Set your AT Pro to PRO Mode with iron rejection at 30 to eliminate most trash while preserving silver and copper signals above 80 TID. You’ll want sensitivity at 6-7 bars for typical parks, adjusting ground balance automatically by pumping the coil over clean soil. Use the standard 8.5″x11″ DD coil with fast recovery speed to separate overlapping targets in cluttered areas. Enable proportional audio and three-tone discrimination to quickly identify coin signals—you’ll hear strong, high-pitched responses for shallow silver and clad. The following sections detail advanced discrimination patterns and coil selection strategies that maximize your coin recovery rates.
Key Takeaways
- Use Coin mode with iron rejection at 25-30 to eliminate trash while preserving silver and copper signals in trashy parks.
- Set PRO mode for faster recovery speed to separate overlapping targets in cluttered areas with heavy trash.
- Adjust sensitivity between levels to balance deep coin detection with stability, reducing false signals in mineralized ground.
- Enable three-tone audio and Tone Roll to distinguish coins from trash based on conductivity and target characteristics.
- Ground balance automatically or manually to minimize false signals and maintain stable performance in varying soil conditions.
Discrimination and Target ID Configuration for Coin Detection
When you’re configuring the Garrett AT Pro for coin hunting, discrimination settings form your first line of defense against digging trash targets. Start with Coin mode‘s preset configuration, which rejects Target IDs up to 45—eliminating most pull tabs and foil while accepting silver and copper coins.
Coin mode’s Target ID 45 threshold eliminates foil and pull tabs while preserving signals from silver and copper coins.
For discrimination calibration in trashy parks, adjust iron rejection between 25-30 using the manual knob, giving you consistent silver finds amid nail beds without masking valuable targets. Discriminating all iron helps prevent missing mid-range signals that could indicate valuable targets or gold items.
The 12-segment notch system lets you eliminate specific junk by hitting ALM when you encounter repeating trash IDs. This target identification precision means you’ll dig fewer bottle caps and more keepers.
Balance is critical: excessive discrimination blocks small gold items, while too little wastes time on iron. The AT Pro’s Standard and Pro audio modes work in conjunction with its 40 adjustable iron discrimination levels to provide enhanced audio feedback for target assessment.
Audio Mode Selection and Tone Settings
Audio mode configuration directly impacts your coin recovery rate in the field.
PRO Mode delivers proportional audio feedback that reveals target depth and character—you’ll hear distinctive “pop” and “ting” signals from quality coins.
STD Mode provides consistent full-strength beeps regardless of depth, ideal when you’re mastering fundamentals.
For coin-only hunting, deactivate Iron Audio to eliminate low-tone distractions and maintain clean high tones on 77+ TID targets.
PRO Mode’s tone customization through Tone Roll Audio adds critical target information that separates coins from trash.
You’ll detect subtle differences bottle caps can’t replicate.
Zero discrimination with PRO audio maximizes your freedom to chase every potential coin signal while faster recovery speed isolates adjacent targets in trashy sites.
Slow and deliberate movements improve target clarity and help differentiate overlapped signals in cluttered environments.
Standard mode is ideal for beginners due to binary audio signals that simplify target identification.
Search Coil Options and DD Technology
The AT Pro ships with an 8.5″ x 11″ DD PROformance coil that delivers superior target separation in trashy sites and maintains stable operation over mineralized ground.
This Double-D configuration reduces interference from hot soil by overlapping two D-shaped windings, creating a narrow front-to-back detection field that improves pinpointing accuracy.
You’ll sacrifice some depth compared to concentric coils in clean areas, but you’ll gain consistent performance where iron mineralization would normally cause false signals. Garrett offers optional concentric coils in 9″ x 12″ and 6.5″ x 9″ sizes that provide good depth and pinpointing capabilities, with these coils performing best in neutral soil conditions with low iron mineralization.
Aftermarket manufacturers like Detech offer alternative coil options, including their 13-inch round Ultimate design that’s compatible with the AT Pro and provides enhanced detection depth for coin hunting applications.
Standard PROformance Coil Features
At the heart of your Garrett AT Pro sits an 8.5″ x 11″ PROformance coil that leverages Double-D (DD) configuration to deliver exceptional performance in challenging ground conditions.
This semi-elliptical search coil cuts through mineralized soil with precision, enabling superior nickel detection and jewelry discrimination in iron-contaminated sites where lesser coils falter.
You’ll experience fast recovery speeds that separate good targets from trash in cluttered hunting grounds.
The DD configuration provides consistent depth across the sweep pattern while maintaining high-resolution iron discrimination capabilities.
Operating at 15 kHz, this fully submersible coil handles beach hunting, shallow water detection, and harsh weather without compromise.
The proportional audio response gives you real-time target information, transforming subtle signals into confident digs.
Whether you’re working trashy parks or pristine fields, this coil maximizes your detection capabilities.
The wired connection design ensures reliable performance during extended hunting sessions without signal interruption.
The waterproof construction allows you to submerge your detector up to 10 feet, making it ideal for creek beds and shallow water coin hunting.
Optional Coil Configurations
Beyond your stock coil lies a strategic arsenal of searchcoil options engineered to match specific hunting conditions and target priorities.
The 6.5″x9″ concentric delivers exceptional coin depth in neutral soil with superior coil ergonomics—weighing just one pound for extended hunting sessions. Its compact profile excels in trash-laden sites where pinpoint accuracy matters.
The 9″x12″ concentric maximizes detection field coverage when depth trumps maneuverability. This larger coil configuration produces a less concentrated magnetic field that extends your detection depth for coin-sized targets.
For mineralized ground, the 5″x8″ DD sacrifices baseline sensitivity but recovers performance through ground signal cancellation—your competitive advantage in iron-rich soil where concentrics fail.
The enhanced Imaging searchcoil pushes concentric technology further with advanced target separation.
The 8.5″x11″ PROformance DD delivers improved target separation in cluttered environments while maintaining the maneuverability needed for tight spaces.
Each configuration maintains full accessory compatibility with your AT Pro, letting you adapt your detection strategy without equipment limitations constraining your freedom to hunt anywhere.
Recovery Speed and Sensitivity Adjustments
Pro Mode’s faster recovery speed distinguishes multiple good targets scattered amongst iron trash, where Standard Mode blends them into single responses. This capability doesn’t justify rapid swinging—electronics need adequate processing time regardless of software updates or user interface features.
Configure sensitivity among eight available settings based on conditions. Maximum sensitivity reaches deep targets but produces constant false signals in mineralized ground. Lower settings stabilize performance in electrically noisy environments.
Experimentation identifies the threshold where you maintain stable reception without excessive background noise, maximizing your freedom to hunt effectively without frustration.
Ground Balance Configuration for Mineralized Soil
Why does your AT Pro chatter constantly over red clay or black sand beaches? Mineralized ground conditions overwhelm your detector with false signals, masking real coin targets and killing depth. You’ll fix this through proper soil calibration.
Press and hold the GROUND BALANCE button while pumping your coil between 6-18 inches above ground. The AT Pro automatically neutralizes iron oxides and conductive salts.
For precision control, use manual mode with NOTCH DISC buttons—pump over clean soil and adjust until ground hum disappears.
In extreme mineralization, increase your ground balance window to 6. Lower your reading 10-20 points below balanced to enhance silver sensitivity. Rebalance when moving between areas or after rainfall changes soil moisture.
Proper calibration transforms unstable chatter into silent operation, revealing deeper coins your competition misses.
Depth Indication and Target Analysis Features
Your AT Pro decodes buried targets through five integrated analysis systems that work simultaneously with every sweep.
The 0-99 numeric scale translates conductivity into actionable data—ferrous trash reads 1-40, while silver maxes near 99.
Your depth indicator tracks coin-sized objects in 2-inch increments down to 11 inches, giving you reliable range estimates without false precision.
The Graphic Target Analyzer delivers visual target analysis through real-time segment displays, showing both discrimination settings and target identity.
You’ll hear three distinct tones that reveal metal type and burial depth—strong signals mean shallow targets, soft tones indicate deeper finds.
The 40-point iron discrimination scale provides conductivity visualization sharp enough to separate bottle caps from coins in trashy sites, maximizing your recovery rate while minimizing wasted digging.
Electronic Pinpointing for Precise Coin Recovery
After identifying a target with your AT Pro, you’ll activate the electronic pinpointing function by pressing and holding the dedicated pushbutton—a feature that works in both Standard and Pro modes.
Position your searchcoil approximately 2cm beside the suspected target, maintaining this fixed height throughout your sweep for accurate metal detector calibration.
The proportional audio response intensifies as you approach the target’s center, with signal processing techniques delivering precise electronic location data.
You’ll achieve fastest recovery by retuning in mineralized soil—simply hold the coil tip to the ground surface for half a second to eliminate interference.
This shrinks your detection field progressively as you close in, enabling you to extract coins with surgical precision while minimizing dig time and ground disturbance.
Waterproof Capabilities and Environmental Performance
You’ll appreciate the AT Pro’s 10-foot submersion rating, which allows you to search shallow rivers, swimming holes, and shorelines without hesitation.
The detector’s waterproof housing and connectors maintain full functionality in saltwater environments, where ground balancing algorithms compensate for mineral interference from salty beaches.
This all-weather construction withstands dust, mud, and harsh conditions across diverse terrains, from desert hunts to wetland recoveries.
Submersion Depth Rating
When you’re detecting in shallow water environments, the AT Pro’s 10-foot (3-meter) submersion rating delivers the depth capacity you need for rivers, swimming holes, piers, and shoreline hunting.
The engineered waterproof housing prevents water resorption into critical detection circuits through protected connectors and sealed construction. You’ll maintain full detection capability during complete submersion without equipment failure.
The housing durability extends beyond water immersion—you can operate in rain, mud, dust, and humidity without performance degradation.
This tested submersion capability means you’re not restricted to dry land detecting. The weatherproof design withstands repeated exposure to moisture-rich environments, from wetlands to ocean beaches.
You’ll explore aquatic sites confidently, knowing your detector’s construction supports genuine all-terrain versatility within the rated depth specifications.
Saltwater Hunting Capability
The AT Pro’s single-frequency 15 kHz operation handles saltwater beach conditions through precise ground balancing that neutralizes mineral interference in wet sand environments.
You’ll achieve stable detection at near-maximum sensitivity by setting ground balance between 13-41, depending on mineralization levels. The machine runs quietly over saltwater with minimal chatter, delivering loud signals on targets 6-8 inches deep in damp sand and surf zones.
For ideal beach navigation, reduce sensitivity two notches from maximum in highly mineralized wet sand while maintaining excellent depth performance.
You’ll detect quarters at 6 inches and pennies at 8 inches in water-filled holes. The detector’s stability matches multi-frequency machines when you maintain level coil swings just above the bottom, allowing you to hunt effectively through wave behavior zones and transitional areas between dry and wet sand.
All-Weather Construction Design
Built to IP68 waterproof standards, Garrett’s AT Pro withstands complete submersion up to 10 feet while maintaining full detection capabilities in rain, surf, rivers, and shoreline environments. This waterproof functionality extends from sealed control housing through connectors to the 8.5″x11″ DD coil, preventing water intrusion at critical junction points.
The environmental protection system handles everything from desert dust to wetland moisture without performance degradation. Sealed circuitry resists mineral-laden water and corrosive conditions that destroy lesser detectors.
Your automatic ground balance stabilizes operation in challenging wet terrain, while manual adjustment optimizes performance in highly mineralized zones near water sources.
At 3.03 pounds, you’ll maintain detection efficiency across shifting conditions—from dry land to complete submersion—without the restrictions that limit conventional detectors.
Three-year warranty coverage confirms field-proven durability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Battery Type Does the Garrett at Pro Use for Coin Hunting?
You’ll power your AT Pro with 4 AA batteries—whether alkaline workhorses or lithium upgrades. Battery maintenance guarantees 20-40 hours detecting freedom. Power efficiency peaks when you replace all four simultaneously, keeping you hunting longer without interruptions or performance drops.
Can Custom Settings Be Saved and Recalled for Different Coin Hunting Locations?
You can save personalized settings in Custom Mode, but the AT Pro stores only one custom profile. Memory recall requires manually reprogramming discrimination patterns when switching between coin hunting locations. Consider documenting your site-specific settings for quick field adjustments.
How Heavy Is the at Pro With Coil Attached During Extended Hunts?
You’ll barely notice the 3.03 lbs—until hour three. The weight comparison favors all-day hunts, and the ergonomic design with adjustable 43″-56″ shaft balances perfectly. You’re free to swing relentlessly through any terrain without arm fatigue compromising your finds.
Does the Detector Come With Headphones or Must They Be Purchased Separately?
Your AT Pro includes MS-2 headphones with excellent sound quality and headphone compatibility right out of the box. You won’t need separate purchases for basic hunting, though waterproof upgrades are available if you’re detecting underwater.
What Is the Maximum Operating Time per Battery Charge or Set?
You’ll get 20-40 hours per battery set depending on your power management choices. Alkalines deliver superior battery lifespan at 22-24 hours typically, while quality rechargeables achieve 8-20 hours. Cold weather and maximum settings reduce runtime considerably.
References
- https://seriousdetecting.com/products/garrett-at-pro-metal-detector
- https://detectorwarehouse.com/products/garrett-at-pro-metal-detector-with-2-coils-pro-pointer-at-underwater-pinpointer
- https://www.metaldetector.com/products/garrett-at-pro-metal-detector
- https://detectorpower.com/products/garrett-at-pro-waterproof-metal-detector
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxVlFfvRId8
- https://www.towerhobbies.com/product/at-pro-metal-detector/GAR1140460.html
- https://garrett.com/garrett-at-pro-w-ms-2-headphones/
- https://www.basspro.com/p/garrett-at-pro-metal-detector
- https://garrett.com/understanding-metal-detector-discrimination-how-to-filter-targets/
- https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/what-settings-do-you-use-with-the-at-pro.344192/
