1266-X & 1266-XB
Deep Sea r ch Meta l Detector
Operating Manual
F I S H E R R E S E A R C H L A B O R A T O R Y
ABOUT YOUR DETECTOR
The 1266-X wa s designed to exc el in three wa ys: depth,
disc rimina tion a nd simplic ity. It offers a better c ombina tion of
these three c ha ra c teristic s tha n a ny other meta l detec tor
we’ve ever built. And we’ve been building meta l detec tors
sinc e 1931.
Depth. Engineered to go deep in minera lized soil a t high levels
of disc rimina tion. If you’re a n experienc ed detec tor opera tor,
you’ll find yourself rec overing good ta rgets a t depths you
never rea c hed before. And you’ll rea lly a pprec ia te the loud,
c lea r a udio response you get from those deep ta rgets.
Discrimination. Detec t a ll meta ls or ignore tra sh a s you detec t
va lua ble ta rgets. Twin disc rimina tion modes a llow you to
switc h insta ntly ba c k a nd forth between a ny two levels of
disc rimina tion. If you’ve found ta rget ID meters c onfusing or
ina c c ura te, you’ll like this quic k a nd simple wa y to help tell the
c a sh from the tra sh.
Simplicity. This is the kind of unc omplic a ted detec tor you
would expec t from the c ompa ny tha t pioneered a utoma tic
turn-on-a nd-go meta l detec tors. No meter, no tuner, no
ground a djust. Just pic k it up, set your c ontrols onc e a nd sta rt
sea rc hing. It’s light, ba la nc ed, c omforta ble a nd the open
c enter Spider c oil ma kes pinpointing a sna p.
Rea d this instruc tion ma nua l from c over to c over a nd trea t
your 1266-X a s you would a ny expensive, high qua lity prec ision
instrument. Drop us a line if you ha ve a ny questions,
c omments, or exc iting 1266-X stories. In the mea ntime...
Ha ppy Hunting!
Fisher Resea rc h La bora tory
1
CONDENSED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
The 1266-X is ba sic a lly a turn-on-a nd-go meta l detec tor. It
doesn’t ta ke a n engineer to opera te it but you’ll ha ve more
fun a nd a better c ha nc e of ma king tha t BIG find if you ha ve a
c omplete understa nding of wha t you’re doing. Tha t’s why we
strongly rec ommend tha t you rea d the entire ma nua l. But if
you just c a n’t wa it a ny longer a nd you’ve a lrea dy used a
Fisher “X” detec tor, here’s some quic k instruc tions to get you
going.
1. Set the c ontrols a s follows:
DISC 1 = 4 (sma ll na il disc rimina tion)
DISC 2 = 7 (Pull ta b disc rimina tion)
SENSITIVITY = Pull a nd turn 3/4 c loc kwise
OFF/VOL = Full c loc kwise1
2. As soon a s you turn the detec tor on, it is
a utoma tic a lly tuned a nd ground a djusted in the
DISC 1 sea rc h mode.
3. DISC 1 a nd DISC 2 a re motion modes. The
sea rc h c oil must be a t lea st slightly in motion to
detec t a ta rget.
4. When you loc a te a ta rget, push a nd hold the
TRIG G ER SWITC H for further ta rget identific a tion in
DISC 2. If your ta rget still sounds good, dig it.
5. With pra c tic e, you should be a ble to pinpoint in
either of the DISC modes by moving the c oil
slowly ba c kwa rds a nd forwa rds a nd left to right
a nd fina lly stopping over the a rea of the
strongest ta rget response. The ta rget should be
a pproxima tely c entered benea th the sea rc h c oil.
6. To use the Zero-Motion Pinpointing mode,
simply pla c e the c oil on the ground (a wa y from
the ta rget), pull a nd hold the trigger, lift the c oil
a bout a ha lf inc h a nd bring it ba c k over the
ta rget a rea a s you would in a DISC mode. The
differenc es being tha t you don’t ha ve to keep
the c oil in motion to get a response.
7. HAPPY HUNTING !
1. If you’re using headphones, reduc e the volume of the headphones
to a c omfortable level when passing the searc h c oil over a large,
shallow target.
2
SETTING UP
Your 1266-X is just a bout rea dy to use. The only a djustment
required is the a ngle of the sea rc h c oil a nd the length of the
stem. Ta ke a look a t Figure 1 a nd fa milia rize yourself with the
pa rts of the 1266-X before proc eeding.
1. Unpa c k it c a refully. You ma y wa nt to sa ve the
c a rton a nd inserts for future stora ge or shipment.
2. Depress the spring loc k on the lower stem a nd
slip the lower stem into the upper stem. C onnec t
the sea rc h c oil c a ble to the c ontrol housing.
3. The stem length is a djusted by loosening the
loc k nut a nd a llowing the spring loc k to sna p into
one of the holes in the upper stem.
4. The sea rc h c oil a ngle is a djusted by loosening
the nylon wing nut on top of the sea rc h c oil.
5. Adjust the stem length a nd the c oil a ngle so
the sea rc h c oil rests fla t on the ground a bout 6
inc hes in front of, a nd slightly to the right of your
right foot (to the left of your left foot for left
ha nders). Your a rm should be stra ight a nd
rela xed, the grip held loosely.
Sea rc h-C oil C a ble C onnec tor
Open-C enter 8-inc h Spider C oil
a nd Ba ttery Rec ha rge Ja c k on
Rea r of Housing
Injec tion-Molded
Lower Stem
C ontrol Housing
Foa m Ha nd G rip
Wing Nut
Lower Loc k Nut
Spring Loc k
Sea rc h C oil C a ble
Upper Loc k Nut
Upper Stem
Pa dded Arm Rest
Ba ttery Housing
Ba ttery End C a p
Built-In Detec tor Sta nd
Figure 1. Fisher M-Sc ope 1266-X.
3
SETTING UP
REMEMBER • THE LONG ER THE SHAFT, THE MORE
YOU WILL HAVE TO BEND YOUR ELBOW AND THE
SOONER YOUR ARM WILL G ET TIRED. THE 1266-X IS
BALANC ED FOR C OMFORTABLE SEARC HING IN A
TIG HT SEMIC IRC LE AROUND THE FRONT OF THE
OPERATOR.
6. With the stem length properly a djusted, tighten
the loc k nut a nd sea rc h c oil wing nut. C AUTION:
Never use a pliers or a nything other tha n your
ha nd to tighten the loc k nut or wing nut.
7. Disc onnec t the sea rc h c oil c a ble from the
c ontrol housing a nd wra p it a round the stem. A
loose c a ble nea r the sea rc h c oil ma y c a use fa lse
signa ls, but don’t wra p it so tight tha t it pulls
a ga inst the housing or the c oil. Rec onnec t the
loop c a ble to the housing.
8. With the sha ft length a nd c oil a ngle properly
a djusted, you should be a ble to move into your
“sea rc h” position by lea ning forwa rd very slightly
ra ising your a rm (still stra ight) until the sea rc h c oil
is a bout 1 inc h a bove the ground a nd 12 inc hes
in front of your foot. The sea rc h c oil should be
pa ra llel to the ground a nd ma y ha ve to be
slightly rea djusted a t this point.
9. If the a rmrest is too wide or
too na rrow, you ma y bend it
slightly inwa rd or outwa rd to
meet your exa c t requirements.
Figure 2.
Sea rc h Position
4
CONTROL HOUSING
1. DISC 1: DISC RIMINATE 1 is the sea rc h mode.
The 1266-X a utoma tic a lly opera tes in DISC 1
unless the TRIG G ER-SWITC H is pushed a nd held or
pulled a nd held. DISC 1 is a full ra nge
disc rimina tion mode. All types of meta l a re
detec ted a t the zero level a nd most sma ll piec es
of tra sh a re rejec ted a t the ma ximum level of ten.
2. DISC 2: DISC RIMINATE 2 is simila r to DISC 1
exc ept tha t it opera tes only when the TRIG G ER
SWITC H is pushed a nd held. DISC 2 is used for
ta rget identific a tion a nd/or pinpointing.
3. STEREO HEADPHONE JACK: Ac c epts most
stereo a nd mono hea dphones with one-qua rter
inc h dia meter plugs. When used, the spea ker is
a utoma tic a lly disc onnec ted. A hea dphone c a n
be very helpful when hunting in noisy a rea s or
detec ting fa int signa ls.
4. SENSITIVITY: This is a dua l ra nge, push-pull knob
tha t c ontrols sensitivity to ta rgets a nd soil
minera ls. Pull a nd rota te c loc kwise for norma l
opera tion in minera lized soil. Push a nd rota te
c loc kwise for even more sensitivity in
non-minera lized, non-c onduc tive soil. It should
be noted tha t fa int erra tic c irc uit noise is a udible
a t the full c loc kwise position.
5. BATTERY CHECK: Fully c ha rged ba tteries will
give a loud tone when this button is pushed.
Wea k ba tteries will give a wea k signa l a nd dea d
6
3
1
2
5
4
5
C ONROL HOUSING
or wea k ba tteries will give no tone. Ba tteries do
not ha ve to be repla c ed a s long a s you c a n hea r
a tone. As a genera l rule, you’ll be a ble to
opera te your 1266-X for a n hour or two a fter the
tone goes silent.
6. OFF/VOL: Power on-off a nd volume c ontrol.
This c ontrol turns the power off a t the full c ounter
c loc kwise position a nd a djusts volume to
ma ximum a t full c loc kwise.
7. TRIGGER SWITCH: This spring loa ded trigger ha s
three-positions:
1. Relaxed position: Ma inta ins the 1266-X in the
DISC 1 sea rc h mode.
2. Forward position: When pushed a nd held,
the 1266-X a utoma tic a lly switc hes into the DISC
2 mode.
3. Rear position: When pulled a nd held the
1266-X a utoma tic a lly switc hes into the Zero-
Motion Pinpointing mode.
8. RECHARGE JACK: Loc a ted on the rea r of the
c ontrol housing, this ja c k is to be used only with
the optiona l 1266-X rec ha rge kit. Nic a d ba tteries
ma y be rec ha rged from a 110-volt wa ll outlet or
a n a uto c iga rette lighter soc ket (12 volt,
nega tive ground) without removing the ba tteries
from the c ontrol housing.
DISCRIMINATION POINTS
By a djusting DISC 1 a nd DISC 2 you will be a ble to ignore (or
“rejec t”) sma ll piec es of meta llic tra sh a nd ground minera ls
while detec ting va lua ble ta rgets. The lowest setting a t whic h
a n objec t is rejec ted is referred to a s the objec t’s
“disc rimina tion point”. Disc rimina tion points a re determined by
suc h fa c tors a s size, sha pe, depth, type of meta l a nd ground
minera liza tion.
1. Sc a tter some sa mple ta rgets suc h a s c oins, pull-
ta bs a nd sma ll piec es of foil on the ground 1 to 2
feet a pa rt.
6
DISCRIMINATION POINTS
2. Pull the SENSITIVITY c ontrol out a nd turn full
c loc kwise. (Ba c k it off slightly if c irc uit noise is too
loud or a nnoying in the full c loc kwise position.)
3. Turn the OFF/VOL c ontrol full c loc kwise. (If
you’re wea ring hea dphones reduc e the volume
to a c omforta ble level when the sea rc h c oil is
over a la rge ta rget).
4. Set DISC 1 a nd DISC 2 a t zero.
5. Hold the sea rc h c oil a bout 2 inc hes a bove a nd
pa ra llel to the ground. Move it slowly over the
sa mples a nd note the sha rp loud response a s you
pa ss over ea c h one. Keep in mind tha t DISC 1 a nd
DISC 2 a re motion modes a nd respond only when
the sea rc h c oil (or the ta rget) is moving.
6. Inc rea se DISC 1 to a setting of 3 a nd a ga in pa ss
over the ta rgets. Repea t this proc ess a t settings of
4,5,6 a nd so on to 10. You will note tha t a s you
inc rea se the level of disc rimina tion, the 1266-X will
rejec t some ta rgets a nd c ontinue to respond to
Figure 3. Typic a l 1266-X a udio responses over 1 inc h deep ta rgets
with sea rc h c oil sweeping 1 to 2 inc hes a bove ground.
7
DISCRIMINATION POINTS
others. You have now determined the approximate
disc rimination points for the rejec ted objec ts.
For exa mple, the sma ll na il disc rimina tion point
ma y be 4 a nd the pull-ta b disc rimina tion point 6.
7. Push a nd hold the TRIG G ER-SWITC H. The 1266-X is
now opera ting in the DISC 2 mode.
8. Repea t steps 5 a nd 6 a nd you will note tha t the
DISC 2 disc rimina tion points a re a bout the sa me a s
DISC 1 disc rimina tion points.
9. The a c tua l disc rimina tion points for different
ta rgets ma y va ry slightly from DISC 1 to DISC 2 a nd
from detec tor to detec tor. However,
disc rimina tion points a re determined ma inly by
suc h fa c tors a s ta rget size, sha pe, depth, type of
meta l a nd ground minera liza tion.
10. Some objec ts suc h a s sha llow bottle c a ps, bent
pull ta bs or tra sh less tha n 2 inc hes from the c oil
ma y be diffic ult to rejec t. The 1266-X will instea d
respond with a strong broken signa l, whic h will,
usua lly disa ppea r if the sea rc h c oil is ra ised slightly.
(The strong signa l of a good ta rget will just get
wea ker when the c oil is ra ised).
11. The 1266-X will rema in silent when some objec ts
a re rejec ted however other objec ts ma y “sna p,
c ra c kle a nd pop” a s they a re rejec ted. This is a
perfec tly norma l response indic a ting tha t the
powerful disc rimina tion c irc uitry is doing its job.
12. La rge piec es of tra sh suc h a s beer c a ns or ja r
lids ma y sound like good ta rgets no ma tter wha t
you do. With a little pra c tic e however, you will be
a ble to tell the differenc e between a la rge ta rget
a nd a sma ll c oin sized objec t.
13. The c ha rt on pa ge 7 shows some of the
different ta rget responses you ma y expec t a t
different levels of disc rimina tion. Note tha t a s you
inc rea se the disc rimina tion level, you progressively
elimina te more ta rgets inc luding some good ones,
suc h a s nic kels a nd gold rings.
8
DUAL DISCRIMINATION
1. Minimum Depth
a. Very slow or fa st sweep speed.
b. Disc rimina tion set a t “10.”
2. G ood Depth
a. Modera te sweep speed.
b. Disc rimina tion set a t “5.”
3. Ma ximum Depth
a. Modera te sweep speed.
b. Disc rimina tion set a t “0.”
4. Missed Ta rget
1
2
Ma ny ta rgets within the ra nge of
your 1225-X will not be
detec ted unless you c losely overla p
your swings.
3
4
Figure 4. Sea rc h c oil detec tion
pa ttern a nd the effec ts of
sweep sprea d, disc rimina tion
a nd ground minera liza tion.
Motion Mode.
Ta ke a look a t the illustra tion a bove a nd note how the
disc rimina tion level (a s well a s sweep speed a nd ground
minera liza tion) a ffec ts the sea rc h c oil detec tion pa ttern. Not
only is depth reduc ed a t high disc rimina tion levels but a lso the
width of the pa ttern is reduc ed. This c ha nge in width ha s a
very importa nt implic a tion: if you’re sea rc hing a t a high level
of disc rimina tion you’ll ha ve to sweep a lmost direc tly over a
ta rget to get a response. The higher the degree of ground
minera liza tion, the more pronounc ed this effec t.
This is where the 1266-X dua l disc rimina tion system c omes in.
Set DISC 1 a t a low level (like 2 or 3) a nd DISC 2 a t a higher
level (6 or 7). As you sea rc h in DISC 1 you’ll ha ve a better
c ha nc e of finding good ta rgets. Of c ourse, you’ll get more
tra sh too, so when you do get a response, switc h over to DISC
2. If you still get a good response, dig it, keeping in mind tha t
ha d you been sea rc hing a t a high level of disc rimina tion you
ma y well ha ve missed this one. This is the preferred method of
sea rc hing in rela tively non-tra shy soil.
In very tra shy soil however it is genera lly ea sier to sea rc h
with DISC 1 a t a high level of disc rimina tion (a t the pull-ta b
disc rimina tion point for exa mple) a nd DISC 2 a t a lower level
of disc rimina tion (3 for exa mple). In this ma nner a good ta rget
9
DUAL DISRCRIMINATION
ma y be detec ted in DISC 1 a nd pinpointed in DISC 2. (Lower
levels of disc rimina tion produc e stronger signa ls on deep or
sma ll ta rgets a nd it ma y be diffic ult to use the pinpoint mode if
there’s a lot of nea rby tra sh.)
SEARCHING
G ood sea rc h tec hniques a re every bit a s importa nt a s
ha ving a good meta l detec tor.
1. Adjust your SENSITIVITY c ontrol. Only
experienc e will tell you how to set it in every
situa tion but sta rt out in the ‘pull” position, turned
fully c loc kwise. As a genera l rule, turn your
sensitivity down to reduc e exc essive fa lse signa ls
c a used by minera lized ground “hot roc ks” or
When the stem is properly
a djusted, the 1266-X is
ba la nc ed for sweeping in a
tight semic irc le. Wide to the
right for right-ha nders. Wide to
the left for left-ha nders. Alwa ys
overla p your sweeps.
Figure 5. Sea rc h pa ttern.
elec tric a l interferenc e c a used by ra dio/TV
sta tions, power lines, etc . Turn your sensitivity up if
you wa nt those deepest, sma llest ta rgets a nd
you’re willing to put up with some ba c kground
noise a nd more fa lse signa ls. The ma ximum
sensitivity position is with the knob pushed in a nd
rota ted full c loc kwise.
2. Dec ide how muc h disc rimina tion you wa nt to
use (see “DUAL DISC RIMINATION”).
3. Sea rc h slowly a nd systema tic a lly, sweeping in
a tight semic irc le.
4. KEEP THE C OIL PARALLEL TO, AND AS C LOSE TO
THE G ROUND AS PRAC TIC AL (See Figeure 6). This is
10
SEARC HING
importa nt for ma ximum c overa ge a nd depth. 4. If
you’re hunting on a la wn you c a n set the c oil
right on the gra ss a nd sea rc h.
5. Ta ke your time a nd overla p your sweeps by a t
lea st 50%.
6. Sea rc h in a methodic a l ma nner. Pa y c lose
a ttention to where you’re going a nd where
you’ve been.
7. Keep the sea rc h c oil moving a t a c omforta ble
ra te. Remember tha t the 1266-X is a motion
detec tor a nd responds only when the sea rc h c oil
(or the ta rget) is moving while in the DISC modes.
8. TAKE YOUR TIME. Also very importa nt. If you
wa lk too fa st you c a n’t overla p your sweeps a nd
you’ll miss a lot of ground. If you sweep too fa st,
you’ll lose sensitivity a nd miss the deepest ta rgets.
9. The dia gra m on pa ge 9 shows the sea rc h c oil
detec tion pa ttern a nd how it is a ffec ted by
sweep speed, disc rimina tion level a nd ground
minera liza tion while sea rc hing in DISC 1 or DISC 2.
Note tha t a ny one of the three, improper sweeps
speed, high disc rimina tion or ground
minera liza tion will reduc e your depth. All three
fa c tors oc c urring a t the sa me time will c ost you
a ll but the sha llowest of ta rgets.
Figure 6. Keep the sea rc h c oil pa ra llel
a nd a s c lose to the ground a t a ll times.
11
PINPOINTING
ZERO MOTION PINPOINTING MODE
Ta rget loc a tion is a sna p using the Zero-Motion Pinpointing
mode. You do not ha ve to keep the c oil moving to get a
response in this mode.
1. Onc e the presenc e of a buried ta rget is
indic a ted by the “beep-beep” of the 1266-X,
simply pla c e the c oil LIG HTLY on the ground,
a wa y from the ta rget a rea . Pull the TRIG G ER-
SWITC H a nd hold. (At ma ximum sensitivity you
ma y hea r a fa int tone, whic h will disa ppea r a s
soon a s the c oil is ra ised. If the tone doesn’t
disa ppea r, lower the sensitivity slightly.)
2. Ra ise the c oil 1/2 ha lf inc h or so a nd move it
side to side a c ross the ta rget a rea a few times.
3. Stop the sea rc h c oil over the c enter of the
response a rea .
4. Now move the c oil slowly forwa rd a nd ba c k a
c ouple of times, a ga in stopping in the c enter of
the response a rea .
5. Repea t one more time, moving the c oil side to
side. Your ta rget should be direc tly below the
open c enter of the sea rc h c oil.
6. For quic k a nd a c c ura te pinpointing of strong
signa ls, pla c e the c oil on the ground very c lose
to the a pproxima te ta rget a rea a nd pull a nd hold
the trigger switc h. You ha ve now “tuned-out”
most of the ta rget so you will only rec eive a
response direc tly over or very nea rly over the
ta rget.
PINPOINTING IN THE MOTION DISK MODES
Pinpointing in either DISC 1 or DISC 2 will ta ke a little pra c tic e
but you ma y find tha t for most ta rgets, it’s even quic ker tha n
the Zero-Motion Pinpointing mode. Simply use the sa me
proc edure a s in steps 2 through 5 a bove. The only differenc e
will be tha t when you stop the c oil over the ta rget, you will
12
PINPOINTING
lose the a udio signa l. You MUST keep the c oil moving a t lea st
slightly to determine the loc a tion of the strongest signa l before
you stop it.
1. For very strong signa ls, you ma y improve your
DISC mode pinpointing a c c ura c y by, a dding one
or more of the following steps.
a. Lift the c oil until the signa l is just ba rely hea rd.
b. Reduc e the sensitivity level.
c. Inc rea se the disc rimina tion level.
d. Rest the c oil on the ground a nd move it
ba c k a nd forth very slowly.
2. For very wea k signa ls try the following:
a. Move the c oil c loser to the ground.
b. Inc rea se the sensitivity level.
c. Dec rea se the disc rimina tion level.
d. Speed up the sweep ra te slightly.
TARGET RECOVERY
Onc e you ha ve pinpointed a ta rget, your objec tive is to
rec over it quic kly a nd nea tly, lea ving virtua lly no tra c e of your
exc a va tion. There a re a lmost a s ma ny wa ys to do this, a s there
a re Trea sure Hunters. Wha tever works for you is good enough
a s long a s you don’t brea k a ny la ws, da ma ge vegeta tion, or
lea ve your sea rc h a rea looking like a World Wa r II ba ttlefield.
G enera lly spea king, bea c hc ombers do little if a ny da ma ge
to the environment while rec overing ta rgets. However, if you
pla n to use your 1266-X on la wns or in pa rks, your ta rget
rec overy method c a n be very importa nt. Two of the most
suc c essful methods a re illustra ted in a sepa ra te booklet
enc losed with your 1266-X.
WHIC HEVER TOOL OR METHOD YOU C HOOSE, REMEMBER THAT
RESPONSIBLE TREASURE HUNTERS TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR ABILITY TO
LEAVE SOIL AND VEG ETATION INTAC T AND UNDAMAG ED.
13
RECOVERY TOOLS
1. A hea vy duty, blunt sc rewdriver is c ommonly
used by expert Trea sure Hunters a nd the tool of
c hoic e for c ut la wns.
2. A sturdy hunting knife with a 5-inc h bla de will
do the job in most other soils. A high qua lity
double-edged “surviva l” knife is even better
(a nd more expensive) c hoic e sinc e it will be
a lmost impossible to bend or brea k.
CAUTION: Using a jac k knife without a loc king
blade is a good way to lose a finger!
3. A na rrow ga rden trowel will work in loose or
wet soil.
4. Severa l exc ellent digging tools a re ma de just
for the Trea sure Hunter a nd espec ia lly designed
sa nd sc oops a re a va ila ble for bea c hc ombing.
5. A thin, dull probe is the preferred tool for
prec ise ta rget loc a tion.
OPERATING TIPS
1. We’ve a lrea dy sa id it but it bea rs repea ting:
TAKE YOUR TIME AND OVERLAP YOUR SWEEPS.
2. Keep your disc rimina tion levels set low. You’ll
dig more tra sh but you’ll find more good ta rgets,
too. If you c ontinua lly run a t the pull-ta b
disc rimina tion level you’ll find c oins a nd silver
rings but very few gold rings for exa mple.
3. Use a good hea dphone. You won’t miss fa int
ta rgets, you won’t a ttra c t unwa nted a ttention
a nd you won’t bother others.
4. Pra c tic e pinpointing. There’s nothing sa c red
a bout the methods desc ribed in this ma nua l.
Ma ny 1266-X users ha ve developed their own
pinpointing methods.
5. Alwa ys bury a c oin when working in unfa milia r
territory a nd c hec k it a t different disc rimina tion
a nd sensitivity levels. There is some sensitivity loss
a t higher levels of disc rimina tion. The grea ter the
14
OPERATING TIPS
ground minera liza tion, the higher the sensitivity
loss. For exa mple, you ma y be a ble to detec t a
penny 6 inc hes deep a t zero disc rimina tion, but
no deeper tha n 4 inc hes a t the pull ta b
disc rimina tion point. Also, ground minera liza tion
c a n reduc e a detec tor’s a bility to disc rimina te
a c c ura tely. In highly minera lized soil, some tra sh
ta rgets ma y not be rejec ted.
6. If a ta rget gives a good strong response in the
sea rc h mode but no response in the Zero-Motion
Pinpoint mode, you ma y ha ve “tuned-out” your
ta rget (a nd a ll others) by pulling the TRIG G ER-
SWITC H over a nother piec e of meta l. If you
suspec t this ma y be the c a se, c hec k the ground
first in DISC 1 a t zero disc rimina tion to insure
there’s no buried meta l before pla c ing your c oil
on the ground a nd pulling the TRIG G ER-SWITC H to
go into the pinpoint mode.
7. In tra shy a rea s, to reduc e the “ma sking”
effec ts of tra sh on nea rby good ta rgets, use a
shorter a nd slower sweep pa ttern. Also, the
optiona l sma ller 5-inc h sea rc h c oils will zero in on
good ta rgets c loser to tra sh.
8. When in doubt a bout the possible identity of a
ta rget, dig it up.
9. The 1266-X is a n ea sy detec tor to use but if
you’re ha ving trouble with a ny a spec t of its
opera tion (pinpointing, sea rc hing, fa lse signa ls,
etc .) go ba c k a nd rerea d the pa rt of this ma nua l
rela ting to your problem.
15
FALSE SIGNALS
Due to the extreme sensitivity of the 1266-X, you’re bound to
get some “fa lse signa ls” onc e in a while. A fa lse signa l oc c urs
when something tha t shouldn’t sounds like a good ta rget. The
1266-X does a good job of rejec ting junk but it is so sensitive
tha t “hot” minera lized spots in the soil, la rge, c a n fool it piec es
of junk, some kinds of bottle c a ps a nd pull ta bs or tra sh less
tha n 2 inc hes from the c oil.
So wha t do you do a bout fa lse signa ls? Well, 90 perc ent of
them will sound suspic ious to you a fter you’ve ha d some
experienc e a nd you’ll just ignore them.
They ma y be very fa int or very a brupt with sta tic . Often
when you go ba c k over the sa me spot, a fa lse signa l will
simply disa ppea r. Other fa lse signa ls ma y be very loud a nd
sha rp but most of these will a lso disa ppea r if the c oil is
speeded up or ra ised slightly. Some sha llow, la rge or irregula r
piec es of junk however, will sound off no ma tter wha t you do.
You ma y reduc e the number of fa lse signa ls by inc rea sing the
disc rimina tion level a nd/or reduc ing the sensitivity. Some other
sourc es of fa lse signa ls a re:
1. ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE: C aused by radio/TV
stations, power lines, nearby detec tors operating at
the same frequency. SOLUTIONS: Move further away,
lower the sensitivity, and reduc e sweep speed.
2. HIGHLY MINERALIZED SOIL: Usually c auses
c onstant static or good target sounds. SOLUTIONS:
Make sure you’re in the normal “Pull” sensitivity
c ontrol position. Lower the sensitivity, inc rea se the
disc rimination, raise the searc h c oil until false
signals disappear and sweep at that height.
3. WET SAND: Sa me a s highly minera lized soil.
4. ELONGATED FERROUS OBJECTS: If you hea r two
beeps very c lose together a nd c a n’t find either
one, you’re proba bly over a na il or some other
long iron objec t. But a very sha llow c oin or a
buried c oin on edge ma y give the sa me
response. In a ll c a ses, the ta rget will be between
16
FALSE SIGNALS
the beeps or, if you sweep a t right a ngles to your
origina l direc tion, you’ll rec eive a single beep
direc tly over the ta rget (exc ept for the very
sha llow c oin). One wa y to tell the differenc e
between a c oin a nd a na il is to set your
disc rimina tion a t a bout 5. Most sma ll na ils will be
tuned out while most c oins will respond with a
good, smooth signa l.
5. EXTREMELY TRASHY SOIL: May result in a
c onstant c hatter or “snap, c rac kle and pop” with
assorted, hard to find “good signals”. The obvious
solution is to inc rease the disc rimination level to
maximum. Slow down your sweep speed and
shorten your sweep pattern. An even better
solution is to try one of the optional 3-3/4" or 5" c oils.
You’ll be a ble to zero in on good ta rgets in the
midst of junk.
6. DIGGING TOOL: If you’re c a rrying a meta l sa nd
sc oop, digging knife, sc rewdriver or wha tever,
hold it behind your ba c k or keep it a bove your
wa ist. Your 1266-X is sensitive enough to sound off
ea c h time you sweep the c oil benea th it.
Fa lse signa ls ma y a lso oc c ur in the Zero-Motion Pinpointing
mode. When in this mode, the 1266-X detec ts a ll meta ls so you
ma y pinpoint a piec e of nea rby junk instea d of your good
ta rget. The solution is simple: a lwa ys rec hec k your ta rget a rea
a fter rec overing a ny ta rget to insure tha t you ha ven’t missed
something. Or lea rn to pinpoint in the disc rimina tion modes.
You ma y a lso rec eive fa lse pinpointing signa ls in highly
minera lized soil. In this c a se, it is importa nt to keep the c oil
pa ra llel to the ground a nd a t lea st a n inc h a bove it.
17
BATTERY REPLACEMENT
1. Two drop-in ba ttery pa c ks a re loc a ted in the
ba ttery housing below the a rmrest. Ea c h pa c k
c onta ins four 1.5 volt AA ba tteries.
2. Remove the ba ttery end c a p by pa rtia lly
unsc rewing the knob on the ba ttery end c a p.
3. Remove the ba ttery pa c ks a nd repla c e the
ba tteries. Ma ke sure the ba tteries a re oriented
c orrec tly a s indic a ted by the pola rity ma rks on
the inside of the pa c ks.
4. Reinsta ll the ba ttery pa c ks, c onnec tor end first.
Note tha t the la rge split c onnec tor with the
spring behind it is the nega tive termina l a nd the
sma ller termina l is the positive termina l. Both
should ma tc h up with the pola rity ma rkings on
the ba ttery end c a p. Another wa y to tell if the
pa c ks a re in c orrec tly is by c hec king the position
of the rivets on the ba c k end of the pa c ks: the
rivets should a lwa ys be fa c ing in towa rds the
c enter of the ba ttery housing.
5. Put the ba ttery end c a p ba c k on a nd loc k it in
pla c e by tightening the knob, finger tight only.
NOTE: If either or both of the battery pac ks are installed
inc orrec tly, the 1266-X will simply not turn on. The instrument
will not be damaged.
BATTERY RECHARGING
Rec ha rgea ble nic a d ba tteries ma y ta ke a s ma ny a s 1,000
rec ha rges, however they do ha ve some limita tions you should
be a wa re of:
1. Nic a ds will la st only a bout ha lf a s long a s
sta nda rd c a rbon-zinc ba tteries before
rec ha rging is required.
2. Nic a ds ma y develop a “memory” if you give
them repea ted “booster” c ha rges. In other
words, if you c ha rge your ba tteries over a nd
over a ga in for only three hours a t a time, the
18
BATTERY REC HARGING
ba tteries will eventua lly only hold a three-hour
c ha rge.
3. Nic a ds ma y reverse pola rity if disc ha rged too
fa r a nd will not rec ha rge.
Don’t lea ve your detec tor on a nd don’t c ontinue
to opera te it more tha n a n hour a fter the ba ttery
c hec k tone goes silent.
The optiona l 1266-X rec ha rge kit inc ludes (2)
ba ttery pa c ks, (8) nic a d ba tteries, (1) 110v, 60
c yc le home rec ha rger a nd (1) 12v nega tive-
ground a uto c iga rette lighter rec ha rger.
110-VOLT REC HARGER
1. Insta ll the nic a d ba tteries.
2. Plug the c ha rger into the wa ll outlet a nd the
sma ll c a ble plug into the REC HARG E JAC K on the
rea r of the c ontrol housing.
3. The ba tteries will begin c ha rging immedia tely.
A full c ha rge will ta ke from 16 to 24 hours.
4. Do not c ha rge over 48 hours.
12 VOLT AUTO RECHARGER
(Use only with 12v nega tive ground system.)
1. Insta ll the nic a d ba tteries.
2. Plug the c ha rger into your a uto c iga rette
lighter soc ket a nd the sma ll c a ble into the
1266-X REC HARG E JAC K.
3. The ba tteries will begin c ha rging immedia tely.
An overnight c ha rge with the engine off ma y
give only 6-8 hours of ba ttery life. A full c ha rge
ma y ta ke a s long a s 48 hours (less with the engine
running).
For this rea son, the Auto Rec ha rger ma y best be
used for OC C ASIONAL “Booster” c ha rges (see
Rec ha rging, pa ra gra ph 2, a bove).
4. Do not c ha rge over 48 hours.
19
MAINTENANCE
Your 1266-X doesn’t require a lot of c a re but there a re a few
things you should do to keep it in pea k opera ting c ondition.
1. If you’re not going to be using it for a while,
ta ke the ba tteries out. Ac id da ma ge c a used by
lea king ba tteries c a n be severe.
2. Avoid extreme tempera tures like the inside of a
c losed c a r sitting in the sun. Even worse, inside
the trunk of a c a r.
3. If you “sc rub” the sea rc h c oil on the ground,
you’ll eventua lly wea r through the bottom.
Repla c ement c oils a re expensive. Instea d, invest
in a n in expensive c oil c over.
4. Put a pla stic ba g over the c ontrol housing if
you’re hunting in ra in, fog or dust.
5. Keep your 1266-X dry a nd c lea n. Wipe off the
lower stem before sliding into the upper stem a nd
keep the loc k nut free of sa nd a nd dirt.
TREASURE HUNTER’S CODE OF ETHICS
LETS PRESERVE OUR TREASURED SPORT!
La ws governing the use of meta l detec tors a re bec oming
more a nd more c ommon. In ma ny c ountries, the use of meta l
detec tors is illega l or severely restric ted. Don’t let this ha ppen
in your a rea .
ALWAYS get permission to hunt on priva te property.
ALWAYS lea ve a site c lea ner tha n you found it. Ta ke a t lea st
some tra sh with you or, if you c a n, ta ke it a ll.
ALWAYS fill in your holes nea tly whether you’re in a c ity pa rk or
remote wildernessness. Lea ve the la nd a s it wa s before you
disturbed it.
ALWAYS obey a ll la ws rela ting to Trea sure Hunting.
ALWAYS return va lua ble property if you c a n loc a te the origina l
owne r.
ALWAYS do wha tever you c a n to give the hobby of Trea sure
Hunting the good ima ge it needs a nd deserves.
20
Where To Use Your Metal Detector In The U.S.
National Forest and Federal Lands—Meta l detec ting is
a llowed only by spec ia l permit a c quired from the federa l
government. Ea c h a rea ha s a distric t offic e.
Corps of Engineers, Lakes, Shorelines and Lands—Permission
ha s been gra nted only on predisturbed sites, suc h a s bea c hes
a nd a tta c hed swimming a rea s. New C orps la kes a nd la nds
must be oka yed by the ma in offic e of the Army C orps of
Engineers. Ea c h a rea ha s a distric t offic e.
State Parks and Lands—Some sta te pa rks a re open to meta l
detec ting, but some a re not. Alwa ys c hec k with the pa rk
ra nger before a ttempting to use your detec tor.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lands—Some a rea s a re
open for meta l detec ting, a nd some a re not. Alwa ys c hec k
with the distric t offic e.
City or County Park Lands—Most a re open to meta l detec ting
unless notic e is given by a sign or c ity ordina nc e. When in
doubt, a lwa ys c hec k with the c ity’s Pa rks a nd Rec rea tion
Depa rtment.
Public School Grounds—Most a re open to meta l detec ting
unless notic e is given by a sign, c ity ordina nc e, la w
enforc ement offic ia l, or sc hool employee. You should a lwa ys
c hec k with the sc hool offic e first.
Privately Owned Lands (Private Property)—Permission required.
And it is a lwa ys best to ha ve the permission in writing.
Historic a lly Ma rked La nds or Sites—Meta l detec ting is not
a llowed. Don’t even think a bout it.
21
1
SPECIFICATIONS
Length 2 ......................... Extended ................................................ 54”
C olla psed .............................................. 43”
C a rrying c a se ............... 6 x 15 x 21 inc hes
Weight .................................................................................. 3.9 Pounds
Frequenc y ..................... VLF-Sea rc h ............ 4.8KHz, Qua rtz C rysta l
C ontrolled
Audio Ta rget Response ................. 370 Hz
3
Unipola r
Opera ting Modes ........ DISC 1 4 .......................... VLF-Slow Motion
Disc rimina tion
DISC 2 4 ......................... VLF-Slow motion
Disc rimina tion
Pinpoint............ VLF-All Meta l, No Motion
Sea rc h C oil .................... Type ..................... C onc entric , C o-Pla na r
Spider C oil
Dia meter .................................................. 8”
5
Sheilding ........................ 100 perc ent ESI
Interc ha nga ble .................................... Yes
Submersible ............................................ Yes
Automa tic Tuning ............................................................................ Yes
Automa tic G round Rejec tion ....................................................... Yes
Built-in Detec tor Sta nd ................................................................... Yes
Built-in Rec ha rge C irc uitry ............................................................. Yes
Stereo Hea dphone Ja c k ............................................................... Yes
Ba tteries 6 ......................................................................................... Yes
2
Ba ttery Life 7 ............... C a rbon Zinc ............................. 20-30 hours
Alka line ..................................... 40-80 hours
22
SPEC IFIC ATIONS
NOTES
1. Subjec t to modific a tion or improvement without notic e
2. Approxima te
3. Pulsega te Unipola r Audio Proc essing-a dva nc ed Fisher c irc uitry tha t
a llows silent opera tion below the “Audio-Threshold Tone” with no
sensitivity loss.
4. DISC 1 a nd DISC 2 a re motion modes, i.e. the sea rc h c oil must be
moving a t lea st slightly to detec t a ta rget.
5. Elec tro-Sta tic -Insula ted
6. Optiona l rec ha rge kit inc ludes eight Nic a d rec ha rgea ble ba tteries;
two ba ttery pa c ks; one 110-volt (nega tive ground only) a uto
c igga rette lighter rec ha rger.
7. Use of hea dphones ma y improve ba ttery life up to 100 perc ent.
Fisher Resea rc h La bora tory does not wa rra nt suita bility to spec ific use.
Fisher Resea rc h La bora tory sha ll in no event be lia ble for a ny direc t,
inc identa l, c onsequentia l or indirec t da ma ges.
23
Q U A L I TY
Fisher detec tors a re renowned for their qua lity.
Ea c h detec tor is ha nd c ra fted in the USA with pride
P E R F O R M A N C E
Trea sure Hunters worldwide rely on Fisher.
Our detec tors a re dura ble, dependa ble, a nd sea rc h deeper..
R E P U TA TI O N
Fisher produc ed the first pa tented meta l detec tor in 1931. For
over 70 yea rs, the Fisher logo ha s been a ma rk of exc ellenc e.
L I F E TI M E W A R R A N TY
Fisher believes in the produc ts we produc e a nd ba c ks this
belief with a lifetime wa rra nty, the best in the industry, on a ll of
our c onsumer detec tors. Wa rra nty ma y va ry outside of the
United Sta tes. See your dea ler for deta ils
S E R V I C E
Fisher is c ommitted to providing you, our va lued c ustomer, with
superior servic e. Ea c h a nd every instrument is rigidly tested a nd
c a refully inspec ted during a ssembly a nd before shipment.
Should you have any questions or problems, contact:
FISHER RESEARC H LABORATORY
200 West Willmott Roa d.,
Los Ba nos, C a lifornia 93635
Tel 209.826.3292 Fa x 209.826.0416
www.fisherla b.c om ema il:info@fisherla b.c om
EXPORT DEPARTMENT
P.O. Box 1896
New Ha ven, C T 06508 USA
Tel 203.288.1638 Fa x 203.287.8099
ema il: mb@exportdept.c om
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