Nexus 'Lets Keep It Simple'

I wanted to write a blog on this specific subject to explain the way I look upon the operation of Nexus detectors, I have 4 units and the mindset I'm about to explain is adopted when I use all my machines. Everything required to operate the machines correctly is on the interface, there's nothing more and nothing less. Nothing is automated so you're responsible for setting it up correctly and modifying it whilst you're out in the field, the machine is not going to do this for you. I repeat, nothing is automated so if the unit isn't running correctly then it's on you. 

The first thing to state is, "the machine isn't faulty or broken", initially when people start using it, if they have problems they tend to blame the machine. A regular quote is "The Machine Isn't Detecting Deep Items" or "My Machine Isn't Running Stable". Ok, so to answer the first statement, you clearly don't know what to listen out for when going for the deep targets, or you simply haven't walked over any, mesh into that that you haven't set it up right to go for the deeper stuff then the statement is easily explained. To answer the second statement, it's not running stable because YOU haven't set it up correctly, it's not the machine, the machine doesn't have a consciousness, when dialled in correctly it's super stable.

The setup and general operation is pretty much as simple as you can get, I'll use the V3 as the example, this is pretty much the same for all the machines. Set the threshold to a slightly audible level, leave the disc on zero with all low frequency coils and then ground balance, the LC-MC dial should be switched on and left alone, then you're ready to go. There are no secret settings, the threshold, depending on the coil you're using and the ground conditions, moves between "just audible" or "audible". The disc level only needs to be adjusted when you're using high frequency coils such as the silver scout. All units produced before January 2023 need the disc adjusted when using both the low frequency coils and the silver scouts.

If you're hunting in wet conditions the threshold level might need to be set lower, if you're hunting in wet conditions with larger more sensitive coils the threshold might need to be suppressed slightly as well. If you have what you perceive to be a small target/deep target, raising the threshold slightly can help to open the audio of the signal up so you can hear it better. If on a certain day due to the conditions you appear to be getting excess noise just lower the threshold slightly and check the ground balance. You've got to feel it and tap into your intuition here, remember that metal detecting is an art form. I've made two videos which I cover the setup of what I call the two modes, one is setup for deep hunting the other for hunting in iron trash. These videos can be watched through this link Nexus Standard MP V3 'Two Modes'

The problem that I see a lot with new Nexus users is over complication, what I mean by this is simple, they're trying to read too much into it. It doesn't matter what numbers the ground balance is set to - if the machine is balanced for your terrain then forget about the numbers, they're irrelevant. In regards to the RGB meter, don't get caught up in what colour is coming up and don't try to use it as some kind of a VDI thing, if you do then you're wasting your time. Yes ....... after some use you'll start to see patterns in what the RGB meter produces in comparison to what you're digging but don't look at it any deeper than that. It's not a VDI, get the digital ghost out of your head, this is a brave new world, welcome it with open arms.

I made a video a long time ago showing different targets and what colours they produce, I stated that this wasn't to be taken as gospel. I was simply showing how the V3 reacted to certain conductivities. Most Nexus users are only interested in one thing, is it ferrous? or is it non-ferrous? if you're solely digging targets based on the colour that comes up on the meter then you're going to be leaving treasure behind. The next common mistake is not understanding deep signals, as I've mentioned before, we can all walk along and dig the signals that blow your head off. The real skill comes in being able to hear and understand the really deep targets. 

Nexus will hit on targets at depths that no other VLF/IB machine has ever been capable of, these signals might be slight with an unorthodox meter response. But the beauty in Nexus is its ability to discriminate correctly at extreme depths. So once you master what deep signals sound like along with the meter response, if any, use the VCO to I.D it by tone. To understand what the VCO is telling you, at home 'in air', move both ferrous and non ferrous targets over the coil with VCO tones engaged. Move the targets far enough back from the coil that the VCO is just a whisper, do this on a regular basis until the tones you're hearing get embedded in your head. This means that when you're out in the field and you engage the VCO to I.D the deep targets, you know exactly what you're listening to. Look upon it as homework, you're learning something new ... right?

You have to understand the iron tone inside out and in your sleep, reason being, the VCO has a mid-tone that can be mistaken for an iron tone, if you're not paying attention this can be missed. The Nexus is a language and like any language you have to keep on revising it, master it until you know exactly what it's telling you. The machine is not your enemy it's your best mate and when you understand it then you will benefit from its performance. 

A lot of what I've described might sound like a load of crap and some might be thinking "I Don't Have To Do All This Shit With My Deus 2", and that might be correct but the Deus 2, along with all the tech units out there aren't anywhere near the performance of the Nexus. Yes you might have more settings to make the audio more enjoyable but that option isn't really going to find you more in the ground. 

Let us also remember that you can only find what's there, some people that buy Nexus expect to be digging super deep targets straight out the door. It just isn't that black and white, if there isn't any super deep targets then you're not going to find them. I've pointed out in the past that a vast majority of what you find with Nexus, most machines will detect, but there will be a percentage that will be out the reach of any other machine. You have to keep your expectations realistic, focus on mastering the machine then it ups your chances at hitting super deep targets because you understand exactly what to listen for. 

The Audio Is A Language 

In regards to using the VCO on iron contaminated sites, this has to be approached with a different mindset to when you're hunting for deeper/general targets using standard audio. In my head we are changing the V3 from an audio/visual machine into an audio only machine. Using the silver scout coils requires a slightly different set up procedure. You ground balance as normal and then you set the disc level that allows the machine to unmask at optimum levels. 

When out with the silver scout always take a few pieces of different sized iron with you, you want to disc the iron out with the VCO engaged then move the iron in front of the coil increasing the disc until you get a low tone. When this happens, back off the disc until you "JUST" get the high tone and tweak a tiny fraction until the low tone comes back - you're now ready to go. 

When hunting in VCO tones you suppress the threshold so you don't have any excess noise in the back ground, this will tighten the audio/signal response up so you don't get random squealing. Before you start hunting turn the LC-MC fully anti-clockwise to turn the RGB metre off, now begin your hunt using audio alone. You'll be surprised how you ears tune in on a completely different level as opposed to when you have the light meter engaged. The video below visually demonstrates what I've just explained. 

Next we have coil height and swing technique, Nexus doesn't work correctly scrubbing the coil on the ground as though you're giving the ground a shave. You can only do that with machines that are filtered to fuck. Nexus is wide open, breathing and fully aware of its environment, it hasn't been stifled and suffocated by tech to limit its reach, it has no technological shackles to hinder it. So to offset all these aspects a few simple techniques have to be adopted. The coil height varies depending on coil size and ground conditions, most of the time the machine will tell you what height to swing the coil at because it will be where the ground phase kicks in during the ground balance procedure. 

When setting up the "DEEP MODE", once the ground balance and coil height has been indicated 'through the audio of the machine', make sure you keep your swing at the correct height, keeping it slow and steady. If you're moving the coil up and down unintentionally you're going to get excess ground noise, you need to keep it slow, steady and level, find a nice relaxed rhythm. When you come across a target, lower the coil over the top slightly and start swinging, this will enable the machine to discriminate a lot better. When setting the "FAST MODE" up adopt exactly the same approach as I've just described but swing faster, you need to do this because you're using a fast recovery coil and it will allow the machine to operate at maximum performance for the terrain that you're hunting. 

So to conclude, when approaching Nexus, slow down and simplify your thought process, I keep saying that metal detecting is an intuitive art form, this has been lost in recent years due to the tech machines making it more about your eyes and taking all the thinking and "art" away. To me, all this is simply another example of technology hijacking the senses. Nexus amplifies your intuition and detecting becomes a very sensory experience, this needs to be embraced as opposed to questioned.