test garden

[tmshaft]

Going to make a test garden in the backyard for my v3i to tune my ears and detector . So my question is what depths should I make my targets and what should my targets . Any help would be much appreciated.

 

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[McKinney_5900]

Going to make a test garden in the backyard for my v3i to tune my ears and detector . So my question is what depths should I make my targets and what should my targets . Any help would be much appreciated.

Any and all coils that Whites makes should hit 6 inches so I would benchmark at that depth. I also planted identical targets in parallel at 8 inches, and some 10" targets for fun. Those 10" targets are tough here in this dry dirt. I don't have an elaborate coin garden. Most of my coin and trash and pulltab and samples are laying on the surface.

Others here will surely give a better idea on gardens. To me,,,if I can hit the 8" targets well with the D2, and hit the 6" targets with the 4x6, then I am confident for the hunt that my gear is up for it.

 

[luvsdux]

I'd plant dime(s) nickle(s) and quarter(s) primarily, maybe a piece of jewelry or two. Depths from 4 to 8 inches, maybe several deeper to see just how deep you can detect them. Be sure to mark or map the different targets some way so that you can find them if you can't detect them and so you know what they are if detector one beeps, but detector 2 or 3 can't see it so you can compare different machines. Most targets seem to respond better after they've been in the ground for a while so be prepared to let things set for several months or more to see if you can tell an improvement over fresh. Wouldn't hurt to plant a pull tab and bottle cap just to compare, but you'll get plenty of experience with those during your general detecting.
luvsdux

 

[jmoller99]

To mark my targets, I jammed golf tees into the ground right above each one (completely into the dirt). I mixed a few colored ones in there so I knew when a new group of 5 started. The Lawn Mower has never pulled any of the wooden tees out, but some work their way out occasionally. Mine are all 18 inches apart. Mine is a large garden and I use it to refresh my skills when working with a detector I don't use that often, and to teach people detecting (as well as test their detectors after they tell me that the detector doesn't work, most often to find that they really had no idea what the detector was telling them or how to use it).

I also have targets that have trash next to them (pull tabs, nails, etc), because these types of targets tend to get written off as trash by people with VDIs when encountered in the field - they are not always bad targets.

 

[tmshaft]

Thanks for the ideas

 

[Frankn]

Just a thought! Your time would be better spent in the field getting actual results of actual targets. That V3i air tests perfectly.
Frank...

 

[tmshaft]

I was going to make the test garden to mess around with setting for better depth and to see what each setting does. I wish there was a book for this detector but I quess good ol trial and error will have to work I only have about 20hours detecting with it

 

[rainyday101]

Don't plan on your test garden being any good for years. Once you disturb the soil matrix your detector will struggle on even the shallow targets. In undisturbed ground there is linear alignment of the ground particles such that the positive and negative charges are in alignment. When dig it up and put the dirt back in you screw up this whole matrix. It takes years for the matrix to re-establish. A fresh test garden won't tell you much at all.

 

[Ronzie]

Best way to make a test garden is to get a medium to large square shovel and cut out the holes in blocks. Not just digging dirt out, piling it and filling it back in.