ctx 3030 question

[jeepGold]

I have about 50 hrs on my 3030 so far and I have a question. I've only used it on the beach and have read and have been told by other 3030 users that certain targets hit at certain numbers and its dead on. Example : a zincoln hits at 12.37 to 12.39 and a quarter hits at 12.44- 12.45.... I'll use those two for examples with my issue.

Sometimes I'll get a solid target and it'll be 11 something or even up to 13 something. It's a solid tone so I dig it. It'll be a penny. WTH? Sometimes I'll get something in the 16's but I'll dig it and its a quarter. I've had 2 quarters nearly side by side with very different numbers. Am I wrong to assume that coins and most all targets are predictable w/their numbers? I'm still figuring out tones to go w/those numbers but for my machine there's no science (that I've figured out in knowing what it is before you pull based on the #'s).. Can it be a setting issue? I'm digging a lot of 12+ inch deep targets. I'm just wondering as to why the variety of numbers with the same type of target.

I run Auto +2 (usually), beach mode, low trash, salt water, deep recovery.

 

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[MiamiFox]

I'm thinking of getting a 3030 and I'd like to know as well. Jeep what numbers do you get with say a basic 14k men's wedding band?

 

[TheRingFinder]

Jeep - There are just too many factors that go into this type of reading. Coins will read differently if they are in the sand sideways, or flat. How deep they are and not all coins are made with the exact amount of various metals. Type of ground, other items in the area, the list just goes on and on. You will get to the point that you can tell what you are digging "most/some" of the time - But it will never be "ALL" the time.
Oh, and BTW - put your shirt on!!!!

 

[Randyg12]

I hate to dig zincs at the beach. Its no problem in the dry sand but in the water and on the wet sand its gets to be a pain in the butt. I dig all zinc hits in the dry sand but will pass up zincs with certain numbers in the water or when their are too many or there are too many other guys working the same spots I'm working. Keep in mind I'm only talking about solid shallow zinc hits, that on my machine read and lock on numbers, 12-34, 35, 36, or 37. When no one else is working the wet sand I will dig it all. I dig mostly by sound and I dig all targets that max out the depth gauge but repeat. I hate digging those 12+ inch zincs but those deep hits have produced some nice finds.

A couple of weeks ago I dug a solid 12-33 hit and it was a nice silver ring. 12-38, 12-39, 12-40 have sometimes produce targets that aren't zincs.


Your settings are different than mine but maybe its because of your location.
HH Randy

 

[jeepGold]

I'm learning it pretty fast. The good thing with the CTX is that you can make it as hard or as easy as you want. I kind of still treat it like my Excal. If it hits, I pull it. Unless it's that stupid 12.39 and tone which I've already learned to spit at. 9 hrs yesterday combined. 4 rings. All not worth much but it's still nice to pull decent rings. Makes your heart pitter patter for a second or two .

 

[jcobb]

The VDI numbers are not accurate 11+ inches. The tones should be pretty accurate though.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

My thoughts on this: Yes it's entirely possible that a person can "cherry pick" with the CTX, and get pretty-durned good to predict penny, dime, quarter, nickel, etc.... But as jcobb says, this reliability wains with depth. Beyond a certain depth, and the TID struggles to lock on (although, you can watch the bounces over multiple swings, and make good estimates still )

Also if the coin is worn (like tumbled around in the wet salt surf), then the TID's will no longer be accurate.

But sure: I can get very accurate to "call" when a target is about to be a coin. Things that can "fool" will be car keys, fishing sinkers, or some such target that is mimicking a certain-coin-size.

However, to address Miami Fox's post: All bets are off when it comes to trying to "call" gold jewelry. Because gold jewelry comes in infinate sizes, weight, shapes, karots, etc.... MUCH UNLIKE pennies, dimes, nickels, quarters. Because every single clad or silver dime that "rolled off the assembly line" had the exact same dimensions, weight, and metallic composition. Versus jewelry which is infinate in shapes, karot, size, thickness, etc....

 

[RustyGold]

Sometimes I just leave the Bentley (ctx)at home and take the Excalibur so I'm not so distracted by the dials!

 

[jeepGold]

Makes good since that the deeper it is the more erratic the target ID. Today I played w/the tones to get it more to the way I want it to sound. I think that alone will have me doing better. I also did some air testing with about 20 rings that I have. 18k, titanium, aluminum, sterling and alloy costume crap. Interesting results. I also used 3 quarters and two of them hit at a solid 12.45. and the last one was in the 11's. Weird. I moved the gold and nickel tones lower, the .25c, .10c & silver higher. The discrimiminates to a very low tone. Also moved everything to combined tones. Volume at full 30, my gray ghost's to full blast & raised the threshold a bit. "The ctx 3030 beach and water hunter's guide" by Gary. T. Drayton which came with the detector is a lot of help..

I also can't give a higher recommendation to the Minelab pro swing 45 harness. AMAZING. I was weary to drop 140.00 on a harness but after NINE hours of swinging the ctx with a 17" coil I wasn't fatigued AT ALL. With out it I couldn't go 1 hr.

 

[cudamark]

Run it in two tone ferrous and dig everything in the upper tone range. The I.D.'s will be all over the place and unreliable to determine good/bad. I've had Zincs that read as low as 12-13 when they get totally crusty. No way I'm going to ignore that number!

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

You can digg all 12.XX of course
Depend of the terrain but 11.XX and 13.XX can be very good

1.XX and 31.XXX are most of th time "bad", I say most of the time because when a good target is located deep, the only signal that the CTX (or every detector) will forward you is an iron signal.

I have found big gold in the 16.XXX and 15.XXX.... The only thing I can tell you about the CTX ID is the following:
"Same dirt will appear the same (almost) during the same hunt on the same location"

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

The direction a target is laying in the ground will change the readings... Skipping pennies will still cause you to skip some gold so it depends on how much you want to miss.... I'm still a dig everything that isn't a null or iron guy.... If I only have a short time to hunt them maybe I will just skip all but real good targets...... I'm still a newbie with the 3030...

 

[Golden oaks]

Most of my wet vs. dry beach areas are like crossing borders! In the wet sand or while in water, I usually will dig everything because they are low trash. The dry is nowhere close as it rings up caps, stakes, etc. like crazy! I usually run Auto +2 (usually), beach mode, low trash, salt water, deep recovery like you, JeepGold. Recently, I have been just running a wide open screen and have set up my discrimination tones to be higher in the more conductive area! I don't want to miss the 01-xx rings, but try to trust my hearing the tones. I must admit though, I used a PI Sand Shark for over 3 years and it is very hard not to dig everything! The CTX lets me pass up on the 32-XX trash targets!

 

[jeepGold]

I come from an Excalibur pinpoint search mindset. If it double beeps or is a solid tone I will dig it. I was passing those 12.37 - 12.39 until I air tested a 18 karat gold ring that I found and it rang up at 12.39... now I dig it all and the numbers only a guessing game

 

[cudamark]

Most of my wet vs. dry beach areas are like crossing borders! In the wet sand or while in water, I usually will dig everything because they are low trash. The dry is nowhere close as it rings up caps, stakes, etc. like crazy! I usually run Auto +2 (usually), beach mode, low trash, salt water, deep recovery like you, JeepGold. Recently, I have been just running a wide open screen and have set up my discrimination tones to be higher in the more conductive area! I don't want to miss the 01-xx rings, but try to trust my hearing the tones. I must admit though, I used a PI Sand Shark for over 3 years and it is very hard not to dig everything! The CTX lets me pass up on the 32-XX trash targets!

You've found rings with an 01 ferrous reading?

 

[Golden oaks]

You've found rings with an 01 ferrous reading?

Please accept my apology. 01-XX should have been for dollars & halves (Barber Half 01-44 01-45 01-46, Walker Half 01-42 01-43 01-45
Franklin Half 02-42 01-41 01-44, Kennedy Half 01-46, Morgan Dollar 01-38 01-39 01-39, Peace Dollar 01-39 02-38 01-38). Not very likely to be found on the beach.

 

[MrMikeJackie]

At depth your first number means nothing, pay attention to the second number. It will be consistent for the most part at 10+ inches. Btw, those stinkin lincolns aren't always stinkin. And for those that only dig low tones, my buddy's best find was a 22k Indian gold bangle, solid 12-45.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

With time, I pay less attention to CTX IDs, excpet for repeatable trash (pull tabs, hunting cartridges during the same hunt).

SOUND IS defeniltly the 90% digging signal

Then ID will give you extra info:

Size of the target, unusual IDs... Unstable ID might be good :-) digg a bit and give a second try!