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Teknetics T2 is a decent machine of a medium level of complexity. Teknetics T2 classic metal detector has been on the market since the 2000s, when the whole T2 series started to be released by the manufacturer. According to numerous Teknetics T2 reviews, this model is a confident competitor for Garrett AT Pro (the only drawbacks of Teknetics in this competition is that it is not underwater), and Fisher F75. Teknetics is one of the companies that provide you quality above all. Its T2 is middle level device with good discrimination and nice set of functions. To learn more about it, keep reading.
Generates an electromagnetic field that makes a continuous sinusoidal wave directed to the ground scanned.
Optimal search coil shape that will bring finds regardless of the level of trash, or mineralization of the soils; it also works well in salty waters.
This is an optimal number of search modes covering the most widespread and popular location/target combinations for efficient search.
Optimal combination for standard locations and some unique cases, allowing to increase the depth of reach regardless of mineralization level.
A useful feature for increasing the number of options for search locations and environments.
40-50 hours is an impressive battery life that facilitates long efficient search without loss of productivity when the battery charge is lower.
T2 by Teknetics is considered a good device for users of middle level skill, as it provides a decent set of features, but its main advantage is that it is highly adjustable, and multi-purpose. Detectorists with weaker skills will find it comparatively easy to use, and improve their results with every session, while more experienced detectorists will take advantage of adjustable settings that allow to customize the machine depending on the location, potential targets, and user’s needs.
Teknetics T2 metal detector is also a good device for beginner-level gold prospecting, making it all-purpose indeed, and the only limitation is no submersion. The machine is powered by 4 AA batteries that provide impressive battery life up to 40 hours. Overall, this device by Teknetics T2 ltd is very much alike to Fisher, probably because both manufacturers are part of a bigger First Texas Products umbrella corporation.
The control box for Teknetics T2 se is equipped with a backlit LCD display and has really simple controls that are easy to master. There is a Menu button and Settings knob. The On/Off and Volume Switch is located higher near the armrest, under the elbow. In the lower part of the control box, there is a Dual-function Trigger switch. As you choose the features with the Menu button, the Settings knob will allow you to modify the highlighted feature. The Settings knob is also used to choose the Search mode.
Trigger switch may be a bit unusual for some detectorists. When it is pulled back, the metal detector can detect items in the non-motion mode. This feature is handy for Pinpointing the objects; as you stand still, the metal detector will be focused on this specific patch of land.
When the trigger is pushed forward, it activates the Fast Grab auto ground cancellation. This feature allows to cancel the noise caused by the electromagnetic interference created by minerals in the soils.
The whole menu is available on the display. Press the Menu button to enter the Menu, and to choose the items of the Menu, press the button shortly every time.
The Menu includes Search Modes; Sensitivity; Threshold; Discrimination; Manual Ground Balance; Tones; Target ID segments and value; soil mineralization level; battery level indicator; and warning messages section.
There are two basic search modes in Teknetics T2 – All Metal and Discrimination. While not much at first sight, together with tunable settings such choice gives you a pretty decent range of abilities. While All Metal mode will come handy in cleaner areas and help you spot all potential finds, Discrimination plus adjustment will enable you to focus on different targets. Pinpoint mode, on the other hand, will save you money and also time when digging the target out. If you get a nice grasp of all settings and tuning available in T2 machine, it will serve you for years without creating the need for a wider functionality.
This mode is created to spot various metal objects in the ground, by scanning electric fields created by all responding items. These include trash and highly mineralized rocks, as well. The coil has to be in constant movement, for this mode to be effective. The unique aspect is that the sensitivity can be adjusted according to the level of trash, or mineralization. Adjusting sensitivity, the user can control how the machine reacts to smaller potential targets that otherwise would have been masked by the continuous background noise.
This mode filters off reaction of trash and worthless objects like nails in the soils. In comparison with All Metal mode. Sensitivity should be adjusted to the level when the machine works quietly. The Discrimination settings can be adjusted to perform either continuous or sampled processing of the signals. Continuous processing gives the feel of the target, its size, shape, and depth. Sampled processing gives reaction only at the highest level of signal from the object, but helps to better identify it.
Teknetics T2 limited is a beginner-friendly metal detector, which means we can expect comparatively simple and comprehensive features, and no unneeded bells and whistles. On the other hand, this metal detector allows the user to grow and develop their skills, therefore, there must be some more advanced and sophisticated tools in it, to facilitate that growth of skill. To really evaluate what T2 can offer, check out the list of its features below:
This feature stands for Ground Cancellation. Different levels of soil mineralization create different conditions for detecting, and highly mineralized grounds full of hot rocks cause lots of noise and false signals. Ground Cancellation allows to cancel the noise, but the metal detector is still able to spot the targets.
This is possible by tuning the internal ground settings of the metal detector to match to the ground phase; this way, the level of response from the soil is perceived by the machine as a normal background against which targets are seen. Due to such calibration, better depth of reach is achieved. The calibration is activated by the Trigger switch.
The default coil in the kit for Teknetics T2 se metal detector is the waterproof elliptical DD 11 inches search coil with 1 year warranty by the manufacturer. This is a rather big coil for excellent ground coverage and outstanding depth.
There is another search coil available for T2 metal detector – the 15 inches round DD, not waterproof. Being even bigger, it gives unprecedented depth of detecting unreachable for many other metal detectors.
Teknetics T2 is rather comprehensive in terms of settings. However, some features may seem a bit more complicated for tuning, so DetectHistory is ready to give a little bit of description which may be useful for beginner detectorists.
In order to set the FastGrab feature for automatic ground cancellation, find a patch where you know no metal is on the ground or underground. Hold the detector to locate the search coil one foot above the ground. Push the Trigger switch forward to switch on the ground cancellation. Move the search coil up and down evenly, lifting and lowering it for about 1 inch per second. Your display will show the value representing the ground phase. If the detector is unable to cancel the ground phase, it will show Can’t GC message, meaning you should find a different patch for ground cancellation.
If you would like to tune the ground cancellation manually, please keep in mind that this option works best for gold prospecting, metal detecting on wet saltwater beaches, or on trashy locations. On such locations, the metal detector computer is unable to grab the ground phase efficiently. The range of ground cancellation is from 0 to 99, each segment grabs 5 points of the range. Make sure you are aware of all the settings that take part in the ground balancing.
When you ground balance manually, make sure there is no iron under the search coil. To prevent locking onto metal, the metal detector will not perform ground balancing when the ground phase value is lower than 40, so, you will have to ground balance manually in any case. The process of manual ground balancing is very simple – select Manual GC function, check the present ground phase value, pump the coil up and down, and turn the Settings knob to adjust the value. You want the sound to disappear when the coil is pumped.
In case you’re having trouble with electromagnetic interference, you may want to use the Frequency shift feature, to fall out of resonance with the source of the interference. For this, press the Menu button and hold. Push forward the Trigger switch to increase the frequency, or pull it back to decrease the frequency. As you move the trigger, push the Menu button. Every time you increase or decrease the frequency, it will change by one value, from F1 to F7, while the default level is F4. After you turn the metal detector off, and then turn it on the next time, frequency level will return back to default.
When analyzing signals about the target, using VDI Target ID is handy to get even more data on the suggested find. All VDI numbers are approximate, but the table below shows the most probable items that correlate with the specific values of the Target ID. Check them out to see how the T2 metal detector reflects different target types based on the response they give.
The best most accurate depth estimations can be received when the metal detector has its Pinpoint mode activated. Moreover, please keep in mind that in Teknetics T2, depth values are calibrated for coin-sized objects. Under good ground conditions (when the soils are not highly trashy or not highly mineralized), T2 spots coins and similar small objects at the depth of 12-15 inches or so. In many cases, however, smaller objects are usually shown as located deeper than they are, while larger objects will be shown as located shallower than they are.
The very first issue many detectorists may pay attention to is that the software for Teknetics T2 cannot be updated online. However, at the time of its release, online updates were not a usual thing for metal detectors, especially for beginner-level metal detectors. This is why Teknetics hasn’t added this option initially, and Teknetics T2 upgrade is impossible. Today, we see that the updatable software is no longer an option, but rather a must-have. If you would like to get a beginner-level machine that can be updated online, you can check out other models and brands.
Upon checking out some popular metal detecting forums, we have found out that one of the most widespread problems that may pop out with T2 is difficulties with ground cancellation. As it was mentioned earlier, better use Auto Ground Balance, or FastGrab ground cancellation feature, when possible. To cancel ground manually, too many aspects are to be considered by the operator, and as a result, the settings will not be efficient.
Besides those two issues, there seem to be no other systematic problems with Teknetics T2.
Some Teknetics T2 tips! As you can see from the Control Box section, the Search modes are to be chosen in the Menu list and set with the help of the Settings knob. However, since there are only two search modes, you can use a faster way to switch between them. For that, press and hold the Menu button for one second. The modes will switch regardless of the Menu highlight. Just remember that after such a switch, the Menu will be inactive, so to enter the Menu list, just press the Menu button once again.
Now, when you deal with ground balance, you may also want to pay attention to whether the ground gives a positive or negative response. When you check the Ground Cancellation and it is higher, it means the minerals in the soils give a positive response. You may want to set the Ground Balance a bit more to the positive side, too, to avoid hot rocks sounding like targets to you. This way, “colder” or even “hotter” targets will be seen clearly against the positive soil mineralization.
If the Ground Cancellation value is too low, it means the minerals give a negative response. If you set the Ground balance a bit more to the negative side, the “colder” mineralization will make “hotter” targets highlighted.
Besides compatible Teknetics T2 coils described above, there is a list of accessories you may want to purchase for your Teknetics T2, to facilitate your metal detecting process. The list includes:
Teknetics gives only bare essentials in the T2 kit:
If you would like to get accessories together with the metal detector kit in one single go, check out offers by your local retailers. They are likely to have special packages and bundles to suit every taste. You may also want to check out the Teknetics T2 special edition metal detector.
If you would like to know whether Teknetics T2 will suit your needs when metal detecting, and whether you will be able to manage with its Teknetics T2 metal detector program settings, we really recommend to check out its User’s manual in full. Read it carefully and make sure you understand how it all works.
Download Teknetics T2 Users Manual
If you would like to use the Manual Ground cancellation option, or tune the cancellation to a more positive or more negative side, knowing soil mineralization level is important. Teknetics T2 usually shows the following mineralization values:
Audio and visual systems in T2 are independent. Audio tone is more of constant analysis and reaction, so-called “target feel”, while the visual Target ID is a snapshot of a sample. As a result, the data may differ. This way, the detectorist may choose the tool they prefer for a specific task, and get more data via two different systems. So, getting different data is not a bug.
Teknetics T2 is a classic metal detector machine that will fit for different types of search, various locations, and requires a medium level of skill. Those with less experience will learn more with it, those with more experience will be able to customize it and make the search more flexible. T2 offers less fancy features, but high quality and high functionality. Its warranty proves that this device will serve you for years and years.
If you add some accessories, you will make it as flexible as one can imagine, and even the drawback of not being fully waterproof will not disappoint you. T2 has been on the market for years, kicking ass of some serious competitors, so take advantage of this highly tested and reliable machine.
Teknetics T2
Hi detectorists! I’m Michael Moore, founder of this website, and a dedicated treasure hunter since 2013. If you want to be posted about the most recent news and updates in metal detecting, releases, and trends, subscribe!
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