To dig or not to dig- lets talk signals.

[PowerDubs]

I've only been detecting since September. Mostly in my yard, but have ventured out to some local spots now that I am comfortable. I have found over 100 coins, several very old, 3 silver.

My preferred method so far is to only dig clean signals that I am positive is a coin-

I do the normal search swing. If I hear a high tone, I go back and forth over the spot and see if it repeats the high tone. I watch to see if it is consistent in both directions- bing left, bing right, bing left.. if it only bings in one direction, but bongs in the other, I move on with the general search. So- bing bing bing bing good- bing bong bing bong bad.

If the target goes bing bing bing from the side to side, I then turn 90 degrees and see how it sounds. If it still bing bing bing- now I dig. If the sound changes to bloop bloop bloop, I leave. Should I? Should I still be digging any bing bing bing if it is consistent from only 1 angle?

I also watched a Youtube video last night where the guy dug what I would would not have, and he did indeed find a coin. I am starting the video at the time I am talking about- https://youtu.be/h_qDJb9rlRU?t=381

Soo- thoughts? What signals do you guys dig? Any links to video showing examples is helpful as well.

 

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[tcornel]

I will dig one way signals. It could be a coin on its side or on edge. I have a friend who will only dig 2 way signals because his hands shake and recovering a target is difficult. Last summer he dug a one way and was rewarded with a gold ring. If your target id for the one way is good then dig it.

As you gain experience with your equipment you should open up your recovery tones to the nickel range as that is where gold is. Also some indian head pennies will ring lower than normal coin type response. Many mid tones are also artifacts that are very enjoyable to recover and research the history.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Depends on what type sites I'm working. If it's a relicky old site, and I'm in relic-mindset, I'll dig all conductors. Anything that's trying to squeek through conductive.

But if I'm in a type brimming with oodles of signals, and I'm just cruising for coins, then I'll skip flitty one-way stuff, and/or items that are too large to be coins, etc... Sure that mean's I'll miss partially masked stuff, or deeper stuff that's not locking on. But on the other hand, I saved myself a lot of digging junk. So it's a question of Las Vegas odds. Depends on the type site you're working.

For example: There's a defunct military base near me that we go to strictly angle for silver coins and wheaties. So I'll pass everything from zinc and below (lest I be be-devilled by .32 cal bullet shells) and pass stuff that's not locking on. If I were to be chasing everything ("lest I miss a gold ring"), I'd be spending all my time digging nonsense junk, and would not progress to the silver. If gold rings are THAT high on my agenda, I wouldn't be hunting such a site in the first place: I'd simply go to the beach

 

[digger460]

I've only been detecting since September. Mostly in my yard, but have ventured out to some local spots now that I am comfortable. I have found over 100 coins, several very old, 3 silver.

My preferred method so far is to only dig clean signals that I am positive is a coin-

I do the normal search swing. If I hear a high tone, I go back and forth over the spot and see if it repeats the high tone. I watch to see if it is consistent in both directions- bing left, bing right, bing left.. if it only bings in one direction, but bongs in the other, I move on with the general search. So- bing bing bing bing good- bing bong bing bong bad.

If the target goes bing bing bing from the side to side, I then turn 90 degrees and see how it sounds. If it still bing bing bing- now I dig. If the sound changes to bloop bloop bloop, I leave. Should I? Should I still be digging any bing bing bing if it is consistent from only 1 angle?

I also watched a Youtube video last night where the guy dug what I would would not have, and he did indeed find a coin. I am starting the video at the time I am talking about- https://youtu.be/h_qDJb9rlRU?t=381

Soo- thoughts? What signals do you guys dig? Any links to video showing examples is helpful as well.

I've also been detecting since September, Mostly in my yard to get a hang of the machine. I had one instance in a relatively small area where I had 5 targets in a row with a solid 81-82. Each time is was a ball of tinfoil. Then the 6th was a quarter. Same 81-82. From that day on, I'll dig roughly 45-90. No criticism hear, but I was just wondering how your positive its a coin. What machine are you using? Even when I coin shoot, and the targets are shallower, and I'm positive it's a coin, more likely it's not. I'm sure after much more experience, I'll be better at hearing those little differences between a coin and trash tho.

Love the Bing, Bing, Bong play by play.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Yep what they said, it depends on where I'm digging, what I'm digging, & how the body's holding up. Personally I start out digging just about all questionable signals then it gets fine tuned from there, mostly because of back or knee pain.

Except tot lots, I do dig everything there, the digging is easy, not as much trash.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

A story here about signals... This happened to me a couple of times actually.

A great spot, and lot's of coins with minimal trash....

Had a very broad signal, a couple feet long, couldn't pin point it using my probe (before pin pointers came along).

Dug at the end of the signal instead of the beginning... Ended up digging all the way to the beginning of the signal and found the coin. Turned out it was a silver half (WL), tilted in the ground at a 45 degree angle. The coin projected the signal that far in the ground.....

Coin position in the ground can affect a signal that much....

 

[T.C.]

After you think you have "cherry picked" all these sites, go back and dig the questionable signals....you might be pleasantly surprised!!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

After you think you have "cherry picked" all these sites, go back and dig the questionable signals....you might be pleasantly surprised!!

Yes, for a couple of reasons, actually more than a couple - but just a couple here:

1) If you've used a concentric coil exclusively during previous searches and now use a DD.

2) The ever changing soil: Freeze, thaw, monsoons, droughts. These things change the targets position in the soil and thus change the signal.

 

[OWK]

If I'm coin-shooting in trashy cladville, I dig consistent two-way signals, high 60's and over.

I generally don't dig <78 signals that have more than 5 VDI units of bounce.

If I'm at an old site... I dig every chirp and squeak. (although sometimes I spend a little time tweaking sensitivity and disc to learn more about my detector before digging those chirps)

 

[cudamark]

Like others have said, it's site and depth dependent. If I'm finding old coins at a certain site and at a certain depth, I'll dig all signals at that depth because that's the stuff I want to find. Keep in mind that the deeper the target, the iffier the signal can be. As an experiment, go back to where you found some old coins and pick out a 10' X 10' area. Dig every sound in that box and see what you come up with. You can then determine if it's worth the trouble or not.

 

[Loco-Digger]

depending on the site and the amount of targets, I may dig signals that do not pass the 4 way test. 2 weeks ago I dug a signal that gave 2 different tones and IDs. It turned out to be a quarter with a nickle laying on it. If a site has few targets I will dig most all signals that ring in above iron and may even dig some of the deep iron signals.

 

[airscapes]

Lets face it if you are on an old homestead that dates from the 1700's you will dig.. if you are a park full of trash, why bother.. Site, time and what you are hunting play into what you dig or don't dig.. Don't fish for tuna in a fresh water lake

 

[relic nut]

I agree with what everyone else is saying, but a lot of times you just need to go with your gut. I have passed up signals and my conscious says " boy, you better dig that " and it paid off. And sometimes not. You never know till you dig. But like stated above, were and when has a lot to do with it. I enjoy it more if I don't think to much.

 

[PowerDubs]

Hi guys,

I get what you are saying, but I was hoping for more specific answers on technical areas- so, yes- someone said it is possible for a coin to ring bing bing one way, but bloop bloop the other way due to the angle it is sitting in the ground. That is helpful. I will start digging those. What about signals that only go bing bonk and jump around, regardless of angle? Ever worth digging?

I think I am going to do what the guy said above and dig a section of my yard entirely regardless of signal. There is an area that I found an 1897 nickle, a 1906 penny and an 1857 quarter all pretty close. Of course I also found a ton of lousy square nails there as well... so cleaning it out entirely is going to be fun- NOT.

I'll hit it up next chance I get, totally clean and post the results here. I have numerous tools at my disposal- started with an Ace 350, picked up a used AT Pro with the stock and smaller DD coil, got a smoking deal on a NEL Attack coil for it (which found the 1857 quarter on the AT Pro in the area that I had gone over with the Ace 350 several times)..and I also purchased, but have not unboxed yet- a lightly used GTI 2500 with both size imaging coils and the treasure hound / eagle eye double box package.

 

[Crappies-n-Coins]

I think I am going to do what the guy said above and dig a section of my yard entirely regardless of signal. There is an area that I found an 1897 nickle, a 1906 penny and an 1857 quarter all pretty close. Of course I also found a ton of lousy square nails there as well... so cleaning it out entirely is going to be fun- NOT.

I might be a couple sandwiches shy of a picnic, but "fun" is exactly what it would be for me. You've already made some nice finds, and with all the square nails you say are there, it's obvious there was an older home there. Get some wood stakes and grid your yard, and hunt the grids (being sure to overlap your swings).

I see a couple good possibilities for you, one is making some more nice finds. Two is, by digging everything, you're going to find the answers to your questions. I guess there is a third, ridding your yard of lots of nails

 

[PowerDubs]

Well, I've found square nails all over my yard- so if I ever attempt to clean it all up, it will be a major undertaking. There is almost 2.5 acres to cover, minus the house, shed and driveway footprint.

Had anyone ever had a real life experience with masking? I understand the concept but have not seen it yet.

 

[bill from lachine]

Masking is pretty straight forward really....it could be a rusted nail/bottle cap, etc in the same hole as a good target....lets say a silver coin.

Odds are good your machine if you are knocking out iron will either miss the target or give a very scratchy or broken signal.

Regards + HH

Bill

 

[Crappies-n-Coins]

Well, I've found square nails all over my yard- so if I ever attempt to clean it all up, it will be a major undertaking. There is almost 2.5 acres to cover, minus the house, shed and driveway footprint.

Had anyone ever had a real life experience with masking? I understand the concept but have not seen it yet.

You make it sound like having 2.5 acres to detect is a bad thing?

Go to youtube and watch the nailboard test.

 

[RobRieman]

Well, I've found square nails all over my yard- so if I ever attempt to clean it all up, it will be a major undertaking. There is almost 2.5 acres to cover, minus the house, shed and driveway footprint.

Had anyone ever had a real life experience with masking? I understand the concept but have not seen it yet.

If you want a real life experience dig up a few of those square nails and lay one or two on top of a coin in a hole about 2" above and give it a few swings. Just like magic....it's gone.

 

[cudamark]

Hi guys,

I get what you are saying, but I was hoping for more specific answers on technical areas- so, yes- someone said it is possible for a coin to ring bing bing one way, but bloop bloop the other way due to the angle it is sitting in the ground. That is helpful. I will start digging those. What about signals that only go bing bonk and jump around, regardless of angle? Ever worth digging?

If they're deep, absolutely!