Soilder at Fort Meade, Maryland Needs some help!

[radryan505]

Hey I am looking for a group to join up with while I am up at Fort Meade (SEE DETAILS BELOW). I have never been to the area before, I don't know if Ill ever get out to that part of the country again, especially with a chance to hunt so I am trying to maximize my time to find something on the bucket list!

Thanks everyone!

(This is posted under general forum...sorry I am new to the forums here...)
I have recently joined the Air National Guard and will be up at Fort Meade, Maryland for 4 months for training. I will have weekends off so I am DEFINETLY going to be packing my detector. I don't know much about the area at all, but to hunt some colonial area, it would be an absolute dream come true! It will be a LONG 4 months away from my wife and kid over the holiday/winter months, so I am banking on some help to kill the time!

Would anyone be willing to help me out and either point me in the right direction or let me tag along with you somewhere to get to some places to swing near Fort Meade? Soldiers have some off-base travel restrictions, which means staying within 20 miles/1 hour of base radius. We can exceed that with permission, but I am not sure how often or how easy it will be to get that special permission.

ANY INFO WOULD BE WONDERFUL!

 

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[Keith Jackson]

Check out Maryland Artifact Recovery Society:

Maryland Artifact Recovery Society

 

[P.ALLEN]

Since you have a valid mil I'd I would head out to the family camps on post, or any other of the 12 plus bases in the area. Any old creek bank or bridge in that area is going to turn up stuff from 1600's to present.

 

[radryan505]

I am trying to figure out someone with some empty land they will let me walk around for a few days. My main problem is getting off base but still being within a close distance being that i wont have a car up there. so bus or taxi will be how i get around. heh

 

[P.ALLEN]

Yeah when we would fly into Andrews they would give us one GOV for the entire flight crew. It kinda sucked having to go off post to do stuff with 3-4 other people (if you wanted to do something personal that is) I was stuck at Andrews billeting over Christmas with only the shoppette to get dinner, that sucked. You might be better off with a magnet at Annapolis inner harbor, or try going to the track or intermural area on base. When folks come in for fitness tests and PT they loose stuff at the bleachers a lot.

 

[ATPRoDon]

You cannot metal detect on any US base as its federal land.

 

[Tommybuckets]

There are two clubs here in the area they seem to meet the last weds night and Thursday night one is MARS the other I think is Maryland freestate? I have some ideas for us just pm me I'll get us on a cool spot. Its impenetrable in the summer and hunted on in the fall so the timing will be tough.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

You cannot metal detect on any US base as its federal land.

Really ? How do you figure ? Just because it's "federal land" ? Since when does "federal land" automatically preclude md'ing ? In fact, some forms of "federal land" have explicit express ALLOWANCES for md'ing (rather than just "silent on the subject). For example NFS and BLM. So how do you figure that just because it's "federal" that it's not allowed ?

Perhaps you're thinking of ARPA ? Ok, fine then: Just don't find anything older than 50 yrs. old, eh ? (because assuredly somone's following you around with a pocket calculator to do the math on the age of each coin you find ?)

As far as federal military bases, I've md'd a few here in CA. Didn't have an issue personally. And a buddy of mine stationed at one federal base (active military) even got the go-ahead from his superior. I suppose you can say that superior didn't ask enough hire-ups or purist archies ? Hence shame on him ??

 

[Clay Diggins]

The base itself is essentially off limits because of signal interference. You could complain to the Signal Corps, NSA, DIA or one of the other interesting parties there but I imagine that wouldn't be a good career move.

The NSA isn't going to like you putting a new beat in their many stray frequencies. If in doubt about that last statement all you need to do is contact the base commander. He can tell what his policy is. The Provost Marshall can inform you about the law (if you are active duty) but the base commander has final say over usage of base facilities and land. While you are there you might want to ask them about their regular flying squirrel scans and signal registration, if you haven't already been noticed. They get kind of funky about unknown signals on a very secure base.

Even if you could metal detect the base you would probably be disappointed in what you find. The base was detected by two methods to a depth of 5 feet back in the early 90's. "UXO clearance" was the reason given to the public. I doubt you could even find a pull tab or rusty window screen fragment.

There are some great places to detect around DC. Many of the nearby old Maryland farms along cow pie alley continue to be very productive. Trying to get permission to detect the heart of the American government and military electronic spying and communications installation is probably going to be a pretty big challenge. I wish you luck. Let us know how it goes.

 

[OBN]

I can tell you first hand detecting is allowed on base but permission is needed, then since it is a secured location being stationed there will help. I know a few who hunt there and do well but the big issue....... Ticks..

Come to the MARS meeting, a few there have detected the place and a few are stationed there .

 

[Clay Diggins]

I can tell you first hand detecting is allowed on base but permission is needed, then since it is a secured location being stationed there will help. I know a few who hunt there and do well but the big issue....... Ticks..

Come to the MARS meeting, they are members.

Interesting. How did you deal with the constant WIDS scans?

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Detectors run WAY below the frequency of telecommunications and WLAN applications. I'd be surprised if they are detected at all.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Detectors run WAY below the frequency of telecommunications and WLAN applications. I'd be surprised if they are detected at all.

Yes they do run WAY below standard telecommunications frequencies. At least the frequencies you know about. There are long distance ultra low frequencies that have been used for secure gov communications since at least the early 60's. These bands are unregistered and unregulated as you can imagine. They are wireless but they don't use the atmosphere as a transfer medium.

Receiver Out of Band Interference (ROBI) is the real problem whether you are talking about high or low frequencies. Harmonics work far out of band and in particular low frequency oscillation can mess with signals both above and below the intended frequency. Pretty much what a vlf metal detector does.

I'm sure the NSA guys could explain why they don't want LO frequencies on their patch but they would expect you to establish your clearance before that could happen. Maybe they have a way to deal with the harmonics now. It's been a while since I worked signals. OBN has detected there somehow so there is a possibility?

 

[OBN]

Yes they do run WAY below standard telecommunications frequencies. At least the frequencies you know about. There are long distance ultra low frequencies that have been used for secure gov communications since at least the early 60's. These bands are unregistered and unregulated as you can imagine. They are wireless but they don't use the atmosphere as a transfer medium.

Receiver Out of Band Interference (ROBI) is the real problem whether you are talking about high or low frequencies. Harmonics work far out of band and in particular low frequency oscillation can mess with signals both above and below the intended frequency. Pretty much what a vlf metal detector does.

I'm sure the NSA guys could explain why they don't want LO frequencies on their patch but they would expect you to establish your clearance before that could happen. Maybe they have a way to deal with the harmonics now. It's been a while since I worked signals. OBN has detected there somehow so there is a possibility?

I was there once several years ago when I land detected, did not go back for I hate ticks. But I know a few members that detect there now, 2 are stationed there.. one uses a AT Pro and the other a CTX which I sold to him. Next meeting I will ask and get some details, Meeting is this Wednesday night.