1. PARK
This search mode is intended for use in sites that have a large number of targets in close proximity to one another. These can either be good targets or trash. Remember, trash can be either ferrous; i.e., iron or non-ferrous; i.e., aluminum, tin foil, etc. in nature. The recovery speed (how quickly the detector resets after passing over a target so it can detect another one) is faster than the FIELD mode which helps separate targets from one another. Specific functions that can be fine-tuned based on the specific site conditions in PARK mode include:
- Notch Discrimination
- Tones (# or Pitch)
- Tone Break Points
- Iron Sensitivity
- Discrimination Sensitivity
2. FIELD
This search mode is intended for use in sites where targets are more spread out and unwanted targets are typically ferrous in nature (iron). While the recovery speed is a little slower than the PARK mode, it is slightly deeper in terms of detection depth and offers improved Target ID stability. Specific functions that can be fine-tuned based on the specific site conditions in FIELD mode include:
- Notch Discrimination
- Tones (# or Pitch)
- Tone Break Points
- Iron Sensitivity
- Discrimination Sensitivity
3. WET SANDS / SALTWATER
These search modes are intended to be used on saltwater beaches that have black sand present or when the coil is fully submerged under saltwater. The WET SAND mode can also be used on freshwater beaches if the sand is mineralized as you get to where the sand is wet from wave action. They offer two distinct tones – a low tone and a high tone – in addition to the Target ID value displayed on the screen to aid in identifying targets before you recover them. If you are hunting the dry sand section of a beach, either the PARK or FIELD search modes will be the preferred search mode due to the additional functions available. The WET SAND and SALTWATER search modes are designed to be used under specific conditions that challenge many other detectors and offer notably enhanced performance. Specific functions that can be fine-tuned based on the specific site conditions in WET SAND and SALT WATER modes include:
- Notch Discrimination
- Tone Break Points
- Iron Sensitivity
- Discrimination Sensitivity
4. GOLD 1 & GOLD 2
This search mode operates differently than the other search modes on the Q30 series. Rather than operating silently until a target is detected, a background threshold will be heard as you sweep the search coil over the ground. On larger targets or those just under the surface, you will be alerted by an audio “beep” much the way you would in one of the other search modes. On smaller targets or those that are extremely deep which is how most gold is found, the response is often just a slight increase in the threshold signal that repeats as you pass back-&-forth over the target. This is the most sensitive of the search modes on the G30 series but does take some practice to ensure you are getting the most out of the detector when it has been selected.
Specific functions that can be fine-tuned based on the specific site conditions in the GOLD 1 mode includes:
- Discrimination – The factory preset setting is that nothing is rejected which is recommended to ensure very small pieces of gold are not missed. If you are finding trash that needs to be eliminated, you can use this function to increase the discrimination level to accomplish that. NOTE: This search mode does NOT offer notch discrimination so you may reject good targets if too much discrimination is used.
- Threshold – This sets the strength of the audio threshold discussed above. Depending on the type of headphones you are using and your hearing, this may need to be adjusted
- Discrimination Sensitivity
Specific functions that can be fine-tuned based on the specific site conditions in the GOLD 2 mode includes:
- Discrimination – The factory preset setting is that nothing is rejected which is recommended to ensure very small pieces of gold are not missed. If you are finding trash that needs to be eliminated, you can use this function to increase the discrimination level to accomplish that. NOTE: This search mode does NOT offer notch discrimination so you may reject good targets if too much discrimination is used.
- Threshold – This sets the strength of the audio threshold discussed above. Depending on the type of headphones you are using and your hearing, this may need to be adjusted
- Tone Break – This search mode has 2-Tone audio and this allows you to adjust at what point the 2nd tone is produced; i.e., a low tone for targets in the range of 0 to the break point and a high tone for targets above that point.
- Discrimination Sensitivity