Fisher Research Labs Gold Bug-2 User manual

OPERATING MANUAL
PROSPECTOR’S METAL DETECTOR
5-Year Limited Warranty
The Gold Bug-2 metal detector is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship
under normal use for five 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 first 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.
1465-H Henry Brennan Dr.
El Paso, TX 79936
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 Modifications made to this device not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void the users authority to operate this equipment.
Copyright© 2010 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
1465-H Henry Brennan Dr., El Paso, TX 79936 • [phone]
8707403000 Rev.2 011311
GOLD BUG - 2

Table Of COnTenTs
About Your Gold Bug-2............................................................. pg. 3-5
Setting Up................................................................................. pg. 6-7
Hipmounting ............................................................................. pg. 7-8
Control Panel.......................................................................... pg. 8-10
Mode and Mineralization Switches....................................... pg. 10-11
Mode and Mineralization Switch Selection........................... pg. 12-13
Turn On Procedure.................................................................... pg. 14
Ground Reject Procedure..................................................... pg. 15-16
Searching ............................................................................. pg. 17-19
Pinpointing............................................................................ pg. 19-20
Target Recovery ................................................................... pg. 20-22
False Signals........................................................................ pg. 23-24
Operating Tips ........................................................................... pg. 25
Coin Shooting, Beach and Relic Hunting .................................. pg. 26
Battery Replacement............................................................ pg. 26-27
Maintenance.............................................................................. pg. 27
Using Headphones.................................................................... pg. 28
Treasure Hunters’ Code of Ethics.............................................. pg. 28
Where to Use Your Gold Bug-2 in the U.S. ............................... pg. 29
Specifications ....................................................................... pg. 30-31
Warranty ............................................................................. back cover 31
notes:
1. Subject to improvement or modification without notice.
2. Approximate.
3. Voltage Controlled Oscillator. Volume and frequency increase as target
is approached.
4. The Gold Bug-2 is a “motion” detector. The search coil must be moving
at least slightly to detect a target.
5. Electro-Static Insulated to eliminate certain types of false signals.
SPECIFICATIONS
Fisher Research Laboratory does not warrant suitability to specific use. Fisher Research Labora-
tory shall in no event be liable for any direct, incidental, consequential or indirect damages.
Shielding ................100% ESI Coverage 5
Interchangeable...................................Yes
Waterproof...........................................Yes
Cable Length ................................... 7 feet
Handle Mount / Hip Mount Convertible............................................Yes
Built-in Arm Rest and Detector Stand..............................................Yes
Batteries ............................Type................................(2) 9V Transistor
Life-Carbon Zinc 2................. 10-20 hours
Life-Alkaline 2........................ 25-35 hours
Nicads 2.................................. 5-10 hours

The Fisher Gold Bug, the predecessor to the Gold Bug-2, was
designed and engineered by Fisher engineers from the ground up for
the sole purpose of finding deep, small, and large gold nuggets in highly
mineralized soil. Almost overnight, the Gold Bug became the standard
against which all other gold-hunting detectors were compared.
The next generation Gold Bug, the Gold Bug-2, is not meant to be a
replacement for the original Gold Bug. Your Gold Bug-2 offers many of
the successful features of the Gold Bug as well as some new features,
making it a distinctly different detector, but still designed for the sole
purpose of finding gold nuggets.
The first and foremost of these new features is the operating frequency
of the Gold Bug-2 (71 kHz). This ultra-high operating frequency is
extremely sensitive to small gold nuggets, and it also offers a side benefit.
Because the Gold Bug-2 operates at a different frequency, it can be
operated near an original Gold Bug without interference.
Also, a new mineralization switch on the Gold Bug-2 can be set for
high, normal and low mineralization ground conditions. When set for
high mineralization, this new circuitry allows prospectors to hunt in areas
previously off-limits due to high ground mineralization or numerous hot
rocks. Although the original Gold Bug is known for finding small nuggets
in highly mineralized soil, the Gold Bug-2 will set new standards for both
size and depth under many soil conditions.
Iron discrimination is another new feature. In the IRON DISC mode,
you can identify hot rocks and small trash items like iron nails and other
ferrous trash before digging them. Use this mode in extremely trashy
areas to check a target for its iron content.
3
30
Length 2............................Extended ............................................ 53”
Collapsed ............................................ 40”
Weight 2.............................Complete .......................................2.9 lbs.
Control Housing.............................1.0 lbs.
Handle and Coil.............................1.9 lbs.
Frequency...........................LF Search................................. 71.01 kHz
Response ...................................... (VCO)3
Operating Modes................1. All-metal Autotune (Normal) 4
2. All-metal Autotune (Audio Boost)4
3. Iron Discrimination 4
Mineralization Settings .......1. High Mineral
(attenuated, fast autotune)
2. Normal Mineral (fast autotune)
3. Low Mineral
(gain boosted, slow autotune)
Ground Adjustment ............Manual,16-turn, vernier dual-shaft,
precision potentiometer
Control Housing .................Dust, Moisture Resistant .....................Yes
Audio Output ......................Speaker .................. 2” Moisture Resistant
Headphone Jack ................................ 1/4”
stereo/mono
Manual Threshold Tuning .........................Located on rear of housing,
effective in all-metal, autotune modes
Search Coil ........................Type .......................... Elliptical, Co-Planar
Size ..............................10” X 5” standard,
other sizes available
SPECIFICATIONS 1 mABOUT YOUR GOLD BUG-2

4
An audio boost mode, another new feature of the Gold Bug-2, makes it
easier to find smaller nuggets at greater depths. Already a successful and
proven feature of the Fisher Gold Bug line of land and underwater detectors,
the audio boost mode automatically increases the volume of any faint signal,
such as a small or deep gold nugget. It does this without increasing the volume
of larger, shallower targets .
Here are some other features of the Gold Bug-2:
• Dust and moisture resistant control box.
• Removable control housing that mounts on your hip and
reduces the weight on your arm.
• Drop-in battery compartments for easy battery replacement.
• An elliptical, 10-inch, shielded search coil that’s lighter, covers
more ground and gets into tighter places than a circular coil.
• Optional 6.5- and 14-inch elliptical search coils.
• Lightweight design, only 2.9 lbs. with cushioned arm rest and
foam-grip handle.
• Built-in detector stand.
• Dual-knob, coarse/fine, manual ground-adjust control.
• Double-locking, fiberglass-reinforced, nylon lower stem.
• Quartz-crystal locked electronics.
• Built-in Fisher quality backed by 70years of engineering
excellence.
The rest is up to you. You’ve got the right detector, but you’ll have to decide
where to search and then put in a lot of long, hard hours searching. And, of
course, you’re going to have to learn your Gold Bug-2, read this instruction
manual carefully and practice often. Drop us a line if you have any questions,
comments or exciting gold nugget stories. In the meantime . . .
Happy Hunting!
Fisher Research Laboratory
29
National Forest and Federal Lands—Metal detecting is allowed only
by special permit acquired from the federal government. Each area
has a district office.
Corps of Engineers, Lakes, Shorelines and Lands—Permission
has been granted only on predisturbed sites, such as beaches and
attached swimming areas. New Corps lakes and lands must be
okayed by the main office of the Army Corps of Engineers. Each
area has a district office.
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
office.
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 official, or
school employee. You should always check with the school office
first.
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.
Don’t even think about it.
Where To Use Your Metal Detector In the U.S.
ABOUT YOUR GOLD BUG-2 (continued)

Padded arm rest
Detector stand
Foam grip
Drop-in battery
compartments
Anodized aluminum
upper stem
Snap button
7-foot search coil
cable
Lock nut
Nylon wing nut
Waterproof, ESI-shielded,
elliptical search coil
Velcro®
straps
Adjustable, ABS,
fiberglass-reinforced, nylon
lower stem
Threshold
control
Cable
connector
5
Figure 1. Gold bug-2
28
LETS 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. Don’t 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 refill 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 traffic or where other dangers are present. This
device is to be used with interconnecting cables/headphone cables
shorter than three meters.
USING HEADPHONES
ABOUT YOUR GOLD BUG-2 (continued)
TREASURE HUNTER’S CODE OF ETHICS

6
The Gold Bug-2 comes to you just about ready to use. There are
only three steps required: sliding the lower stem into the upper stem,
connecting the loop coil to the control housing and adjusting the angle
of the search coil. Take a look at page 3 and familiarize yourself with
the parts of the Gold Bug-2 before proceeding.
1. Unpack your new Gold Bug-2 carefully. Save the carton
and inserts – they may come in handy for future storage or
shipment.
2. Slip the lower stem into the upper stem (see pg. 5 Figure 1).
3. Adjust the stem length and coil angle
so that the search coil rests flat 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 your grip held loosely (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
GOLD BUG-2 IS BALANCED FOR
COMFORTABLE SEARCHING IN A
TIGHT SEMICIRCLE IN FRONT OF THE
OPERATOR.
4. Tighten the lock nut and the nylon wing
nut on the search coil.
5. With the stem length properly adjusted,
wrap the loop cable tightly around
the upper stem and secure it with the
two Velcro straps. Connect the cable
connector to the control housing.
27
Your Gold Bug-2 doesn’t require a lot of care but there are a few things
you should do to keep it in peak operating condition.
1. If you’re not going to be using it for awhile, take the batteries
out. Acid damage cause by leaking batteries can be severe.
2. Avoid extreme temperatures. Don’t leave it inside a closed car
sitting in the sun. Even worse, the trunk of a car.
3. If you “scrub” the search coil on the ground, you’ll eventually
wear through the bottom. Replacement coils are expensive.
Instead, invest in an inexpensive coil cover.
4. Although the Gold Bug-2 control housing is moisture and dust
resistant, it’s a good idea to put a plastic bag or the optional
“rain cover” over the control housing if you’re hunting in the
rain.
5. Keep your Gold Bug-2 dry and clean. Wipe off the lower stem
before sliding it into the upper stem, and keep the lock nut free
of sand and dirt.
Your Gold Bug-2 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.
Figure 2.
Adjust the stem length and coil
angle resting the search coil
flat on the ground and about 6
inches in front of your right foot
(left foot for left-handers).
BATTERY REPLACEMENT (continued)
seTTInG UP
MaInTenanCe

7
Your Gold Bug-2 is light and extremely well balanced; however, if
you’re going to be swinging it for more than a few hours, you may want
to “hipmount” it by removing the control box and strapping it to your
waist. Follow these 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 SEARCH
COIL
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 hipmount
use. Never tightened with anything but your
hands.
CAUTION: MAKE SURE THE CABLE IS NOT PULLED TIGHT AT THE
CONTROL HOUSING AND THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH SLACK AT
THE SEARCH COIL 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 search coil is about 2 inches above
the ground and 12 inches in front of your foot. The search coil
should be parallel to the ground and may have to be slightly
readjusted at this point.
7. If, the arm rest is too wide or narrow, you may bend it slightly
inward or outward to meet your exact requirements.
The Gold Bug-2 control housing
can be hipmounted to reduce
weight on the stem and create
nearly effortless hunting. Belt loops
are provided on the underside of the
control housing.
Figure 3.
26
Two 9V transistor batteries are located in separate compartments at
the rear of the Gold Bug-2 control housing. We recommend using name-
brand Alkaline batteries, which usually give 25-35 hours of life. Lithium
batteries may last twice as long but cost more than twice as much.
Nickel cadmium rechargeables give out after about 7 hours. Carbon-zinc
batteries may last half as long as alkalines, at best.
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 first
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.
There’s no reason why you can’t use your Gold Bug-2 for “coin-
shooting” in parks, relic hunting old town sites or hunting on the beach.
True, the Gold Bug-2 was designed for prospecting, but it’s also suitable
for Treasure Hunting. Like most coin-shooting and relic hunting machines,
the Gold Bug-2’s iron discrimination mode can be used to filter out trash
targets in areas where relics and coins are normally found.
SETTING UP (continued)
COIN SHOOTING, BEACH AND RELIC HUNTING
BATTERY REPLACEMENT
HIPMOUNTING

8
1. SENS: This knob adjusts the Gold Bug-2’s sensitivity to targets,
and it doubles as a battery tester. By increasing the sensitivity,
you can detect smaller and deeper targets, however, you’ll
also pick up more false signals in mineralized soil or in areas
of electrical interference. The sensitivity control can also be
decreased to cut down on “ground chatter” and/or electrical
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.
To remove the control housing from
the stem, grasp the top of the control
box firmly and pull it directly toward
the arm rest while holding the Gold
Bug-2 handle.
NOTE: if you’re 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.
25
1. We’ve already said it, but it bears repeating: take your time,
overlap your sweeps, keep your coil close to the ground, recheck
your ground adjustment often.
2. Use good headphones: Your Gold Bug-2 will detect small, deep
nuggets other detectors have missed. But to hear the very
faintest targets, you’ll need headphones.
3. Bury a small nugget and check it at different depths, sensitivity
levels and in each mineralization and mode setting. Pay close
attention to the nugget’s response compared to the response of
hot rocks, nails and other targets. Take a small nugget with you
and do the same thing when searching in unfamiliar soil.
4. Practice. The Gold Bug-2 is easy to use, and it’s highly sensitive to
gold. But you still have to learn how to use it. Read this instruction
manual thoroughly and use your Gold Bug-2 often. You’ll develop
your own special techniques for optimum performance in the
type of soil you’re searching. Whatever works best for you is
right, but you’ll have to put in hours of searching to really know
what “right” is.
5. Research. Spend more time deciding where to search. The odds
are in your favor if you look where gold has already been found. If
you know of a spot that’s yielded nuggets to other detector users,
but has been “hunted out,” that’s Gold Bug-2 territory. Chances
are you’ll find the small or deep ones they missed.
Figure 4.
HIPMOUNTING (continued)
COnTROl Panel
OPeRaTInG TIPs
Figure 5.

9
interference. Settings less than 5 should not be used unless you
have already tried switching to a higher mineralization setting. In
the extreme counterclockwise position, the SENS control doubles
as a battery tester. A loud tone indicates good batteries, and a
faint tone tells you it’s time to change the batteries.
2. MODE: This is a three-position toggle switch that can be set to
IRON DISC, NORMAL orAUDIO BOOST. (See the next section,
“Mode and Mineralization Switches,” for details.)
3. MINERALIZATION: This three-position toggle switch has
settings for varying levels of ground mineralization: HIGH,
NORMAL and LOW. (See next section, “Mode and Mineralization
Switches,” for details.)
4. 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 Gold Bug-2 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 detachable seal and
plug in your headphone jack. When not using headphones, be
sure to keep the seal plugged into the HEADPHONES 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.
5. VOLUME: This knob turns the power on and adjusts the
signal-response volume. If you’re wearing headphones with
independent volume controls, set your Gold Bug-2 VOLUME
control to 10 and decrease the volume of your earphone
controls to a comfortable level. This will ensure the hottest-
possible signal from your Gold Bug-2.
4. Junk: Nails, pull tabs, beer cans, etc. The Gold Bug-2 was
designed for extreme sensitivity to small bits of gold. That means
it’s also extremely sensitive to small bits of ferrous metal.
Solution: Hunt in the NORMAL MODE, but use the IRON DISC
Mode to check targets to see if they’re ferrous. Fortunately,
there’s not much junk in nugget country, and with practice you’ll
be able to recognize a lot of it. Nails, for example, will respond
with two beeps across the length of the nail (end to end), but
only one beep when the search coil is swept at right angles to
the length of the nail. Also, most trash is shallow and comes
in bigger sizes than nuggets. Hence, it will sound different,
especially in the AUTO TUNE MODE. Trash will sound off over
a larger area of the coil, the tone will be louder and the pitch
will increase more, starting out at a low beep and increasing to
a loud signal.
5. Digging Tool: If you’re carrying a digging tool in one hand,
your Gold Bug-2 may sound off each time you swing the coil
beneath it.
Solution: Hold the digging tool behind your back or up above
your waist.
24
CONTROL PANEL (continued)
FALSE SIGNAL (continued)

10
The mode switch on your Gold
Bug-2 offers three different operating
modes: IRON DISC, NORMAL and
AUDIO BOOST. Each mode offers
its own advantages and disadvan-
tages in any given situation. It’s up
to you to find the right setting for
each of the ground conditions you
encounter.
Regardless of the MODE or
MINERALIZATION settings, your
Gold Bug-2 always operates in a
motion mode, meaning the search coil
must be in motion to detect a target.
6. GROUND REJECT: This dual-knob control is used to
electronically tune the search coil to prevailing ground-
mineralization conditions. The small knob on top only makes
one revolution and is used for coarse adjustments. It has 25
fixed positions. The large knob on the bottom is for fine-tune
adjustments and is capable of 16 turns and an infinite number
of positions.
7. THRESHOLD: This metal shaft is located on the rear of the
control housing. It’s purposely small and out of the way to avoid
accidental adjustment. The threshold control adjusts the level of
your threshold tone, which is set to a continuous, faint tone.
23
A false signal occurs when something that shouldn’t sound like a good
target sounds like one. For example, the Gold Bug-2 may detect metal
in your boots if you swing your search coil too close to your feet. Here’s
some other sources of false signals, and here’s what to do about them.
1. Hot Rocks: Mineralized rocks that respond like metal.
Solutions: Most hot rocks seem to be on top of the ground, so
you can just kick them out of the way and recheck the ground
beneath them. The Gold Bug-2 will ignore some hot rocks. Certain
other types of hot rocks have their own distinctive sound, which
you’ll learn to recognize. Or you can “tune-out” most hot rocks
in the air or on the ground by adjusting the GROUND REJECT
knob right over the rock. If it’s a nugget, you won’t be able to
tune it out unless it’s very small. Many strong hot-rock signals will
disappear rapidly when you lower the sensitivity level, whereas
a strong nugget signal will just get weaker. Of course, the best
way to check a possible hot rock is to flip your mode switch
into “IRON DISC.”
2. Highly Mineralized Soil: Unfortunately, this is where most
nuggets are found. The Gold Bug-2 will handle all but the very
worst soil.
Solutions: Switch to the HIGH mineralization setting. Ground
adjust very carefully and often. Lower the sensitivity. Ground
adjust to a height just high enough to eliminate most false
signals and adjust your stem length to sweep at that height.
3. Dissolved Salts: On a wet ocean beach or moist inland soil.
Solutions: Same as highly mineralized soil.
Figure 6.
The two toggle switches on your Gold Bug-2
enable you to search in just about any kind of
ground condition. The trick is learning which
combination of settings is right for each ground
condition.
CONTROL PANEL (continued)
MODe anD MIneRalIZaTIOn sWITCHes
false sIGnals