225-X Automatic Metal Detector Operating Manual FISHER RESEARCH LABORATORY
CONTENTS About Your 1225-X .................................................................. pg. 1 Setting Up................................................................................. pg. 2 Control Functions .................................................................... pg. 4 Discrimination Points .............................................................. pg. 5 Searching ................................................................................ pg. 7 Pinpointing Mode ................
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.
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.
SETTING UP Battery Access (not shown) Cable Connector (not shown) Waterproof Search Coil Search Coil Cable Control Housing Hand Grip Padded Arm Cable Strain Relief 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.
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 sen sitivity to targets and ground minerals. The higher the setting, the deeper you’ll detect.
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.
DISCRIMINATION POINTS 7. 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 1225-X will instead respond with a broken signal which will usually disappear if the search coil is raised slightly. The strong signal of a good target will usually get weaker when the coil is raised. 8. Some objects will cause sharp static or “ticking” when rejected.
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. 2.
SEARCHING 4. Keep the search coil moving at a comfortable rate. Remember that the 1225-X is a motion detector and responds only when the search coil (or the target) is moving while in search mode. 5. Keep the coil parallel to, and as close to the ground as practical. This is important for maximum coverage and depth. If you are hunting on a lawn you can rub the coil right on the grass. 6. Overlap your sweeps approximately 50%. 7. Search in a methodical manner sweeping in a tight semi- circle.
PINPOINTING 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 is raised.) 2.
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.
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.
RECOVERY TOOLS 1. A heavy duty, blunt screwdriver is commonly used by expert TH’ers. 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.
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 sensitivity levels.
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.
FALSE SIGNALS SOLUTIONS: In all cases, the target will be 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.
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 the control housing. 4.
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 coils are expensive.
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.
SPECIFICATIONS Length ................................ Extended ............................................ 55" Collapsed ......................................................................................... 46" Weight .................................................................................3.1 Pounds Frequency ......................... VLF Search .................................. 5.5 kHz Audio Target Response ................ 495 Hz Operating Modes ............ Search ........
QUALITY Fisher detectors are renowned for their quality. Each detector is hand crafted in the USA with pride PERFORMANCE Treasure Hunters worldwide rely on Fisher. Our detectors are durable, dependable, and search deeper.. REPUTATION Fisher produced the first patented metal detector in 1931. For over 70 years, the Fisher logo has been a mark of excellence.
