Fisher Research Labs Gold Bug-2 User manual

OPERATING MANUAL
PROSPECTOR’S METAL DETECTOR
Copyright© 2021 by Fisher®Research Labs,Inc.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or parts thereof, in any form.
Published by Fisher®Research Labs, Inc.
Fisher®is a registered trademark of Fisher®Research Labs, Inc.
www.sherlab.com
1120 Alza Drive, El Paso, TX 79907 • [phone]
MADE IN U.S.A.
MGB2-2 Rev.1 071321
GOLD BUG
®
2
®

TABLE OF CONTENTS
About Your GoldBug2 .................................................................... 3-5
Setting Up ...................................................................................... 6-7
Hip-Mounting .................................................................................... 8
Control Panel................................................................................ 9-10
Mode and Mineralization Controls ............................................. 11-12
Mode and Mineralization Selections .......................................... 13-14
Power-On Procedure....................................................................... 15
Ground Reject Procedure........................................................... 16-17
Searching ................................................................................... 18-20
Pinpointing ...................................................................................... 21
Target Recovery.......................................................................... 22-23
False Signals .............................................................................. 24-25
Operating Tips................................................................................. 26
Coin Shooting, Beach and Relic Hunting........................................ 26
Batteries ..................................................................................... 27-28
Maintenance.................................................................................... 28
Using Headphones.......................................................................... 29
Treasure Hunters’ Code of Ethics.................................................... 29
Where to Use Your GoldBug2 in the U.S. ....................................... 30
Specications............................................................................. 31-32
Warranty .......................................................................................... 35 35
5-Year Limited Warranty
The GoldBug2 metal detector is warranted against defects in materials and
workmanship under normal use for ve years from the date of purchase
to the original owner.
Damage due to neglect, accidental damage or misuse of this product is
not covered under this warranty. Decisions regarding abuse or misuse
of the detector are made solely at the discretion of the manufacturer.
Proof of Purchase is required to make a claim under this warranty.
Liability under this Warranty is limited to replacing or repairing, at
our option, the metal detector returned, shipping cost prepaid to
Fisher® Labs. Shipping cost to Fisher® Labs is the responsibility of
the consumer.
To return your detector for service, please rst contact Fisher®Labs
for a Return Authorization (RA) Number. Reference the RA number
on your package and return the detector within 15 days of calling to:
Fisher®Research Labs, Inc.
1120 Alza Drive
El Paso, TX 79907
Phone: [phone] ext.118
Fax: [phone]
Warranty coverage does not include the cost of transporting the
detector back to an owner who is located outside of the United
States of America.
NOTE TO CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE U.S.A.
This warranty may vary in other countries, check with your
distributor for details.
Warranty does not cover shipping costs.
According to FCC part 15.21 Changes or Modications made to this device not
expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the users
authority to operate this equipment.
This device complies with FCC Part 15 Subpart B Section 15.109 Class B.

Congratulations on your purchase of the Fisher GoldBug2, the standard
against which all other gold prospecting detectors are compared.
The GoldBug2 is specially designed for nding gold nuggets. The
GoldBug2’s high frequency, at 71 kHz, is extremely sensitive to small
gold nuggets.
The GoldBug2 can be used in high, normal or low mineralization soils.
When set for high mineralization, this new circuitry allows prospectors
to hunt in areas previously o-limits due to high ground mineralization or
the presence of numerous hot rocks. The GoldBug2 sets new standards
for size and depth at which nuggets can be unearthed in many soil
conditions.
To identify the most bothersome gold-eld objects, learn to use the
DISC mode. Identify hot rocks and trash metals, such as nails and other
ferrous objects.
Use the BOOST mode to nd smaller nuggets at greater depths. The
BOOST mode automatically increases the volume of any faint signal, such
as small or deep gold nuggets. It does this without increasing the volume
of larger, shallower targets .
3
34
ABOUT YOUR GOLD BUG 2
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4
Here are some other features of the GoldBug2:
• Dust and moisture resistant control box.
• Removable control housing for hip-mount and fatigue-free
prospecting.
• Elliptical searchcoils available in three sizes:
6.5, 10 and 14-inch.
• Lightweight design, only 2.9 lbs. with cushioned armrest and
foam-grip handle.
• Built-in detector stand.
• Intuitive manual ground mineralization adjustment with
digital read-out.
• Double-locking, berglass-reinforced, nylon lower stem.
• Quartz-crystal locked electronics.
• Built-in Fisher quality backed by 90 years of engineering
excellence.
Now that you have the right equipment, nd the most productive prospecting
location and study this manual to learn the skill and art of the rewarding
endeavor of gold prospecting.
Happy Hunting!
Fisher Research Laboratories
33
ABOUT YOUR GoldBug2 (continued)
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Velcro cable attachment
7-foot searchcoil cable
Locking collar
Foam handgrip
Padded armrest
Detector stand
Aluminum
upper stem
Aluminum
middle stem
Fiberglass-reinforced
nylon lower stem
Removable
control housing
Velcro cable attachment
Knurled knob
Bolt
Waterproof,
electrostatic
shielded,
elliptical
searchcoil
Drop-in battery
compartments
Cable
connector
Locking collar
1/4” Headphone jack
5
Figure 1. GoldBug2
32
ABOUT YOUR GoldBug2 (continued)
Notes:
1. Approximate.
2. Voltage Controlled Oscillator. Volume and frequency increase as target
is approached.
3. The Gold Bug2 is a “motion” detector. The searchcoil must be moving
at least slightly to detect a target.
4. Electro-Static Insulated to eliminate certain types of false signals.
SPECIFICATIONS
Fisher® Research Laboratory does not warrant
suitability to specic use. Fisher® Research Laboratory
shall in no event be liable for any direct, incidental,
consequential or indirect damages.
Shielding ................100% ESI Coverage 4
Interchangeable...................................Yes
Waterproof...........................................Yes
Cable Length................................... 7 feet
Handle-Mount / Hip-Mount Convertible..........................................Yes
Built-in Armrest and Detector Stand ...............................................Yes
Batteries ............................Type.................................(2) 9V Transistor
Life-Carbon Zinc ................ 10-20 hours1
Life-Alkaline ........................ 25-35 hours1
NiCads .................................. 5-10 hours1

6
The GoldBug2 requires minimal assembly. To assemble the GoldBug2:
connect the upper, middle and lower stems, connect the searchcoil
connector to the back of the control housing and then adjust the angle
of the searchcoil. Take a look at page 5 and familiarize yourself with the
parts of the GoldBug2 before proceeding.
1. Unpack your new GoldBug2 carefully. Save the box and inserts
– they may come in handy for future storage or shipment.
2. Connect lower, middle and upper stems (see pg. 5 Figure 1).
3. Adjust the stem length and coil angle so that
the searchcoil rests at on the ground about
6 inches in front of, and slightly to the right
of, your right foot (for left handers, to the left
of your left foot). Your arm should be straight
and relaxed with a lose grip. (see Figure 2).
REMEMBER: THE LONGER THE SHAFT,
THE MORE YOU WILL HAVE TO BEND
YOUR ELBOW AND THE SOONER
YOUR ARM WILL GET TIRED. THE
GOLDBUG2IS BALANCED FOR
COMFORTABLE SEARCHING IN A
TIGHT SEMICIRCLE IN FRONT OF THE
OPERATOR.
31
Figure 2.
Adjust the stem
length and coil
angle resting the
searchcoil at on
the ground and
about 6 inches in
front of your right
foot (left foot for
left-handers).
SETTING UP
Length ................................Extended ............................................53”
Collapsed ............................................40”
Weight ...............................Complete..................................... 2.9 lbs.1
Control Housing .......................... 1.0 lbs.1
Handle and Coil.......................... 1.9 lbs. 1
Frequency...........................LF Search ................................. 71.01 kHz
Response .................................... (V.C.O.)2
Operating Modes................1. All Metal Auto-Tune (NORMAL) 3
2. All Metal Auto-Tune (BOOST)3
3. Iron Discrimination (DISC) 3
Mineralization Settings .......1. HIGH (attenuated, fast Auto-Tune)
2. NORMAL (fast Auto-Tune)
3. LOW (gain boosted, slow Auto-Tune)
Ground Adjustment ...........Manual, Digitally controlled high
resolution adjustment
Control Housing ................Dust, Moisture Resistant.....................Yes
Audio Output .....................Speaker ..................2” Moisture Resistant
Headphone Jack.......... 1/4” stereo/mono
Manual Threshold Tuning ....... Eective in All Metal, Auto-Tune mode
Searchcoil ..........................Type ..........................Elliptical, Co-Planar
Sizes available 10” or 6.5” standard,
14” accessory coil
SPECIFICATIONS

7
4. Tighten the locking collars to secure the stems; secure the
coil with the bolt and nut.
5. With the stem length properly adjusted, wrap the searchcoil
cable tightly around the upper stem and secure it with the
two velcro straps. Connect the cable connector to the control
housing.
CAUTION: MAKE SURE THE CABLE IS NOT PULLED TIGHT AT
THE CONTROL HOUSING AND THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH SLACK
AT THE SEARCHCOIL TO ADJUST IT AT ANY ANGLE.
6. With the shaft length and coil angle properly adjusted, you
should be able to move into your “search” position (as shown
on page 6) by leaning forward very slightly and raising your
arm (still straight) until the searchcoil is just above the ground
and 12-inches in front of your foot. The searchcoil should be
parallel to the ground and may have to be slightly readjusted
at this point.
30
SETTING UP (continued)
National Forest and Federal Lands—Metal detecting is allowed only
by special permit acquired from the federal government. Each area
has a district oce.
Corps of Engineers, Lakes, Shorelines and Lands—Permission has
been granted only on pre-disturbed sites, such as beaches and
attached swimming areas. New Corps lakes and lands must be
okayed by the main oce of the Army Corps of Engineers. Each
area has a district oce.
State Parks and Lands—Some state parks are open to metal detecting,
but some are not. Always check with the park ranger before
attempting to use your detector.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lands—Some areas are open for
metal detecting, and some are not. Always check with the district
oce.
City or County Park Lands—Most are open to metal detecting unless
notice is given by a sign or city ordinance. When in doubt, always
check with the City’s Parks and Recreation Department.
Public School Grounds—Most are open to metal detecting unless
notice is given by a sign, city ordinance, law enforcement ocial,
or school employee. You should always check with the school
oce rst.
Privately Owned Lands (Private Property)—Permission is required
and it is always best to have the permission in writing.
Historically Marked Lands or Sites—Metal detecting is not allowed.
Do not even think about it.
Where To Use Your Metal Detector In the U.S.

8
NOTE: if you are working
in shallow water, you may
want to strap the control
housing on your chest in a
heavy plastic bag, and seal
it tightly around the cable.
29
To remove the control housing from the
stem, grasp the top of the control box rmly
and pull it directly toward the armrest while
holding the GoldBug2 handle.
Figure 4.
Your GoldBug2 is lightweight and well balanced; however, if you
are going to be swinging it for more than a few hours, you may want
to “hip-mount” it by removing the control box and strapping it to your
waist. Follow this procedure:
1. Disconnect the cable from the
control housing and unwind all
but the last 12-inches or so from
the stem. Secure the lower end
of the cable with a velcro strap at
least 12-inches up from the coil.
CAUTION: MAKE SURE THAT YOU
HAVE ENOUGH SLACK AT THE
SEARCHCOIL
2. Slide the control housing off the
handle by holding the hand grip with
one hand and pulling the housing
toward you with the other hand.
3. Reconnect the cable to the control
housing. NOTE: It is especially
important that the cable connector be
installed tightly to prevent false signals
during hip-mount use. Hand tighten only:
Never use tools to tighten the connector.
4. Put your belt through the slots on
the underside of the housing.
5. Left handers should wear the
housing on their right hip and right
handers on their left hip.
The GoldBug2 control housing can be
hip-mounted to reduce weight on the stem
and create nearly effortless hunting. Belt
loops are provided on the underside of the
control housing.
Figure 3.
HIP-MOUNTING
LET’S PRESERVE OUR TREASURED SPORT!
Laws governing the use of metal detectors are becoming more and
more common. In many countries, the use of metal detectors is
illegal or severely restricted. Do not let this happen in your area.
• Always check Federal, State, County and local laws before
searching.
• Respect private property and do not enter private property
without the owner’s permission.
• Take care to rell all holes and leave no damage.
• Remove and dispose of any and all trash and litter found.
• Appreciate and protect our inheritance of natural resources,
wildlife and private property.
• Act as an ambassador for the hobby; use thoughtfulness,
consideration and courtesy at all times.
• Never destroy historical or archaeological treasures.
• All treasure hunters may be judged by the example you set; always
conduct yourself with courtesy and consideration of others.
Using headphones (not included) improves battery life, and allows
you to hear subtle changes in the sound more clearly, particularly
if searching in a noisy location. For safety reasons, do not use
headphones near trac or where other dangers are present. This
device is to be used with interconnecting cables/headphone cables
shorter than three meters.
USING HEADPHONES
TREASURE HUNTER’S CODE OF ETHICS

9
28
1. SENS: This knob adjusts the GoldBug2’s sensitivity to targets.
By increasing the sensitivity, you can detect smaller and
deeper targets; however, high sensitivity settings can result
in false signals in mineralized soil or in areas with electrical
interference. If experiencing “ground chatter” or false signals
from electrical interference, reduce the sensitivity. Do not
set the sensitivity to less than 5 unless you have already tried
switching to a higher mineralization setting.
2. GROUND REJECT: In NORMAL and BOOST modes, use this
control knob to adjust or “GROUND BALANCE” your detector
to the soil conditions in the area you are prospecting. As you
rotate the knob, the 3-digit Ground Reject value indicates the
setting. Rotate the knob slowly for ne adjustment. Rotate
faster, or spin the knob, to quickly adjust over a wider ground
range. Press-and-hold to return to default level of 75.0.
3. MODE: Select one of the three operating modes (see the next
section, “Mode and Mineralization Selections,” for details).
4. MINERALIZATION: Select one of the three ground
mineralization settings, depending on the mineralization
content of the ground you are searching (see next section,
“Mode and Mineralization Selections,” for details).
CONTROL PANEL
Figure 5.
Your GoldBug2 does not require a lot of care but there are a few things
you should do to keep it in peak operating condition.
1. If you are not going to be using it for awhile, take the batteries
out. Acid damage caused by leaking batteries can be severe.
2. Avoid extreme temperatures. Do not leave it inside a closed
car sitting in the sun. Even worse, the trunk of a car.
3. If you “scrub” the searchcoil on the ground, you will eventually
wear through the bottom. Replacement coils are expensive.
Instead, invest in an inexpensive coil cover.
4. Although the GoldBug2 control housing is moisture and dust
resistant, it is a good idea to put a plastic bag or the optional
“rain cover” over the control housing if you are hunting in the
rain.
5. Keep your GoldBug2 dry and clean. Wipe o the lower stem
before sliding it into the upper stem, and keep the lock nut free
of sand and dirt.
BATTERY REPLACEMENT (continued)
MAINTENANCE
1. To replace the batteries, open the battery compartment by
gently pressing down on the battery door latches. The doors are
tethered with short, nylon string. Do not attempt to completely
remove them.
2. Tilt the housing gently, and the batteries will slide out.
3. Insert the new batteries. Make sure the contact end goes in rst
and you match the polarity markings on the control housing.
4. To close, simply hook the lower edge of the battery door over
the inside of the battery compartment and gently push it shut.
5. Push the latch up to make sure it has snapped in place.
DO NOT MIX OLD AND NEW BATTERIES

10 27
CONTROL PANEL (continued)
5. THRESHOLD: This control sets the volume level of the faint
but continuous background tone.
6. VOLUME: This knob turns the power on and adjusts the
signal-response volume. If you are wearing headphones with
independent volume controls, set your GoldBug2 VOLUME
control to 10 and decrease the volume of your headphone
controls to a comfortable level. This will ensure the hottest
possible signal from your GoldBug2.
7. BACKLIGHT: Press to turn backlight on/off. To adjust the
illumination level of the backlight, press and hold while
rotating the Ground Reject Knob. Your illumination setting will
be saved.
8. LCD DISPLAY KNOB: Ground Reject Setting, Operating Mode
Indicator, Mineralization Indicator, Backlight Indicator, Battery
Status.
9. HEADPHONES: This jack accepts most stereo and mono
headphones with 1/4-inch plugs. When using headphones with
a stereo/mono switch, put the stereo/mono switch in the stereo
position. Although your GoldBug2 is equipped with a dust and
moisture resistant speaker, we recommend that you always
wear headphones while hunting to maximize the number of
targets you hear. Furthermore, we recommend our Fisher®
Phones, which enhance faint-target response by blocking out
unwanted external noises, such as wind and vehicle sounds.
To plug in your headphones, unplug the tethered seal and plug
in your headphone jack. When not using headphones, be sure
to keep the seal plugged into the HEADPHONE jack to keep
dust and moisture out of the control housing.
This device is to be used with interconnecting cables/
headphone cables shorter than three meters.
The 3-segment battery status indicator is calibrated to alkaline batteries
If using, lithium or nickel metal hydride batteries, your
detector may turn o due to insucient battery voltage
before you receive a low-battery indication.
Two 9V batteries are located in separate compartments at the rear of
the GoldBug2 control housing.
• Make sure the backlight is turned o in daylight.
• High quality brand name alkaline batteries provide up to 20
hours of operation.
• Lithium batteries can provide up to 40 hours of operation.
• Nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries provide about 8
hours of operation.
• DO NOT USE ordinary zinc carbon batteries. They are sometimes
marketed as “heavy duty” batteries.
• At one segment, less than 5 hours of operation
remain.
• If the battery icon is ashing, the detector
will turn of within minutes. Replace batteries
immediately.
BATTERIES
Your GoldBug2 operates on
two 9V batteries that drop
into compartments at the
rear of the control housing.
Snapping the door latch in
place makes the battery
connection.
Figure 13.