Nokta FORS Gold User manual

INTRODUCTION
Thank you for choosing and purchasing our Nokta FORS Gold+ detector.
FORS Gold+, developed by Nokta's expert engineering team experienced in metal
detection, is a professional metal detector designed based on gold prospectors'
needs.
Manufacturing high-tech metal detectors since 2001, Nokta Detectors has played a
key role in the development of this sector. Nokta Detectors is particularly known for
its technological know-how and professional sta.
Seeking to create dierent kind of technology, Nokta Detectors oers both
high-quality products and services to its consumers all around the world. Nokta
Detectors has been operating under the principle that environmental and
community responsibility, customer satisfaction and insistence on high-quality are
of the utmost importance.
Nokta Detectors aims to remain a leading pioneer in its sector, winning the trust of
its consumers and always being the preferred choice for metal detecting.
Page 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
WARNINGS .............................................................................................................................................................
PARTS and ASSEMBLY ..................................................................................................................
CORRECT WAY OF HOLDING and SWEEPING ................................................
BATTERIES ...............................................................................................................................................................
DEVICE INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................
CONTROLS ........................................................................................................................
MAIN SCREEN ...........................................................................................................
NUMERIC DISPLAY ...................................................................................................
MENU .................................................................................................................................
SEARCH MODES .............................................................................................................................
GROUND BALANCE ...................................................................................................................
SENSITIVITY, iSAT and THRESHOLD ..................................................................
TARGET ID and ID MASKING ......................................................................................
PINPOINT ............................................................................................................................................................
DEPTH INDICATION ............................................................................................................................
SWEEP SPEED and TARGET IDENTIFICATION ...........................................
LARGE or SHALLOW TARGETS ..........................................................................................
FALSE SIGNALS and COMMON CAUSES ............................................................
MAGNETIC MINERALIZATION LEVEL .......................................................................
HOT ROCKS AND SEARCHING IN ROCKY AREAS .......................
EFFECTS OF HOT ROCKS IN GROUND TRACKING ...............................
METALS UNDER HOT ROCKS .....................................................................................
MESSAGES .........................................................................................................................................................
FACTORY and STARTUP SETTINGS ..............................................................................
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ..............................................................................................
3
4-5
6
7
8-14
8-9
9-10
10
11-14
15-16
16-20
21-22
22-23
24
25
25
25
25
26
26-27
27
27-28
29
30
31
Page 2

WARNINGS
LEGAL WARNINGS
► When using the device, comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Do not use the
device in private premises, historic sites and military zones. Notify the authorities of any
historical or cultural findings.
WARNINGS ABOUT THE DEVICE
► This is a high-tech electronic device. Do not assemble or use the device before reading
the user manual.
► Do not expose the device or the search coil to very hot or cold conditions for extended
periods of time. (Storage Temperature: -20°C (-4°F) / 60°C (140°F))
► Do not immerse the device or its accessories (except the search coil) in water; do not
expose them to extreme humid conditions.
► Protect the device from external impact, especially during transportation.
►The device can only be opened and repaired by authorized service technicians. The
warranty will be voided if the device is opened by you or an unauthorized person.
IMPORTANTIMPORTANT
Do not use the device indoors. The device
will constantly give target signals inside
places like homes where there are many
metals present. Use the device outdoors, in
open fields.
Do not let another detector or an
electromagnetic device come in close
proximity (10m (33ft.)) to the device.
Do not carry any metal objects while using
the device. Keep the device away from your
shoes while walking. The device may detect
the metals on you or inside your shoes as
targets.
For Consumers within the European Union: Do
not dispose of this equipment in general
household waste. The crossed wheeled bin
symbol on this equipment indicates this unit
should not be disposed of in general household
waste, but recycled in compliance with local
government regulations and environmental
requirements.
FCC STATEMENT
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interferen-
ce that may cause undesired operation.
Page 3

PARTS and ASSEMBLY
1
2
7
7
4
3
5
6
8
10
7
Attach the right/left armrest components to the
S-rod with the bolts and nuts as seen in the
picture. Do not tighten the nuts but rather leave
them loose (these will be tightened after the
system box is attached).
Place the system box on the rail behind the
armrest and push forward. Then secure by
tightening the nuts. Attach the armrest strap
by inserting it through the holes.
1) System Box
2) Handle and S-Rod
3) Right/Left Armrest
Components
4) Armrest Strap
5) Search Coil
6) Telescopic Shaft
7) Bolts, Nuts and
Washers
8) 3 Cable Clamps
9) 4 AA Batteries
10) Headphones
9
7
BATTERY BATTERY BATTERY BATTERY
Page 4

1
1
3
2
3
2
4
PARTS and ASSEMBLY
1)To attach the telescopic shaft to
the S-rod, first loosen the twist
lock. 2)By holding the metal pin
pressed, insert the telescopic
shaft into the S-rod and click the
pin into its hole. 3)Secure it by
tightening the twist lock. 4)After
adjusting the shaft length to your
height, secure by tightening the
twist lock.
1)Place the washers into the
openings at the end of the
telescopic shaft. 2)Place the shaft
on the coil as shown in the
picture. 3)Secure by tightening
the bolt and the wingnut.
Wrap the coil cable around the
shaft all the way up as shown in
the picture and after inserting it in
the coil input socket underneath
the system box, secure it by
twisting the connector. Pay
attention to not wrap the cable
too tight during this step. Insert
the handle cable in the socket
underneath the system box
(HANDLE) and secure it by
twisting the connector. Finally,
secure the cable by attaching the
clamps at 3 dierent spots.
Page 5

CORRECT WAY OF HOLDING
CORRECT WAY OF SWEEPING
Shaft height is wrong.
It is very important to adjust the shaft to your
height correctly to be able to search without
discomfort and fatigue.
Shaft height is correct.
Adjust the height of the shaft so that you are
standing in an upright position, your arm is
relaxed and the search coil is approximately 5cm
(~2'') above the ground.
Wrong search coil angle
Incorrect way of sweeping
Wrong search coil angle Correct search coil angle
It is important to keep the search coil
parallel to the ground in order to get
accurate results.
Correct way of sweeping
The search coil must be parallel to the
ground at all times.
Page 6

The device comes with 4 AA Alkaline batteries.
Slide and remove the battery compartment cover by pressing the latch. Insert the batteries
paying attention to the + (plus) and – (minus) poles.
When batteries are full, they will provide approximately 25-30 hours of use. Different types
or brand of batteries may have different lifetimes.
For best performance, using AA Alkaline batteries is recommended. You may also use high
quality rechargeable Ni-MH batteries. Rechargeable batteries with higher mAh (capacity)
ratings will provide longer run times. Using batteries with minimum 2500mAh is
recommended.
LOW BATTERY
The battery icon on the LCD panel indicates the battery life status. In addition, a warning
message will appear on the screen when the batteries are low. After the low battery
warning, the batteries will run approximately 3-4 more hours. This runtime will vary based
on the remaining battery charge. Ni-MH batteries have lower voltage so their remaining
runtime will be longer than Alkaline batteries. This does not affect the total runtime.
BATTERIES
ROCK IRON
Target
ID
General Search
76
45
GEN
ROCK IRON
Target
ID
General Search
76
45
GEN
ROCK IRON
Target
ID
Low Battery
00
- -
ROCK IRON
Target
ID
General Search
76
45
GEN
Page 7

1
5 7 6
4
32
(1) POWER SWITCH:
To turn on the device, press the power switch to (1) position. The startup tone will be heard
and after the FORS Gold+ logo is displayed for a short period of time, the main screen will
come up on the LCD panel.
(2) GROUND TRACKING SWITCH:
When the ground tracking is active (at 1 position), the device will track the changes in
ground and automatically adjust the ground balance to suit. The invisible changes in
ground aects the detection depth as well as the discrimination ability of the device so you
can improve the performance of the device by activating this feature on suitable ground.
You can find more details about ground tracking on page 19.
(3) MENU AND SETTINGS SWITCHES:
These switches allow you to access the menu and scroll through options as well as adjust
device settings.
On the main screen, you can access the menu by pressing one of the up/down/+/-
switches. You can select the menu options with the up and down switch and change the
value with the + (plus) and - (minus). Pressing these switches in a specific order will result
in ''resetting factory settings'' or ''saving startup settings''. You can find more details about
this on page 30 under the title FACTORY and STARTUP SETTINGS.
DEVICE INTRODUCTION
CONTROLS
Page 8

If you press and hold any of these switches at startup, system information including
software version and the serial number of the device will appear on the screen after the
Nokta logo is displayed for a few seconds. This information will stay on the screen as long
as you hold the button pressed. Please have his information ready when you contact your
dealer regarding your device.
(4) GROUND BALANCE BUTTON:
Allows you to ground balance manually or automatically before or during your search. By
keeping this button pressed and pumping the coil, you can quickly ground balance the
device at any time. When you press and release the button, you can ground balance
manually by changing the ground balance value on the screen. Please read pages 16-20 for
more information on ground balance.
(5) PINPOINT SWITCH:
It is used to find the exact location of the target. Pinpointing saves you digging time by
narrowing down the location of a buried target. Please refer to PINPOINT section on page
24 for more details.
(6) LED FLASHLIGHT:
Is used for illumination at night or in dark places. The ashlight will not work when the
device is o. Having the ashlight on will aect power consumption so we recommend to
keep it o when not needed.
(7) LED FLASHLIGHT POWER SWITCH:
Is used to turn on/o the ashlight.
You can see all the information you need during searching, ground balancing, and
pinpointing on the main screen. The information is as follows:
During Searching:
1) TARGET ID
2) TARGET ID INDICATOR (HORIZONTAL BAR)
3) MAGNETIC MINERALIZATION LEVEL
4) GROUND TRACKING ON/OFF
5) SEARCH MODE or WARNING MESSAGE
6) BATTERY LEVEL
ROCK IRON
Target
ID
General Search
76
45
GEN
1
5
23
4
6
DEVICE INTRODUCTION
MAIN SCREEN
Page 9

The ground balance value during ground balancing and the target
ID during searching instantly appears on the numeric display
located on the handle. The estimated target depth also appears on
this display during pinpointing.
Therefore, once you adjust your settings on the LCD panel located
on the system box, you can follow all the information you need on
the numeric display. This way you don't need to go back and check
the LCD panel constantly. This provides great comfort during
searching.
The numeric display backlight turns on only when a number is
displayed to save power.
During Ground Balancing:
1) GROUND BALANCE VALUE
2) GROUND BALANCE FINE TUNE VALUE
3) SEARCH MODE or WARNING MESSAGE
4) GROUND TRACKING ON/OFF
5) BATTERY LEVEL
During Pinpointing:
1) TARGET DEPTH
2) NEGATIVE/POSITIVE BAR INDICATOR
3) MAGNETIC MINERALIZATION LEVEL
4) GROUND TRACKING ON/OFF
5) BATTERY LEVEL
ROCK IRON
Target
Depth
76
28
1
2
3
4
5
ROCK IRON
Ground
Balance
Pump The Coil
20
60
1 2
3
5
4
DEVICE INTRODUCTION
NUMERIC DISPLAY
Page 10

The menu screen allows you to access all the FORS Gold+ settings. You can go to the menu
screen by pressing one of the up/down/+/- switches while on the main screen and adjust
the settings of the device. Now let's take a look at these settings:
MODE:
FORS Gold+ has 3 predefined search modes based on ground conditions and target type.
During your search, you can select one of these modes and quickly personalize its settings
in the menu if you want to.
The names of the search modes are abbreviated as GEN, FST and BST. Please read the
SEARCH MODES section for more details on modes (see pages 15-16).
SENSITIVITY:
It is the detection depth setting that controls the gain of the device. It is used to eliminate
the electromagnetic interference signals received from the surrounding environment as
well as ground noise.
Each mode has its own default sensitivity value in the menu. When you change the mode,
the sensitivity value preset for that mode is displayed. This does not aect the sensitivity
levels set by the user in other modes. For ideal settings and detailed information please
refer to the SENSITIVITY, iSAT and THRESHOLD settings (page 21-22).
Sensitivity level can be adjusted from 1 to 99. The most ideal sensitivity level for each mode
has been preset by the factory. Sensitivity level may be changed manually when needed.
THRESHOLD:
Threshold is used to increase the target signals and thus the detection depth of the device.
In General Search mode, it adjusts the audible level of the constant background hum. For
more details on threshold, please refer to the SENSITIVITY, iSAT and THRESHOLD settings
(page 21-22).
iSAT (Intelligent Self-Adjusting Threshold):
For the General Search mode to perform accurately, a stable threshold sound is necessary.
Changes in mineralization and soil structure may cause a rise or fall in the background hum
and disrupt the threshold's stability which will result in losing target signals of certain
metals such as small gold nuggets. iSAT feature maintains the steadiness of the threshold
by adjusting the speed the device recovers its threshold sound.
iSAT consists of 5 levels . The device will start at level 3. It is recommended that iSAT should
be increased in high-mineralization and decreased in low mineralization. For more details,
please refer to the SENSITIVITY, iSAT and THRESHOLD settings (page 21-22).
DEVICE INTRODUCTION
MENU
SENSITIVITY 50
THRESHOLD 60
MODE GEN
SAT 03
Page 11

ID MASKING:
When the search coil passes over a target, if the target signal is strong enough, a 2-digit
target ID will be displayed on the numeric display as well as the LCD panel. Target ID ranges
from 0 to 99. Target ID is a number produced by the detector based on a target's
conductivity and it gives you an idea about what the target may be.
ID Masking is the ability of the detector to ignore (not produce a warning tone or ID)
unwanted targets. It provides ease of use by rejecting mineralized rocks (hot rocks) and
metals such as iron and foil.
You can customize ID Masking according to your needs. Each mode has its own default ID
Masking value in the menu. When you change the mode, the ID Masking value preset for
that mode is displayed. This does not affect the ID Masking levels set by the user in other
modes. ID Masking is not active in the General Search mode. For detailed information on
Target ID and how to use ID Masking, please refer to the section TARGET ID and ID
MASKING (pages 22-23).
FREQUENCY:
Changes the operating frequency of the device. It is used to eliminate the electromagnetic
interference received from the surrounding environment or another detector operating
within the same frequency range. If the device receives a lot of noise when the search coil
is held in the air, the cause may be electromagnetic interference or a high sensitivity
setting. If you suspect electromagnetic interference, you may change the frequency. There
are 5 frequencies in the device. The factory default is 03. Normally, the frequency setting is
not enabled and it is grayed out in the menu. To activate it, while holding the pinpoint
button pressed, press one of the up/down/+/- switches. Then, you can select the frequency
option in the menu and change it.
IMPORTANT! Frequency shifting may affect the performance of the device. Therefore, it is
recommended that you do not change the frequency unless necessary and keep it at the
factory default.
VOLUME:
This control allows you to increase or decrease the device's volume based on your
preference and environmental conditions. Volume level can be adjusted from 0 to 20.
When you turn off and on the device, it will start with the last volume level you chose. This
setting is common to all modes; changes will take effect in all modes. Because the volume
level affects power consumption, we recommend you not to increase it more than
necessary.
TONE:
It allows you to change the audio frequency of the threshold and target warning tones
according to your preference. There are 5 different audio frequencies ranging from treble
to bass. Tone change does not affect the iron tone. It changes the audio frequency of the
threshold sound in the General Search mode and the gold/non-ferrous metal sound in the
FST and BST modes in all tones except for TONE 4.
VOLUME 02
TONE: 04
FREQUENCY: 03
DEVICE INTRODUCTION
Page 12
ID MASKING 10

NOTE: THE DEVICE WILL START IN TONE 4 IN FST AND BST MODES AND DIFFERENT THAN
THE OTHER TONE OPTIONS (TONE 1-TONE 2 -TONE 3 -TONE 5) , IT WILL PROVIDE A SINGLE
TONE ONLY. IN OTHER WORDS, THE DEVICE WILL PROVIDE 2 DIFFERENT TONES FOR IRON
AND GOLD/NON-FERROUS METALS IN THE OTHER TONE OPTIONS BUT IN TONE 4 IT WILL
PROVIDE THE SAME TONE FOR ALL METALS (GOLD, NON-FERROUS, FERROUS). THIS WILL
ENABLE YOU TO HEAR SMALLER GOLD NUGGET SIGNALS MORE CLEARLY.
BRIGHTNESS:
This control allows you to adjust the backlight level of the numeric display on the handle
and the LCD panel on the system box based on your preference and environmental
conditions. Brightness level can be adjusted from 0 to 20. This setting is common to both
displays; changes will take effect on both. When you change the brightness level in the
menu, the backlight will turn on the numeric display and number ''88'' will appear for easy
adjustment. When you turn off and on the device, it will start with the last brightness level
you chose. This setting is common to all modes; changes will take effect in all modes.
The brightness level of the LCD panel on the system box aects power consumption a lot.
Therefore, the backlight illuminates during menu access and ground balancing. It does not
illuminate during searching or target detection. On the other hand, the brightness level of
the numeric display on the handle aects power consumption relatively less. It illuminates
during target detection and pinpointing. Especially if you are using the menu frequently,
we recommend that you choose the minimum brightness level that you can see in for
longer battery life.
LANGUAGE:
Is used to change the language of the device. The FORS Gold+ menus can be viewed in 10
languages. At initial startup, the factory default language will be displayed. The user can
change the language in the menu. When you turn o and on the device, it will start with
the last language you selected.
Language is placed as the last option in the menu so it is easy to find in case the language
is changed to a foreign language by mistake. For languages written from right to left, the
screen layout is also designed that way.
LANGUAGE EN
BRIGHTNESS 08
DEVICE INTRODUCTION
Page 13

IMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT MENU USAGE:
*If no button is pressed for a few seconds after accessing the menu, the device will go back
to the main screen. If you do not want to wait, you can press and release the pinpoint
button once to go to the main screen as well.
*Do not turn o the device while the menu screen is displayed. If you turn o the device
while in the menu and made changes in the personal settings (volume, tone, brightness,
vibration and language) the changes will not be saved.
* You do not need to confirm or exit the menu to save the changes. New values will take
eect immediately.
* When you select the ''brightness'' option in the menu, the backlight will turn on and
number ''88'' will appear on the numeric display. This way, the user can see the correct
brightness level on screen and adjust it accordingly.
* If you change the language of the device to a foreign language by mistake, the text on
screen may make no sense for you. Therefore, language is placed as the last option in the
menu. In such a case, go to the last option and select your own language.
* When you press and hold the menu switches, the menu options and values will change
more rapidly.
* Disabled menu options ( that cannot be changed by the user) will appear grayed out. The
disabled option may be active in another mode. (For example; ID Masking appears
disabled in the General Search mode but active in other modes)
DEVICE INTRODUCTION
Page 14

GENERAL SEARCH MODE (GEN):
Sometimes referred to as the ''All Metal'' mode, this is the deepest mode of the device and
the device will start up in this mode. Dierent than the other modes, this mode has a
constant threshold sound in the background.
In the General Search mode, the device will detect all targets (metal, high mineralized
rocks etc.) without discrimination. The ID of the detected target will be displayed on the
screen (except for negative rocks) and the device will emit the same tone for all targets. The
audio warning tone will increase in pitch as the coil approaches the target.
In this mode, the sensitivity, iSAT and threshold settings are preset by the factory for best
performance on most soil types. If you want, you can change these settings based on
ground conditions in your search field.
ID Masking is not available in this mode so it is disabled in the menu.
DISCRIMINATION MODES (FST and BST):
Dierent than the General Search mode, there is no threshold in these modes and the
device emits a warning tone only when a target is detected. If the sensitivity level is not set
properly, you can hear a crackling sound in these modes. Therefore, the sensitivity should
be adjusted to a level that the device is silent when there is no metal present.
Discrimination modes have some common features but they have slight behavioral
dierences. ID Masking is a common feature, used frequently in these modes. ID Masking
values are preset by the factory for these modes. If you want, you can change these values
based on field and ground conditions.
SEARCH MODES
FAST MODE (FST):
It is the 2-tone (EXCEPT FOR TONE 4) discrimination mode designed for tough
gold fields with high mineralization or positive hot rocks. It oers slightly less
depth but faster target detection and recovery speed in highly mineralized soils
compared to the other modes.
BOOST MODE (BST):
It is the 2- tone (EXCEPT FOR TONE 4) discrimination mode designed for cleaner
gold fields with milder mineralization. It provides more depth compared to the
FST mode.
In the FST and BST modes (TONE 01-TONE 02-TONE 03-TONE 05), the device will
produce a low tone for iron and positive hot rocks. For all other metals, it will
produce a single tone just like in the General Search Mode, which increases in
pitch as the coil approaches the target.
Page 15

Metal detectors work on the principle of conductivity and all metals are conductive. On the
other hand, soil itself has a certain degree of conductive property. Under certain
conditions, the conductivity level of the soil may be very high. Soil and rocks have
magnetic properties as well as conductivity. For this reason, when searching in soil and
between rocks, in order for the detector not to give a target signal for the soil, the detector
should be able to eliminate the soil and minimize the eects of rocks while still detecting
real targets. Otherwise, false signals and noise may mislead the user and make it
impossible to find the target. The purpose of ground balancing is to eliminate these false
signals and noise.
When you sweep the search coil over the ground, you can see whether the ground balance
is adjusted properly or not. However, if the signals and noise continue when the coil is
raised up, you must consider the possibility of the electromagnetic waves in the
surrounding environment. Electromagnetic waves may result from power lines or from the
operation of electrical devices, radars, wireless radios, and even TVs. In such a case, first
adjust the sensitivity and threshold. If the noise continues, shift the frequency to silence
the device and then ground balance.
NOTE: THE DEVICE WILL START IN TONE 4 IN FST AND BST MODES AND DIFFERENT
THAN THE OTHER TONE OPTIONS (TONE 1-TONE 2 -TONE 3 -TONE 5) , IT WILL
PROVIDE A SINGLE TONE ONLY. IN OTHER WORDS, THE DEVICE WILL PROVIDE 2
DIFFERENT TONES FOR IRON AND GOLD/NON-FERROUS METALS IN THE OTHER
TONE OPTIONS BUT IN TONE 4 IT WILL PROVIDE THE SAME TONE FOR ALL METALS
(GOLD, NON-FERROUS, FERROUS). THIS WILL ENABLE YOU TO HEAR SMALLER
GOLD NUGGET SIGNALS MORE CLEARLY.
When using the discrimination modes, if you record the IDs of the rocks in the
field and then mask them using the ID Masking feature, nugget detection will be
more convenient. When masking IDs, you must use the ID value closest to the ID
of the rocks. Otherwise, you may miss the nuggets under the rocks.
Consequently, you may need to change the default ID masking value(10) of this
mode to another value based on the IDs of the rocks in the field. For more details
on eliminating hot rocks, please read the related sections (Target ID and ID
Masking, Hot Rocks and Searching in Rocky Areas, and Metals Under Hot Rocks).
If you dig a target signal in a gold field and find rocks, be sure that there is no
small gold nugget underneath.
To get familiar with the warning audio tones, we recommend you to test the
device with dierent metals and hot rocks before you use it in the field.
SEARCH MODES
GROUND BALANCE
Page 16

One of the following may happen as a result of improper ground balancing:
-The device gives a signal when the coil is swept over the ground where there is no target.
-The device is silent but loses detection depth for certain metals.
-The device receives target-like signals next to holes and dips.
The above mentioned situations do not only occur as a result of improper ground balance
adjustment. However, before looking into other reasons you must be sure that the ground
balance is correctly adjusted.
Ground balance value is common to all modes; changes will take eect in all modes. When
using the automatic ground balance or ground tracking, this setting is adjusted
automatically.
Ground balance can be done in three ways in FORS Gold+: Automatic, Manual or Ground
Tracking.
During automatic or manual ground balancing, when you press the ground balance
button, no matter what mode you are using, the device will unnoticeably revert to the
General Search mode and the audible tones will be heard accordingly.
AUTOMATIC GROUND BALANCE:
Automatic ground balance is done the same way in all modes:
1. Find a spot on the ground where there is no metal.
2. Press and hold the ground balance button and pump the search coil up and down from
about 15-20 cm (~6''- 8'') above the ground down to 3 cm (~1'') o the ground.
3. Continue until you hear the beep indicating that the ground balancing is completed.
Based on ground conditions, it usually takes about 1-4 pumps for the ground balance to be
completed.
4. Once the ground balance is done, the ground balance value will appear on the LCD
panel as well as the numeric display on the handle. If you continue to press and hold the
ground balance button, the device will keep on ground balancing and beeping. To make
sure that the ground balance adjustment is correct, please repeat the process 2 or 3 times
and each time check the value on the display. The dierence between the values should
not be greater than 1 or 2 numbers.
5. If you cannot ground balance, meaning you don't hear the beep, either the ground is
very conductive or not mineralized or there must be a buried metal object underneath the
coil. In such a case, move to another location and re-ground balance. If you still cannot
succeed, try manual ground balancing.
GROUND BALANCE
90
Ground
Balance
Pump The Coil
90
90
Page 17

After the ground balance button is released, the device will work in the General Search
mode and the ground balance value will remain on screen for a while. (If you do not want
to wait for this period you can go to the main screen by pressing and releasing the pinpoint
button once). This gives you the opportunity of fine tuning the automatic ground balance
value. Please refer to the following MANUAL GROUND BALANCE section for more details.
MANUAL GROUND BALANCE:
It is the process where you set the ground balance value manually. Because it is more time
consuming, it is not preferred by most users. However, it becomes useful when ground
balance cannot be achieved by other methods or when you need to fine tune the
automatic ground balance value.
FORS Gold+ is designed in a way that you can easily auto ground balance it on all types of
ground. Therefore, we recommend that you use automatic ground balance at start up.
However, some soils are not suitable for automatic ground balancing. For example; wet
beach sand, soils containing alkali or salty water, trashy areas, plowed lands, highly
mineralized ground or ground with very low mineralization are not suitable for automatic
ground balancing. We recommend you to manually ground balance in such areas for your
convenience. Manual ground balance requires experience acquired with some practice.
To ground balance manually:
1. Find a spot on the ground where there is no metal and switch the device to the GEN
mode.
2. You need to listen the sounds coming from the ground in order to perform manual
ground balance. Pump the search coil up and down from about 15-20 cm (~6''- 8'') above
the ground down to 3 cm (~1'') o the ground.
If the sound gets louder as you lift the search coil o the ground, it means that the ground
balance value is too low. In other words, the ground is negative and you need to increase
the ground balance setting with the up switch. On the contrary, if the sound gets louder as
you lower the search coil to the ground, it means that the ground balance value is too high.
In other words, the ground is positive and you need to lower the ground balance setting
with the down switch.
3. Press and release the ground balance button once. The ground balance value will appear
on the LCD panel and will stay on screen for a while. If the screen changes, you can press
the ground balance button again.
To increase the ground balance setting, press the up switch and to decrease it, press the
down switch. If you press the switch one by one, the values will change one by one as well.
If you hold the switch pressed, the values will change rapidly.
Manual ground balance ranges from 0-99. However each
number includes 5 steps used for fine tuning and these
steps are shown on the LCD panel over the symbol
and in multiples of 20. For example; the ground balance
value on the screen to the side is 60.20.
One of the following may happen as a result of improper ground balancing:
-The device gives a signal when the coil is swept over the ground where there is no target.
-The device is silent but loses detection depth for certain metals.
-The device receives target-like signals next to holes and dips.
The above mentioned situations do not only occur as a result of improper ground balance
adjustment. However, before looking into other reasons you must be sure that the ground
balance is correctly adjusted.
Ground balance value is common to all modes; changes will take eect in all modes. When
using the automatic ground balance or ground tracking, this setting is adjusted
automatically.
Ground balance can be done in three ways in FORS Gold+: Automatic, Manual or Ground
Tracking.
During automatic or manual ground balancing, when you press the ground balance
button, no matter what mode you are using, the device will unnoticeably revert to the
General Search mode and the audible tones will be heard accordingly.
AUTOMATIC GROUND BALANCE:
Automatic ground balance is done the same way in all modes:
1. Find a spot on the ground where there is no metal.
2. Press and hold the ground balance button and pump the search coil up and down from
about 15-20 cm (~6''- 8'') above the ground down to 3 cm (~1'') o the ground.
3. Continue until you hear the beep indicating that the ground balancing is completed.
Based on ground conditions, it usually takes about 1-4 pumps for the ground balance to be
completed.
4. Once the ground balance is done, the ground balance value will appear on the LCD
panel as well as the numeric display on the handle. If you continue to press and hold the
ground balance button, the device will keep on ground balancing and beeping. To make
sure that the ground balance adjustment is correct, please repeat the process 2 or 3 times
and each time check the value on the display. The dierence between the values should
not be greater than 1 or 2 numbers.
5. If you cannot ground balance, meaning you don't hear the beep, either the ground is
very conductive or not mineralized or there must be a buried metal object underneath the
coil. In such a case, move to another location and re-ground balance. If you still cannot
succeed, try manual ground balancing.
GROUND BALANCE
Ground
Balance
Pump The Coil
20
60
Ground
Balance
Pump The Coil
20
60
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4. Continue the above process until the sound is eliminated. If the sound is not completely
eliminated, then you can fine tune.
For fine tuning, follow the numbers above the symbol and use the + and - switches.
The sound may not be eliminated completely on some types of ground although you have
fine tuned. In such a case, to determine whether you have successfully ground balanced or
not, listen to the audio feedback when lowering the search coil to the ground and when
lifting it o the ground. If both sound the same, it means that the ground balance is
adjusted properly.
After a while the ground balance is completed, the device will switch to the main screen
automatically. If you do not want to wait for this period you can go to the main screen by
pressing and releasing the pinpoint button once.
IMPORTANT! Experienced detectorists adjust the ground balance setting to little positive
response (when lowering the search coil a weak but an audible response is heard). This
method may result in positive results in some gold fields with small nuggets when used by
experienced users.
GROUND TRACKING:
With this feature, the user does not need to make any adjustments. Ground Tracking can
be activated by turning the Ground Tracking switch to 1 position. The Ground Tracking
icon ( ) on the LCD panel starts blinking. As long as the search coil is swept over the
ground, the device updates the ground balance setting. It does not provide the user any
kind of feedback ( such as the ground balance value or the beep sound in the auto ground
balance).
When Ground Tracking is active, the device may emit a loud audible signal if the ground
conditions change (for example a hot rock) or if a target is encountered. In such a case,
sweep the search coil a few times over the spot where you receive the signal. If the sound
continues and the device gives an ID, there is a high chance that it is a target. If the sound
gets weaker or disappears after a few sweeps, it means that that the device gave a signal
for the ground change or the hot rocks.
For better performance, we recommend you to use Ground Tracking in the General Search
mode and not in the discrimination (FST and BST) modes.
Ground Tracking is suitable for fields with dierent types of soils or where hot rocks are
scattered around a large area and not condensed. If you use Ground Tracking in areas
where hot rocks are intensely present (such as some gold fields), the device may not be
able to eliminate these high mineralized rocks or you may miss the smaller or deeper
metals (such as gold nuggets).
IMPORTANT! When air testing, be sure that Ground Tracking is o. Otherwise, the device
will try to ground balance over the target and lose depth.
GROUND BALANCE
Page 19