Tesoro Cibola Assembly instructions

"The Name That Means Treasure"
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CIBOLA
OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL
CONGRATULATIONS!
PREFACE ii
Your new Tesoro Cibola metal detector is part of a new series of detec-
tors designed to provide you with many happy hours of enjoyment in the
most rewarding hobby I can think of—treasure hunting. Ahead of you lie
fascinating and exciting experiences as you step into the past—uncovering
artifacts lost by past generations, or as you take pleasure in the great out-
doors with family and friends searching for precious metals. I wish we
could share these experiences with you, and all of us at Tesoro wish you the
best of success.
Your Tesoro detector is capable of meeting your needs in a wide range
of treasure hunting situations. As with any other metal detector, familiarity
with this instrument is probably the limiting factor in determining how suc-
cessful you can be. I recommend that you read this manual and fully under-
stand how to operate this detector before attempting to use it in the field.
As you become more familiar with your detector through practice, your
rate of success will increase dramatically.
The Cibola is a precision electronic instrument that will last for years
if properly cared for. Treat it right and it won’t let you down.
Good Hunting!
Jack Gifford

GETTING STARTED
UNPACKING THE BOX ..............................................1
INSTALLING THE BATTERY ....................................2
ASSEMBLING YOUR DETECTOR............................3
ADJUSTING THE POLE & SEARCHCOIL ............5
QUICKSTART
Prepare for the Quickstart..............................................6
Perform Audio Battery Test............................................7
Adjust THRESHOLD......................................................8
Adjust SENSITIVITY ......................................................8
Perform Air Test in DISC Mode ..................................10
Perform Air Test in PINPOINT Mode ..........................11
Super Tune Your Cibola ..............................................13
Adjust FREQ Switch ....................................................13
Conclusion....................................................................14
OPERATING TECHNIQUES
Pinpointing a Target..........................................................15
Recognizing False Signals in Discriminate Mode ..........16
Recovering a Target ........................................................16
Recommended Recovery Methods ............................17-18
GENERAL INFORMATION
Basic Care ........................................................................19
Protecting Your Investment ..............................................19
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
Searchcoils ..................................................................21
Headphones ................................................................22
SPECIFICATIONS ......................................................22
CODE OF ETHICS ......................................................23
WARRANTY SERVICE & DESCRIPTION ..Back Cover
CONTENTS
iii CONTENTS

GETTING STARTED
UNPACKING THE BOX
Your Cibola was shipped with these parts:
1 Upper Pole Assembly
Fully assembled, including upper pole stem with handle grip,
padded arm bracket, and control housing.
1 Middle Pole Assembly With Pole Lock
1 ABS Lower Pole Assembly
Fully assembled, complete with two friction washers, mounting
screw, and thumb nut.
1 9 x 8 Monolithic Searchcoil With 3’ Cable and Scuff Cover
1 9 Volt Alkaline Battery
1 Operator Instruction Manual
1 Tesoro Warranty Card
If any of these items are missing, immediately contact the Tesoro
Authorized Dealer where you purchased your detector.
Assembling the Cibola is simple and requires no special tools. Just
install the battery, mount the searchcoil on the lower pole assembly, con-
nect the pole assemblies together, wrap the excess cable around the pole,
and plug the cable into the control housing. Finally, adjust the pole length
and searchcoil angle and you're ready!
GETTING STARTED 1

INSTALLING THE BATTERY
Your Cibola is equipped with an automatic battery test circuit so that
you can always be sure you are getting top performance. The battery should
be checked after the detector has been on for about 10 minutes and then
periodically when used for long durations.
To install or replace the battery, first make sure the SENSITIVITY con-
trol is set to POWER OFF—turned completely counterclockwise past the
“click.” Remove the battery door from the back of the control housing. Do
this by pressing your thumb firmly on the louvered square—at the bottom
of the battery door—and sliding the battery door upward in the direction of
the arrow.
Check the polarity on the battery and on the diagram inside the battery
compartment. Make sure that they match and simply drop a fresh 9 volt
alkaline battery into the compartment. Note: If the battery is not installed
properly, damage may occur to your detector.
Replace the battery door by sliding it into place making sure the upper
mount slots are in line and the lock tongue is snapped in place.
2 CIBOLA OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL

1) On the lower pole assembly, remove the mounting screw and thumb
nut from the black nylon pole tip.
2) Insert the pole tip between the mounting ears of the searchcoil and
align the holes of the pole tip and washers with those of the mounting ears.
Note: The pole tip should fit very snugly into the mounting ears.
3) Insert the mounting screw through the holes in the mounting ears and
pole tip—entering from the side opposite the cable connection.
4) Install the thumb nut on the mounting screw and tighten by hand.
Note: Do not overtighten the thumb nut. It should be snug but not too
difficult to loosen up.
5) On the middle pole assembly, depress the two spring buttons and slide
the middle pole assembly into the upper pole assembly until the spring but-
tons click into the holes, locking the two assemblies into place. Tighten the
pole lock to secure the two assemblies together.
ASSEMBLING YOUR DETECTOR
GETTING STARTED 3

6) Slide the lower pole into the middle pole until the spring buttons click
into the first set of adjustment holes. Turn pole lock to tighten the assem-
blies into place.
7) Wrap the cable around the pole leaving enough slack near the search-
coil to permit searchcoil adjustment.
Note: Do not allow the cable to flop loosely over the searchcoil. Since the
detector is sensitive enough to “see” the tiny wires in the cable, a floppy
cable can cause false signals as the searchcoil senses the moving wires.
8) Plug the male cable end into the female connector on the control hous-
ing and tighten the cable thumb nut. You are finished!
Note: You will want to adjust the pole length and the search-
coil angle to your preference.
4 CIBOLA OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL

The pole length should be adjusted so that the detector does not
become uncomfortable or tiring after long periods of use. The detector grip
should rest in your hand with your arm relaxed, your elbow straight but not
locked, and with the pole extending out in front of you at the approximate
angle shown in the photo.
You should be able to
swing the detector back and
forth in front of you—using
relaxed shoulder movement—
while keeping the searchcoil as
close to the ground as possible.
This swinging movement is
often called a “sweep.”
The searchcoil should not
touch the ground during your
sweep. The pole length should
be adjusted to allow this with-
out having to lift the detector
with your elbow or shoulder.
The searchcoil should rest
about one inch above the
ground while you are standing
erect. The angle of the search-
coil should allow the bottom to
be parallel to the ground.
The pole length is adjusted
by depressing the spring but-
tons and extending or shorten-
ing the pole until the spring but-
tons click into the set of holes
that gives you the most comfortable pole length.
To adjust the searchcoil angle, simply loosen the searchcoil thumb nut
slightly and move the searchcoil into the desired position. Tighten the
searchcoil thumb nut by hand so that the searchcoil will hold in place.
ADJUSTING THE POLE & SEARCHCOIL
GETTING STARTED 5

QUICKSTART
SELF-GUIDED TUTORIAL
The Quickstart is designed to teach you how to use your new Cibola.
It provides a quick and easy means of learning your detector and the con-
cepts behind all of the functions.
You will need the following items:
1) Your fully assembled Cibola.
2) An iron target (a small nail or screw will do), a nickel, a quar-
ter, and a couple of different pulltabs.
3) A nonmetal tabletop or counter.
Here's what you will do:
1) Perform Audio Battery Test.
2) Adjust THRESHOLD.
3) Adjust SENSITIVITY.
4) Perform Air Test in DISC Mode.
5) Perform Air Test in PINPOINT Mode.
6) Super Tune Your Cibola.
7) Adjust FREQ Switch.
Prepare for the Quickstart
Place your assembled Cibola on the nonmetal surface. Make sure that
there are no metal objects near the coil and remove any jewelry from your
hands and wrists.
6 CIBOLA OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Start with the controls as shown in the photo below:
1) THRESHOLD, SENSITIVITY and DISCRIMINATE LEV-
EL knobs turned completely counterclockwise.
2) FREQ switch in the center position.
Perform Audio Battery Test
Turn the SENSITIVITY knob from OFF to about 7 or 8. You will
hear a series of quick beeps. If the battery is fully charged, you will hear
6 or 7 beeps. When you hear only 1 or 2 beeps, it will be time to replace
your battery. This test is only performed when the detector is first turned
on. If you would like to check the condition of your battery while hunt-
ing, turn your detector off and on again and listen to the beeps.
GETTING STARTED 7

Adjust THRESHOLD
To adjust the threshold tone, push and hold the PINPOINT button and
then turn the THRESHOLD knob clockwise until you hear a slight but
steady tone. You will have to turn the knob to somewhere between the 10
o'clock and 3 o'clock position to get the best hum. Once you have set the
THRESHOLD, release the PINPOINT button. This will put you back into
the DISCRIMINATE Mode and you can continue with the Quickstart.
The purpose of the threshold tone is to give a reference to judge tar-
gets for pinpointing and to super tune the Cibola. (For more information
on super tuning, see the “Super Tune Your Cibola” section on page 13.)
In the field, some targets may be small enough or deep enough that
they will not be able to generate an audio signal by themselves. By mon-
itoring a threshold tone, you already have an audio tone so changes are
easier to hear. However, if the threshold is set too soft or too loud, small
changes in the signal will be hard to hear. Take some time and find a
threshold level that is right for you.
Adjust SENSITIVITY
The discriminate circuit uses a silent search mode, meaning that no
sound will be heard until the coil goes over a target. The most common
use of the detector is to hunt in the DISCRIMINATE MODE and push the
PINPOINT button to pinpoint a target. This will give you the advantage
of ignoring unwanted targets and not having to listen to the threshold hum
until you are ready to pinpoint and dig a target.
8 CIBOLA OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL

The all metal circuit uses a single channel to detect various metals.
The discriminate circuit uses two different channels, then amplifies and
filters them. The detector will then compare the signals and determine
whether or not to beep at the target. While there is a great advantage to
ignoring unwanted targets, it can make the circuitry more susceptible to
interference. A number of outside conditions such as power lines, highly
mineralized soil, and wet salt sand can cause interference.
The SENSITIVITY knob is used to raise or lower the power to the
operational amplifiers, which changes the gain. Gain is a measurement of
how much a signal is amplified. The higher the gain the more depth and
sensitivity to small objects a detector has. Unfortunately, any small inter-
ference that is amplified can cause the detector to become erratic. The
SENSITIVITY control is used to find the best gain setting in any location
without letting the detector become unstable.
The SENSITIVITY knob is numbered from MIN to 10 and then has
an orange area called the Max Boost zone. For normal hunting, anywhere
in the numbered zone will work very well. However, the Max Boost will
allow you to increase the power to the operational amplifiers to the point
of overload. This may cause your detector to become unstable and force
you to turn the SENSITIVITY knob to a lower setting. An overload situ-
ation will not hurt your detector, but it will maximize the gain that is used
by your detector. This can, in certain conditions such as low mineraliza-
tion in the soil, cause your detector to penetrate deeper into the ground
and become more sensitive to small targets.
GETTING STARTED 9

Take some time to try waving targets in front of the coil with differ-
ent sensitivity settings. Notice that the higher the sensitivity setting, the
farther away from the coil that a target can be and still respond with an
audio signal.
Perform Air Test in DISC Mode
As discussed before, the discriminate mode is used to filter unwant-
ed targets from good targets. The principle behind this is pretty simple.
The detector sends out a signal and then receives it back creating a small
electronic field. As metal passes through the field that the detector gener-
ates, it causes a change in the received signal. The amount of change that
each type of metal causes is fairly constant; therefore, we can tune our
detectors to miss targets that we don't want to find. The change is based
on the type of conductivity that each target has. The general list of con-
ductive targets is as follows: iron, foil, nickels, gold jewelry, pulltabs,
screw tabs, pennies, and silver coins starting with dimes and working up
to silver dollars. This list is only meant to be a guide. There is a point that
some pulltabs, nickels, and gold jewelry overlap. Also, the depth of the
target and its orientation in the ground can change the received signal. A
coin that is flat to the coil will produce a better signal than a coin that is
on edge. Take some time to try different combinations of depths and ori-
entations of your targets and find out how your detector responds.
We are now ready to discriminate targets from each other. We will
start with the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL at MIN. Please notice that the
DISCRIMINATE LEVEL knob has words that correspond to the items
that are discriminated out.
10 CIBOLA OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL

All four targets (the iron, nickel, pulltabs, and quarter) will respond
with a good audio signal at the MIN setting. Next, we will turn the DIS-
CRIMINATE LEVEL up to IRON. This should be high enough to knock
out the iron target and still get a positive response on the nickel, pulltabs,
and quarter. When you are done with the IRON level, turn the DISCRIM-
INATE LEVEL to around the 5¢ setting. This level is high enough to
knock out the nickel. At this time, the iron target and the nickel should
give no response, while most of the pulltabs and the quarter will give a
solid response. Next, turn the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL knob just past
the TAB marking. At this time, most or all of the pulltabs should not give
any audio signal. Only the quarter should give a strong signal. Now, roll
the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL all the way to MAX. Notice that the quar-
ter is still responding. The discrimination will not go high enough to lose
most of the silver coins.
This air test is designed to quickly show you how your discriminate
mode works. Each machine may be a little different from all of the oth-
ers, so you may want to take some time and try different targets to find
responses of your machine. At a later date, you may want to build a test
garden to test your detector in the field.
Perform Air Test in PINPOINT Mode
When you are hunting in the DISCRIMINATE Mode, the PINPOINT
button will allow you to momentarily switch into the ALL METAL Mode.
GETTING STARTED 11

The PINPOINT button is springloaded and must be pressed and held to
shift into the ALL METAL Mode.
At this time, you are in the Silent Search Discriminate Mode. Press
the PINPOINT button, and you will immediately hear the threshold audio
tone. This indicates that you are now in the ALL METAL Mode. Your
Cibola has a VCO-style ALL METAL Mode. You will find that as targets
get closer to the coil, the threshold tone will get louder and higher in
pitch.
With the PINPOINT button pressed in, try waving your targets in
front of the coil. Start from a distance of 10 to 12 inches away from the
coil and slowly work your way closer to the coil. Then, try starting from
6 inches away from the left or right of your coil and work your way to the
center of the coil. Notice the changes of the audio signal. Your strongest
signal will always be closest to the center of the coil. Additional informa-
tion can also be learned by the signal strength and pitch. A smaller or
deeper target will give a less noticeable change in the threshold than a
larger or shallower target will give. Take some time and try all of your tar-
gets at different depths to find out how your detector sounds.
Take some time to try different DISCRIMINATE levels and then
check them with the PINPOINT Mode. You will notice some distinctly
different tones. Practice and experience will give you large amounts of
information that will help you decide whether or not to dig a target in the
field.
12 CIBOLA OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Super Tune Your Cibola
The Cibola can be set up to get even better depth and sensitivity while
operating in the DISCRIMINATE Mode. Super tuning is accomplished
by working in the DISCRIMINATE Mode and turning the THRESHOLD
knob to the highest setting.
Super tuning your Cibola will cause the threshold audio level to be
set too high for accurate All Metal or Pinpointing operation.
To start, turn the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL knob to just above the
IRON setting and turn the SENSITIVITY knob as high as it will go with-
out causing the detector to chatter. Check a target or two and notice how
far away you can get from the coil and still receive a repeatable audio sig-
nal. Now, turn up the THRESHOLD knob and recheck the targets. You
should see an increase in the distance from the target to the coil. Push the
PINPOINT button. Notice that the threshold tone is far too loud to accu-
rately identify some of your targets.
Take some time to try different targets and settings in an air test to see
how well your detector will work in the ground.
Adjust FREQ Switch
Your Cibola comes equipped with a frequency shift switch (FREQ1,
FREQ2, and FREQ3). This switch is used to change the operating fre-
quency of your detector. This ability will help you to work a larger num-
ber of areas. The most common use would be during a large hunt where
GETTING STARTED 13

another hunter has the same frequency machine as your detector. Two
machines that are on the same frequency will start broadcasting to each
other. This is called crosstalk. If you experience crosstalk in the middle of
a hunt, just flip the FREQ switch to another setting. This is very easily
done and can be done in the middle of a sweep. Changing the frequency
can also help in some urban areas where there may be a high concentra-
tion of radio or cell phone traffic. If your detector is acting erratically
after adjusting the SENSITIVITY, try shifting the FREQ switch and
resetting the SENSITIVITY.
Changing the operating frequency will not change the audio frequen-
cy of the signal in the speaker. The audio frequency is controlled by a
microprocessor and will not shift.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have just finished the Quickstart for your new
Cibola detector and in the process have learned quite a lot about your
detector. But experience is the best teacher. I recommend that you get out
and practice with your detector as much as possible. Any time spent using
your detector will give you valuable experience.
14 CIBOLA OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL

OPERATING TECHNIQUES
FIELD USE
Pinpointing a Target
When pinpointing a target, the ALL METAL Mode can offer advan-
tages over the DISCRIMINATE Mode, such as no false signals and no need
to move the searchcoil to get a target response.
A good method for pinpointing in ALL METAL Mode is “X-ing” the
target with the searchcoil. Remember that the target's response sound is
always greatest when the target is directly under the center of the search-
coil. To “X” a target, sweep the searchcoil over the target from side to side
and then from front to back until you can identify the center of the X—the
spot on the ground where the target response sound is the greatest.
Pinpointing a target in DISCRIMINATE Mode is probably best done
by “X-ing” as well. Remember that the detector will beep just as the target
passes under the center of the searchcoil. Slowing the sweep speed down
will help you pick out the center of the X because the target response is
reduced at very slow speeds making it easier to correlate the sound with the
coil center.
Another easy method is to sweep the coil from side to side across the
target in very short sweeps as you slowly move forward and backward
across the target. Slow down the sweep rate and shorten the sweeps until
you just barely get a response at one spot. The target will be directly below
the coil center at this response time.
Another method of pinpointing in the DISCRIMINATE Mode is to
quickly change to the ALL METAL Mode to check the target response.
Remember that the ALL METAL Mode is not susceptible to the false sig-
nals of the DISCRIMINATE Mode and can sometimes give a clearer and
more consistent response to difficult targets such as a dime buried next to
a pulltab. By switching back and forth between modes and comparing the
target response sound in all metal to the target response sound in discrimi-
nate, you can often better identify the likely location of the target.
Finally, raising the searchcoil during pinpointing can also help by nar-
rowing the response to the target. Practice pinpointing often, and you will
soon become more accurate and faster.
OPERATING TECHNIQUES 15

Recognizing False Signals in Discriminate Mode
When operating in the DISCRIMINATE Mode, some “false signals”
may be caused by 1) heavy concentrations of trash metal objects, 2) very
large trash metal objects, or 3) electrical interference. These signals are
generally short, choppy sounds and sound different than “good signals”
(good target response sounds).
At the end of your sweep, as you reverse the coil direction, the detec-
tor is most susceptible to trash-induced noise. There are two ways to tell
whether these sounds are good deep signals or trash “noise.” The first is by
repeatability. Trash-induced noises will not be regular as you sweep the coil
over the suspected target several times, whereas a good target response will
be repeatable. The second method is to switch to the ALL METAL Mode
and check the target response sound. If the response is weak, it may well
be a deep, good target. But if the response is very strong, it is probably
trash. Note that a coin close to the surface can give a double beep sound,
but it is regular and repeatable. Raising the coil an inch or two will restore
the single beep on surface targets.
When searching in the DISCRIMINATE Mode, it is best not to use a
higher DISCRIMINATE LEVEL setting than necessary. Nickels and most
smaller rings are rejected when the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL is set to
reject pulltabs on any metal detector that is a TR Discriminator like the
Cibola. If you don’t dig any junk at all, you are surely passing up a lot of
good finds as well. Set the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL only high enough to
suit the conditions where you are searching. If there is any doubt whether
a target is good or not, dig it.
Recovering a Target
If the target is shallow and the soil is soft, you may be able to “probe”
and find the exact location of the target before you dig it. Since filling all
holes after you recover the target is so important, digging a small precise
hole is best. If the target is deep, you may need to dig a larger hole. As you
dig, occasionally check the hole with your detector to see if you have
moved the object, can probe it, or have already dug it. Be sure to fill all
holes after you recover the target. Two methods are shown on the next two
pages that work most everywhere. Be sure to protect your hobby by leav-
ing the site cleaner than you found it and with all holes filled!
16 CIBOLA OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL

RECOMMENDED RECOVERY METHODS
Figure 1A Figure 1B
Figure 1DFigure 1C
Adapted from "Tools 'N Techniques" By Robert H. Sickler
METHOD 1 - “PROBE AND DRIVER”
Used in less moist lawns where targets are not so deep (1 to 4 inches) and
where “plugging” is objectionable. This method requires more practice but
is much less damaging to grass than Method 2—“Plugging” shown on the
next page.
After pinpointing the target, use a nonmetallic probe, such as a modified
fiberglass fishing rod or a metallic probe, such as a blunted ice pick (the for-
mer causes less damage to the target) to locate the target depth (Figure 1A).
Next, insert an eight-inch screwdriver on center just above target and rotate
slightly to open the ground (Figure 1B). Now, insert the screwdriver just
under the target at an angle and lever the target to the surface (Figure 1C).
Brush all loose dirt back into the hole and close the hole by exerting pres-
sure all around the opening (Figure 1D).
OPERATING TECHNIQUES 17