Here you will find a review of Teknetics Gamma 6000 metal detector. From this article you will find out what is the device operation frequency, what kind of coil it has, are headphones included in the package set, how long the device can work using one battery charge and what makes it different from other Teknetics metal detectors.
Contents
The backstory
First Texas Products holding owns Teknetics brand since 1989. This holding is also the owner of such metal detector manufacturers as Fisher and Bounty Hunter.
Teknetics has several metal detector product lines. Each of them has devices with various functionalities and prices.
Teknetics Gamma 6000 metal detector was manufactured at the end of 2008 together with Teknetics Delta 4000, Teknetics Alpha 2000 and Teknetics Omega 8500 models.
- Visual Target Identification: The Gamma 6000 features a visual target identification system, providing a visual representation of the probable type of metal detected. This can include numerical target ID values displayed on an LCD screen.
- Multiple Search Modes: The metal detector offers various search modes, such as All Metal mode and Discrimination mode, providing versatility for different detecting scenarios.
- Discrimination Control: Users can adjust discrimination settings to eliminate signals from unwanted metals and focus on specific types of targets.
- Sensitivity Adjustment: The Gamma 6000 may include sensitivity control, allowing users to adjust the detector’s sensitivity based on ground conditions and target sizes.
- Pinpoint Mode: The metal detector comes with a pinpoint mode to help users precisely locate the exact position of a detected target.
- Audio Tone Discrimination: The detector uses different audio tones to indicate the conductivity of the detected target, helping users distinguish between various types of metals.
- Lightweight Construction: The Gamma 6000 is generally designed to be lightweight, making it convenient for users during extended metal detecting sessions.
- Battery Life: The metal detector operates on batteries, and the battery life can vary based on usage. It’s advisable to have spare batteries on hand for longer detecting sessions.
- Manual Ground Balance
- Ground Grab
- Notch System by Category
- 80 Levels of Discrimination Adjustment
- Motion All Metal Mode
- Deep Search
Last update on 2024-04-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Source: Amazon Affiliates
| Model | Teknetics Gamma 6000 |
| Weight | 2.3 lbs. (1 kg) |
| Length (Adjustable) | 43” – 53” |
| Batteries | 9-Volt Alkaline (not included) |
| Headphones | No |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Operating Principle | VLF |
| Standard Searchcoil | 8” (20 cm) Concentric |
| Operating Frequencies (kHz) | 7.69 kHz |
| Water resistance | Waterproof coil |
| Submersion Depth | No |
| Discrimination | Yes |
| Ground Balance | Manual, Auto |
| Search Modes | 3 |
| Audio Threshold | No |
| Sensitivity-Depth Adjustments | Yes |
| Electronic Pinpointing | Yes |
| VDI (0 to 99 scale) | Yes |
| Build-in flashlight | No |
What was the device designed for?
In this product line the manufacturer uses letters of Greek alphabet to mark the device models. Therefore, they range from the simplest metal detector model – Alpha 2000 to Omega 8500. Correspondingly, Teknetics Gamma 6000 is a metal detector model preceding to the top one.
The device is for those, who have already had some treasure hunting experience with simpler metal detectors, but they would like to get a device with wider functionality, more functions, higher detection depth.
The review
The metal detector design uses S-shaped shaft consisting of three sections. The upper and the middle sections are made of aluminum alloy, while the bottom one is made of carbon. This material can stand quite high loads. It is not just durable, but rigid as well.
The middle and the upper shaft sections are colored with a wearproof powder paint. The middle shaft section has eight adjustment holes.
The shaft fixation system uses spring buttons and camlocks with swivel washers. The shaft sections are connected by means of spring buttons and the final fixation is provided with camlocks.
The following items are attached to the upper shaft section: a control unit, a handler with an adjustable armrest, which you can shift along the shaft.
The armrest is deep and comfortable enough, user’s forearm is reliably fixated in it and it doesn’t become numb due to special foam material put inside the armrest. For ease of the armrest use the possibility to shift it along the upper shaft section was foreseen.
There are two holes for a fixation strap, which you can get as an additional accessory. The handler is made of polyurethane, it is soft and always warm.
The control unit is attached to the shaft without the possibility to dismount it. However, the disassembled metal detector is rather small-sized, and it doesn’t require a lot of space. So, it can easily be put into a bag or a backpack.
The coil
Teknetics Gamma 6000 uses 7.8 kHz operating frequency, which is considered to be the most multi-purpose one and provides the possibility to search both for small objects and large sized ones. The device uses VLF operation principle.
Teknetics Gamma 6000 metal detectors are equipped with a round 8 inches mono coil.
The searchcoil is designed as a one-piece, therefore it doesn’t require additional protection from the bottom. It has an elastic wire equipped with a threaded jack plug, so it won’t unplug unexpectedly; the wire maintains its elasticity even when it is cold (up to –10 °C)!
The searchcoil is completely waterproof. The main thing is to keep in mind that you can submerge the coil only up to the control unit level.
The headphones
Headphones aren’t included into the standard device package set. However, any type of standard headphones with a proper jack plug will do for this metal detector.
On the left side of the control unit there are two headphone outputs – 1/8 and 1/4 inches.
The battery
The metal detector uses one 9 v battery as a power supply, and it can function up to 20–25 hours using it. If you use headphones, the operation time is longer. You can use accumulator batteries, but they provide just about 8-9 hours of continuous device operation.
The control unit
The control unit is rather thin and light weighted, but at the same time it has a battery holder and a large LCD display with control buttons on the front panel. Let’s take a closer look at the control buttons and indication. The metal detector has just six control buttons.
The upper button in the middle (the oval one, in the center of the panel) is to turn the device on and off. Under it, there is a button that turns on the mode of precise target detection mode – PINPOINT.
The device switches on rather quickly, right after the power button is pushed. The metal detector is on with the maximal sensitivity level, so it’d better to decrease it, which is also is done rather quickly (by pushing two large buttons «+» or «-»).
Buttons «+» and «-» serve to adjust the device settings parameters and the side buttons are meant for switching between the search modes and adjustment functions.
Discrimination scale diagram is in the center of the display, VDI number is located under it.
In the top left corner of the LCD there is a battery charge indicator. It has two segments. You should charge the accumulator battery or replace the battery, when only the indicator frame is visible.
In the top right corner, you will find the information about the ground balance (the icon with a crossed pick hammer and a shovel). Teknetics Gamma 6000 has both manual and automatic ground balance function.
In the right menu sidebar, you will find the ground balance mode – GROUND GRAB. Then you can select ALL METAL mode as well as PINPOINT and DISCRIMINATE mode.
In the left menu sidebar, you can adjust SENSITIVITY, DISC. LEVEL, as well as selective discrimination/discrimination pattern (NOTCH), number of sound tones (OF TONES, you can select from 1 to 4 tones), VOLUME.
During the treasure hunting process, the detection depth scale (inches) is displayed under VDI number. The depth value is an approximate one, but it provides information, which is rather important for successful target digging.
Discrimination
The discrimination scale consists of eight segments, each of them corresponds to some specific metal type or object.
In a semicircular dial of targets, you will see what kind of targets probably are under the searchcoil. The scale has 8 segments: IRON, FOIL, the USA 5 cents (NICKEL), can pull tabs (PULLTAB), screw caps (S-CAP+), the USA zinc penny (ZINC), the USA 10 cents (DIME), the USA 25 cents (QTR+).
When detecting a metal target, you will see a VDI number on the display and simultaneously you will see an active marker under the corresponding segment of the discrimination scale.
Such a combination gives the digger information about how valuable the finding is and whether it is worth digging.
Teknetics Gamma 6000 has two options of setting the discrimination pattern for this purpose.
In standard discrimination mode, the discrimination pattern is set so, that sequentially all objects are excluded from the search cover starting from the ‘iron’ mark. Which means that you’ll be able to work in this mode without excluding metals from the search cover or to deactivate some part of it.
What to do, if you need to deactivate not half of discrimination scale, but just one of its segments, which is in the middle? Nickel, for example.
In this case you should use NOTCH function that allows selective excluding of one or several segments of the discrimination scale at your discretion. By means of adjustment buttons you can create your own discrimination pattern and receive signals only from valuable targets.
Search modes
There are only three search modes (All metal, discrimination mode and selective discrimination (NOTCH). These are dynamical modes, i.e. when using them you should move the searchcoil above the ground.
In ‘All metal’ mode the metal detector receives all signals from absolutely all metal targets in the ground regardless of the metal they are made of.
When using any discrimination mode the signal from the target goes through filters and that’s why the device detects targets less deep, than when it works using all metal mode.
Sound indication
A digger can adjust the metal detector to receive 4-tone signal indication, in this case each target type will have its own response tone; or you can reduce the number of tones and receive two-tone signal.
Besides the tone settings adjustment you can also adjust the volume level, that’s why you can buy headphones without volume control function, since the device allows convenient and fast volume tuning.
Pinpoint
Precise search mode called PINPOINT is also an «all metal» mode, but a static one; when switching to this mode you can move the coil above the ground very slowly or leave it still at all, but you will hear the signal from the target.
Ground balance
Essential difference between Teknetics Gamma 6000 and other metal detectors of this product line is that the latter has a possibility to adjust the ground balance function. Any type of soil contains some amount of minerals, which prevent receiving the signal from the target.
Metal detectors of beginner level have ground balance pre-set by the manufacturer, but in Teknetics Gamma 6000 you can adjust the metal detector to work at some specific soil conditions both manually and automatically.
Properly adjusted metal detector provides more significant detection depth, identifies the target more precisely, doesn’t produce unwanted signals. Of course, it provides mode significant detection depth, than any metal detector with fixed/pre-set ground balance value!
For everyday use the digger may apply automatic ground balance function, but in case of some specific tasks, for example, searching at complex soil conditions, it’s better to set the ground balance manually to ensure maximal detection depth and performance.
Conclusions
Teknetics Gamma 6000 is rather good metal detector, but it has some drawbacks. Firstly, it is quite strange that the metal detector with such price has a mono coil. Secondly, even though that the device has better functionality than that of
Garrett Ace 200, it is worse than the one provided by Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro or Fisher F44.
If I had a choice between Teknetics Gamma 6000 and the latter two devices, I would choose Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro for treasure hunting in the field, and Fisher F44 for beach hunting. These models seem more user-friendly to me, they have many positive feedback reviews and acceptable price.