Question of VDI Identification on MXT

[BamaBill]

For the most part, those MXT users that dig alot of their targets, when ID'ing a target that's at the edge of the VDI range, do you ever find that something that was solidly identified as iron is actually a valuable, or non-iron target? If so, what percentage of the time has this happened? How much should I trust the Iron ID when I've made the ID in several different directions?

[gates21]

If it's questionable to me, I take a layer of soil off and see what it reads- saves you the time of digging all the way down and pinpointing if its junk.

Aaron

[ICE ADDICT]

So then its NOT me,the numbers DO change as you dig,meaning questionable can be good and looking good could end up junk??

If thats the case, I guess you have to dig Everything or nothing or get a different machine I thought whites was the BEST maybe not...ANYONE

Of course,...I'm still a whites ROOKIE...Thats why all the confusion...

[gates21]

I'm still a rookie by far!

Some signals I dont even bother with- the only iron signals I dig are when they jump from negative, to a good positive (+29-94 for me). Then I usually dig a plug and pop it back (unless its shallow) and rescan the top slowly- also diff. swing angles seem to make a difference.

Just a thought- I have found that a very slow swing speed in trashy areas really helps me pick out the good stuff- I was under the impression that you always swing fairly quickly.

Aaron

[ICE ADDICT]

Thanx Aron,

I've always been a SSSLLLOOOWWW swinger,I feel I'm being more thorough that way..

[slow sweeper]

So then its NOT me,the numbers DO change as you dig,meaning questionable can be good and looking good could end up junk??

If thats the case, I guess you have to dig Everything or nothing or get a different machine I thought whites was the BEST maybe not...ANYONE

Of course,...I'm still a whites ROOKIE...Thats why all the confusion...

Remember that a metal detector is not an x-ray machine. It can only tell you what a metal object in the ground MIGHT be. It gives the operator it's best "guess" as to what that metal object is.
In a perfect situation where the ground is not too mineralized and not too alkaline and no trash next to treasure most metal detectors today will be extremely accurate in making a positive ID. Unfortunately this is not the case.
But still, with all the variables a detector has to deal with in the real world, they do a good job at giving us a pretty reliable "guess" at what is under our feet.
Closets and garages across the country abound with dusty metal detectors put there by people who mistakenly believed that a metal detector is some kind of magical treasure finder. The detector is only a tool. It's up to the operator to spend the time learning what the tool is telling him. Or her.
But no matter which brand of metal detector one uses the only way to be 100% sure of what the detector finds is to dig it up.
Stick with it and learn your detector. You'll find your share of goodies. Good luck and happy hunting.

[bakergeol]

For the most part, those MXT users that dig alot of their targets, when ID'ing a target that's at the edge of the VDI range, do you ever find that something that was solidly identified as iron is actually a valuable, or non-iron target? If so, what percentage of the time has this happened? How much should I trust the Iron ID when I've made the ID in several different directions?

The trick the gold nugget hunters use is to dig a little to get the coil closer to the target. If the VDI number goes up it is a non ferrous object- if go down it is ferrous. You see with VLFs the deeper you go the more ground mineralization your detector reads and good items read toward iron with depth.

George

[ICE ADDICT]

Thanks Slow sweeper,

Point well taken,I've been diggin the better part of ten years, started with a 250.00 bounty hunter and found LOTS of good stuff with it.I was just under the assumption that with a 1000.00 whites It may be just a bit more accurate with the VDI numbers.I guess I'll just continue to dig most targets and NOT get impatient,and hopefully become one with my detector over a bit more time..

[slow sweeper]

Over time I think you WILL find that the $1000.00 Whites is a much better detector. There's just no getting around the fact that every detector has limitations. Even one that costs $1000.00.
More often than not the more expensive the detctor, the steeper the learning curve. AND the longer it takes to understand its language. Happy hunting.

[chopper]

I just got my MXT two days ago. I've only had a few hours to use it and so my ability and understanding of the VDI numbers is minimal. I've been scanning areas where I'd made previous finds and every square foot indicates iron or hot rocks, I've also had at least 20 spots so far indicate +20 to +91 at 10-12 inches. Can iron give positive signals in that range?

[BamaBill]

If you're getting positive signals that deep you need to scrape some of the dirt away from one of those signals and maybe even dig it to see what it is. Are you X ing your target from a couple of different directions? If you are and still getting postive numbers I would definitely dig it. Those hot rock signals all over the place may mean you need to turn down your gain a little. Good Luck !

[johnnycat]

Gates 21 suggestion is a very good one. Always works for me. Sometimes I place only the tip of the coil on the target area and that also seems to help. Sometimes I will lift the coil about 2"-3" off the ground and check the reading. I have never popped a valuable item when my MXT said it was junk. I think its all a learning process. I have had my MXT for 3 years and feel totally comfortable in trusting the readings. However, I still dig all hard signals when detecting old places.

[Tin Nugget]

I just got my MXT two days ago. I've only had a few hours to use it and so my ability and understanding of the VDI numbers is minimal. I've been scanning areas where I'd made previous finds and every square foot indicates iron or hot rocks, I've also had at least 20 spots so far indicate +20 to +91 at 10-12 inches. Can iron give positive signals in that range?

Chopper, did you ground balance first?
You have a great machine but like any great machine you have to go to school on it. When I first got mine 5 years ago I thought something was wrong with it. Had the same symptoms you have. Remember, if all else fails, read the directions. Another suggestion if you want to speed up the learning process, gets Jeff Fosters book "The MXT Edge" fielddepth.com

Stick with it. I have not seen another machine yet I would give mine up for, but I hear Minelab and Whites are working on one!

[John (Ma)]

I have been looking into the MXT for another detector. However, I have purchased the DFX over the summer and when I first got it, I dug almost everything and now I can be a little more picky and my finds have increased dramatically. I think as I learn this detector, it just keeps getting better, finds increase and also feel that by digging every target at first really helped learn. I will purchase another whites for sure. Sometimes the good stuff is in the vdi junk range as well.