Q U A L I T Y
1236-X2
Fisher detec tors a re renowned for their qua lity.
In the Fisher tra dition, ea c h detec tor is ha nd c ra fted with pride
Silent, Discriminating Metal Detector
P E R F O R M A N C E
Trea sure Hunters worldwide rely on Fisher.
Our detec tors a re dura ble, dependa ble, a nd sea rc h deeper..
REPUTATION
Fisher produced the first patented metal detector in 1931. For
over 70 years, the Fisher logo has been a mark of excellence.
5 - YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
Fisher believes in the products we produce and backs this belief
with a 5 year limited warranty. Warranty may vary outside of the
United Sta tes. See your dea ler for deta ils
SERVICE
Fisher is committed to providing you, our valued customer, with
superior service. Each and every instrument is rigidly tested and
carefully inspected during assembly and before shipment. Should
you have any questions or problems, contact:
FISHER RESEARC H LABORATORY
200 West Willmott Road.,
Los Banos, California 93635
Tel 209.826.3292 Fax 209.826.0416
Operating Manual
F I S H E R R E S E A R C H L A B O R A T O R Y
FRL8704810-D
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ABOUT YOUR DETECTOR
SPECIFICATIONS
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 .
NOTES
1. Subject to improvement or modification without
notic e.
2. In Search Mode, the 1236-X2 operates under two
modes of discrimination. With the SILENCER off, it
operates in a classic 2nd derivative discrimination
mode that allows all pops, clicks and partial target
responsestobeheardformaximumtargetinformation.
With the SILENCER on, the 1236-X2 operates in 3rd
derivative SILENCER mode. This is especially useful for
eliminating noise in extremely trashy areas.
3. The Search Mode has a 416 Hz target response. The
Pinpoint Mode ha s a Volta ge C ontrolled Osc illa tor
(VC O) ta rget response tha t responds to the prec ise
location of a target with increasing volume and
pitc h.
4. A slight a udio threshold is provided in Sea rc h Mode
when the SENSITIVITY control is set to its maximum
setting. This a ids in detec ting the fa intest of ta rget
signa ls.
5. Approximate.
6. Electro-Static-Insulated to eliminate certain types
of fa lse signa ls.
Sensitivity Control: Along with a n inc rea se 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 fa intest of ta rget signa ls c a n be hea rd.
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.
7. The transmitter frequency is centered nominally at
5.7 KHz and is user adjustable from 5KHz to 5.9 KHz to
eliminate interference from nearby detectors.
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SPECIFICATIONS
ABOUT YOUR DETECTOR
Opera ting Modes
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.
Sea rc h (Motion Mode) ........................................VLF 2nd Deriva tive2
VLF 3rd Derivattive SILENCER MODE Discrimination2
Pinpoint (No-Motion Mode)............................................VLF All Meta l
3
Audio Response ................. Sea rc h Mode ............................... 416 Hz
Pinpoint Mode .............................................................................. VC O
Audio Threshold4............................................................................... Yes
Volume Control ................................................................................ Yes
Transmitter Frequency ...............................................................5.7 KHz
Length5 ......................Extended 55 inches .......Collapsed 46 inches
Weight6 ........................................................................................... 3 lbs.
No-Motion Pinpoint Mode With VCO Audio: At the push of a
button, the all-metal no-motion pinpoint mode kicks in with
VC O (Volta ge C ontrolled Osc illa tor) a udio response for prec ise
ta rget loc a ting. A loc a ted ta rget responds with inc rea sing
volume and pitch. The tone gets louder and higher, so there’s
virtually no doubt when you’re directly over a target.
Sea rc h C oil .......................... Type ................. C onc entric , C o-Pla na r
............................................... Diameter ...................................8 inc hes
6
............................................... Shielding ............................... 100%E.S.I.
VOLUME Control: For an extra measure of versatility, we’ve
inc luded a VOLUME c ontrol so you c a n set the a udio level to
suit your needs. You’ll no longer have to buy a special headset
with extra controls to adjust the audio level.
............................................... Interc ha ngea ble .............................. Yes
............................................... Waterproof........................................ Yes
............................................... C a ble Length................................7 feet
Sensitivity C ontrol ............................................................................. Yes
Discrimination Control ..................................................................... Yes
Frequenc y C ontrol7.......................................................................... Yes
Automatic Ground Rejection ........................................................ Yes
Ha ndle Mount................................................................................... Yes
Hip-Mount C onvertible
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.
Built-In Arm Rest & Detector Stand ................................................ Yes
Stereo Headphone Jack................................................................. Yes
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.
Ba tteries ........................................................................(2) 9V transistor
Ba ttery Life ............Carbon Zinc 20-30 hours .....Alkaline 40-50 hours
CE Compliant For Export
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Where To Use Your Metal Detector In The U.S.
ABOUT YOUR DETECTOR
Battery Test: A c onvenient ba ttery test switc h ha s 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
a udio tone with the intensity indic a ting the strength of the
battery. A low or absent audio tone indicates a weak or dead
ba ttery.
National Forest and Federal Lands—Meta l detec ting is a llowed
only by special permit acquired from the federal government.
Each area has a district office.
Corps of Engineers, Lakes, Shorelines and Lands—Permission has
been gra nted only on predisturbed sites, suc h a s bea c hes a nd
attached swimming areas. New Corps lakes and lands must be
okayed by the main office of the Army Corps of Engineers. Each
area has a district office.
Built with the latest high-tech digital and analog surface mount
circuitry, it all adds up to one great state-of-the-art metal
detec tor with loa ds of versa tile fea tures. Trea t it a s 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
State Parks and Lands—Some state parks are open to metal
detecting, but some are not. Always check with the park ranger
before attempting to use your detector.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lands—Some areas are
open for metal detecting, and some are not. Always check with
the district office.
City or County Park Lands—Most are open to metal detecting
unless notice is given by a sign or city ordinance. When in
doubt, always check with the city’s Parks and Recreation
Department.
Public School Grounds—Most are open to metal detecting
unless notice is given by a sign, city ordinance, law enforcement
official, or school employee. You should always check with the
school office first.
line. In the meantime...
Ha ppy Hunting!
Fisher Resea rc h La bora tory
Privately Owned Lands (Private Property)—Permission required.
And it is always best to have the permission in writing.
Historically Marked Lands or Sites—Metal detecting is not
allowed. Don’t even think about it.
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MAINTENANCE
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:
Your 1236-X2 doesn’t require a lot of care, but there are a few
things you should do to keep it in peak operating condition.
1. If you’re not going to be using it for awhile, take
the batteries out. Acid damage caused by leaking
ba tteries c a n be severe.
2. Avoid extreme temperatures, like inside a closed
car that’s sitting in the sun. Even worse, inside the
trunk in the hot sun.
3. If you “scrub” the search coil on the ground, you’ll
eventually wear through the bottom. Replacement
coils are expensive. Instead,
invest in a coil cover. They’re cheap.
4. Put a plastic bag over the control housing if you’re
hunting in ra in, fog or dust.
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 C ontrol to 5.
3. Set the DISC C ontrol to 4. As soon a s you set the
DISC control, your 1236-X2 is automatically tuned
a nd ground a djusted for sea rc hing.
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 detec t a target.
5. Keep your 1236-X2 dry and clean. Wipe off the
lower stem before sliding it into the upper stem and
keep the slip nut threads free of sand and dirt.
TREASURE HUNTER’S CODE OF ETHICS
LETS PRESERVE OUR TREASURED SPORT!
Laws governing the use of metal detectors are becoming
more and more common. In many countries, the use of metal
detectors is illegal or severely restricted. Don’t let this happen in
your a rea .
ALWAYS get permission to hunt on private property.
ALWAYS leave a site cleaner than you found it. Take at least
some trash with you or, if you can, take it all.
ALWAYS fill in your holes neatly whether you’re in a city park
or remote wildernessness. Leave the land as it was before you
disturbed it.
5. With practice you should be able to pinpoint in the
Search mode.
Set VOLUME to 5
Set
SENSITIVITY
Set
FREQUENCY
to 8
to 0 (c enter)
ALWAYS obey a ll la ws rela ting to Trea sure Hunting.
ALWAYS return va lua ble property if you c a n loc a te the origina l
owner.
ALWAYS do wha tever you c a n to give the hobby of Trea sure
Hunting the good image it needs and deserves.
23
Set DISC
to 4
Set SILENCER to ON
Figure 1. Recommended user setpoint locations.
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SETTING UP
BATTERY REPLACEMENT
Two9-volttransistorbatteriesarelocatedinseparatecompartments
at the rear of the housing of the 1236-X2. When it’s time to replace
the batteries, always replace both of them.
Your new 1236-X2 is just about ready to go, but take a look at
the following illustra tion before proc eeding.
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.
1. To open the battery compartments, press gently
down a nd out on the ba ttery door la tc h. The doors
are tethered; do not attempt to completely remove
them.
2. Tilt the housing gently a nd the ba tteries will slide
out.
3. Insert the new batteries. Make sure the contact
end goes in first and that you match the polarity
markings on the control housing.
4. To close, simply hook the lower edge of the battery
door over the inside of the battery compartment
a nd gently push shut.
C a ble c onnec tor a nd
battery compartments
(on back)
Sea rc h c oil
C ontrol
Housing
Speaker
C ontrol Pa nel
Sea rc h
c a ble
Hea dphone
Jack
Ha nd
grip
Arm rest
Sea rc h c oil
wing nut
Upper
Ha ndle
Lower stem
Lock nut
Velc ro® stra ps
Spring Lock
Built-in Detec tor
Sta nd
Battery replac ement is simple with the 1236-X2’s drop-in battery
c ompartments: just pop the doors open, slide the old batteries
out and drop the new ones in.
Figure 2. 1236-X2
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
a nd 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 ha ndle. The c oil a ngle is
a djusted by loosening the nylon wing nut on top
of the sea rc h c oil.
Figure 10. Battery replacement
NOTE: Your arm should be straight and relaxed
with the hand grip held c omfortably (not tight).
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FALSE SIGNALS
SETTING UP
5. Elongated Ferrous Objects: If you hea r two beeps
very close together and can’t find either one, you’re
probably over a nail or some other large object. But a
very shallow coin or a coin on edge will give the same
response. SOLUTIONS: In all cases, the target will be
between the beeps, or if you sweep a t right a ngles
to your original direction, you’ll receive a single beep
directly over the target (except for a very shallow
c oin.) One wa y to tell the differenc e between a
coin and a nail is to set the DISC control to the IRON
setting. Most small nails will be tuned out while most
coins will respond with a good, smooth signal.
6.Extremely Trashy Soil:May resultin a constantchatter
or“snap, crackleandpop”withassorted, hard-to-find
“goodsignals.”SOLUTIONS:Increasethediscrimination
level. An even better solution is to enga ge the
SILENCER feature, which virtually eliminates all signal
chatter in trashy areas. For even further improvement,
try the optional 5-inch soil. You’ll be able to zero in on
good targets much closer to junk.
Remember, the longer the shaft, the greater
the strain on your arm and wrist. The 1236-X2 is
balanc ed for c omfortable searc hing in a tight
semic irc le around the front of the operator.
4. Hand tighten the lock nut and search coil
a djusting wing nut.
5. With the stem length properly adjusted, wrap
the sea rc h c oil c a ble snugly a round the upper
ha ndle a nd sec ure it with velc ro stra ps. Lea ve just
enough slack near the coil to allow it to be tilted
completely backward and forward.
NOTE: A loose c able near the searc h c oil may
c ause false signals, but don’t wrap it so tightly that
it pulls against the housing or the c oil.
6. Rec onnec t the sea rc h c oil c a ble to the c ontrol
housing. Be c a reful not to c ross threa d it a nd
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 c oil is a bout 2” a bove (a nd pa ra llel 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.
7. Digging Tool: If you’re carrying a digging tool in
one hand, your 1236-X2 may sound off each time
you swing the c oil benea th it.
SOLUTION: Hold your digging tool behind your back
or up a bove your wa ist.
False signals may also occur in the No-Motion Pinpoint mode.
When in this mode (with the PINPOINT button pushed), the 1236-
X2 detects all metals, so you may pinpoint a piece of nearby junk
instead of a good target. For this reason you should always recheck
your target area after recovering any target to make sure that
you haven’t missed anything.
You may also receive false pinpointing signals in highly mineralized
soil. In this case, it is important to keep the coil parallel to the ground
a nd a t lea st a n inc h a bove it.
Figure 3.
Sea rc h position
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BODY or HIPMOUNTING
FALSE SIGNALS
1. Disconnect the search coil cable from the
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
c oil will a lso sound good oc c a siona lly.
c ontrol housing a nd unwind a ll but the la st 12
inches or so from the upper handle. Secure the
lower end of the c a ble with a Velc ro® stra p a t
least 12 inches up from the coil.
2. Remove the control housing from the hand grip
by holding the grip with one ha nd a nd sliding the
housing towa rd you with the other.
3. Atta c h your belt to the c ontrol housing by
slipping it through the slots on the underside of the
c ontrol housing.
4. Rec onnec t the sea rc h c oil c a ble to the c ontrol
housing.
5. The control housing can also be mounted on
on the optiona l Fisher C hest Ha rness. It is espec ia lly
important that the cable connector be installed
tightly (ha nd tightened only) to prevent fa lse
signals during body-mount use.
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:
Note:
For belt mounting, left handers should wear the
housing on their right hip and right handers should
wear it on their left hip.
Onc e removed from the stem, the c ontrol box
c an be hip or c hest mounted leaving only the
stem and searc h c oil to swing.
1. De te c tor Inte rfe re nc e : C a use d by ne a rby
metal detectors operating at the same (or close)
frequency. SOLUTION: Adjust the FREQUENCY control
to the left or right of zero.
2. Elec tric al Interferenc e: C a use d by ra dio/TV
stations, power lines, etc. SOLUTIONS: Move further
away, lower the sensitivity, reduc e the sweep speed.
Try changing the FREQUENCY control position. Wrap
the search coil cable tightly around the stem.
3. Highly Mineralized Soil: Usua lly c a uses c onsta nt
static or good target sounds. SOLUTIONS: Lower
the sensitivity, increase the discrimination. Raise the
sea rc h c oil until fa lse signa ls disa ppea r a nd sweep
a t tha t height.
4. Wet Sand: Same as highly mineralized soil.
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OPERATING TIPS
CONTROL FUNCTIONS
1. We’ve already said it, but it bears repeating: TAKE
1. SILENCER: When the toggle switch is flipped ON,
YOUR TIME AND OVERLAP YOUR SWEEPS.
the 1236-X2 runs in the 3rd derivative SILENCER
discriminationmode,eliminatingtheannoying“pops”
and “clicks” heard when searching in extremely
2. Use good headphones. You won’t miss faint
targets, you won’t attract unwanted attention and
you won’t bother others.
trashy areas. Flipping it to OFF, the
1236-X2 runs
3. Practice pinpointing. There’s nothing sacred
about the methods described in this manual. Many
1236-X2 users have developed their own pinpointing
methods.
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 c onduc tive objec ts a nd tra sh
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.
4. Always BURY A COIN when working in unfamiliar
territory, and check it at different discrimination and
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
ha ving trouble with a ny a spec t of its opera tion
(pinpointing, searching, false signals, etc.) go back
and reread the part of this manual relating to your
problem.
Note: The DISC C ontrol has no effec t in PINPOINT
mode.
3. SENSITIVITY: This c ontrol a djusts sensitivity to ta rgets
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 trashy soil.
At a setting of 10, a slight amount of audio threshold
is provided so the faintest of targets c an be heard. At
the BATTERY setting, a battery test tone is sounded.
A loud tone indic a tes good ba tteries. A fa int tone
6. If a ta rget gives a strong response in the sea rc h
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
ta rget, dig it up.
4
5
6
3
2
1
7
Figure 5. C ontrol pa nel
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TARGET RECOVERY
CONTROL FUNCTIONS
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.
Onc e you ha ve pinpointed a ta rget, your objec tive is to rec over
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.
5. FREQUENCY: This c ontrol c ha nges the opera ting
frequency of the 1236-X2 to eliminate interference
from nearby detectors. Set it at 0 for normal
operation. To eliminate signal interference (usually a
pulsing or “motor boating” sound) simply increase it
(+) or lower it (-) slightly. Do not opera te a t a higher
or lower frequency level than necessary as you may
experience a slight loss of depth in highly mineralized
ground.
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:
Whic hever tool or method you c hoose, remember that responsible
tre a sure hunte rs ta ke p rid e in the ir a b ility to le a ve soil a nd
vegetation intac t and undamaged.
6. HEADPHONES: This jack accepts most stereo and
mono headphones with quarter inch plugs. Set your
hea dphone to stereo.
RECOVERY TOOLS
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, you may get interference 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 a nother noninterferenc e position. Do not a djust
the FREQUENCY Control while the PINPOINT button
is pushed in.
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 jac k knife without a loc king 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
trea sure hunter, a nd spec ia lly designed sa nd sc oops
are available for beachcombing.
5. A thin, dull probe is the preferred tool for prec ise
ta rget loc a tion.
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PINPOINTING IN MOTION SEARCH MODE
DISCRIMINATION POINTS
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 differenc e will be tha t 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 signa l before you stop it.
By adjusting the DISCRIMINATION Control, you will be able to ignore
(or “reject”) small pieces of metallic trash and ground minerals
while detec ting va lua ble ta rgets. The lowest setting a t whic h
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
piec es of foil on the ground 1 to 2 feet a pa rt.
2. Turn the 1236-X2 on by turning the VOLUME control clockwise
to 5.
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 c oil until the signa l is just ba rely hea rd.
b. Reduc e the sensitivity level.
3. Set the SENSITIVITY Control to 8.
4. Set the FREQUENCY Control to 0.
c. Increase the discrimination level.
d. Rest the coil on the ground and move it back
a nd forth very slowly.
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.)
2. For very weak signals try the following:
a. Move the c oil c loser to the ground.
b. Inc rea se the sensitivity level.
c. Decrease the discrimination level.
d. Speed up the sweep ra te slightly.
7. Hold the sea rc h c oil a bout 2 inc hes a bove a nd pa ra llel 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.
1. Minimum Depth
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
usua lly disa ppea r if the sea rc h c oil is ra ised slightly. (wherea s, the
strong signal of a good target will usually get weaker when the
sea rc h c oil is ra ised.)
a. Very slow or very fa st sweep speed.
b. Discrimination set at 10.
2. Good Depth
a. Modera te sweep speed.
b. Discrimination set at 5.
3. Maximum Depth
a. Modera te sweep speed.
b. Discrimination set at 10.
4. Missed ta rget
1
2
3
4
Figure 9. Search coil
detec tion pa ttern
NOTE:
Many targets within the range of your 1236-X2 will not be
detec ted unless you c losely overlap your swings.
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PINPOINTING
DISCRIMINATION POINTS
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 a pply. The VC O (Volta ge C ontrolled Osc illa tor) c irc uitry
indic a tes the presenc e of a ta rget by inc rea sing both the
volume and frequency of the audio output. By depressing the
Pinpoint push-button, prec ise ta rget loc a tion is a sna p.
NO-MOTION PINPOINT MODE
1. Onc e the presenc e of a buried ta rget is indic a ted
by the “beep-beep” simply place the coil 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 a s the c oil is ra ised.)
2. Raise the coil 1/2 inch or so and move it side to
side across the target areas a few times.
Figure 6. Typical 1236-X2 audio reponses (with silencer off) for 2-inch deep targets with
sea rc h c oil sweeping 1 to 2 inc hes a bove ground
3. Stop the search coil over the spot where you
rec eive 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
ta rget should be direc tly below the “Hot Spot” of
the sea rc h c oil.
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.
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 a ble to tell the differenc e between a la rge
target and a small coin sized object.
6. For quick and accurate pinpointing of strong
signa ls, pla c e the c oil on the ground very c lose to
the approximate target area and push and hold the
PINPOINT button. You have now “tuned out” most of
the ta rget signa l so tha t when you ra ise the c oil for
pinpointing you will only rec eive a response direc tly
over, or very nea rly over, the ta rget.
11. The diagram above shows some different target responses
you may expect at different levels of discrimination. Note that as
you increase the discrimination level, you progressively eliminate
more targets, including some good ones, such as nickels and
gold rings.
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SEARCHING
Nowcomesthefunpartifyoufollowafewsimplerules.Goodsearch
techniques are every bit as important as a good detector.
SEARCHING
within its ra nge a nd you c a n insta ntly inc rea se 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. Keepthesearchcoilmovingatacomfortablerate.
Remember that the 1236-X2 is a motion detector and
responds only when the sea rc h c oil (or the ta rget) is
moving while in the Search mode.
6. Keep the c oil pa ra llel to, a nd a s c lose to the
ground a s possible. Keep the sea rc h c oil pa ra llel to,
a nd a s c lose to the ground a s 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. The figure below shows the search coil detection
pa ttern a nd how it is a ffec ted by sweep speed,
discrimination level and overlapping sweeps in the
Search mode.
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
situa tion, but sta rt out a t 8.
NOTE: As a general rule, turn your sensitivity down
to reduc e exc essive false signals c aused by highly
mineralized ground or interferenc e c aused 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.
a. In rela tively non-tra shy 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
Figure 8. The 1236-X2 is
ba la nc ed for sweeping in
a tight semicircle. Always
overla p your sweeps by a t
least 50% or you’ll miss a lot
of the deeper ta rgets
Figure 7. Keep the
sea rc h c oil pa ra llel
a nd a s c lose to the
ground a s possible.
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