newbie needs advice

[newILhunter]

I am new to MD/TH. I have the itch for quite awhile and, since I am headed for the "old fart" stage of life, my wife bought me a White's Prizm IV for Christmas. I have mostly been doing parks, playgrounds and sports fields - mostly just to learn the ropes. I did a sledding hill today and found a few things. I've probably got $10 or $12 in change and some charms.

I seem to be having trouble reading my "hits". I will get what I think is a solid coin "hit", say a quarter, but when I dig the hole...I find nothing in the hole. Sometimes I when I go back to check my hole again with the MD, I won't even get a hit at all! Mystifying. I've had to abandon more holes than i think is healthy. I know I am passing up stuff.

And what about digging next to sidewalks? I have been told that they are good to check, but I think I get some false reads here.

I'd like to get better at this before the summer. I travel a lot (going to Alaska soon) and want to work on my "game".

Anybody got some help for me?

p.s. I hear there is a club in the Joliet area. Got any 411?

ms

[scrounger d detector collector]

could be hot rocks where u are.im not that fam w white detectors.but if in discrim mode u will get a lot of signals trying to come in.good rule is dig the signals that are repeatable.some sidewalks have metal edge forms left in after completeion.saw only once. if u r getting nickels and zinc pennies w regularity prob doin ok.a good probe can help find them dissapearin signals sometimes.hh.

[newILhunter]

Thanks for the reply. I am using discrimination mode.

I also find around here a lot of gravel a few inches below the surface. Yesterday i was getting several qtr/hlf$ hits, but they were 4 - 8 " deep and all I had was gravel and clay when I dug the hole.

Thnx again.