Nokta Simplex
Nokta Simplex Ultra Settings by Site Type: Park, Field, Beach and Water
Quick answer
Match the mode to the ground, then set the highest sensitivity that stays stable on the Simplex Ultra. Run noise cancel first, ground balance on arrival and again as conditions change, and reduce sensitivity in wet salt sand rather than fighting the chatter with discrimination.
The Simplex Ultra is published as fully waterproof to 16 feet, 5 metres, on a fully carbon fibre shaft that retracts to 25 inches, 63 centimetres, at 2.6 pounds, 1.2 kilograms. That specification tells you what the machine is for: it is a wet weather, wet ground, wading and shallow diving detector that also works perfectly well in a park.
The settings below are starting points, not prescriptions. The order in which you adjust things matters more than the specific numbers, and the single most common mistake is reaching for sensitivity when the problem is ground balance or electrical interference. Confirm the mode list against your own firmware, since Nokta publishes online firmware updates over USB for this machine.
Top pick
Nokta Simplex Ultra
Waterproof to 16 feet with a carbon fibre shaft that retracts to 25 inches, which is what lets one machine cover the park and the surf line.
Price was accurate when this page was compiled and changes often.
What settings should I start with on each site?
Sensitivity is given as a proportion of the machine's range rather than a fixed digit, because the correct number is set by your soil and the interference around you, not by a chart.
The pattern across every site is the same: noise cancel first, ground balance second, and sensitivity reduced only when the first two have not settled the machine.
| Site type | Mode | Sensitivity | Iron filtering | Ground balance | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern parkland | Park | Medium to high | Moderate | On arrival | Shallow aluminium and foil, targets close together |
| Pasture and stubble | Field | High | Low | On arrival | Open ground where depth is the limiting factor |
| Old house site | Field or Park | Medium | High | Often | Nails dominate, separation beats depth |
| Dry beach sand | Beach | High | Low | On arrival | Dry sand is electrically quiet |
| Wet beach sand | Beach | Medium to high | Low | Frequently | Salt in the sand raises the noise floor |
| Surf and shallow water | Beach | Medium | Low | Every few minutes | Conductive ground, expect compressed target IDs |
| Submerged and wading | Beach | Medium | Low | Frequently | Wired submersible audio required, wireless will not work |
| Riverbank and gravel | Field | Medium | Moderate | Often | Mixed mineralisation changes within yards |
Mode names follow the Nokta Simplex Ultra user manual. Nokta publishes firmware updates over USB for this machine, so confirm the menu on your own version.
In what order should I adjust the machine?
- Run noise cancel. Most instability on modern sites is electrical interference from power lines, solar arrays and other detectorists, not the ground. Fix that first and you may need to change nothing else.
- Ground balance where you stand. Not at the car, and not yesterday. Balance on the actual ground, and again when you move from dry sand to wet or from topsoil to disturbed fill.
- Set sensitivity by stability. Raise it until the threshold becomes unsettled with the coil held still, then back it off until it is calm. That is your number for this site today.
- Choose tones before discrimination. Sorting targets by ear keeps information that notching throws away. Reach for discrimination only when trash density makes the site unworkable.
- Re-check after twenty minutes. Conditions and your position both change. A machine set once at the gate and never touched again is a machine running the wrong settings by lunchtime.
What do I need for hunting in the water?
Audio, first. The machine is rated to 16 feet but wireless headphones do not work underwater, and Nokta states in the Simplex Ultra listing that Bluetooth headphones are not included in the package in any case. A wired submersible set such as the Thresher submersible headphones, listed for Nokta Simplex and Legend machines with a depth rating above 100 feet, is the working answer.
Second, a pinpointer that can go where the machine goes. The Nokta PulseDive is published as IP68 waterproof to 60 metres, 200 feet, and uses pulse induction, which the listing describes as allowing very stable operation in saltwater or any type of soil. That stability in salt is the reason to choose a pulse induction pinpointer for beach work specifically. On dry land the Nokta Pointer at $99.00 is the cheaper option, published as IP67 with an 11.6 kHz frequency and four sensitivity levels.
Third, protect the control box. A Simplex control box cover at $9.95 is cheap insurance on a machine that spends its life in sand and salt, though the listing specifies fit for the Simplex+, so check it against your own machine before relying on it.
Sources
- Nokta Simplex Ultra user manual, search modes and ground balance sections
- Nokta Simplex Ultra published product listing features
- Nokta PulseDive published listing specifications
- Thresher submersible headphones published listing specifications
Frequently asked questions
What sensitivity should I use on the Simplex Ultra at the beach?
Lower than you would inland once you reach wet sand. Salt water is conductive and raises the noise floor, so the highest stable setting on wet sand is usually well below what dry sand will accept. Work up until the threshold becomes unsettled with the coil still, then back off until it calms. Re-check as you move between dry sand, wet sand and the water line, because all three behave differently.
Can I take the Simplex Ultra underwater?
Nokta publishes it as fully waterproof to 16 feet, 5 metres, and notes that the carbon fibre shaft retracts to 25 inches which the company describes as useful for diving as well as transport. The practical constraint is audio: wireless headphones do not function underwater, so you need a wired submersible set. Also confirm your own machine's rating in the manual, since ratings assume undamaged seals and correctly fitted covers.
Should I use discrimination or tones on the Simplex?
Tones first. Discrimination removes information before you ever hear it, and blanking the pull tab range removes most mid range gold along with it. Sorting by ear keeps the decision in your hands on a target by target basis. On a heavily used modern beach where tab density makes the site unworkable, tightening up is a fair trade, but treat it as a site specific decision rather than a permanent setting.
How often should I ground balance on a beach?
Far more often than inland. The ground changes character within a few paces as you move from dry sand to damp sand to saturated sand at the water line, and each of those is a different balancing problem. Many experienced beach hunters re-balance every few minutes when working the wet, and immediately whenever the machine starts chattering with the coil held still.
Does the Simplex Ultra need a control box cover?
It is not required, since the machine is published as fully waterproof to 16 feet, but a cover protects against abrasion from sand and against the scratches that eventually compromise a housing. The cover listed in our catalogue specifies fit for the Simplex+, so confirm it against your own model before buying. At under ten dollars it is inexpensive insurance on a machine that lives in a harsh environment.
Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published specifications, manuals and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Target ID numbers, depth figures and settings vary with soil chemistry, moisture, target size, depth, orientation and firmware version, so treat every figure here as a starting point and verify it against your own machine's manual and your own ground. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.