Hello again from a beginner

[PeninsulaPaul]

I am brand new to all this, I have a Garret Freedom Ace Plus detector and have no clue how to detect. I went to the beach today and got plenty of hits but couldn't find a thing. I tested my unit with a few coins in my pocket so I know it works but am obviously doing something wrong.

Do you all use a sifter of some type?. I really want this to be a hobby but just can't get the hang of it.

Also, while I was on the beach, I got strong signals on an area about 4 feet wide and 12 feet long, would that be an old hull or iron?

 

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[Montauk3]

The best tip would be to read, read, read.

Or you could find someone that knows what their doing and ask then to take you to their favorite spot so that you can have them dig up expensive jewelry. Then they can put the finds on the ground so you can move your coil over it. Then you claim that you just found a good target, you will be an expert without all that messy research and other bothersome details that the rest of us have learned the hard way.

There is no such thing as a free lunch!

 

[Dwight S]

If you have the manual for your detector, read it first. If you don't go to Garrett.com and download the manual and read it. Learn how to use the detector, around your house and in the woods. Learn how to locate and dig targets. You can find videos on this web site as well as on You Tube.

Taking it to the beach and trying to learn how to use it there is not a good way to start out, there are so many variables that make using a detector on the beach a bit of a challange.

Once you have a good grasp on how to work the detector, then perhaps you can take it down to the beach and give it a try. Do not let the control box get wet. Make sure the coil is also capable of being submerged.

But to answer your question about target recovery, YES, most all beach hunters use a scoop to recover targets.

 

[sniffer]

check in your area for a metal detecting club. find out where they meet and go and talk to the club members. maybe go on a hunt just to watch what they are doing and what to look for

 

[Sandman]

While we have spent years learning by our mistakes you get to do a little typing to get us to tell you all the secrets. As Ralph said, "Read, Read, Read." Start here......http://www.nmhra.netfirms.com/pulltab/

As for a scoop for the dry sand, you can start with a French Fry basket or order a screened sifter from http://www.rtgstore.com/ For the dry sand a screen sifter is faster than another type. Those are for the wet sand and water. With your land detector it will be unstable on wet sand so for that your going to need a $$$ type.

 

[Smudge]

I am brand new to all this, I have a Garret Freedom Ace Plus detector and have no clue how to detect. I went to the beach today and got plenty of hits but couldn't find a thing. I tested my unit with a few coins in my pocket so I know it works but am obviously doing something wrong.

Do you all use a sifter of some type?. I really want this to be a hobby but just can't get the hang of it.

Also, while I was on the beach, I got strong signals on an area about 4 feet wide and 12 feet long, would that be an old hull or iron?

You may not have been doing anything wrong. The beaches are getting hit hard these days and they also being re-sanded constantly. I have never used the Freedom Ace, but if you digging too much trash for your liking, maybe you have your discrimination set too low? Personally, I run a PI detector at the beach because I like to dig everything, seeing has beach digging is so much easier than land digging.

I use a long handled sand scoop at the beach so that way I'm not bending much. If you get one, make sure you get one with has a kick plate on the back for your foot. That is an important feature to have.

Your 4x12 signal could be just about anything from a piece of hull, to an old piece of piling, to heaven only knows what. Hunt the beach long enough and you get to the point nothing surprises you.

 

[desert dog]

welcome to tnet

 

[PeninsulaPaul]

Montauk3, I agree completely about no free lunch. I would love to find someone around here who has a much better knowledge/experience than I and pay for gas, food, carry equipment etc etc just to learn the basics.

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will go to other places other than beaches. I have an old map for the area and there was a resort/spa in the area that hasn't been around since the 20's. I would really like to bring someone with more experience.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

peninsula paul, you don't say where you're from. There's a lot of "peninsulas" everywhere, on the entire lengths of the coasts Wherever you are, there's bound to be some other hunters there you can hook up with and watch how they do it. See how they swing, listen to what they're listening to (if they can un-plug their headset and let you listen in to the type sounds they're honing in on, what they pass up, how they pinpoint, criss-cross, dig, etc....). Of course, if they have a different brand/model, the sounds and settings will be different. But if they flag some signals they say they'd chase, you can go over it, to see how your machine responds.

 

[brucebob]

I'm new to metal detecting as well and I know how you feel...

I've pretty much stuck to digging in my yard. I've found quite a few clad coins but I've also gotten a hit and couldn't find anything in the hole! I've learned that if you are getting sporadic hits in the same spot, try turning the sensitivity down and see if you still get a hit there. I've dug up a lot of pop tabs which can be pretty hard to find cause the dirt tends to stick to it.

Hope this helps out a little, I plan on buying a sand scoop of some kind, hope to hit up some local beaches this week.

 

[Dwight S]

I'm new to metal detecting as well and I know how you feel...

I've found quite a few clad coins but I've also gotten a hit and couldn't find anything in the hole! I've dug up a lot of pop tabs which can be pretty hard to find cause the dirt tends to stick to it.

Sometimes those disappearing targets could be old iron that has rusted away and when you dig in it disturbs the soil and the signal disappears. As far as recovery, I've only got one thing to say... Since you are a beginner, get a pinpointer of some kind to help you find your target easier. A simple Centec handheld metal detector from Harbor Freight @ $17 is better than nothing, a Garrett Pro-Pointer is much better than the Centec and is also about 8X the price @ $140.

To learn the hobby, get out there and swing away and dig it all...

 

[SusanMN]

I think it's always easiest when learning a new detector, unless you are a pro, to start with a kids playground. They are relatively free from junk and usually contain a few coins so you can start hearing the difference between a detectors normal sqeeks and eeks and the sound of a real target like a coin. If you are digging in the sand yes you need some kind of sifter but you can either make one by drilling holes in a feed scoop or you can use a hand shovel and a kids sand sifter basket. If it's wood chips you need some kind od digger. I use a long handled spade but any digger will work.

If you are hearing a signal over a really large area it's usually a large metal object. Pop cans will also sound off with big signals.

One other thing about detecting on a beach - not all machines are stable and you may get false signals or chatter. Beaches may also have tons of tiny pieces of foil and metal that will drive you and you detector crazy. Upping your discrimination sometimes can help.

Good luck and don't give up. This a wonderful hobby.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Welcome all! Check out youtube. lots of good hunting videos there or here http://www.bigboyshobbies.net/Videos.htm

 

[Silver Slayer]

Peninsula Paul:
If you are in Bay-Area Ca penninsula. I would be willing to go on a hunt with you and show you the ropes

 

[douglas nc]

Does the Ace have a discrimate knob? If so you could try placing a few coins on ground and a peice of iron or steel metal like a key beside the coins. Then scan the Iron object and tune the discrimate knob until you don't get a signal or at least it's weak,but it will still ring out strong when the coins are scanned.This will help you not to have to dig so many junk items and more good items.Setting the discrimating knob so pull tabs don't get a audio responce will cause you to miss nickle's and gold rings as they all read close on most detector's.Use head phones with volume control's if possible also. Saves batteries and blocks out the sound of the surf so you can hear those weak signals better.Just turn up the volume or gain and adjust you'r headphones volume down to where it don't give you a headache and pratice with that "disc" knob untill you hear the coins and not the iron and it's tuned for most coins..This fourm is about helping other's and i'm no "expert" but I am glad to share what I can to help .Good Luck!

 

[kevkirki]

i just finished coin hunting in depth by dick stout...helped me tons. everything i was doing my first trips out was all wrong. there all right....read read read