What does this mean?

[digger460]

Hi all,

First , I'm using an AT PRO w/5 x 8 coil.

Sometimes when I pick up a good solid signal, I will walk all the way around the signal using the front of the coil, to locate object.
Question: What does it mean when you get the first solid signal, then as you move around it, there's no signal at (were gonna use the clock positions here, the solid signal at 6 oclock) 3 oclock, 12 oclock, and 9 oclock. Now my thinking is what ever it is, it must be at an angle. Is this right, and are there other factors going on here. Just trying to learn the machine. ThanksHH

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

When using any machine in discriminate mode, you can sometimes pick up a good repeatable signal one way, but a choppy (or even non-existent?) signal when turning 90*. Reason is: There's possible a nail (or some disc'd out target based on your disc. setting) off to one side. And that target that's being rejected is in the direction of a swing a certain way, while NOT in the path/direction when swung the other way. In other words: You're getting masking going on one way, but not the other way.

This is just one possibility. Another is that it's a signal on the verge of being disc'd out by your settings, and is "waffling" on whether or not to reject it. So based on the strength of each way's sweep (the way the target is tilted in the ground, for instance), the machine is "trying to make up its mind", so-to-speak.

 

[TheHunterGT]

Keep digging those types of signals and you will be able to tell what they are saying soon enough.

I do not have a AT Pro....but for my situation....it just means it is a trash target in my eyes. If I cannot get it to repeat in tone or ID at like 250 of 360 degrees....I move on.

Coins are usually pretty stable....while most targets I have said "maybe" on and dug up anyways....have been trash. The "maybes" are getting less and less as I think my detector is trying to teach me a lesson there and I want to be a good student.

Depth be damned...I run disc so iron/foil is out...then I notch out alum leaving 5c and zinc. I'm not digging relics and I'm not using a machine that will go past 7-8 inches in Colorado dirt. Pretty much coins only mode for me as I get my gold fix prospecting anyways. I leave 5c and zinc for a possible ring someday...but I refuse to dig tabs and caps if I can avoid it.

If it bounces or cuts out at certain angles...it stays for the guys who have more time, patience, or better machines than I do.

 

[bigfoot1]

what tom said...

 

[s.c.shooter]

When in doubt - Dig!

 

[patiodadio]

Today I was at an old house site and hit a target with crazy numbers. 78, 53, 80, 68, etc. Sweeping from left to right, I would get low tones & numbers on the left, then higher tones & numbers in the middle, lower tones & numbers on the right. When I moved around about 90 degrees, I lost the signal ! I kept working it over and almost gave up on it. But the slight higher numbers and tones kept me looking. I went thru all the settings, pro, zero, coin etc. finally dug and got a nice old silver ring at about 8 inches. The ring is marked 925 so its silver and in the same hole was an ear ring.
I'm really just learning this machine.

 

[pepperj]

Good advice given.
If the digging is easy and quick, it's sometimes easier to just dig it out and be done with it.
I've watched guys go left-right-back and forth over a target trying to decide whether to dig or not and in the time spent king all that they could of dug two other targets up. It shouldn't take more than a few seconds to decide to dig or do a pass, any more and I just dig and see what's up.
Every once in a while I'm surprised at what comes out of the hole and it answers the why?
It's like looking at the screen determining depth, or what it is by the numbers, then repinpointing the target, it's funny watching a video of somebody locating a target they sweep over the thing 20X listening to the same beep. Could never figure that one out 10X is enough.