Metal detector test Fisher F 22

The world's first and oldest metal detector manufacturer, the American company FISHER Labs, introduced 3 new "F" series metal detectors in the middle of last year. A pleasant finding was that these new metal detectors have features that are otherwise only offered by detectors in a much higher price range. For example. These include volume control, numeric ID display, selectable sound modes with 4 tones + variable VCO sound mode, preset programs plus optional CUSTOM program, FeTone™, setting memory, and as icing on the cake, water resistance. The new Fisher F44 model (which we tested recently) replaces the F4 detector, Fisher F22 then the older F2 model and, as a complete novelty, the new Fisher F11 metal detector, which is the most affordable detector of this legendary and time-tested brand.

TheFisher F22 is therefore the middle model of this new range of metal detectors and is very similar in technology and user experience to the most powerful and feature-rich Fisher F44 model. Compared to it, it lacks several features such as manual ground tuning, a separate All-Metal mode and a backlit display like the F44. The final difference is the size of the triangular probe, which is slightly smaller than the F44 (29x17cm) and measures 25x14cm. What is not missing, however, is the very popular FeTone™ function, which is sure to be welcomed and appreciated by most searchers. This useful feature, which has so far only been fitted to the top models Fisher F75 Ltd V2.0, Fisher F75 V2.0 and Fisher F19 Ltd, allows the tonal responses of the iron to be muted, while the volume of the coloured targets remains unchanged. Other useful features also include 3 preset search programs + an optional Custom mode, where custom tone settings can be selected and stored in memory for individual conductivity categories, if you want metal types. We can also combine and select from 4 tones or choose a variable VCO tone. It is this tone mode that most "professionals" use on their F75 LTD, F75 and F70 (the F19 LTD and Goldbug DP Pro also have VCO tone) to set the signaling of non-ferrous metals. This is because things can be estimated not only by the digital display, where the numbers correspond to the likely electromagnetic conductivity of the object (along with its shape, size and distance from the probe, of course), but also just by the sort of analogue audio output. The tones can be set in CUSTOM so that the irons grumble monotonously and the coloured targets whistle upwards instead. According to this VCO variable and not just flat digital tone we will be able to estimate much more confidently the size, shape and composition of a localized object in the ground, as well as its distance from the probe. With the VCO tone we get infinitely more information than we get from a detector that offers only normal digital tones.

I decided to try and test the new metal detector Fisher F22 at the Slap reservoir, because it is drained a few meters every winter, which makes it a little more difficult for us toour cottage every time, the fields flooded by the dam and even the old road leading under the river to the former ferry from Zvírotice to Županovice are exposed.

The F22 detector, like its bigger brother, runs on 2 - 1,5V AA batteries that last 25 hours + of normal operation. If you use good quality alkaline monocells, such endurance is really not a problem. Installing the monocells themselves is fairly simple; by sliding the door on the back of the control panel open, the battery case can be pulled out and the batteries removed using the folding handle. After inserting the new monocells (be careful not to swap the contacts - you won't break the unit, but it has protection, but it won't work), slide the case back in (it can't be inserted properly anyway) and finally secure the door. You really need to take care when installing or replacing the batteries, because if you want the detector to be waterproof, the door must be closed correctly and accurately. The manufacturer recommends using alkaline batteries or good quality rechargeable batteries as a rule. When I tested the detector, my favorite and proven alkaline monocells lasted more than the advertised 25 hours, even though the outside temperature was less than 10 degrees. I have not tested rechargeable batteries, but normally they last about 50 - 60% of the time of good alkaline monocells.

DETECTOR FUNCTIONS AND CONTROLS

The detector is switched on by pressing the "off" button located on the right side of the control panel. When the unit is switched on, the display will immediately begin to run numbers in a series of two. If I didn't know from the new Fisher F19 LTD models as well as the new F75 V2.0 and F75 Ltd V2.0 versions what this was all about, I admit I would probably be a bit of a deer. I'm sure we've all heard at least once about someone somewhere having their detector stolen and then posting the serial number of the detector on various internet forums asking for information about the stolen device. But the problem was always that it was enough to remove the S/N serial number sticker from the panel, bar or battery compartment (location varies by brand) and then the chance of verification was zero. What Fisher does now is much smarter and more practical. That's because the numbers that run on the display when the unit is switched on are the serial number of the detector, loaded directly into the software, and nobody can remove them. So if there is now a suspicion that the detector in question is stolen, just turn it on and see for yourself. Every reputable distributor and, indeed, dealer keeps a database of sold detectors in connection with the warrantyand can therefore easily trace when and to whom the detector was sold and what serial number it had.

VOLUME is the first category that appears on the LCD screen when you turn it on and press the MENU button. Using the +and/or- buttons, the volume can be quickly and easily adjusted according to individual needs. The volume level will always correspond to a number on the display between 1 and 20. At settings from 1 to 9, both ferrous and non-ferrous signals are gradually amplified, and at settings of 10 and above, the FeTone™ function begins to operate. How does it work? When set to 10, the volume is full for non-ferrous metals and zero for ferrous. From settings 11 - 20, the signals for ferromagnets gradually get stronger and then at 20 the ferrous signals are full as they are for non-ferrous metals. We recommend setting it to 8 to start with.

The next thing we will set is SENS (Sensitivity) and it is in the range of 1 - 10. When we press the MENU button again, the second icon in the sequence - Sensitivity - will be highlighted on the display. Adjust this in the same way as before for volume. Always adjust the sensitivity so that the detector operation is stable without a higher level of false tones caused by electromagnetic interference. In the event of such interference, the - button should be pressed until the instrument is quiet. If we want to achieve higher power/range, we can try to increase the sensitivity by pressing the + button. Set to 7 to start.

There is 1 category left in the left column of functions and that is NOTCH or optional discrimination windows. I do not use this function on the detector because the value/number of the electromagnetic conductivity of the detected object varies considerably according to its position in the ground, as well as the relative position of two metal objects placed close together. If one of them is larger (as is usually the case with iron), it is easier toe happens that the smaller object is more or less "overshadowed" by the larger one, which is then much harder to detect. As another example of why I don't use NOTCH, if a coin is flat, for example, it will be evaluated with a different number (and detected much deeper) than if it is perpendicular to the probe. Because of this, it is then easy for such a coin to be assigned to a different block, and if this NOTCH is filtered out, the detector will not respond to it because it has forbidden by us, and then we have no idea what we're leaving in the ground for some other lucky person.

The Fisher F22 detector offers a total of 4 search modes (3 preset + 1 individual program with memory) on the right side of the LCD, just like its more advanced brother F44. Pressing the MODE button selects the desired search mode. To signal all metals, use the ARTIFACT program, if you don't want to hear small metals, select JEWELRY. Use the programs to select the level of discrimination (resolution) of the metals, i.e. what you want to hear/detect and what you do not. The instrument reports different metal objects with different tones and at the same time a two-digit number always appears on the display, which expresses the probable value of the electromagnetic conductivity of the object. Since this is a motion VLF metal detector, remember that to detect it, we always need to move the probe or, conversely, we need to move the test object below or above the probe. The low bass tone is emitted by all ferromagnets such as iron or steel, the mid tone by all alloys and mostmost coins, as well as most thin and small objects made of gold, silver or bronze (generally registered as aluminium foil, tinfoil). Pure metals - silver, copper and aluminium - are signalled with a high tone. However, ferrous objects of larger/compact dimensions as well as circular/round shapes such as round nail heads, washers and nuts, horseshoes, large cans, bent nails, corks, etc. In my opinion and experience, the individually adjustable CUSTOM mode is best suited for finding non-ferrous metals without distinction. In fact, any category can be assigned one of 5 possible tones here. One option is to assign a variable VCO tone to all "colored" objects, which changes its pitch and intensity depending on how big the object is, how far it is from the probe and what shape it is. From the characteristics described above, this sound output gives us much more information about the objects in the ground, as I described above. This is the main reason why I go around in this tonal setup myself and why most of my friends with Fisher F75 LTD, Fisher 75 and Fisher F70 detectors search in it.

When setting tones in CUSTOM mode I do the following. First I press the MODE button until the CUSTOM program is activated. Then I press and hold the MODE button (for more than 1 second) until the first Fe category starts flashing on the upper discriminating number scale. Using the + and/or - buttons, I now select one of 5 tones, where setting 0 is variable VCO), 1 is bass, 2 is low, 3 is mid and 4 is high. When I'm done with the selection, I press MENU to move on to the next subsequent categories - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and then assign the desired tone to these in the same way. If I want to exit the menu or end the setup, I press the MODE button again. The great thing is that all the settings I have selected remain in the detector's memory even after I turn it off, and the next time I turn the unit on, we have exactly what I set last time.

In my search and testing, I tried all the different settings and search modes to see what works best for me and what seems to be the best and most effective. In the end, after much experimentation, I came to the conclusion that the detector performs best in more or less similar settings to the F44, with only the sensitivity setting being noticeably different. I had it set to "9" (the maximum sensitivity value of the F22 is "10", unlike the F44 where the maximum detector setting is "20". For ferromagnets, i.e. iron, I set the Fe category to deep bass tone = number 1. For all other categories 2 - 9 (non-ferrous metals), I assigned the variable tone VCO = 0 using the + / - button. If we want to somehow distinguish the signals with the highest conductivity of 85+ from the coloured signals (e.g. large silver coins, but with higher mineralization also "hot stones" and iron of larger and more compactcategory 9 can be assigned a high tone = 4, which allows us to distinguish such objects from other colour signals.

Thanks to the new microprocessor, which is really intelligent in the F22, every metallic object is immediately indicated by the detector probe with the appropriate tone and on the numeric numerical scale at the top of the LCD display shows a category number corresponding to the electromagnetic conductivity, shape and size of the object located. If the detector is not in motion and not near the ground, it should not emit any tones. If it does, the sensitivity is probably set too high for the conditions and it is practical to lower it for stable operation of the instrument. False signal-tones are usually caused by electromagnetic interference-interference, ground minerals, or high concentrations of scrap metal. To get rid of them, we reduce the sensitivity until the interfering tones disappear. Here I would just add one good piece of advice about detector setup that generally applies to most other detectors - if possible and the concentration of iron trash is not extremely high, NEVER filter iron Fe signals and look for them in CUSTOM or ARTIFACT. In fact, this is the only setup that gives us confidence that we won't be passing over small colored things masked by larger iron found next to them. Whenever we receive a signal, a two-digit number on the display and a category number on the numeric scale will show us, or at least indicate, whether we have iron or non-ferrous metal under the instrument's search coil.

The Fisher F22 metal detector, like the F44, is equipped with a new type of probe that is somewhere between concentric and DD coil designs in its characteristics, and Fisher refers to it as a triangular probe. It got this name because of its shape, as both the larger transmitting and smaller receiving coils are triangular. As a result, this new probe has both excellent ground coverage and good separation and range, which is greatest in the center of the probe. If you want to more accurately locate where an object is in the ground, examine the target with the probe tip (at the top of the smaller inner receiving coil) in both directions, or activate the Pinpoint function. Most searchers know how to use Pinpoint, so I'll just briefly reiterate. Place the probe on the ground about 20cm away from the localized signal point and then, while holding down the PP button, slowly bring it closer. We locate the exact target location by the highest tone and lowest number on the display. This number represents the approximate depth of the object in inches (1" = 2.5cm), with the depth calibrated for coin-sized objects. The advantage of the Pinpoint feature is that the probe does not need to be in motion and can be stopped at any time. This not only allows us to accurately locate the object, but more importantly and most importantly to estimate its size, shape and depth.

I would like to stop here once again with the tones, especially the VCO variant. I first encountered this variable tone - tone mode years ago with the first model series of detectors Fisher F75 and I liked it so much that I have not used another one since. Why? Because this tone, with its pitch and modulation, constantly changes depending on how deep the signaled object is, how big it is, what shape it is, etc. And because of that, we get a lot more information about the thing buried in the ground than we do from the classic digital flat tones that most other brands of detectors have. Colored objects here squeak beautifully and are therefore easier to distinguish from grumbling iron. But that doesn't mean that even these otherwise pleasant signals can't sometimes get quite annoying ...A normal person (without a detector, or Homo sapiens nedectoralis) cannot imagine how many things fishermenm their tackle, rods and lines into the river and how many they then, for whatever reason, leave behind. However, the moment our man picks up a metal detector, the image takes the form of pockets full of trousers hanging damnably low. Yes, after a couple of hours of searching along the banks of the partially drained Falls Dam, I had a full pockets of fishing eggs of different shapes and sizes, various glitter and its fragments, carabiners and other interesting things. I also found a few Bolshevik crowns, fifties and twenties, but the only thing that could be considered a bit interestingwas a modern silver cross and an aluminum sacrament from the 1930s. Although people bathe in these places in the summer, I didn't come across any rings or other drowned jewelry this time. This is probably because any moderately talented bear with a detector knows about the annual dam release and then regularly tries his luck here, as I do. When, after a few hours, I decided that it might be enough and I could open a fishing shop, I left the river and went to try the detector in my detector garden behind the cottage. I've had a little test polygon there since 1993, where I've "planted" the detector at various depths and positions.some coins and various things I'd found in the past that I thought I'd find all the time. Today I know what a foolish wish that was, considering the fact that these things were once lost in limited numbers and new ones are sadly no longer growing.

I set up the detector exactly as I describe above, choosing CUSTOM as the search mode - iron deep tone and color variable VCO. Every time the signal sounded I started playing with the detector, trying all the other modes and adjusting the volume and sensitivity settings in all sorts of ways. Of course, I tried to put the latter as high as possible, but at the same time I wanted the instrument to be as stable as possible without false tones. Since there are not many sources of electromagnetic interference in this place, it is possible to "crank" the sensitivity almost to the maximum, much higher than somewhere around Prague or other larger agglomeration with many electromagnetic sources. And how did it turn out? The new Fisher F22 performed well beyond expectations and I must say that I was really pleasantly surprised. Its performance and overall efficiency is significantly better than the previous F2 model, the detector is significantly lighter and has a windingc some interesting and useful features such as adjustable volume or CUSTOM program with variable VCO tone mode. But I will not deliberately throw any specific range numbers here for one simple reason. It is an indisputable fact that ranges vary according to actual conditions such as the level of mineralization of a given site or soil moisture, but even the fact of how long ago the field was last fertilized, so the measured centimeters can and will vary rapidly. It may well be that although the owner of a new detector may read somewhere in a test or review on the internet that his machinemachine takes the classic "Mr. Heads" crown at 25cm, he is not able to find the same coin at that depth, no matter how hard he tries. No wonder then that as an inexperienced searcher he can think of 3 possible explanations: 1) the detector is broken and not working properly. 2) he doesn't know how to set it up and something is wrong. 3) the guy who described the depth range of the detector and/or the guy who sold it to me wasn't telling the truth and I fell for it. While of course any of these alternatives may apply, the reason may be something more prosaic.

It's the fact that the detector was tested in a different location, on an upcoming test polygon, and in more ideal soil conditions than in our day-to-day search, may be the reason that our measured ranges are less than his. It is important to note that the differences in range can indeed vary considerably depending on the different conditions and the level of soil mineralization, on the order of tens of percent, even 40% or more. Personally, I have many times been in a place where the detector was unable to find a coin deeper than some 15cm, while elsewhere I have been able to detect the same coin in 30 figures. Then the next chapter for itself is the soil moisture, or rather the moisture in the soil column. If it's dry like it was last summer, forget about any record ranges (on the contrary, the advantage of dry soil is that you don't hear the scrap iron as much). Oddly enough, you don't get those even when it's very wet, e.g. after a heavy rain. As far as range is concerned, the ideal is reasonably and evenly moistened soil throughout its column, when it rains gently for 3 days and we then go out after another 2 days. But the most important factor affecting the depth range is first and foremost the concentration of metal ions contained in the soil, or soil mineralization. And there is a direct proportion - the higher the mineral concentration, the lower the range.

CONCLUSION

The new Fisher F22 metal detector is a versatile instrument with a noticeably above-average depth range, convincing discrimination and excellent separation within its price class. With its elliptical triangular probe 25x14cm it has good ground coverage and its weight of under 1 Kg makes it one of the lightest detectors on the market. The instrument has adjustable volume with FeTone function to suppress the iron volume. The detector has simple and quick button operation, while all individual readings can be instantly monitored and checked on the large and clear LCD display. When searching at different locations, we can use the three-tone discrimination for a total of 3 preset search modes - COIN, JEWELRY and ARTIFACT. But in my opinion the biggest plus of this instrument is the possibility to set our own discrimination mode CUSTOM, where we can assign to each discrimination category one of 4 tones + variable VCO and then store this setting in memory. In practice, this means that the Fisher 22 then behaves similarly to the highest flagship detector models Fisher F75 Ltd and F75, or F70 and F19 LTD Camo. Finally, when we add to this a rather unusual feature for this price category, such as waterproofing + a 5 year warranty, we are convinced that this new detector really offers a lot of music for little money.

So what can we say about this new product in conclusion? Metal detector Fisher F22 is a very good detector, which significantly stands up not only within its price category.

Pavel Diviš