TUNING
Since the most troublesome adjustments of standard detectors have been automated in the Sabre, the tuning procedure for this detector is simply a matter of selecting the desired operating mode, setting the sensitivity level, and the discriminate levels.
If you select the discriminate mode, you should begin operation with the sensitivity control set at the preset mark.
In most situations you are likely to encounter, you will be able to operate at this setting. If there are sources of electrical interference present, or if the area is extremely trashing or mineralized, your detector may give some false signals. These signals are generally short, choppy sounds which can easily be distinguished from a good target response. Turning down the Sensitivity control will eliminate most of these signals, if necessary. It may also be possible in some areas to increase the sensitivity setting.
SEARCH MODE SELECTION AND TUNING
The Royal Sabre offers two basic operating modes. Pinpoint (all metal) or Discriminate. The discriminate mode also has the further capability of using notch discrimination or surface blanking.
- PINPOINT MODE. This mode is useful for relic, cache, or nugget hunting, since it is an all metal mode. The ground rejection is initially preset so that normal soil mineralization is lightly positive. This means the threshold sound will increase somewhat as the searchcoil is lowered to the ground. The automatic tuning should keep the detector tuned to threshold as you are using it, but by momentarily pushing the mode switch to the fast tune position, the detector can instantly be brought to threshold. All other features of the detector, such as notch tone target ID, notch filter, and surface blanking are not operative when the unit is in the pinpoint mode. The audio sound is always the lower of the two notch tones when in pinpoint mode.
- DISCRIMINATE MODE. The discriminate mode is motion based, and requires that the searchcoil be moving slightly for target detection. There is no threshold sound present as in the pinpoint mode. The notch tone target ID features works in the discriminate mode even if the notch mode switch is in the off position. The notch level control setting determines whether a target indication is a high or low tone. All Targets with phrase response below the notch level setting will be represented by the lower tone 'beep', those higher than the notch level setting by a higher tone 'beep'.
We recommend setting the sensitivity control at the preset mark (7) when beginning to search a new area in discriminate mode. If the detector seems to have a lot of 'chirpy' sounds or false signals, turn the sensitivity control down slightly until the source of interference is overcome and the detector will operate smoothly. Note that in very large trash areas, some clicking or chirpy sounding false signals will be caused by the heavy concentrations of metallic trash or by very large iron objects. In relatively clean areas, it may be possible to increase the sensitivity setting.
When the Notch mode switch is in the off position, the amount of trash rejection is controlled by the Discriminate Level Control. With the Disc Level Control set at about 2 or 3, the detector should reject foil and ferrous targets, while detecting those targets whose phase response is higher than foil. As the control is increased, more of the remaining targets are rejected. With the control increased to about 6 or 7, all of the targets are rejected except the penny and quarter. Note that at this level, the nickel and small gold ring are also rejected as bad targets. Since small gold items may have a phase response as low as foil, you can see that operating a normal discriminator at the pulltab reject level can also cause you to miss a lot of valuable finds. The Notch Filter in the Royal Sabre can help you overcome this inherent problem of normal discriminators.
- NOTCH DISCRIMINATION. In the Notch Reject Mode, the response of the detector can be more closely controlled. The Discriminate Level Control is used to set the lower cutoff level, for example to eliminate ferrous targets, foil, and steel bottlecaps. The Notch Filter is then used to reject the narrow band of targets containing pulltabs.
The Notch width is factory set to cover the range most common pulltabs and lift rings would fall into, but some peculiar tabs may still be detected. if pulltabs have been chopped or mutilated by a lawnmower, the pieces may be detected as nickels, and of course, some valuable items may have the same phrase response as pulltabs and be rejected. Still, the Notch Filter allows detection of nickels and small gold rings while rejecting almost all of the pulltab signals. The Notch Level should always be set higher than the Disc Level.
NOTE: It is possible to adjust the width of the Notch Filter, but we recommend for best results to leave it set as it comes from the factory. If it becomes necessary to readjust the Notch Width to suit particular circumstances, contact your dealer for details.
The Notch Accept Mode allows the detector to respond only to a narrow band of targets. This may be useful if you are searching for a particular target, such as a lost ring or a treasure hunt token. It is also useful to help you classify or identify a target before digging.
The control panel decal is labeled to show the approximate location where some objects respond to Disc Level and Notch Level settings.
Each detector can vary somewhat due to manufacturing tolerances, so you should experiment with your detector and become familiar with the rejection levels for these trash items with your detector.
Earlier motion detectors that operated with "threshold" sound would give the user a definite indication of metallic trash by either nulling completely or by generating short, choppy sounds. Since the Royal Sabre operates without threshold, there is no nulling to indicate that the area is extremely trashy, but under such circumstances the detector will probably also emit some short chirpy sounds. These are easy to distinguish from the good target's longer, cleaner sound.
Since the notch filter response is like a 'window', the notch level must be centered on the desired targets, rather than just set higher than the target. The preset mark at '6' on the notch level is an ideal starting point to provide pulltab rejection while still finding nickels. It will probably be necessary to make some small correction up or down to accurately center the notch response on the pulltab range.
When the notch level is correctly adjusted all three types of pulltabs are within the window. The notch width is set to be just wide enough to eliminate the response to most common tabs. The aluminum screw cap is so close to the response of coins, that we feel it's best to not include it in the notch. The targets in the shaded area would be rejected by a properly adjusted notch level in the notch reject mode.
If the notch level were set too high, the window would not include the complete unbent older style pulltabs, and may start to eliminate pennies.
If the notch level were set too low, the notch window may eliminate the nickel, and the newer style of lift ring tab would be detected.
Beginning operation in the notch reject mode with the notch level control set at the preset mark should put the window reasonably close to the desired response. If you begin to find the complete older style pulltab, you should turn the notch level down slightly, and continue searching. If you are finding the newer style lift rings which have been torn off the cans, it's signal to raise your notch level slightly.
No matter which way you adjust the level, do it in very small steps, since this setting is fairly critical.
When searching in notch discriminate, if you have trouble identifying whether a target is high tone or low, momentarily push the battery test switch. The battery test is always the high tone. Also the pinpoint mode is always the low tone. Comparing these tones to the target sound will help you identify the target sound.
- SURFACE BLANKING. In this mode of operation, the response to shallow, good targets is eliminated, so that the detector will respond only to deeper targets which, in the case of coins, may be older, and more valuable. The Surface Blanking toggle switch is used to turn this features on and off. The approximate depth of the blanking circuit is adjusted by the Blank Depth control.
When the blanking features is being used, and set for 2", coins and other good targets that are within the first two inches of the surface are rejected, and only good target which are more than 2" deep are detected. The calibrations on the panel are approximations of blanking depth for coin sized objects which are directly below the coil. As with a depth indicating meter, targets detected near the front or back of the searchcoil will not give as strong a signal, so will be apparently deeper to the circuitry.
Obviously, not all deeper targets are more valuable, and not all shallow targets are valueless. You should exercise great care in using this mode for searching an unfamiliar location. This mode is useful to get an idea of target depth, however, since it can easily be switched off for searching and switched on for checking depth.
FIELD USE
The detector should be held in a position that is comfortable for you. Swing the detector from side to side in about a three foot arc, overlapping succeeding strokes well. This motion is called a “sweep.” The Royal Sabre Plus was designed to get maximum depth without the frantic pace required of earlier motion detectors, so go at a pace that is comfortable for you. An easy pace is preferred. In fact, trying to hunt too fast in Discriminate may even cause a loss of depth in heavily mineralized locations.
It would be helpful to bury some coins and trash metal junk items in an area that you know is clear of other metal objects, and then try the unit in its various modes. Check the area in All Metal Mode first to be sure its clear of trash then bury the targets at least a foot apart, and from 2 to 6 inches deep to start. Make a map of the test bed to be sure you know what each target is and how deep it is. Practice on these targets to familiarize yourself with your detector’s target response. This will also help you learn the proper sweep rate for best operation.
In ALL METAL mode operation, keep the detector tuned so that there is a slight threshold buzzing of sound. This is easy to do because ground minerals do not affect the All Metal mode if properly adjusted. Regardless of which mode you are using try to keep the coil height constant and close to the ground. Most people tend to raise the coil at the end of a sweep, much like a pendulum, especially if they are hurrying. Try to avoid this, as any increase in height will cause a corresponding loss of depth.
In areas with well kept lawns, the easiest way to maintain a constant searchcoil height is to allow the coil to rest on the grass as you sweep from side to side. In rough and rocky areas it is best not to “scrub” the coil on the ground, as the rocks will act like abrasives, and wear away the coil housing. Should wear through occur, it will usually destroy the searchcoil beyond repair, so it is always best to keep a scuff cover on the coil, they are available from your dealer. Sweep the coil as close to the ground as possible without touching. Hitting the ground or rocks may cause a false signal much like a desired target would. The higher you hold and sweep the coil above the ground the less depth you'll be able to obtain.
When operating in the Discriminate Mode, some “false signals” may be caused by heavy concentrations of trash metal objects, by very large trash items, or by electrical interference. These signals will sound different than good target signals because they are generally short, choppy sounds. At the end of your sweep, as you the reverse the coil direction, the detector 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 at the exact spot with each sweep. The second method is to switch to 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. Raising the coin an inch or two ill also many times cause surface trash to suddenly disappear, while good target responses just become fainter.
If the trash in an area is so heavy that you are getting lots of choppy sounding false signals, it might be good to change to a smaller coil. If this isn't feasible, you can probably get better results by slowing down your sweep speed, and using shorter sweeps. It would be good to hunt the area twice, the second time at right angles to the first time. This technique will probably allow detection of some targets that were hidden by trash the first time due to the sweep direction.
If there is any doubt whether a target is good or not, DIG IT.
If you don’t dig any junk at all, you are surely passing up a lot of good finds as well. Set the DISC LEVEL only high enough to suit the conditions where you are searching.
The Royal Sabre is furnished with an 8" concentric searchcoil with an open center. This coil will yield the best results for most coin hunting situations. Pinpointing is greatly simplified by an open center, since you can now see the actual spot on the ground where you will dig instead of locking your eyes on the coil center and trying not to follow the coil as you move it out of the way. Optional coils of 4", 7", and 11" are available to allow you to tailor the response of your detector to suit special situations.
The 4" and 7" coils are useful for coinshooting in extremely trashy locations, and can actually greatly increase your number of good finds under such conditions, although some loss of depth will be experienced. The smaller coil will allow you to detect coins and other good targets much closer to surface trash items. The 11" coil will yield about an extra inch in depth in most areas, and is an excellent coinshooting coil in relatively clean areas. The increased surface area makes pinpointing a little more difficult, and allows trash to hide the good targets a little easier. The 11" coil is also an excellent relic hunting coil and can provide greatly increased depth on larger targets, especially in the All Metal mode where surface junk won't hide the deep targets.
PINPOINTING
The sweep speed of the Royal Sabre is slow enough to allow pin-pointing in the Discriminate Mode, but will require a little more practice. Move the coil slowly from side to side and then from front to back over the target. Raising the coil slightly and slowing the sweep speed will narrow down the detection area enough that it's easy to tell where the coil center is at the instant of the sound.
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. In fact, you will be looking at the exact spot in the ground where you want to dig, because of the open coil center.
The easiest way to pinpoint for most people will be to switch to the Pinpoint Mode, since no motion is required. To pinpoint a target that doesn't saturate the audio, just move the coil forward and back, and side to side until you get the strongest sound. The target will be directly below the coil center. If the audio saturates over a large area, simply push the mode switch to the retune position momentarily over the area to retune the detector. This will narrow its field of response to allow you to once again seek the area of strongest response. It may be necessary to retune more than once with this technique. With a moderate amount of automatic tuning, the detector itself will be attempting to tune back to threshold, which automatically narrows down its area of strongest target response.
BATTERY REPLACEMENT
The Royal Sabre Plus is provided with a manual battery test features so that you can always be sure that you are getting top performance from it. The batteries should be checked after the detector has been on for about 10 minutes, and then periodically as you are using it for long periods. To activate the Battery Test, simply push the Surface Blanking switch to the Batt Test position. The detector should beep loudly if the batteries are still fresh. As they grow weak, so will the audio sound in the Batt Test position. When the sound becomes just a buzz, or isn't there anymore, it's time for new batteries.
To replace batteries, remove the control housing from the pole, and pull the large knobs on the battery door on the front of the unit. The entire door will pop off. Remove the two battery packs one at a time by disconnecting the clip leads, and remove the batteries from the pack. Replace the batteries into the pack. Slide the pack back into the detector, making sure the observing the polarity indicators on both the battery pack and batteries. Replace the pack in the detector and fasten the clip lead, taking care to ensure that the clip leads fit tight on the battery pack. When both packs have been changed, replace the battery door by putting it in place and depressing both nylatch fasteners to lock them in place.
Should you desire to do so, rechargeable Nickel-Cadmium batteries can be substituted for the standard AA penlight cells. Individual AA size cells are readily available at most electronic stores, as well as the chargers for them, and they can be inserted into the standard holders used in the Toltec. The initial battery test reading will be lower than normal, but will not drop as fast with use, until the batteries are completely discharged.
GENERAL CARE AND USE
If the detector is to be stored for a long period of time, it is best to remove the battery pack from the detector. This will prevent internal damage to the detector if the batteries should leak.
The searchcoil is waterproof and may be submerged in either fresh or salt water. Caution should be exercised to prevent water from entering the chassis, where it could damage the electronic circuitry. After the coil is used in salt water, the coil and lower stem assembly should be rinsed well with fresh water to prevent corrosion of the metal parts. When used in the body mount configuration, you should not allow the cable connectors to be submerged. Several waterproof adapters are available through your dealer which will allow you to waterproof the connection between the searchcoil and extender cable connectors.
There are several good books to help the beginner learn how to use the detector, where to search and how to recover a target without damaging the environment. A good coin shooter can recover a lot of finds and leave the area looking as though he had never been there. Above all, always fill your holes when you have recovered the target.
TESORO Metal Detectors are sold through independent dealers, who are almost always treasure hunters themselves. They can provide you with you much needed information about how to use your detector, how to probe, plug and dig in your locale, and answer most of your questions about treasure hunting in general.
The use of earphones will benefit you in two ways. Most earphones will very effectively block out most of the ambient noise, such as traffic noise and wind noise, which will enable you to better hear the fainter signals caused by the deeper targets. Obviously, the older, more valuable coins will probably be deeper than the ones which were lost last week, so you should take advantage of anything that will help you hear the weaker signals. Secondly, using earphones will greatly extend the battery life, since it takes much less power to operate them. The Diablo is not equipped with a volume control, but does have a limiting circuit in the earphone jack. If less volume is desired with earphones, you may want to use earphones with a built in volume control. Any good 8 or 16 ohm set with 1/4 inch stereo jack will do.
HAPPY HUNTING, and thank you for purchasing a TESORO.
WARRANTY SERVICE
Your Tesoro metal detector is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty, the terms of which are listed below. If your metal detector should require service, you may return it to the Tesoro factory, or tone of the factory authorized service centers. Contact the factory for the name and address of the nearest service center.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the factory.
LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary from state to state.
This instrument is warranted to be free of defects in material and workmanship as long as it is owned by the original consumer purchaser. This warranty is not transferable, and is valid only if the warranty registration card has been completed and mailed within 10 days of purchase.
During the first two years, TESORO will, at its option, repair or replace any instrument covered by this warranty, without charge, except for transportation charges, at its factory in Prescott, Arizona, or at one of its authorized repair centers. After two years from date of purchase, TESORO will replace defective parts at no charge except a nominal labor change and transportation charges.
This warranty excludes batteries, damage caused by leaky batteries, cable breakage due to flexing on body mount units, and wear of the searchcoil housing. Also excluded are instruments which have been abused, altered, or repaired by an unauthorized party.
If warrant service should be necessary, contact the factory for nearest repair center.