Like I said, the circuit functions under a bench supply. The ground connection has been established via the 0V but operates differently when under a battery as the source. My theory is that the ground connection on the bench supply is picking up the mains hum from the building and providing a more effective connection to the touch plate. However, with the battery connected the circuit is far less sensitive to the mains hum. My question is this.. can the circuit be adjusted to increase sensitivity? Could adding an antenna help? If so, at what point would I had the antenna? Also, the 1M variable has already been removed, I generally make my adjustments with a variable, measure and place a fixed resistor to eliminate unnecessary tweaking.