place, so I guess it is one of those machine that requires a lot of learning the v3i is not a beginners machine, neither is it a switch on and go detector as the pre set programmes are for the US market.....However this machine still has great potential for those who like a challenge.
Latest news !!!, the SEF 10x12 coil is a big improvement over the stock coil...much more stable.
Whites Spectra V3 / V3i metal detector Programmes for U.K metal detecting
Whites v3 review from Garys detecting

Whites spectra V3i programmes

Here is my most successful programmes so far, I have named it Gary's My-Pro, here are the basic settings,
3 Freq
This program is for general searching in area's of low iron contamination.

Load up the default Hi-Pro programme, settings not mentioned will be the Hi-Pro default.

Sensitivity and Discrimination
VDI selected by...VDI....Edit.....accept from -95 to +95
Sensitivity RX 15(ish)........Disc 65(ish)......All Metal  50
TX BOOST ALWAYS OFF
Select Audio......Tone....scroll all the way down to Vdi Tones and open.......choose Custom then Edit
Setting the Tone ID
To save time changing individual numbers, first choose the "Standard" setting which will accept 1 tone for each number...then choose Custom and select "Edit ".
 change as follows vdi numbers -95 to -21 assign tone number 65........vdi numbers -20 to 0 assign tone number 144
If you have done this correctly the remaining vdi numbers +1 to +95 should read vdi +1=(tone 161),  vdi +2=(tone 162),  vdi +3=(tone 163) and so on jumping 1 tone number at a time all the way up to + 95 which should be tone number 255

Search Audio.....Default Hi - Pro or your Personal Preference

Frequency....3 Freq, enable salt if unstable

Ground Tracking
 Ground balance on clean area (Trigger + Enter...pump coil), then switch to Trac lock if lots of iron present and use a +1 offset
Tip : Pull the trigger and slowly lower the coil to the ground (make sure no iron is beneath the coil)
Listen to the audio threshold, if it dips you need to raise the tracking offset, what you are looking for is a slight raise in threshold as the coil approaches the soil.
Sometimes you may need a high setting such as +10

Filter and Speed
Search 5Hz band, to hear all the iron you may need to make adjustments to suit your soil
5.0 Hz band will make the machine more "sparky" as it increases your machine will settle down.. Don't run the machine to quiet try to find a happy medium, 10 Hz high works for many people.
Change recovery delay to 26 (very important) up to 35 on clean ground

Configure
Live search screen...Search....Spectragraph (v3i)
Backlight...Off
Icons.....Off
Depth....Off
Spectragraph....Yes
Consistency....Yes number 20
Base threshold...off
Intensity...Off
Single sweep...Off
Fade...yes...fade rate 3
Resolution....6
Compressed....Off
Disc Bar....On
Disc bar size....Ex Large
Multigraph...Off

Programme changes
*Amended to suit the SEF coil 7/8/2011
*Assign numbers -95 to -11 to tone 30 for smoother operation
(low tick rather than a tone)
If you like the machine to have simple tones accept -10 to +95 with tone 200 and -11 to -95 tone 160

5/10/2011
*Use salt compensate for wet ground found under the frequency settings
*For those who want a simple 2 tone program assign tones -10 to +95 tone number 220 or whatever you like to hear.
*False signals can sometimes be eliminated by rejecting +93 +95 +95, lowering the discrimination sensitivity,  and upping modulation to 3
* If the meter bars are to lively change consistency to 40

 

 

Live Controls, Audio volume's, analysis and pin point are all user personal preferences.
Once you are happy with the basic settings you may wish to save it under the "common" memory slot so you can default your favourite features into future programs.

With this programme you will hear the iron as a low grumble, low conductivity targets will give a smooth low tone which will gently increase as targets become higher in conductivity, big targets will give a very high tone. You may need to make sensitivity adjustments to suit your soil.
One final note : Don't waist time looking at the meter readings, a busy site will cause them to jump around, trust the audio sound, if you can get a solid "lock on" with short brisk sweeps then investigate.

V3i Glitches

Sometimes you can not change the tones back once you have played about with them, the only cure is to load up another new Hi-Pro programme from the library set the tones as above.... put in your programme settings and save it, a good idea is to make 3 copies and name them 1 2 & 3 so you have back up programmes to tweak for different sites.

Battery pack
The V3i is quite heavy on power the rechargeable battery pack has a limited life, I prefer to use the AA cell pod supplied with the machine.

V3i backlight glitch.
Some machines turn off when you turn the backlight on from the menu or hot keys, this is a known software problem which is not worth worrying about. You can quickly access the backlight by pressing and holding the On / Off button for 5 seconds until it illuminates...I would suggest you always run the backlight on number 1

Here is a short video I have uploaded which may make more sense to help you understand the adjustments.
PLEASE NOTE SOME OF MY SETTINGS HAVE CHANGED TO WORK WITH THE SEF COIL


Watch my 22.5 Khz program in action along with some helpful hints and tips
 

22.5 KHz
My Roman site "shifted tone" programme for use with the 10x6 elliptical coil
This 22.5 Khz programme works well on freshly ploughed ancient sites....you need to treat the sensitivity with care.

Load up the default Hi-Pro programme, settings not mentioned will be the Hi-Pro default.

Select Audio......Tone....scroll all the way down to Vdi Tones and open.......choose Custom then Edit.
Remember the V3 has a quirk.... sometimes you can not change the tones back IE from custom to standard. .

Tone ID
To save time changing individual numbers, first choose the "Standard" setting which will accept 1 tone for each number...then choose Custom and select "Edit ".
 change as follows vdi numbers -95 to -16 assign tone number 65
The remaining vdi numbers -15 to +95 should read vdi -15=(tone 145),  vdi -14=(tone 146),  vdi -13=(tone 147) and so on jumping 1 tone number at a time all the way up to + 95 which should be tone number 255

Search Audio.....Default Hi - Pro or your personal pref

Sensitivity RX 10(ish)........Disc 40(ish)......All Metal  45

Recovery delay 22

Filters  10Hz band, you may need to make adjustments depending on the iron in your soil

Frequency....22.5 Khz with +2 frequency offset or (pull trigger and find clean channel)

Configure
Live search screen...Search....Spectragraph (v3i)
Backlight...Off
Icons.....Off
Depth....Off
Spectragraph....Yes
Consistency....Yes number 20
Base threshold...off
Intensity...Off
Single sweep...Off
Fade...yes...fade rate 3
Resolution....6
Compressed....Off
Disc Bar....On
Disc bar size....Ex Large
Multigraph...Off

Programme changes
*Assign numbers -95 to -11 to tone 30 for smoother operation (low tick rather than a tone)

 

 

 

 

New programme for the V3i
15/09/2011
2 tone mixed mode programme
 Important !!! First load up the standard RELIC from your library keep everything as standard and only adjust the following.
*Note this programme is a work in progress I will put any changes at the bottom of the list as and when they are made, volumes and audio tone etc are your own personal preference.

Sensitivity and Discrimination
VDI selected by...VDI....Edit.....Accept from -5 to +95...Reject -6 to -95
Sensitivity RX 12........Disc 55......All Metal  65
TX BOOST ALWAYS OFF

Frequency....3 freq with +2 frequency offset or (pull trigger and find clean channel and adjust)

Ground Tracking
Ground balance on clean area (Trigger + Enter...pump coil), then switch to Trac lock if lots of iron present and use a +1 to +10 offset (+10 less ground noise)

Colour Theme  Hi Pro

Mixed Mode   On

Filter and Speed
5.0 Hz band you want to hear everything in the ground with the minimal filters, go to 7 band if to noisy
Change recovery delay to 24-26 (very important)

Configure
Live search screen...Search....Spectragraph (v3i)
Backlight...Off
Icons.....Off
Depth....Off
Spectragraph....Yes
Consistency....Yes number 20
Base threshold...off
Intensity...Off
Single sweep...Off
Fade...yes...fade rate 3
Resolution....6
Compressed....Off
Disc Bar....On
Disc bar size....Ex Large
Multigraph...Off
Once you are happy with the settings save as Relic Plus in the library
You will hear the iron buzzing in the background and a solid high tone and stable screen bar for good targets...smeared screen bars indicate large iron.

Programme changes
*None

 

 

 

10/11/2011
Gary's simple 2 tone open discrimination programme
This is the programme I use most of the time now the weather is getting wetter, I would suggest if you are new to the V3i and want a stable all round programme this will be the one to try.

As requested this is one of my simple to use programmes I use the SEF 10x12 so sensitivity settings may change for your soil / weather conditions or if you are using different coils.

Load up the Hi Pro programme

DISCRIMINATION SETTINGS
Visual Reject: OFF
Bottle Cap Reject: OFF
Hot Rock Reject: OFF
VDI selected by: VDI > Edit…Accept everything

SENSITIVITY SETTINGS*
RX GAIN: 8
TX Boost: OFF
Discrimination: 45
All Metal: 24


AUDIO
Tone ID: ON
VDI tones > Custom> Edit…Assign -95 to -21 tone 130 and from -20 to +95 tone 200
MIXED MODE: OFF
STEREO MIXED MODE: OFF

PIN POINT
VCO: ON
Ratchet: Off...squeeze trigger 2 or 3 times to shrink target if required

SEARCH AUDIO
Discrimination: ON…tick boxes …Threshold....tone ID…Modulation….Mod range 2


FREQUENCY
3 Freq …VDI….Best Data

GROUND TRACKING
AutoTrack: OFF
LockTrack: ON
Offset: Manually Ground Balance to start and use offset to get a slight positive as coil is lowered to the ground in pin point usually up to +5


FILTER & SPEED
SEARCH
Ground Filter: 5 Hz High Band*
Recovery Delay: 28*
SAT: 15*
ANALYSIS : Whatever you want personally I don’t use it.

CONFIGURATION
Live search screen….search…spectragraph…
Screen top….VDI…size…medium
Consistency….40
Intensity: No
Single Sweep: No
Fade…3
Resolution…6
Compressed: No
Rule: Yes
Disc Bar: Yes…Size…X Large
Multigraph: No
Colour…Black screen with silver numbers, takes to long to explain how
Status Line…On Top…Size…small


Live controls (Hot Keys) that I use are :
Program, sensitivity, discrimination, frequency, tracking, Ground filtering, recovery, search audio, backlight, audio level

BATTERY
Auto power off: No
Press Menu and left arrow to collapse menu tree

Programme Notes
False signals : Are the biggest V3i complaints I find the discrimination sensitivity is closely related to false signals rather than RX gain, don't be afraid to lower it and keep the RX gain as high as possible, if the V3i is running smoothly it can still be running hot do not under estimate it's power, try to find the point where you get only the occasional false signal over odd shaped iron, which can be recognised with a smearing pattern on the screen. A low All metal sensitivity will give you depth information when pin pointing...deep targets will only just register. I prefer to use a black screen with silver numbers.
Filters: I prefer to run a low filter as I have a slow search speed also I like to hear all the iron as a low tone. If you operate a faster sweep speed it may be wise to use a higher filter such as 7Hz or 10Hz.
EMI problems can normally be sorted using frequency offsets.
ANALYSIS : OK for comparing filters and sweep speeds etc, but not essential
Recovery : 28 go up to 40 if you have clean ground

 

 


I will be adding more programmes when I have them.

Please let me know if you have any success with them
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