Surf PI Pro

[kt315]

spint layout 6.0 does Gerber. click there on Export and make the file. some chinese companies do not
need Gerber files and do all themself.

[Tim]

Thanks KT. But I only have the free version of Sprint, and my rep at ALLPCB isn't able to covert Lay to Gerber or an acceptable format for them- She's already tried.( I suppose they don't have LAY either).
I have recently downloaded Eagle, but I'm having trouble getting my head around it- I can make lines and vias, but when I try to drop components on it says "not inside designated area"
or suchlike, and I'm damned if I can figure out how to make a board outline to drop them in.
If I can't find someone here to help, I suppose I will have to download a payed version of Sprint(to convert files to Gerber) as I am unsure if they will accept Eagle files (but probably do?).
That being said, I don't think there's an Eagle file of Apbergs XX here either...... There's a James Owen version in Eagle, but I'm partial to Apbergs version.

I would be eternally grateful if someone could convert the above LAY to Gerber and place it here (or in the sticky) for the benefit of all.

[SVEN1]

Here we go

[Tim]

Oh, Sven- You da man! Thank you! Hope the Mirage is going well for you mate. Treasurelinx is an invaluable resource too!!

[bernte_one]

fast, faster, SVEN..........

[aelshafiey]

Hi guys,

I'm new to metal detectors. I'm going to build a surf pi pro kit that I got from ebay. Is the schematic attached in page 1 fine or there are some improvements that can be done to it?
Also my goal is to detect coins 10-12 inchs away whats the best coil specs that I should use also what design?
I noticed that you have to move the metal for the detector to detect it, how come? isn't it pulse induction meaning the current is changing so if the object doesn't move the speaker should keep making noise, why do we have to move the object for it to be detected for a sec then the speaker dies out even thou the metal is still in the range of detection.
Finally what are the 4 tuners for?

Would appreciate your help a lot!!

Thanks

[Tim]

Hi aelshafiey. Did you buy a completed board from Tacoma on ebay? If so, this is, I think, made from the SurfXX I mentioned above. Originally they came with the DD mod from Tacoma, but it seems he has moved away from this. But it is easy to re-implement, and would be worthwhile. The DD mod is mentioned and diagrammed here many times, as is the Minelab coil connector pinout, to allow use of ML/Whites PI DD or mono coils.
For coins the supplied specs should be near optimal.
These detectors are a motion detector, that's why it cancels out the coin if left still. There are mods here to make this cancellation slower or faster, Search VSAT(Variable Self-adjusting threshold) for SMpro, or similar.
The 4 pots are delay, threshold(tuner), sensitivity(gain), and volume.(In PI pro manual)
If this is the kit you bought, the ebay sale page has relevant links mentioned, including Adrianandgenese (which has the Surf 1.2, but is still relevant) and Geotech.
By the testing you have done, I would assume you have a coil already? This should be adequate, and just require appropriate setting of the controls.
It would be best to read this whole thread, which is only a pup compared to some, plus search with terms in main search(top right) or search thread(under page numbers).

Good luck. I'm sure others will chime in here too.

[aelshafiey]

Hi aelshafiey. Did you buy a completed board from Tacoma on ebay? If so, this is, I think, made from the SurfXX I mentioned above. Originally they came with the DD mod from Tacoma, but it seems he has moved away from this. But it is easy to re-implement, and would be worthwhile. The DD mod is mentioned and diagrammed here many times, as is the Minelab coil connector pinout, to allow use of ML/Whites PI DD or mono coils.
For coins the supplied specs should be near optimal.
These detectors are a motion detector, that's why it cancels out the coin if left still. There are mods here to make this cancellation slower or faster, Search VSAT(Variable Self-adjusting threshold) for SMpro, or similar.
The 4 pots are delay, threshold(tuner), sensitivity(gain), and volume.(In PI pro manual)
If this is the kit you bought, the ebay sale page has relevant links mentioned, including Adrianandgenese (which has the Surf 1.2, but is still relevant) and Geotech.
By the testing you have done, I would assume you have a coil already? This should be adequate, and just require appropriate setting of the controls.
It would be best to read this whole thread, which is only a pup compared to some, plus search with terms in main search(top right) or search thread(under page numbers).

Good luck. I'm sure others will chime in here too.

Thank you very much Tim! I really appreciate your help and time.
Yes its the board being sold by Tacoma from ebay.
Does that mean if I assemble the kit as is from the Surf Pro diagram in the first page or according to the board Tacoma provide it won't work with a monocoil?

Awesome will definitely read about VSAT. Isn't the current in pulse induction metal detectors changing with a frequency, so the metal detector should keep making a sound when it detects the metal with the same frequency of the current change? (so kindoff the sound should be constant)

I will make sure to look for the PI pro manual as I'm missing a lot of concepts.

I didn't build the kit yet so I didn't test it out. Going to do that soon. Will make sure to look at this thread as well others that mention the surf pro.
So SurfXX is different than surf pro is different than 1.2? (I don't know the difference between them at all)

[Tim]

From what I can see, this board has only L1,(coil 1. L=inductor/inductance) not L1 and L2, so it will ONLY work with a monocoil, unless you cut the trace where indicated, and solder a pin or wire for L2. The ground for both would be common.

Did you buy the completed board, or the board + components? Your comments regarding the effect of leaving a coin in front of the coil lead me to believe you had a completed board, and a coil, hooked up to a battery, in front of you.
If not simply assemble and solder, as per the part names and numbers, double checking-no, TRIPLE checking, the value and orientation of each component prior to soldering.
The surf 1.2 is the predecessor of the Surfpro. It has much in common, but is not identical. The SurfXX, and the board you have are Surfpro, BUT the original Surfpro had the delay and the volume preset by onboard trimmers, instead of external pots.
IF you are building the board from scratch, the voltage offset will need to be adjusted prior to use. I could tell you about that, but you need to read and understand much more before that.

Leave the SAT info for now-it will further addle your brain. And remove the concepts of changing frequency and constant sound. Both are incorrect. Frequency is preset by the 555 and its surrounding components, and only a non-motion detector will sound constantly while held over a target.
The manual contains no technical information, only basic operation of the Surfpro with 2 external pots. I suggested this because your comments lead me to believe you had a completed board, coil, and batteries already set up on the bench in front of you.
If you are populating the board, you will need a small, fine soldering iron. I use a 25Watt.Keep it impeccably clean. 1mm fluxed 60/40 solder. Small side-cutters, and some alcohol or methylated spirits, and an old toothbrush, to remove solder flux when finished.
I use a PCB holder. You will also need a good multi-meter, preferably with frequency measurement capability. An inductance(L) meter,measuring micro-henries (uH, not millihenries mH) and if you get serious, a suitable oscilloscope, but there are various methods to negate the need for an oscilloscope, described in various build documents, such as the Hammmerhead, Stuart PI, and others.

Aelshafiey, I will stress again, you need to read all you can before rushing in blindly- this will only lead to frustration, and probably giving up.
When you do this you will notice the multitude of failures and questions asked- and repeatedly answered for those not bothering to review answers even posted on the previous page.
You will also find the coil information you need.
Good luck. Patience, Grasshopper. And research, research, research.

[bicter]

Just purchased an ebay smpro c/w coil from Tacoma56 . Somewhere on the forum, and I've searched, there was a table showing different timings versus materials.
For the life of me, I can't find it. If anyone can point me to it I'd be grateful ��

[homefire]

This one ?

[bicter]

Thanks Homefire. Nice chart, unfortunately not the one I was looking for.

It had metals on the vertical axis and tc on the horizontal and indicated , via a tick which metals were detected.
On further consideration it may even have been on a different site ��

[kt315]

[oficirac]

Hello everybody!
I made the board of SurfXX by Apberg, and now I have a weak audio. It does work, but a very feint audio on detection. I substituted MPSA13 with BC517, couldn't find better replacement. Voltage of my batteries is around 11,30 volts.
Hows your audio on this SurfXX? I even made my own Piezo headphones but still a feint audio.

[Xtrem]

Reduce R34, this is the resistor to goes from the Emmiter of Q6 (MPSA13) to the Ground, Its 33 Ohm, try 10 Ohm.