Tesoro Bandido II - User Manual

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BandidoIIOPERATORINSTRUCTIONMANUAL
CONGRATULATIONS!
YournewTESOROMetalDetectorwasdesignedtoprovideyouwithmanyhappyhoursofenjoymentinthemost
rewardinghobbyIcanthinkof–treasurehunting.Aheadofyouliefascinatingandexcitingexperiencesasyoustepintothe
past–uncoveringartifactslostbypastgenerations.Iwishwecouldsharetheseexperienceswithyou,andwewishyouthe
bestofsuccess.
YourTESOROMetalDetectoriscapableofmeetingyourneedsinanyconceivabletreasurehuntingsituation.Aswith
anydetector,operatingskillandfamiliaritywiththisinstrumentareprobablythelimitingfactorsindetermininghowsuccessful
youwillbe.Werecommendthatyoureadthismanualandunderstandfullybeforeattemptingtousetheinstrumentinthe
field.Asyoubecomemorefamiliarwithyourdetectorthroughpractice,yourrateofsuccesswillincreasedramatically.
TheTESOROMetalDetectorisaprecisionelectronicinstrument,whichwilllastforyearsifproperlycaredfor.Treatit
rightanditwon'tletyoudown.
GoodHunting!JackGifford
GENERALDESCRIPTION
TheBandidoIIisaTransmitterReceiver(TR)typeofdetectorthatoperatesintheVeryLowFrequency(VLF)portionof
theRadioFrequency(RF)spectrum.ItprovidestruemineralfreeoperationinboththeAllMetalandDiscriminatemodes.The
Discriminatemodeismotionbased,buttheamountofmotionrequiredissoslightthatpinpointingiseasilyaccomplishedin
thismode.TheAllMetalmodeisnotamotionbasedtype,andsoisexcellentforsearchingaswellaspinpointing.
TheBandidoIIwasdesignedtobeatrueAllPurposetypeofdetector.Itissensitivetosmallgoldparticles,ispowerful
enoughtoserveasarelicandcachehunter,andisplentyfastenoughforcompetitionhunting.Itisequippedwithan8"
concentriccoil,althoughothercoilsizesandtypesareavailable.
TheBandidoIIcanbeassembledasapolemountedarmrestunit,orasabodymountunit.Itcanbeconvertedeasily
withouttools.
Aswithanydetector,thefamiliarityoftheuserwiththeinstrumentwillhaveagreatdealtodowithhowsuccessfulthe
treasurehunteris.Werecommendthatyoureadandunderstandthismanualfullybeforeattemptingtousetheinstrumentin
thefield.
Besuretofilloutandmailyourwarrantyregistrationcardtovalidateyourwarranty.
ASSEMBLY
TheBandidoIIcanbeassembledineitheroftwoconfigurationsoreasilyconvertedfromonetotheother.Theelectronic
controlhousingcanbemountedonthearmrestpole,orcanbebodymounted.Installationofthelowerpoleandcoilisthe
sameforeitherconfiguration.
1. Depressthetwobuttonsontheupperendofthelowerstem,andslideitintotheupperstem.Pushthelowerstem
upsothatthebuttonsclickintothethirdsetofholesfromtheendoftheupperstem.
2. Insertthepoletipbetweenthemountingearsofthesearchcoil,afterremovingthescrewandthumbnut.Alignthe
holesinthepoletipandthoseinthemountingears.Besuretherubberfrictionwashersareinpeace.
3. Insertthecoilmountingscrewthroughthecoilandpoletip.Thescrewheadshouldbeonthesideofthesearchcoil
wherethecablecomesout.
4. Installthethumbnutonthescrewandtightenbyhand.
5. Windthesearchcoilcablearoundthepoleasshown,leavingjustenoughflextopermitangeladjustmentofthe
searchcoil.
POLEMOUNT
1. Thecontrolhousingisalreadymountedonthepole,asshippedfromthefactory,soallthatisnecessaryistoinsert
thesearchcoilconnectorintothecontrolhousingconnector,andtightenfingertight.
2. Usethetwovelcrostrapstoholdthecabletightagainstthepole.
BODYMOUNT
1. Tousethedetectorasabodymount,simplyremovethecontrolhousingfromtheupperpolebydepressingthe
springnutsintheplasticmountingpiece,andslidethecontrolhousingoffthepole.
2. Insertthesearchcoilconnectorintothecontrolhousingconnectorandthenfingertighten.
3. Usethetwovelcrostrapstoclampthesearchcoilcable.Itwillbebestforyoutosometimesmovethestrapssothat
thewearonthecableisspreadoveralargearea.
CONVERSION
Obviously,convertingtheunitfrombodytopolemountorviceversa,issimplyputtingthecontrolhousingbackonthe
pole,orremovingitfromthepole.Besuretokeepthesearchcoilcablewoundtightenougharoundthepolethatitdoesn'tflap
rightoversearchcoilhousing.TheBandidoIIisstrongenoughtoseethetinycablewiresmoving,andcangiveyoufalse
signalsifthecableistooloose.
ADJUSTMENT
Thesearchcoilangleandstemlengthshouldbeadjustedsothattheunitisnotuncomfortableortiringafterlongperiods
ofuse.Thestemlengthisadjustedbydepressingthespringbuttonsandextendingorshorteningthepoletilltheyclickinto
theholesthatgiveyouthemostcomfortablesetting.Thecoilshouldbeaboutoneinchabovethegroundwhilestandingerect.
Adjusttheangleofthesearchcoil,sothatthecoilisparalleltotheground.Tightenthesearchcoilthumbnutbyhandto
maintainthissetting.
Thearmrestontherearofthehandlecanbemovedforwardbyremovingthescrewsandnuts,andreinstallingthe
assemblyintothemostforwardsetofholes.
Specifications
TESOROElectronics,Inc.,reservestherighttomodifyorimprovethedesignwithoutfurthernotice.
CONTROLS
TheBandidoIIhasfivecontrolsonitsfrontpanel,andathresholdadjustonitsrearpanel.Thefrontpanelcontrolsareall
readilyadjustedwiththeindexfingerofthehandholdingthedetector.
1. THESHOLDCONTROL.Thiscontrolisplacedonthebackpanelofthedetector,sinceitrequiresverylittleusage.
Oncethecontrolisadjustedtothedesiredthreshold,itwillnotrequirefrequentresetting.
2. TUNESELECT.Thistoggleswitchallowsthedetectortobeoperatedwithfastautotuningwhenthetoggleisplaced
intheAutoTunepositionorwithnoautotunewhenplacedintheNormalTuneposition.AutoTunequicklyretunesthe
detectortoit'sestablishedthresholdautomaticallyfollowingatargetresponse.Fastautotunecancauseanovershoot
signalonhotrocksplusitkeepstheinstrumentfromdrifting.NormalTunewillholdatarget'ssignalwithoutreturningfor
aslongasthesearchcoilishelddirectlyoverthetarget.Somedriftmayoccur,butisquicklyremediedbypushingthe
modeswitchtoRetunemomentarily.NormalTuneisusedforAllMetalspinpointing,identifyingtargetsize,linetracing,
andoresampling.
3. GROUNDADJUSTCONTROL.ThiscontroladjuststheAllMetalmodesamplingsothattheBandidoIIignoresthe
normalgroundmineralization.Thiscontrolisatenturndevice,anditissometimesdifficulttofeelwhentheendofthe
turnrangeisreached.Thesettingofthiscontrolisthemostcriticaladjustmenttodo,butitisaverysimpleadjustment
tomake.StudythemanualsectiononTUNINGtobesureyoulearnhowtoproperlyadjustthiscontrol.
4. ON/OFF,BATTERYTEST,SENSITIVITYCONTROL.Theprimaryfunctionofthiscontrolistoreducethedetectors
sensitivitytothoseinfluencesthatcouldmaketheoperationmoredifficultforyou.Thiscontrolalsoisusedtoturnthe
poweronandoff.Turningtheknobcompletelycounterclockwiseuntilitclicksdisconnectsthebatteriesfromthecircuit.
Whentheknobisfirstturnedon(clockwise),thedetectorwillautomaticallytestitsbatteries,andgiveyouanaudible
indicationoftheirconnection.NOTE:ThistestshouldbeperformedwiththeModeSwitchintheDiscriminate
position.Freshbatterieswillcausealoudaudioresponsewhichwillgraduallydecayintosilenceoveraperiodofabout4
or5seconds.Asthebatteriesageandbecomeweaker,theinitialaudioresponsewillbeweaker,andwilldecayquicker.
Whentheresponseisjustashortbuzzinsteadofalongbeep,orwhenthereisnoaudioresponse,it'stimefornew
batteries.Itisrecommendedtoalwaysusealkalinebatteries.
Manythingscancausetheresponseofthedetectortobecomeerraticasyouareusingit.Normallyyouwillnothearany
soundfromthedetectorunlessyoupassthecoiloveragoodtarget.Verylargetargetsoramultitudeofcloselyspaced
smallerrejectedtrashtargetscancausethedetectortoemitchoppysputteringsounds.CBradios,radioandTV
broadcastingantennas,intensemineralizationchanges,andothersourcesofelectricalnoisecanalsocausethedetector
toemitfalsesignals.Thesesignalswillgenerallysound"chopped"andwillnotberepeatablesoyouwillnothaveany
troublerecognizingthem.Theycanbedistracting,though,andturningdownthesensitivitycontrolwillhelpreducethem.
Thiswillalsocauseasmalllossoftargetsensitivity,soalwaysrunthesensitivitycontrolashighasyoucan,whilestill
gettingsmoothoperation.
5. MODECONTROL.ThistoggleswitchisusedtoselecttheAllMetalmodeofoperationortheDiscriminatemode.In
theDiscriminatemode,thedetectorsresponsetounwantedtrashcanbecontrolledtoeliminatediggingmuchofthe
commonmetallictrashitemsfoundinlikelyhuntingspots.Thedetectormaybeepbrieflywhentheswitchischanged,
butisreadyforoperatingintheselectedmodeinstantly.InAllMetal,thedetectorwillfindnotonlythehighlyconductive
nonferrousmetals,butwillalsofindtheferrousmetals.Thismodewillbeidealforrelichuntingorghosttownsearching,
sincemanydesirableartifacts(suchasguns)aremadeofironandsteal.
NOTE:TheAllMetalmodemayormaynothaveautotuningtohelpnarrowthedetector'sresponsetothetargetwhen
youarepinpointing.ItwilldependonwhichtuningmodetheTuneSelecttoggleisin.Tomanuallyretunetheunitto
thresholdforeithermode,justpushthemodeswitchuptotheRetunepositionmomentarily.
6. DISCRIMINATELEVEL.Thiscontrolisusedtoadjustthedetector'sresponsetounwantedmetallictrashwhenused
intheDiscriminatemode.Atthelowestsetting"0",thedetectorwilleliminatemostironobjects,butwillstillrespondina
positivemannertolightfoil,bottlecaps,pulltabsandmostothermetallicitems.Astheknobsettingisincreased,
responsetomoreofthesemetallictrashitemsisreversedsothattheseobjectsgivenoresponse.
7.
Thefigurebelowgivesthecontrolsettingswheresomeofthecommonlyfoundtrashitemscanberejected.

TUNING
Nodetector,regardlessofhowpowerfulitis,canprovideoptimumdepthifitisimproperlytuned.Infact,themore
powerfuladetectoris,themorecriticalthetuningbecomes.Lesspowerfulunitsaremoretolerantofoperatormisadjustment,
butarenotcapableofthedepthofaproperlytunedhighpowerdetectorsuchastheBandidoII.Toachievemaximum
performancefromyourBandidoIIbesuretoproperlyadjusttheGROUNDADJUSTandTUNINGcontrolsintheAllMetal
mode.Thesettingsofthesecontrolswillalsoaffectthedetector'sperformanceintheDiscrimmode,sobesuretoadjust
themproperly,evenifyouonlyplantooperatethedetectorintheDiscrimmode.Impropertuning(groundadjustment)notonly
reducesperformance,butmaycausefalseanderroneousghostingsignalsaswell.
TUNINGINTHEALLMETALMODE
NOTE:Makesuretherearenometallicobjectsunderornearthesearchcoilwhentuning.Todothisturnthedetectoron
andusetheAllMetalmode,thenfollowpropertuningproceduresonceyouaresuretheareaismetalfree.
1. AUTOTUNING
A. PuttheTuneSelectswitchintheAutoTuneposition.
B. PuttheModeSwitchintheAllMetalposition.
C. Whileholdingthesearchcoilaboutafootintheairturnthedetectoron.Waitforthebatterychecktocompleteitscyclethenturnthe
Sensitivitycontroltonearmaximum.
D. AdjusttheThresholdcontroluntilyouachieveafaintaudiosoundsignal.Iftheaudiolevelofthethresholdhaschangedwhile
adjusting,momentarilylifttheModeSwitchtoRetunethenlistentomakecertaintheThresholdmaintainsabarelyaudiblelevel.Keepthe
searchcoilelevatedthroughoutthisprocess.
E. Quicklylowerthesearchcoiltoaboutoneortwoinchesabovetheground,immediatelyafterretuning,thenbeginpumpingthesearch
coilupanddownwithaboutafourtosixinchstroke.
F. WhilepumpingthesearchcoilturntheGroundAdjustuntilnochangeinthethresholdsoundisobtained.Ifthereisnochangeinthe
thresholdsoundyouareproperlytuned.IfthesounddecreasesasthesearchcoilisloweredturntheGroundAdjustclockwise;ifthesound
increasesasthesearchcoilisloweredturntheGroundAdjustclockwise;ifthesoundincreasesasthesearchcoilisloweredturntheGround
Adjustcounterclockwise.Continuedthisprocedureuntilnoaudiochangeinthethresholdisachieved.
2. NORMALTUNING
A. PuttheTuneSelectswitchintheNormalTuneposition.
B. PuttheModeSwitchintheAllMetalposition.
C. Whileholdingthesearchcoilaboutafootintheairturnthedetectoron.Waitforthebatterychecktocompleteitscyclethenturnthe
Sensitivitycontroltonearmaximum.
D. AdjusttheThresholdcontroluntilyouachieveafaintaudiosoundsignal.Iftheaudiolevelofthethresholdhaschangedwhile
adjusting,momentarilylifttheModeSwitchtoRetunethenlistentomakecertainthethresholdmaintainsabarelyaudiblelevel.Keepthe
searchcoilelevatedthroughoutthisprocess.
E. Retunethenquicklylowerthesearchcoiltoaboutonetotwoinchesabovethegroundandlistenforanaudiochangeinthethreshold.If
thereisnochangeinthethresholdsound,youareproperlytuned.
F. Ifthethresholdsoundincreasesasthesearchcoilnearstheground,turntheGroundAdjustaboutonehalfturncounterclockwise,after
liftingthesearchcoilbackintotheair.PushRetunemomentarilythenquicklylowerthesearchcoiltowardsthegroundagain.
G. Ifthethresholdsounddecreasesasthesearchcoilnearstheground,turntheGroundAdjustaboutonehalfturnclockwise,afterliftingthe
searchcoilbackintotheair.PushRetunemomentarilythenquicklylowerthesearchcoiltowardsthegroundagain.
H. RepeattheabovestepsreadjustingtheGroundAdjustcontrolasindicatedbythechangeinthethresholdasthecoilapproachesthe
ground.
I. Whentheaudiochangeinthethresholdreversesitself,asyouaremakingadjustments,thenmovetheGroundAdjustcontrolbackin
smallincrements,untilthereisnochangeasthesearchcoilisloweredtowardtheground.RemembertoalwaysmomentarilyholdtheMode
SwitchintotheRetunepositioneachtimejustbeforeyoulowerthesearchcoiltowardthegroundagain.
TUNINGINTHEDISCRIMINATEMODE
TuningtheBandidoIIforuseintheDiscriminatemoderequiresthattheAllMetalModetuningprocedurebeproperly
accomplished,astheGroundAdjustcontrolprovidesformineralfreeoperatinginboththeAllMetalandDiscrimmodes.Also,
thethresholdsettingoftheTuningcontroldeterminestheminimumsoundlevelfordeeptargetsintheDiscriminatemode.Too
littlethreshold,anddepthwillbelost.Toomuchthreshold,andthedetectormaybecomeerratic.
AftertheAllMetalmodeprocedureisaccomplished,theonlysettingsnecessaryforoperationinDiscriminatemodeisto
settheDiscLevelcontroltothedesiredamountoftrashrejection,andtosettheSensitivitycontrolthemaximumsettingthat
willallowsmoothoperation.
THRESHOLD
TheThresholdcontrolisusedtoadjusttheaudiolevelofthethresholdupordown;itisnotavolumecontrolforthe
detectoritself.Thethresholdestablishesanaudiblereferencepointfortuningthedetectortogroundbalanceit.
SELECTINGTHEPROPERMODEOFOPERATION
TheBandidoIIofferstwobasicmodesofoperation,theAllMetalmodeandtheDiscriminatemode.Bothmodesare
mineralfreeiftheunitisproperlyadjusted.TheAllMetalmodeistheindustrystandard"VLF"typewhichdoesnotrequire
motionofthesearchcoilforproperoperation.Thismode,whilerequiringaninitialgroundadjustsettingofsoundthreshold,
offerstwoveryimportantadvantages,thesebeingtheabilitytopinpointwithoutmotion,andtoprovideexactground
canceling.TheDiscriminatemodeisbasedonmotionofthesearchcoil,butrequiresverylittlemotion,andoffersthe
advantageofcompletelysilentoperation.
NuggetHuntingrequiresusingtheAllMetalmode,sincetheresponsetosmallgolditemsissoclosetoiron.
Wefeelthatformostnuggetshootinguse,AllMetalAutoTunewillprovidethebestperformance.Sincemostgold
nuggetsarequitesmall,youneedtobesurethatyourdetectoristunedtothresholdatalltimestoavoidmissinganyofthese
littlenuggets.HotRockswillcauseamomentarysilenceasthecoilissweptoverthem,withaloudovershootwhenthecoil
clearsthem.Thesoundissodifferentfromagoodtargetsound,thatitisveryeasilyrecognized.Theonlyproblemwithjust
ignoringthesesoundsarethatasmallnuggetmaybehidingbeneaththehotrock.AdjustingthegroundAdjustcontrolinthe
clockwisedirectionuntilthehotrocksarealmostneutralizedwillhelpdetectsmallgoldnuggetsbutthegroundwillreadasa
positivesignal,soyouwillhavetobeverycarefultokeepyourcoilheightconstant.
RememberthattheautotuningintheAllMetalmodewillcauseanullingofthethresholdsoundifyoupassthe
searchcoiloveraverystrongmetallictarget.
Beachhuntingonsaltwaterbeachesrequiresslightlydifferentsettingsfromothertypesofhunting.Thedrysandarea
shouldbenoproblem,butonceyouencounterwetsandorenterthesurfyoumayneedtomakesomeadjustments.Salt,
especiallywetsalt,ishighlyconductiveandmaycausethedetectortoemitfalsesignals.Tohelpovercomethesalt'seffects
settheGroundAdjustsothatthethresholdgivesaveryslightaudioincreaseasthesearchcoilisloweredtotheground.This
willhelpkeepthedetectorfromsoundingoffoverfootprints,sandripplesandholes.Itmaybenecessarytoturnthesensitivity
downconsiderablyortoraisetheDiscLevelslightlyinordertosmoothouttheinstrument.Surfhuntinginsaltwatermay
requireusingtheDiscModeduetotheconductivesaltwatercausingelectronicresponsesasthewashesdirectlyoverthe
searchcoil,emittingfalsesignals.
TheDiscriminatemodewillallowyoutocontrolthedetector'sresponsetomostofthecommonmetallictrashitems
foundinmostschools,parks,andbeaches.Thismodeisgenerallyusedforcoinshottingsuchareasinordertoavoidhaving
todigmostofthiscommontrash.TheDiscriminateLevelcontrolisusedtoadjusttheresponsetothesetrashitems.Each
detectorcanvarysomewhatduetothemanufacturingtolerances,soyoushouldexperimentwithyourdetectorandbecome
familiarwiththerejectionlevelsforthesetrashitemswithyourdetector.
Earliermotiondetectorsthatareoperatedwiththe"Threshold"soundwouldgivetheuseradefiniteindicationofmetallic
trashbyeithernullingcompletelyorbygeneratingshort,choppysounds.SincetheDiscriminatemodeoperateswithout
thresholdsound,thereisnonullingtoindicatethattheareaisextremelytrashy.WhensearchingintheDiscriminatemode,
werecommendthatyouperiodicallyswitchtoAllMetalandchecktheareayouaresearchingtogetanideaofhowmuch
trashisreallythere.Inextremelyheavytrashareas,itmaybedesirabletoswitchtoasmallersearchcoil,eventhroughdoing
sowillcausealossofdepth.Thesmallercoilwillallowyouabetterchanceoffindingcoinsbetweentheclosepiecesof
trash.
FIELDUSE
Thedetectorshouldbeheldinapositionthatiscomfortableforyou.Swingthedetectorfromsidetosideinaboutathree
footarc,overlappingsucceedingstrokeswell.Thismotioniscalleda“sweep.”TheBandidoIIwasdesignedtogetmaximum
depthwithoutthefranticpacerequiredofearliermotiondetectors,sogoatapacethatiscomfortableforyou.Infact,tryingto
hunttoofastmayevencausealossofdepthinheavilymineralizedlocations.
Itwouldbehelpfultoburysomecoinsandtrashmetaljunkitemsinanareathatyouknowisclearofothermetal
objects,andthentrytheunitinitsvariousmodes.ChecktheareainAllMetalModefirsttobesureitsclearoftrashthen
burythetargetsatleastafootapart,andfrom2to6inchesdeeptostart.Makeamapofthetestbedtobesureyouknow
whateachtargetisandhowdeepitis.Practiceonthesetargetstofamiliarizeyourselfwithyourdetector’stargetresponse.
Thiswillalsohelpyoulearnthepropersweepspeedforbestoperation.
Regardlessofwhichmodeyouareusing,trytokeepyoursearchcoilheightconstantandclosetotheground.Most
peopletendtoraisethecoilattheendofasweepmuchlikeapendulumespeciallyiftheyarehurrying.Trytoavoidthisas
anyincreaseinheightfromthegroundwillcauseacorrespondinglossofdepth.
InAllMetalmodeoperation,keepthedetectortunedsothatthereisjustaslightbuzzingofasound.Thisiseasytodo
becausethegroundmineralsdonotaffecttheAllMetalmodeifproperlyadjusted.Regardlessofwhichmodeyouareusing,
trytokeepyoursearchcoilheightconstantandclosetotheground.Mostpeopletendtoraisethecoilattheendofasweep,
muchlikeapendulum,especiallyiftheyarehurrying.Trytoavoidthis,asanyincreaseinheightwillcauseacorresponding
lossofdepth.
Inareaswithwellkeptlawns,theeasiestwaytomaintainaconstantsearchcoilheightistoallowthecoiltorestonthe
grassasyousweepfromsidetoside.Inroughandrockyareasitisbestnotto“scrub”thecoilontheground,astherocks
willactlikeabrasives,andwearawaythecoilbottom(anoptionalcoilscuffcoverwillprotectagainstthis.)Sweepthecoilas
closetothegroundaspossiblewithouttouching.Hittingthegroundorrocksmaycauseafalsesignalmuchlikeadesired
targetwould.Sweepingthecoiltoohighabovethegroundresultsinalossofdepth.
WhenoperatingintheDiscriminateMode,some“falsesignals”maybecausedby1)heavyconcentrationsoftrashmetal
objects,2)verylargetrashmetalobjects,or3)electricalinterference.Thesesignalswillsounddifferentthangoodtarget
signalsbecausetheyaregenerallyshort,choppysounds.Attheendofyoursweep,asyouthereversethecoildirection,the
detectorismostsusceptibletotrashinducednoise.Therearetwowaystotellwhetherthesesoundsaregooddeepsignals
ortrash“noise.”Thefirstisbyrepeatability.Trashinducednoiseswillnotberegularasyousweepthecoiloverthesuspected
targetseveraltimes,whereasagoodtargetresponsewillberepeatable.ThesecondmethodistoswitchtoAllMetalMode
andcheckthetargetresponsesound.Iftheresponseisweak,itmaywellbeadeep,goodtarget;butiftheresponseisvery
strong,itisprobablytrash.Notethatacoinclosetothesurfacecangiveadoublebeepsound,butitisregularand
repeatable.Raisingthecoilaninchortwowillrestorethesinglebeeponsurfacetargets.
Ifthereisanydoubtwhetheratargetisgoodornot,DIGIT.Forthissamereason,intheDiscriminateMode,itisbest
nottouseahigherDISCLEVELsettingthannecessary.NickelsandmostsmallerringsarerejectedwhentheDISCLEVEL
issettorejectpulltabsonanymetaldetectorthatisaTRDiscriminatorliketheBadidoII.Ifyoudon’tdiganyjunkatall,you
aresurelypassingupalotofgoodfindsaswell.SettheDISCLEVELonlyhighenoughtosuittheconditionswhereyouare
searching.
PINPOINTINGATARGET
ThesweepspeedoftheBandidoIIisslowenoughtoallowpinpointingintheDiscriminateMode,butwillrequirealittle
morepractice.Movethecoilslowlyfromsidetosideandthenfromfronttobackoverthetarget.Raisingthecoilslightlyand
slowingthesweepspeedwillnarrowdownthedetectionareaenoughthatit'seasytotellwherethecoilcenterisatthe
instantofthesound.
Anothereasymethodistosweepthecoilfromsidetosideacrossthetargetinveryshortsweeps,asyouslowlymove
forwardandbackwardacrossthetarget.Slowdownthesweeprateandshortenthesweepsuntilyoujustbarelygeta
responseatonespot.Thetargetwillbedirectlybelowthecoilcenteratthisresponsetime.
TheeasiestwaytopinpointformostpeoplewillbetoswitchtotheAllMetal/NormalTunemode,sincenomotionis
required.Topinpointatargetthatdoesn'tsaturatetheaudio,justmovethecoilforwardandback,andsidetosideuntilyou
getthestrongestsound.Thetargetwillbedirectlybelowthecoilcenter.Iftheaudiosaturatesoveralargearea,simplypush
thetuningmodeswitchtotheretunepositionmomentarilyovertheareatodetunethedetector.Thiswillnarrowitsfieldof
responsetoallowyoutoonceagainseektheareaofstrongestresponse.Itmaybenecessarytoretunemorethanoncewith
thistechnique.
RECOMMENDEDRECOVERYMETHODS
PROTECTYOURHOBBYFILLALLHOLES
BATTERYREPLACEMENT
TheBandidoIIhasanautomaticbatterytestsequencewitheachinitialpowertunon.Tocheckthebatteries,simplyturn
theBandidoIIofforaboutfiveseconds,andthenturnitbackon.Thebatterytestcircuitwillengageforabout3to5seconds,
withtheaudiooutputloudnessindicatingtheremainingbatterystrength.Asthebatteriesage,thistonewillgetquieter,and
whenyouhearonlyabriefbuzzornotoutputatall,it'stimetoreplacethebatteries.
Toreplacethebatteries,pullthelargeknobsonthebatterydoorontherearoftheunit.Theentiredoorwillpopout.
Removethebatteriesfromthedetector,andthenremovetheleads.Replacethenewbatteriesintothedetector,observingthe
polarityindicatorsontheclipleads.Installthebatterydoorbackontothechassis,andpushthnylonfastenersintotheholes
onthechassis,makingsurethattheplungersarestillpulledout.Thenpushtheplungersbackintolockthedoorinplace.
Werecommendwhenyoureplacethebatteries,thatyouchangebothatthesametime,andthatyoualwaysusegood
qualityalkalinebatteries.
GENERALCAREANDUSE
Ifthedetectoristobestoredforalongperiodoftime,itisbesttoremovethebatterypackfromthedetector.Thiswill
preventinternaldamagetothedetectorifthebatteriesshouldleak.
Thesearchcoiliswaterproofandmaybesubmergedineitherfreshorsaltwater.Cautionshouldbeexercisedtoprevent
waterfromenteringthechassis,whereitcoulddamagetheelectroniccircuitry.Afterthecoilisusedinsaltwater,thecoil
andlowerstemassemblyshouldberinsedwellwithfreshwatertopreventcorrosionofthemetalparts.Whenusedinthe
bodymountconfiguration,youshouldnotallowthecableconnectorstobesubmerged.
Thereareseveralgoodbookstohelpthebeginnerlearnhowtousethedetector,wheretosearchandhowtorecovera
targetwithoutdamagingtheenvironment.Agoodcoinshootercanrecoveralotoffindsandleavethearealookingasthough
hehadneverbeenthere.Aboveall,alwaysfillyourholeswhenyouhaverecoveredthetarget.
TESOROMetalDetectorsaresoldthroughindependentdealers,whoarealmostalwaystreasurehuntersthemselves.
Theycanprovideyouwithyoumuchneededinformationabouthowtouseyourdetector,howtoprobe,pluganddiginyour
locale,andanswermostofyourquestionsabouttreasurehuntingingeneral.
Theuseofearphoneswillbenefityouintwoways.Mostearphoneswillveryeffectivelyblockoutmostoftheambient
noise,suchastrafficnoiseandwindnoise,whichwillenableyoutobetterhearthefaintersignalscausedbythedeeper
targets.Obviously,theolder,morevaluablecoinswillprobablybedeeperthantheoneswhichwerelostlastweek,soyou
shouldtakeadvantageofanythingthatwillhelpyouheartheweakersignals.Secondly,usingearphoneswillgreatlyextend
thebatterylife,sinceittakesmuchlesspowertooperatethem.Thedetectorisnotequippedwithavolumecontrol,butdoes
havealimitingcircuitintheearphonejack.Iflessvolumeisdesiredwithearphones,youmaywanttouseearphoneswitha
builtinvolumecontrol.anygood8or16ohmsetwith1/4inchstereojackwilldo.
HAPPYHUNTING,andthankyouforpurchasingaTESORO.
Underthecopyrightlawsthisdocumentationmaynotbecopied,photocopied,reproduced,translatedorreducedtoanyelectronicor
machine readableform,inwholeorinpart,withoutthepriorwrittenconsentofTesoroElectronicsIncorporated,exceptfortheprivate
useofaBandidoIIowneroroperator,orinamannerotherwisedescribedinthisdocumentation.
©1995  1996TesoroElectronicsIncorporated.Allrightsreserved.PrintedintheUnitedStates.
WARRANTYSERVICE
YourTesorometaldetectoriscoveredbyaLimitedLifetimeWarranty,the
termsofwhicharelistedbelow.Ifyourmetaldetectorshouldrequireservice,you
mayreturnittotheTesorofactory,ortoneofthefactoryauthorizedservice
centers.Contactthefactoryforthenameandaddressofthenearestservice
center.
Ifyouhaveanyquestions,don'thesitatetocontactthefactory.
LIMITEDLIFETIMEWARRANTY
Thiswarrantygivesyouspecificlegalrights,andyoumayhaveotherrights
whichvaryfromstatetostate.
Thisinstrumentiswarrantedtobefreeofdefectsinmaterialandworkmanship
aslongasitisownedbytheoriginalconsumerpurchaser.Thiswarrantyisnot
transferable,andisvalidonlyifthewarrantyregistrationcardhasbeencompleted
andmailedwithin10daysofpurchase.
Duringthefirsttwoyears,TESOROwill,atitsoption,repairorreplaceany
instrumentcoveredbythiswarranty,withoutcharge,exceptfortransportation
charges,atitsfactoryinPrescott,Arizona,oratoneofitsauthorizedrepair
centers.Aftertwoyearsfromdateofpurchase,TESOROwillreplacedefective
partsatnochargeexceptanominallaborchangeandtransportationcharges.
Thiswarrantyexcludesbatteries,damagecausedbyleakybatteries,cable
breakageduetoflexingonbodymountunits,andwearofthesearchcoilhousing.
Alsoexcludedareinstrumentswhichhavebeenabused,altered,orrepairedbyan
unauthorizedparty.
Ifwarrantserviceshouldbenecessary,contactthefactoryfornearestrepair
center.
TesoroElectronics,Inc.715WhiteSparRoadPrescott,AZ,USA8630319287712646
OperatingFrequency 10kHz
SearchcoilType Concentric
SearchcoilSize 8"diameter
CableLength Approx.3’
AudioFrequency Approx.625Hz
AudioOutput 11/2"speaker
HeadphoneCompatibility 1/4"stereoearphonejack
Weight(mayvaryslightly) 3lbs.
BatteryRequirement
9voltsDC
2ea.9Valkalinebatteries
BatteryLife(typical) 15to30hours
OptimumTemperatureRange 30°to100°F
OptimumHumidity 0to75%R.H.
OperatingModes
AllMetal
Discriminate
TuningModes
AutoTune
NormalTune

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Summary

General Description

Assembly

Pole Mount

Describes attaching the control housing and coil to the pole for operation.

Body Mount

Explains how to convert the detector for body-mounted operation.

Conversion

Details the process of converting between pole and body mount configurations.

Adjustment

Specifications

Controls

Detector Controls Overview

Summarizes the function and location of the detector's front and rear panel controls.

Tuning

Tuning in All Metal Mode

Step-by-step guide for tuning the detector in the All Metal operating mode.

Tuning in Discriminate Mode

Explains tuning requirements and settings for Discriminate mode operation.

Selecting the Proper Mode of Operation

Field Use

Pinpointing a Target

Battery Replacement

General Care and Use

Warranty Service

Limited Lifetime Warranty

Outlines the terms and conditions of the detector's limited lifetime warranty.

Overview

1. Function Description
2. Usage Features
3. Maintenance Features

The Tesoro Bandido II is a metal detector designed for treasure hunting, offering both All Metal and Discriminate modes of operation. It operates in the Very Low Frequency (VLF) portion of the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum, providing true mineral-free operation in both modes. The detector is versatile, suitable for various treasure hunting situations, from finding small gold particles to relic and cache hunting.

Function Description

The Bandido II is a Transmitter-Receiver (TR) type detector. Its Discriminate mode is motion-based, meaning the searchcoil needs to be in motion to detect targets, though the required motion is minimal, allowing for easy pinpointing. The All Metal mode, on the other hand, is not motion-based, making it excellent for both searching and pinpointing. This mode is particularly useful for relic hunting or searching ghost towns, as it detects both highly conductive nonferrous metals and ferrous metals like iron and steel.

The detector features five controls on its front panel and a threshold adjust on its rear panel, all designed for easy adjustment with the index finger of the hand holding the detector. The THRESHOLD CONTROL, located on the back panel, is used to adjust the audio level of the threshold. Once set, it requires infrequent resetting. The TUNE SELECT toggle switch allows the detector to operate with either fast auto-tuning (Auto Tune position) or no auto-tuning (Normal Tune position). Auto Tune quickly retunes the detector to its established threshold after a target response, preventing drift and potentially causing an overshoot signal on hot rocks. Normal Tune holds a target's signal as long as the searchcoil is over it, and any drift can be quickly remedied by momentarily pushing the mode switch to Retune. Normal Tune is ideal for All Metals pinpointing, target size identification, line tracing, and ore sampling.

The GROUND ADJUST CONTROL is a ten-turn device that adjusts the All Metal mode sampling to ignore normal ground mineralization. This is a critical adjustment for optimal performance. The ON/OFF, BATTERY TEST, SENSITIVITY CONTROL serves multiple functions: it reduces the detector's sensitivity to influences that could hinder operation, and it turns the power on and off. Turning the knob completely counterclockwise disconnects the batteries. When turned clockwise, it automatically tests the batteries, providing an audible indication of their connection. This test should be performed with the Mode Switch in the Discriminate position. Fresh batteries produce a loud audio response that gradually decays. As batteries weaken, the response becomes weaker and decays faster, eventually resulting in a short buzz or no audio response, indicating it's time for replacement. The SENSITIVITY control should generally be run as high as possible while maintaining smooth operation to maximize target sensitivity. The MODE CONTROL toggle switch selects between All Metal and Discriminate modes. In Discriminate mode, the detector's response to unwanted trash can be controlled to eliminate digging common metallic trash items. The DISCRIMINATE LEVEL control adjusts the detector's response to unwanted metallic trash in Discriminate mode. At its lowest setting ("0"), most iron objects are eliminated, but the detector still responds to light foil, bottle caps, pull tabs, and other metallic items. As the knob setting increases, more metallic trash items are rejected.

Usage Features

The Bandido II can be assembled in two configurations: as a pole-mounted arm rest unit or as a body-mount unit, and it can be easily converted between the two without tools. For pole mount, the control housing is pre-mounted, and only the searchcoil connector needs to be inserted and tightened. For body mount, the control housing is removed from the upper pole, and the searchcoil connector is inserted. Velcro straps are used to secure the cable.

Proper adjustment of the searchcoil angle and stem length is crucial for comfortable and non-tiring use during long periods. The stem length is adjusted by depressing spring buttons and extending or shortening the pole until it clicks into a comfortable setting. The coil should be about one inch above the ground when standing erect, and its angle should be adjusted parallel to the ground. The arm rest can also be moved forward by repositioning screws and nuts.

Tuning is essential for maximum depth and performance. The detector should be tuned in the All Metal mode first, ensuring no metallic objects are under or near the searchcoil. For auto-tuning, the Tune Select switch is set to Auto Tune, the Mode Switch to All Metal, and the Sensitivity control to near maximum. The Threshold control is adjusted to a faint audio signal. The searchcoil is then quickly lowered to one or two inches above the ground and pumped up and down while adjusting the Ground Adjust control until no change in the threshold sound is obtained. For normal tuning, the Tune Select switch is set to Normal Tune, and the same steps are followed, but with manual adjustments to the Ground Adjust control based on whether the threshold sound increases or decreases as the searchcoil nears the ground.

Once All Metal mode tuning is complete, operating in Discriminate mode only requires setting the Disc Level control to the desired trash rejection level and the Sensitivity control to the maximum setting that allows smooth operation. The threshold setting also determines the minimum sound level for deep targets in Discriminate mode; too little threshold will reduce depth, while too much can make the detector erratic.

For field use, the detector should be held in a comfortable position, swinging it from side to side in a three-foot arc, overlapping succeeding strokes. This "sweep" should be at a comfortable pace, as hunting too fast can lead to depth loss in mineralized areas. Maintaining a constant searchcoil height close to the ground is important to avoid depth loss. In areas with lawns, the coil can rest on the grass. In rough areas, avoid "scrubbing" the coil to prevent wear and false signals.

When operating in Discriminate Mode, "false signals" can occur due to heavy concentrations of trash, very large trash objects, or electrical interference. These signals typically sound short and choppy, unlike good target signals. Repeatability is key to distinguishing good targets from trash noise. Switching to All Metal Mode can also help confirm target responses. For pinpointing, the sweep speed of the Bandido II is slow enough in Discriminate Mode, allowing for practice to narrow down the detection area. Sweeping the coil slowly from side to side and front to back, or in very short sweeps, can help locate the target directly below the coil center. The easiest method for pinpointing is to switch to All Metal/Normal Tune mode, as no motion is required. Moving the coil until the strongest sound is heard indicates the target's location. If the audio saturates, momentarily pushing the tuning mode switch to retune can narrow the field of response.

Maintenance Features

To replace batteries, pull the large knobs on the battery door on the rear of the unit to pop out the entire door. Remove the old batteries and leads, then replace with new batteries, observing polarity. Install the battery door back onto the chassis, pushing the nylon fasteners into the holes and then pushing the plungers back in to lock the door. It is recommended to change both batteries at the same time and use good quality alkaline batteries. The Bandido II has an automatic battery test sequence upon initial power-on. Turning the detector off for about five seconds and then back on will engage the battery test circuit for 3 to 5 seconds, with the audio loudness indicating remaining battery strength. A quieter tone or a brief buzz indicates it's time to replace the batteries.

For long-term storage, it is best to remove the battery pack to prevent internal damage from battery leakage. The searchcoil is waterproof and can be submerged in fresh or salt water. However, caution should be exercised to prevent water from entering the chassis, which could damage the electronic circuitry. After use in salt water, the coil and lower stem assembly should be rinsed well with fresh water to prevent corrosion. In body mount configuration, cable connectors should not be submerged.

The use of earphones is highly recommended. They effectively block out ambient noise like traffic and wind, allowing users to better hear fainter signals from deeper targets. This significantly extends battery life, as earphones require less power. The detector is not equipped with a volume control, but has a limiting circuit in the earphone jack. If less volume is desired, earphones with a built-in volume control can be used. Any good 8 or 16 ohm set with a 1/4 inch stereo jack will work.

Tesoro Bandido II Specifications

General

Operating Frequency	12 kHz
Weight	2.2 lbs (1 kg)
Ground Balance	Manual
Sensitivity	Adjustable
Target ID	No
Search Coil Size	8 inches
Battery	9V
Battery Life	10-20 hours
Audio Output	Speaker, Headphone Jack
Waterproof	Search coil only