TAPPED OUT???????????????

sutphin

Gold Member
Oct 2, 2013
8,344
4,466
brunswick md
Detector(s) used
WHITES 5900, MXT 300, MXT PRO, MXT ALL PRO/ 8X6 SEF COIL
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Went out for a while and was nominated for blood donor of the day the mosquitoes where worse than the gnats lasted 1 hour and left but that wasn't the real reason my mxt pro still cannot distinguish what is iron and what is not every time it said quarter out of the ground a piece of iron i have had this question up and running with many helpful answers but I am now to the point of saying its time to hang it up for its not fun any more, have tried all the coils with same results shipped back twice only to do the same again . have been offered from whites to send it back again but I just do not want it calibrated again for the 3rd time.May sound like I am whining maybe I am but ???????????Just have to think about what to do has anyone I mean anyone had this type of trouble??????.I was told halo effect ? vanzutphen
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
When iron starts to rust or oxidize, its conductivity increases where our detectors show it as a good target. Maybe a dine, quarter or something better. When they say recalibrate, they mean dumb it down for your area.
 

SusanMN

Silver Member
Jun 1, 2007
4,534
4,098
Minnesota
Detector(s) used
Tiger Shark, Xterra 705, Makro Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Went out for a while and was nominated for blood donor of the day the mosquitoes where worse than the gnats lasted 1 hour and left but that wasn't the real reason my mxt pro still cannot distinguish what is iron and what is not every time it said quarter out of the ground a piece of iron i have had this question up and running with many helpful answers but I am now to the point of saying its time to hang it up for its not fun any more, have tried all the coils with same results shipped back twice only to do the same again . have been offered from whites to send it back again but I just do not want it calibrated again for the 3rd time.May sound like I am whining maybe I am but ???????????Just have to think about what to do has anyone I mean anyone had this type of trouble??????.I was told halo it effect ? vanzutphen

If it is buried rusty iron, every machine I have ever had gives a silver or quarter signal on it. You can sometimes tell it is not a coin by raising the coil up and swinging or using the pinpointing function to see if you can gauge the size of the item, but some of these iron signals sound so good, you just have to dig them. But excitement and disappointment are all part of the hobby and no signal is a sure thing til its in your hand. It's a great hobby regardless, but not for everybody.
 

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sutphin

Gold Member
Oct 2, 2013
8,344
4,466
brunswick md
Detector(s) used
WHITES 5900, MXT 300, MXT PRO, MXT ALL PRO/ 8X6 SEF COIL
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
My god I have been detecting for 7 years.I mean maybe a few times in the past but a reoccurring issue .I am a diehard relic hunter and this just cannot seem normal .I used to own the mxt 300.I cannot recall that much trouble with it.vanzutphen
 

mikeraydj

Bronze Member
May 19, 2014
1,288
1,513
Montana
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac, Deteknix X-Pointer, Garrett Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Went out for a while and was nominated for blood donor of the day the mosquitoes where worse than the gnats lasted 1 hour and left but that wasn't the real reason my mxt pro still cannot distinguish what is iron and what is not every time it said quarter out of the ground a piece of iron i have had this question up and running with many helpful answers but I am now to the point of saying its time to hang it up for its not fun any more, have tried all the coils with same results shipped back twice only to do the same again . have been offered from whites to send it back again but I just do not want it calibrated again for the 3rd time.May sound like I am whining maybe I am but ???????????Just have to think about what to do has anyone I mean anyone had this type of trouble??????.I was told halo effect ? vanzutphen

I feel your pain. I have a Fisher F5. My machine loves to call steel bottle caps quarters. We have lots of them where I hunt. I was getting pretty discouraged until Digger27 taught me a trick and it might help you. When I get that signal I pinpoint it, then disc. iron back in. I lift my coil an inch or so and I nudge the edge of the target with the edge of the coil. If it is a cap, it will give a iron grunt, but if it is a quarter is will still give the quarter tone. It takes some practice, but it has eliminated 90% of my bottle cap digging. This may work for you. Now if I could get my machine to stop identifying square tabs as nickels.:icon_scratch:
 

Higgy

Bronze Member
Jul 21, 2014
1,415
1,264
NH
Detector(s) used
Xp Deus, Tesoro Tiger Shark, Garrett AT Pro, Garrett Pro-Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hang in there, Van. Resolve yourself to dig it all. You'll be better off for it. If I dig 100 pieces of junk and get one wheatie, I consider it a good day. Every signal is potential gold. There may be a 1944 Steel Cent, or a very nice key date Indian Head Cent hiding under that lump of iron. You never know. Consider it like fishing. You go out on a boat and cast and cast and cast, and some days you get a lot of fish, and other days they don't seem too hungry at all. Thing is, most of the time you are enjoying yourself and you are out in the world breathing fresh air. Its all about your perspective and attitude, fueled by a healthy dose of determination.

Chin up, brother. :thumbsup:
 

BosnMate

Gold Member
Sep 10, 2010
6,916
8,441
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT, Whites DFX, Whites 6000 Di Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
My MXT loves square nails, it seems to think they are solid silver, well, perhaps not that bad, but I've assumed that the square nails are a different make up of iron than modern nails. What ever, I don't mind digging them. Bottle caps always come in as a quarter, and of course pop tabs register right in there as a gold ring, but there is a difference in the sound between pop tab and gold, I just can't stand not to dig it, just in case. And that's the rub. My Whites 6000 gives a broken signal for iron trash, and I've dug broken signals, and there's good stuff in with the trash. Can't stand it, I gotta dig it out. It's the "what if" factor. Am I indecisive, I don't know, maybe, maybe not?
 

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sutphin

Gold Member
Oct 2, 2013
8,344
4,466
brunswick md
Detector(s) used
WHITES 5900, MXT 300, MXT PRO, MXT ALL PRO/ 8X6 SEF COIL
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Okay I guess I am spoiled and just cant take change and going detecting in a few minutes.Maybe I am doing something wrong and I will take all the answers and try to figure it all out.I don't use this as an excuse but I suffer from tbi and that's a challenge in its self.You all are good people thanks a lot .vanzutphen
 

BARKER

Bronze Member
Nov 1, 2011
2,056
1,795
BOSTON
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX, Garrett GMH, Toltec 100, Whites PI 3000, Fisher 75, Whites Silver Eagle 2, Whites Beachcomber, and several others from 1968 to Present
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi Sutphin; Don't hang it up. Sell it and get a Whites DFX. I promise you will not have that problem again. You will KNOW it is iron ok. You can get one for about $400 online. I promise you will never need another detector ever. The signals are clear and crisp. You definitely can hear two different signals if there are two targets side by side as well. On iron the bar pegs to the low left side and coins are NEVER mistaken for iron. I find coins directly beside Iron all the time. So don't give up detecting. Just change your game plan ok. Try a DFX. You will love it ok. Good luck. PEACE:RONB
 

MuckyBottles

Bronze Member
Jun 19, 2013
1,954
1,601
Bone Valley, Florida
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Isn't the point to dig (almost) every signal? Unless you have ground penetrating vision, your machine is working fine. You have to dig 99.9% trash to find that .1% treasure, nobody said this activity is easy..and sometimes heartbreaking, but persistence and putting time in pays off.

Lastly, using "TBI" is an excuse... I had subdural hematoma and a fractured skull at age 16 due to a drunk driver, I served gallantly with the United States Marine Corps., Graduated College with two bachelors degrees (two different subjects) and function perfectly normal, despite my constant need to dig holes in the ground I am a normal person and never use my past injuries as an excuse, rather I use it as a strength....I say to myself everyday " I beat death, nothing is going to stop me now.."

Put time and effort into this hobby, and I can guarantee it will pay off..
 

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madforclad

Full Member
May 7, 2014
195
61
Hunting previously pounded sites
Detector(s) used
Minelab eTrac, Minelab X Terra 705, Garrett AT Pro with 5" x 8" coil, Fisher F2, Garrett Pro Pointer, RTG 710 Scoop.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My eTrac will tell me when it's iron by the QuickMask option and also 2 tone ferrous. I dig a hell of alot less iron than I used to.
 

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sutphin

Gold Member
Oct 2, 2013
8,344
4,466
brunswick md
Detector(s) used
WHITES 5900, MXT 300, MXT PRO, MXT ALL PRO/ 8X6 SEF COIL
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Well out again and some of the same results but continued to dig until detector sounded like it was frying.Invisible dog fence overhead powerlines just cant seem to win.I think it maybe me that's screwing up.Mucky Bottoms seem to have tbi also.Mine is a little more severe ?I have severe short term memory loss and paralysis on left side and 3 inch plate in front of my neck due to crushed disc all from piece of ice fallin 20 ft from building striking right side of head results 2 years learning basic skills walking, talking, balance, speech, and not being ashamed to be different in public as I am still this way today.Its been 11 years and im still learning.Doctor said find something that you enjoy.RC way to expensive so detecting was my therapy.I often wonder if the plate in my neck may cause detector to pick up funny do to I have a card for airports for metal detection systems.Didnt mean to write a story no sympathy please ,it is what it is and even though I get frustrated I am not about to quit!!!!!!!!!!!! The best medicine I ever had passed away 2 years ago my boxer max he went every where with me and no doctor will ever replace him.I will move this to another forum if this is not correct.Still all ears for answers and suggestions.Vanzutphen
 

prolab69

Bronze Member
Oct 8, 2007
1,617
1,027
in the stix of NY
Detector(s) used
Whites Eagle Spectrum, Fisher CZ-3D
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
my cz3d does that sometimes, you can also lift your coil a foot or so high, if the signal continues? then you know its big iron.
 

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