Does using Notch Discrimination cause a loss of depth?
Yes, it can cause a small loss of depth due to two reasons. The first reason is that the notch discriminator adds a slight amount of capacitance to the normal discriminator circuit, which slows the response somewhat. This effect can make sweep speeds more critical when it comes to finding deep targets, but if the detector is used properly, it will not cause much loss of depth at all. The other reason depth is lost, is that as a target approaches the response cutoff of the filters used, its signal strength becomes greatly diminished. Setting the bottom edge of the notch window too close to the nickel will cause some loss of depth on the nickel, and setting the top edge too close to the penny will cause some loss of depth on the penny. A properly adjusted notch window will not cause a great deal of depth loss however.
