Garrett A2B Groundhog information and questions

[Potbelly11]

Thanks guys I'll give it a go tomorrow, it's really bloody loud haha

Also is it worth anything even if it needs repair?

 

[old hand]

In their day they were a top detector $? good luck

 

[Goldpick]

You could maybe try Phil at the Gold Mining Centre http://www.goldminingcentre.com.au/ .

He may be able to do repairs, or at least help with some troubleshooting for you, or let you know whether it is worth repairing or not. Very knowledgeable on everything garrett, including the older stuff.

 

[Redfin]

They were like a wild horse, took years how to tame them.
Most of the time they were full of chatter, but when you went over a piece of gold you knew all
about it.

 

[Potbelly11]

So I think I have figured this thing out.... I can get it to pick up a gold ring from about 2 foot (air) but only get the depth on the TR setting. On VLF I can't get ground balance to do anything. Maybe it's just dirty internally?
Anyway overall I'm pretty happy with it, gave it a quick clean and I think it was $50 well spent.

 

[Redfin]

Make sure you take the battery loader out when not in use.

 

[Potbelly11]

Oh really, why is that? Corrosion?

 

[Redfin]

Yeah, the batteries leak after a while.

 

[Potbelly11]

Kewl thanks for the tip redfin

 

[Treadsoftly]

I still use my occasionally.

The toggle switch on the handle -
- hold it to the left for a moment this will put it into 'all metal' VLF mode,
- lower the coil towards the ground if the tone rises - you turn the top left ground knob left slowly (anticlockwise)
- lower the coil again towards the ground, if the tone increases repeat turning anticlockwise,
- if you go too far as you lower the coil towards the ground the tone will decrease,
(turn this knob slowly as you raise and lower the coil to the ground - it only has ten turns so you only need to turn the knob -say quarter of a turn each time)

--the idea is to turn the knob slowly till you get an even tone above ground and on the ground (so that there is no difference in the tone as you raise and lower the coil).This is manual ground balanced for the soil in the immediate area.

You may have to repeat the above as you move over the area you want to detect.

Holding the toggle switch on the handle to the right momentarily puts in into TR - discriminate mode.
The amount of 'discrim' is determined by the bottom right knob.
If you get a signal and want to try 'discrim'. After finding a target in all metal mode, flick the switch to the right (and release it) and then sweep over target, if it is a 'good' target you will get a rise in the signal response right over the target location, if not you will get a rising signal as you have sweep away from the target.

Be sure to flick the handle switch back to the left to get back into all metal mode after you have found you're target; otherwise the machine will sound off all over the place.

Bottom left knob is your threshold adjustment - move it till you get a smooth quiet tone, you can turn this up a little on windy days so you can hear the threshold hum.
Ideally you want it so you can just hear it (a smooth threshold tone)
The toggle switch bottom left, right beside the threshold knob is to aid in the threshold stability, I suggest you flick this to automatic, (this will help).

A great machine in low mineral soil, eg pipe clay heaps, she will find small gold (match head size, even a bit smaller). She will moan and complain in mineralised soil and you may have to turn the top right knob (the sensitivity) clockwise to reduce it's sensitivity so she can handle the soil. It doesn't take much calm her down, and you will not lose too much sensitivity.
Like all VLF machines they don't get the depth of a Pulse Induction detectors (depending on the mineralisation of the soil you are hunting in). A great detector (old school)
Enjoy it -

 

[Potbelly11]

Wow what a write up! Very much appreciated....

You do make it sound easy though

Now just gotta find time to give it a crack somewhere other than the back yard (misses has the Sh!ts, sick of the noise) haha

Tempted to buy the ads deep seeker off eBay $60 buy it now. Missing battery tray.

I really like this old banga!

 

[Coalminers Daughter]

I just found A2B at garage sale..he had $250 on it $ended up getting it for $200..we are w aiting for our Garrett 250 to arrive next week..have never done anything like this b4..can't wait to get into it....just looking for fun..at beach and park..Will let u know what happens..lol..probably only need the 1,so maybe will resell the A2B..see how we go

 

[Brad]

Some older prospectors used these for years right upto when the minelab SD models.
When I bought my deepseeker it was from a bloke that buys and restores older garrett detectors.
The parts for it might be hard to find now but if something breaks he might be able to find
What you need.
If tat happens PM me and I will give you his details if you want?
Greg

Need speaker in mine fixed in victoria

 

[grubstake]

Need speaker in mine fixed in victoria

Don't bother with that repair, mate. Back in the day we all used headphones with the these machines and I'd highly recommend that's what you do too.

 

[Hippyty79]

I bought one off these to hang in the bar, must have been tough running all those battery’s in the day.

 

[Valentina berko]

I have one of those mate, old school stuff but if you walk over a piece it will go off like a german band.
I have operating instructions in PDF format

https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...s/232/1379460931_ads-deepseeker-groundhog.pdf

Hi just wondering if someone can tell me what to set this garret at I have one and so hard to Se