I need professional help

[ctrymart]

Hi forum. My first post, though I have been lurking here for 3 months and reading everything I can. I finally bought my first MD. I got an ACE 250. Reviews were good and it wasn't very expensive. I thought it was a good place to start. My main goal is to have a hobby I can share with my 10yr old daughter. She's our fourth child and it seems like she gets cheated sometimes when it comes to one on one time with me.

Anyway, we set up a test garden (in my dad's garden). She's been burying coins for me to find, so I can practice pinpointing. In fact, the other day, we went to the ball park after practicing in the garden and actually found a few coins we DIDN'T bury ourselves.

I am having problems, however. So many times, I think I'm locked in on a target, dig a hole, and there's nothing there. I scan the hole and my dirt from the hole, no signal. I've been practicing around my 115 year old house and my Dad's 100+ year old house. I'm not digging plugs, yet, just areas where there is no grass (gardens, flower beds, etc). I'm getting plenty of signals, but when I dig the hole...nothing. I am hesitant to start digging plugs, yet, until I figure out what I'm doing wrong.

I know there is a pretty long learning curve with these machines, but I don't know anyone else that does this that I can talk to. Can any of you guys help me?? I would appreciate any input.

Thanx
Ctrymart

[Lakemonster]

Might be something I call "breakthrough iron". Sometimes when I hit an iron object that in position a certain way... like a bent nail it will come through as a target I am accepting. Then when I dig... I move it out of position and it no longer sends back that level of a signal.

If you haven't already...scan the dirt and hole with the pinpoint button held down so you are looking in all metal mode and see if you can find your dissapearing target.

[mick56]

I run mine with only 3 bars of sensitivity, seems to cut down on the falsing.

[spartacus53]

You'll probably get some more replies once 1/2 of these guys stop chasing skirts

[ctrymart]

Thanks for the help, guys. I'll keep practicing and watching this board!

[Tuberale]

You may have your sensitivity on too high, which results in the detector telling you about a signal (often iron) that you really don't want to dig (also known as "falsing" - see mick 56's post).

I don't have an ace 250 myself, so can't provide a better answer.

But welcome to TNet, and hopefully a lot of good quality time with your youngest daughter ... AND a fascinating hobby!

[DirtAngler]

First off, please do yourself and all of us a favor and don't dig in a park or school until you have practiced and become good at digging and recovery properly. Do you have a garrett pro-pointer? Good chance there is a target there just hidden very well in the dirt, of course it can be as others suggested but a lot of times if you're not using a pinpoiner it can be very hard to find a target.

[iCandy]

Professional help huh? I can recommend a few good dr's. My favorite dr. Kevorkian. Never had any problems with him. Well wait....just the one time he told me to go to jack in the box during that salmonela outbreak. No biggie

[savant365]

If you go to youtube there are several very good videos on the Ace 250. Just type "Ace 250 metal detecting" into the search bar and enjoy.

[TORRERO]

Professional help huh? I can recommend a few good dr's. My favorite dr. Kevorkian. Never had any problems with him. Well wait....just the one time he told me to go to jack in the box during that salmonela outbreak. No biggie

It appears that you have not used him personally ?

[tomjiggy]

Again, if you haven't purchased a pinpointer yet, do so before you run into anymore "false" signals. Even an iron nail can't hide from a good pinpointer. And in your case, an iron nail would be an indication that your detector is still working. I'd say that you probably just haven't learned the "tones" your detector gives you when it finds certain metals.