Fisher M-SCOPE 1236-X2 User manual

1236-X2
Operating Manual
Silent, Discriminating Metal Detector
FISHER RESEARCH LABORATORY

CONTENTS
About Your 1236-X2 ............................................................... pg. 1
Condensed Operating Instructions ..................................... pg. 4
Setting Up................................................................................pg. 5
Body or Hipmounting ............................................................ pg. 7
Control Functions...................................................................pg. 8
Discrimination Points ............................................................. pg. 10
Searching ...............................................................................pg. 12
Pinpointing.............................................................................. pg. 14
No-Motion Pinpoint Mode.................................................... pg. 14
Pinpointing in the Motion Search Mode ............................ pg. 15
Target Recovery ....................................................................pg. 16
Recovery Tools ...................................................................... pg. 16
Operating Tips........................................................................pg. 17
False Signals ........................................................................... pg. 18
Battery Replacement............................................................pg. 20
Maintenance .........................................................................pg. 21
Treasure Hunter’s Code of Ethics .........................................pg. 19
Where to Use Your Metal Detector in the U.S .................... pg. 22
Specifications ........................................................................pg. 23

ABOUT YOUR DETECTOR
Your 1236-X2 was designed to do one thing well provide all the
quality tools necessary to help you find good, deep targets in
trashy or mineralized soil with minimum hassle. The 1236-X2 does
this by providing you a wealth of powerfully, well-designed
instrument controls and features that give you maximum
flexibility of adjustment to accommodate your unique style of
detecting. These are the controls on your 1236-X2 . . .
Sensitivity Control: Along with an increase in sensitivity to find
those deeply buried targets, we’ve provided a versatile
SENSITIVITY control to adjust the sensitivity when searching
near large metallic objects or extremely trashy areas. At the
maximum SENSITIVITY setting a slight amount of audio threshold
is provided so the faintest of target signals can be heard.
Dual Mode Discrimination: The 1236-X2 provides two powerful
modes of discrimination for you to choose as you hunt in
different environments. In both discrimination modes you can
adjust the DISC control to accept certain types of metallic
targets while simultaneously rejecting ground minerals, trash,
and other less conductive metallic targets. With the SILENCER
switch “off” the 1236-X2 operates in a classic 2nd derivative
discrimination mode that allows all pops, clicks, and partial
target responses to be heard for maximum target information.
With the SILENCER switch “on” the 1236-X2 operates in a newly
developed 3rd derivative SILENCER mode, eliminating all
pops, clicks, and partial target responses for a quieter mode of
operation. This mode of discrimination is especially useful for
eliminating excessive pops and clicks heard when searching
in extremely trashy areas.
Search Mode Motion Circuitry: In this mode of operation the
motion circuitry in the 1236-X2 responds with a 416 Hz tone as
the search coil is moved over a target. This makes the 1236-X2
less sensitive to soil mineralization and false target responses
associated with the temperature drift and aging of electronic
components.
1

2
No-Motion Pinpoint Mode With VCO Audio: At the push of a
button, the all-metal no-motion pinpoint mode kicks in with
VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) audio response for
precise target locating. A located target responds with
increasing volume and pitch. The tone gets louder and higher,
so there’s virtually no doubt when you’re directly over a
target.
VOLUME Control: For an extra measure of versatility, we’ve
included a VOLUME control so you can set the audio level to
suit your needs. You’ll no longer have to buy a special headset
with extra controls to adjust the audio level.
FREQUENCY Control: You can vary the transmit frequency of
your 1236-X2 from 5.5 KHz to 5.9 KHz. This control allows you to
eliminate electrical interference from nearby metal detectors.
A must for competition hunting.
User Setpoints And Factory Presets: The SENSITIVITY, VOLUME,
FREQUENCY, and DISC controls all have recommended user
setpoints that are indicated by a red-colored number on each
control’s number dial. These setpoints provide a useful starting
point for the new user. In addition, we’ve included a
convenient factory preset IRON discrimination setting. When
the DISC control is fully rotated counterclockwise to the IRON
position, the 1236-X2 is set to reject common iron trash and
nails.
Battery Test: A convenient battery test switch has been
incorporated into your 1236-X2 to check the relative strength
of the batteries. Rotating the SENSITIVITY control
counterclockwise to the “BATTERY” position causes the 1236-X2
to give off an audio tone with the intensity indicating the
strength of the battery. A low or absent audio tone indicates a
weak or dead battery.
ABOUT YOUR DETECTOR

3
...Built with the latest high-tech digital and analog surface
mount circuitry, it all adds up to one great state-of-the-art
metal detector with loads of versatile features. Treat it as you
would any fine instrument and you’ll be rewarded with years
of quality service and who knows how many treasures. If you
have any questions, suggestions, or interesting 1236-X2 stories,
drop us a line. In the meantime...
Happy Hunting!
Fisher Research Laboratory
ABOUT YOUR DETECTOR

4
CONDENSED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Using the 1236-X2 is simple, but you’ll have more fun and a better
chance of making that BIG find if you have a complete
understanding of what you’re doing and why. That’s why we
recommend that you read the entire manual first. But if you just
can’t wait any longer or you’ve already used a Fisher “X”
detector, here’s some quick instructions:
1. Set the controls as follows:
FREQUENCY = 0 (center frequency = 5.7 KHz)
SENSITIVITY = 8
DISC = 4
SILENCER = ON
VOLUME = 5
2. Turn the unit on by turning the VOLUME Control
to 5.
3. Set the DISC Control to 4. As soon as you set
the DISC control, your 1236-X2 is automatically
tuned and ground adjusted for searching.
4. The Search mode (which you’re in) is a VLF-
motion discrimination mode. It will ignore ground
minerals and junk, but you’ll have to keep the
search coil moving at least slightly to detect a
target.
5. With practice you should be able to pinpoint in
the Search mode.
Figure 1. Recommended user setpoint locations.
Set VOLUME to 5
Set
FREQUENCY
to 0 (center)
Set
SENSITIVITY
to 8
Set DISC
to 4 Set SILENCER to ON

5
SETTING UP
2. Slip the lower stem into the upper handle.
3. With the search coil cable still disconnected
from the control housing, adjust the stem length
and coil angle so that the search coil rests flat on
the ground about 6 to 12 inches in front of and
slightly to the right of your right foot (to the left of
your left foot for left handers). The stem length is
adjusted by loosening the lower lock nut and
allowing the spring lock to snap into one of the
holes in the upper handle. The coil angle is
adjusted by loosening the nylon wing nut on top
of the search coil.
NOTE: Your arm should be straight and relaxed
with the hand grip held comfortably (not tight).
Remember, the longer the shaft, the greater the
strain on your arm and wrist. The 1236-X2 is
balanced for comfortable searching in a tight
Your new 1236-X2 is just about ready to go, but take a look at
the following illustration before proceeding.
1. Unpack your 1236-X2 carefully, and save the
carton: it may come in handy if you ever have to
return the instrument for service.
Armrest Hand
grip
Headphone
Jack
Control Panel
Built-in Detector
Stand
Upper
Handle
Spring Lock Lock nut
Velcro®
straps
Lower stem
Search coil
Search coil
wing nut
Control
Housing Speaker Cable connector and
battery compartments
(on back) Search
cable
Figure 2. 1236-X2

6
SETTING UP
semicircle around the front of the operator.
4. Hand tighten the lock nut and search coil
adjusting wing nut.
5. With the stem length properly adjusted, wrap
the search coil cable snugly around the upper
handle and secure it with velcro straps. Leave
just enough slack near the coil to allow it to be
tilted completely backward and forward.
NOTE: A loose cable near the search coil may
cause false signals, but don’t wrap it so tightly
that it pulls against the housing or the coil.
6. Reconnect the search coil cable to the control
housing. Be careful not to cross thread it and
make sure it’s snug but hand tighten only.
7. With the shaft length and coil angle properly
adjusted, lean forward slightly and raise your arm
until the coil is about 2" above (and parallel to)
the ground, 6-12 inches in front of your foot.
8. If you’re using headphones, plug into the
headphone jack on the control panel.
Figure 3. Search position

7
BODY or HIPMOUNTING
1. Disconnect the search coil cable from the
control housing and unwind all but the last 12
inches or so from the upper handle. Secure the
lower end of the cable with a Velcro® strap at
least 12 inches up from the coil.
2. Remove the control housing from the hand
grip by holding the grip with one hand and sliding
the housing toward you with the other.
3. Attach the belt loop to the control housing by
slipping it through the slots on the underside of
the control housing and pulling it toward the
control panel to lock it in place.
4. Reconnect the search coil cable to the control
housing.
5. The control housing can then be mounted on
your belt or on the optional Fisher Chest Harness.
It is especially important that the cable
connector be installed tightly (hand tightened
only) to prevent false signals during body-mount
use.
Note:
For belt mounting, left handers should wear the
housing on their right hip and right handers
should wear it on their left hip.
Once removed from the stem, the control box
can be hip or chest mounted leaving only the
stem and search coil to swing.
Figure 4a, 4b, 4c.
Hipmounting

8
CONTROL FUNCTIONS
1. SILENCER: When the toggle switch is flipped ON,
the 1236-X2 runs in the 3rd derivative SILENCER
discrimination mode, eliminating the annoying
“pops” and “clicks” heard when searching in
extremely trashy areas. Flipping it to OFF, the
1236-X2 runs in classic 2nd derivative discrimination
mode.
2. DISC: This control sets the discrimination level. At
a setting of 0, all types of metal are detected. At
higher settings, less conductive objects and trash
are rejected. When the DISC control is fully rotated
(counterclockwise) to the IRON preset, the 1236-
X2 is set to reject common trash and nails.
Note: The DISC Control has no effect in PINPOINT
mode.
3. SENSITIVITY: This control adjusts sensitivity to
targets and ground minerals. The higher the setting,
the deeper you’ll detect. However, you will also
pick up more false signals in highly mineralized or
trashysoil.At asettingof 10,aslightamount ofaudio
threshold is provided so the faintest of targets can
beheard.AttheBATTERY setting, a battery testtone
is sounded. A loud tone indicates good batteries.
3
2
17
6
5
4
Figure 5. Control panel

9
CONTROL FUNCTIONS
A faint tone indicates weak batteries and no tone
means that it’s time for a battery change.
4. VOLUME: This control switches the 1236-X2 on and
off and controls the volume of the audio response.
A setting of 10 provides maximum audio signal
volume.
5. FREQUENCY: This control changes the operating
frequency of the 1236-X2 to eliminate interference
from nearby detectors. Set it at 0 for normal
operation. To eliminate signal interference (usually
apulsingor“motorboating”sound)simplyincrease
it (+) or lower it (-) slightly. Do not operate at a
higher or lower frequency level than necessary as
you may experience a slight loss of depth in highly
mineralized ground.
6. HEADPHONES: This jack accepts most stereo and
monoheadphoneswithquarterinchplugs.Setyour
headphone to stereo.
7. PINPOINT: When pushed and held, this button
switches the 1236-X2 into the No-Motion, All-Metal
Pinpoint mode. A located target responds with
increasing volume and pitch. Under certain
conditions,youmaygetinterference from a nearby
detector in the Pinpoint mode but not in the Search
mode. In this case, release the PINPOINT button
and reset the FREQUENCY Control to another
noninterference position. Do not adjust the
FREQUENCY Control while the PINPOINT button is
pushed in.

10
By adjusting the DISCRIMINATION Control, you will be able to
ignore (or “reject”) small pieces of metallic trash and ground
minerals while detecting valuable targets. The lowest setting at
which an object is rejected is referred to as its “discrimination
point.” Discrimination points are determined by such factors as
size, shape, depth, type of metal and ground mineralization.
1. Scatter some sample targets, such as coins, pull tabs and small
pieces of foil on the ground 1 to 2 feet apart.
2. Turn the 1236-X2 on by turning the VOLUME control clockwise
to 5.
3. Set the SENSITIVITY Control to 8.
4. Set the FREQUENCY Control to 0.
5. Set the DISC control to the IRON present position.
6. Hold the search coil in the air, away from any metal objects,
and check the batteries as explained in the Control Functions
section. (See SENSITIVITY, p. 9.)
7. Hold the search coil about 2 inches above and parallel to the
ground. Move it slowly over the samples and note the sharp,
loud response as you pass over each one. Keep in mind that the
1236-X2 is a motion detector in the DISC mode and responds
only when the search coil (or the target) is moving.
7. Increase the DISC control to a setting of 3 and again pass
over the targets. Repeat this process at settings of 4, 5, 6 and so
on to 10. You will note that as you increase the level of
discrimination, the 1236-X2 rejects some targets and continues
to respond to others. You have now determined the
discrimination points for the rejected objects. For example, the
small nail discrimination point may be at 3 and the pull tab
discrimination point at 7.
8. Some objects such as shallow bottle caps, bent pull tabs or
trash less than 2 inches from the coil may be difficult to reject.
The 1236-X2 will instead respond with a strong broken signal,
which will usually disappear if the search coil is raised slightly.
(whereas, the strong signal of a good target will usually get
weaker when the search coil is raised.)
9. Some objects will cause sharp static or “ticking” when
rejected. This is a perfectly normal response, with the SILENCER
switched OFF. When the SILENCER is switched on, these “ticking”
sounds are eliminated.
DISCRIMINATION POINTS

11
DISCRIMINATION POINTS
Figure 6. Typical 1236-X2 audio reponses (with silencer off) for 2-inch deep targets with
search coil sweeping 1 to 2 inches above ground
10. Large pieces of trash such as beer cans or jar lids may sound
like a good target no matter what you do. With a little practice,
however, you will be able to tell the difference between a large
target and a small coin sized object.
11. The diagram below shows some different target responses
you may expect at different levels of discrimination. Note that
as you increase the discrimination level, you progressively
eliminatemoretargets, including somegoodones,suchas nickels
and gold rings.

12
Figure 7. Keep the
search coil parallel
and as close to the
ground as possible.
Now comes the fun part if you follow a few simple rules. Good
search techniques are every bit as important as a good
detector.
1. The 1236-X2 has two operating modes. The
“Search” mode is activated simply by turning the
unit on. This is a “VLF-Motion Discrimination” mode
that automatically ignores most ground minerals,
rejects junk and works only when the search coil is
moving. The “PINPOINT” mode is activated by
depressing the PINPOINT button and will be
explained later.
2. Set the FREQUENCY control at zero.
3. Adjust your SENSITIVITY control. Only experience
will tell you how much sensitivity to use in any given
situation, but start out at 8.
NOTE: As a general rule, turn your sensitivity down
to reduce excessive false signals caused by highly
mineralized ground or interference caused by
power lines, radio stations, etc. Turn it up if you want
those deepest, smallest targets and you’re willing
to put up with a few more false signals.
4. Decide how much discrimination you want to
use.
SEARCHING

13
a. In relatively non-trashy soil use a low level of
discrimination (2 for example) with the SILENCER
OFF. In this manner the 1236-X2 will detect all metal
targets within its range and you can instantly
increase the discrimination for further identification.
b. In trashy areas you’ll probably want to operate
at a higher level of discrimination (6 for example)
with the SILENCER switched ON to cut down on
the amount of time you spend digging bad targets.
5. Keep the search coil moving at a comfortable
rate. Remember that the 1236-X2 is a motion
detector and responds only when the search coil
(or the target) is moving while in the Search mode.
6. Keep the coil parallel to, and as close to the
ground as possible. Keep the search coil parallel
to, and as close to the ground as possible.
7. Overlap your sweeps approximately 50 percent.
8. Search in a methodical manner, sweeping in a
tight semicircle. Pay close attention to where
you’re going and where you’ve been.
9. TAKE YOUR TIME. Also very important. If you walk
too fast you can’t overlap your sweeps and you’ll
miss a lot of ground.
NOTE: If you sweep too fast, you’ll lose sensitivity
and miss the deep targets.
10. Thefigurebelow shows thesearchcoildetection
pattern and how it is affected by sweep speed,
discrimination level and overlapping sweeps in the
Search mode.
Figure 8. The 1236-X2 is
balanced for sweeping in
a tight semicircle. Always
overlap your sweeps by at
least 50% or you’ll miss a lot
of the deeper targets
SEARCHING

14
1. Once the presence of a buried target is
indicatedbythe “beep-beep” simplyplacethecoil
lightly on the ground, away from the target area.
Push the PINPOINT button and hold. (At maximum
sensitivity you may hear a faint tone which will
disappear as soon as the coil is raised.)
2. Raise the coil 1/2 inch or so and move it side to
side across the target areas a few times.
3. Stop the search coil over the spot where you
receive the loudest response.
4. Now move the coil slowly forward and back a
couple of times, again stopping over the strongest
response.
5. Move the search coil side to side one more time
and stop over the strongest signal once again. Your
target should be directly below the “Hot Spot” of
the search coil, which is marked by a bull’s eye,
slightly below the center of the coil.
6. For quick and accurate pinpointing of strong
signals, place the coil on the ground very close to
the approximate target area and push and hold
the PINPOINT button. You have now “tuned out”
most of the target signal so that when you raise
the coil for pinpointing you will only receive a
response directly over, or very nearly over, the
target.
NO-MOTION PINPOINT MODE
The pinpoint mode requires no tuning and no motion to
precisely locate the target. With the Pinpoint push-button
depressed, the 1236-X2 is in an all-metal mode, meaning that
any discrimination setting you might have selected will no
longer apply. The VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) circuitry
indicates the presence of a target by increasing both the
volume and frequency of the audio output. By depressing the
Pinpoint push-button, precise target location is a snap.
PINPOINTING

15
Pinpointing in the Search Mode will take a little practice, but
you may find that for most targets it’s even quicker than the No-
Motion Pinpointing Mode. Simply use the same procedure as in
steps 2 through 5 on p. 14. The only difference will be that when
you stop the coil over the target you will lose the audio signal.
You must keep the coil moving at least slightly to determine the
location of the strongest signal before you stop it.
1. For very strong signals, you may improve your
motion mode pinpointing accuracy by adding one
or more of the following steps:
a. Lift the coil until the signal is just barely heard.
b. Reduce the sensitivity level.
c. Increase the discrimination level.
d. Rest the coil on the ground and move it back
and forth very slowly.
2. For very weak signals try the following:
a. Move the coil closer to the ground.
b. Increase the sensitivity level.
c. Decrease the discrimination level.
d. Speed up the sweep rate slightly.
PINPOINTING IN MOTION SEARCH MODE
1. Minimum Depth
a. Very slow or very fast sweep speed.
b. Discrimination set at 10.
2. Good Depth
a. Moderate sweep speed.
b. Discrimination set at 5.
3. Maximum Depth
a. Moderate sweep speed.
b. Discrimination set at 10.
4. Missed target
NOTE:
Many targets within the range of your 1236-X2 will not be
detected unless you closely overlap your swings.
1234
Figure 9. Search coil
detection pattern

16
TARGET RECOVERY
RECOVERY TOOLS
Once you have pinpointed a target, your objective is to recover
it quickly and neatly, leaving virtually no trace of your
excavation. There are almost as many ways to do this as there
are treasure hunters. Whatever works for you is good enough
as long as you don’t break any laws, damage vegetation, or
leave your search area looking like a World War II battlefield.
Generally speaking, beachcombers do little if any damage to
the environment while recovering targets. However, if you plan
to use your 1236-X2 on lawns or in parks, your target recovery
method can be very important. Two of the most successful
methods are illustrated in a separate booklet enclosed with your
1236-X2.
NOTE:
Whichever tool or method you choose, remember that
responsible treasure hunters take pride in their ability to leave
soil and vegetation intact and undamaged.
1. A heavy duty, blunt screwdriver is commonly
used by expert treasure hunters.
2. A sturdy hunting knife with a 5-inch blade will do
the job in most soils. A high quality double edged
“survival” knife is an even better (and more
expensive) choice since it will be almost impossible
to bend or break.
CAUTION: Using a jack knife without a locking
blade is a good way to lose a finger!
3. A narrow garden trowel will work in loose or wet
soil.
4. Several excellent digging tools are made just for
the treasure hunter, and specially designed sand
scoops are available for beachcombing.
5. A thin, dull probe is the preferred tool for precise
target location.

17
OPERATING TIPS
1. We’vealready said it, but it bears repeating: TAKE
YOUR TIME AND OVERLAP YOUR SWEEPS.
2. Use good headphones. You won’t miss faint
targets, you won’t attract unwanted attention and
you won’t bother others.
3. Practice pinpointing. There’s nothing sacred
about the methods described in this manual. Many
1236-X2 users have developed their own
pinpointing methods.
4. Always BURY A COIN when working in unfamiliar
territory,andcheckitatdifferentdiscriminationand
sensitivity levels. There may be some sensitivity loss
at higher levels of discrimination. The greater the
ground mineralization, the higher the sensitivity loss.
For example, you may be able to detect a penny
at 6 inches with zero discrimination, but no deeper
than 4 inches at the pull-tab discrimination point.
5. The 1236-X2 is an easy detector to use, but if
you’re having trouble with any aspect of its
operation(pinpointing,searching, false signals,etc.)
go back and reread the part of this manual relating
to your problem.
6. If a target gives a strong response in the search
mode but no response in the NO-Motion Pinpoint
mode, you may have “tuned out” your target (and
all others) by pushing the PINPOINT button over
another piece of metal. If you suspect this may be
the case, move the search coil to another spot
before pressing the PINPOINT button again.
7. When in doubt about the possible identity of a
target, dig it up.

18
FASLE SIGNALS
A “false signal” occurs when something that shouldn’t sounds
like a good target. Your 1236-X2 does an excellent job of ignoring
junk, but it’s so sensitive to good targets that it can be fooled by
bad targets with similar electrical characteristics. Large pieces
of trash, for example, or even some kinds of bottle caps and pull
tabs can fool you. Small pieces of trash less than 2 inches from
the search coil will also sound good occasionally.
So what do you do about false signals? Well, 90 percent of them
will sound suspicious to you after you’ve had some experience,
and you’ll just ignore them. They may be very faint or very abrupt
with static. Often when you go back over the same spot, a false
signal will simply disappear. Other false signals may be very loud
and sharp, but most of these will disappear if the coil is speeded
up or raised slightly. Some shallow, large or irregular pieces of
junk, however, will fool the 1236-X2 no matter what you do.
Here’s some other sources of false signals and what to do about
them:
1. Detector Interference: Caused by nearby metal
detectors operating at the same (or close)
frequency. SOLUTION: Adjust the FREQUENCY
control to the left or right of zero.
2. Electrical Interference: Caused by radio/TV
stations, power lines, etc. SOLUTIONS: Move further
away, lower the sensitivity, reduce the sweep
speed. Try changing the FREQUENCY control
position. Wrap the search coil cable tightly around
the stem.
3. Highly Mineralized Soil: Usually causes constant
static or good target sounds. SOLUTIONS: Lower the
sensitivity, increase the discrimination. Raise the
search coil until false signals disappear and sweep
at that height.
4. Wet Sand: Same as highly mineralized soil.
5. Elongated Ferrous Objects: If you hear two
beeps very close together and can’t find either