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1225-X
Automatic Metal Detector
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
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CONTENTS About Your 1225-X ................................................................... pg. 1 Setting Up ..................................................................................pg. 2 Control Functions ...................................................................... pg. 4 Discrimination Points ................................................................ pg. 5 Searching ..................................................................................pg. 7 Pinpointing ..
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ABOUT YOUR DETECTOR Your 1225-X was designed to do one thing well: find good, deep targets in trashy or mineralized soil with a minimal amount of hassle. Here’s how it does it... VLF-SLOW MOTION DISCRIMINATION. In the search mode, your 1225-X will simultaneously ignore minerals and trash as it detects valuable targets. Unlike earlier motion discriminators, you won’t have to whip it back and forth but, you will have to keep it moving at least slightly. ZERO MOTION PINPOINTING. A push-but
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SETTING UP The 1225-X comes to you just about ready to use. The only adjustment required is the angle of the search coil. Take a look at Figure 1 and familiarize yourself with the parts of the 1225-X before proceeding. 1. Unpack your new 1225-X carefully. Save the carton and inserts they may come in handy in the future for storage or shipment. 2. Slip the lower stem into the upper stem. 3. Adjust the stem length (using the locknut) and the coil angle (using the nylon wing nut) so that
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SETTING UP Battery Access Waterproof Search Coil (not shown) Search Coil Cable Connector Cable (not shown) Control Housing Hand Grip Cable Strain Relief Padded Arm Rest Lock Nut Nylon Wing Nut Adjustable Lower Stem Upper Stem Figure 1. Fisher 1225-X Straight arm, grip not too tight, search coil close to and parallel to the ground. Remember, as you increase the shaft length, you also increase the strain on your wrist and arm. Figure 2. Search Position 3
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CONTROL FUNCTIONS 1. DISC: This control turns the power on and automatically tunes the 1225-X for instant operation. All types of metal are detected at the zero level while the most pieces of trash are rejected at ten. The DISC control has no effect when the PINPOINT button is pushed in. 2. SENS: Normally set at ten, this control adjusts the 1225-X sensitivity to targets and ground minerals. The higher the setting, the deeper you’ll detect. However you will also pick up more false signa
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DISCRIMINATION POINTS By adjusting the DISC (“Discrimination”) control, you will be able to ignore or (“reject”) small pieces of metallic target trash and ground minerals while detecting valuable targets. The lowest setting at which an object is rejected is reffered 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 pieces
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DISCRIMINATION POINTS 8. Some objects will cause sharp static or “ticking” when rejected. This is a perfectly normal response indicating that the powerful discrimination circuitry of the 1225-X is doing the job. 9. 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 able to tell the difference between a large target and a small coin-sized object. 10. The following chart shows some different
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SEARCHING Now comes the fun part - if you follow a few simple rules. Good search techniques are every bit as important as a good detector. 1. The 1225-X has two operating modes. The “Search” mode is activated simply be turning the unit on. This is a “VLF-Motion Discrimination” mode which 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.
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SEARCHING 7. Search in a methodical manner sweeping in a tight semicircle. Pay close attention to where you’re going and where you’ve been. 8. TAKE YOUR TIME. If you walk too fast you can’t overlap your sweeps and you’ll miss a lot of ground. If you sweep too fast, you’ll lose sensitivity and miss the faint tone which will disappear as soon as the coil is raised. 9. The diagram below shows the search coil detection pattern and how it is affected by sweep speed, discrimination level and
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PINPOINTING ZERO MOTION PINPOINT MODE The pinpoint mode requires no tuning, no motion, detects all metals and in normal soil it’s even more sensitive than the search mode. Precise target location is a snap. 1. Once the presence of a buried target is identified by the “beep beep” of the 1225-X, 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 as the coil
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PINPOINTING PINPOINTING IN MOTION SEARCH MODE Pinpointing in the search mode will take a little practice but you may find that for most targets, it’s even quicker than the Zero Motion Pinpointing Mode. Simply use the same procedure as in steps 2 through 5 above. The only difference will be that 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 signal before you stop it. 1. For
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TARGET RECOVERY Once you have pinpointed a target, your objective is to recover it quickly and neatly, leaving 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. Generally speaking, beachcombers do little if any damage to the environment while recovering targets. However, if you
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RECOVERY TOOLS 1. A heavy duty, blunt screwdriver is commonly used by expert Treasure Hunters. 2. A sturdy hunting knife with a 5” 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 pocket knife without a blade lock 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
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OPERATING TIPS 1. We’ve already said it but it bears repeating: TAKE YOUR TIME AND OVERLAP YOUR SWEEPS. 2. Use good headphones. You won’t miss faint targets, you won’t attract unwanted attention and you won’t bother others. 3. Practice pinpointing. There’s nothing sacred about the methods described in this manual. Many 1225-X users have developed their own pinpointing methods. 4. Always bury a coin when working in unfamiliar territory and check it at different discrimination and sensi
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FALSE SIGNALS A “false signal” occurs when something that shouldn’t, sounds like a good target. Your 1225-X 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 kind of bottle caps and pull tabs. Small pieces of trash less than 2 inches from the search coil will also sound good occasionally. So what do you do about false signals? Well, 9
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FALSE SIGNALS between the beeps, or if you sweep at right angles to your original direction, you’ll receive a single beep directly over the target (except for the very shallow coin). One way to tell the difference between a coin and a nail is to set your discrimination at about 5. Most small nails will be tuned out while most coins will respond with a good, smooth signal. 6. EXTREMELY TRASHY SOIL: May result in a constant chatter or “snap, crackle and pop” with assorted, hard-to-find go
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BATTERY REPLACEMENT Two nine volt transistor batteries are located in separate compartments at the rear of the housing. When it’s time to replace batteries, always replace both of them. 1. To open, press gently down and out on the battery door latch. The doors are hinged, do not attempt to completely remove them. 2. Tilt the housing gently and the batteries will slide out. 3. Insert the new batteries. Make sure the contact end goes in first and that you match the polarity markings on
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MAINTENANCE Your 1225-X 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 batteries can be severe. 2. Avoid extreme temperatures like the inside of a closed car sitting in the sun. Even worse, inside the trunk of a car. 3. If you “scrub” the search coil on the ground, you’ll eventually wear through the bottom. Replacement
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Where To Use Your Metal Detector In The U.S. National Forest and Federal Lands—Metal detecting is allowed 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 granted only on predisturbed sites, such as beaches and 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. State Parks and Lands
