Meters or Knobs?

[Eu_citzen]

I am a hybrid.

i begin by digging the most promising signals then less and less promising signals, until I hear no more signals.
I hunt the place multiple times, obvious.

Though when looking for artifacts or digging at the beach I dig it all!

So it also depends on the site & my mood.

Good Hunting!
Eu

 

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[BuckleBoy]

The meter machine just makes the hobby much more fun to me. I will never be a "serious" MD user. I don't get to go very often, and if the machine can help me keep from digging nails and cans, more power to it.
If I every got to the point where the tone of the machine told me what I was digging, I would forget it between outings.

I would think that for every really serious owner, really putting their machine to the test, there have got to be a 1000 weekend coin shooters like me out there...

Maybe it's closer to 10K to one?

Yes, I have an Ace 250

My buddy rodeo recon has an Ace 250--and I still consider him a "serious" hunter. He still considers me a "serious" hunter when I'm wielding the Tesoro Silver uMax.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I have been REFORMED & REJOICE...

Thank You Reverend BuckleBoy ...

I Fly By Sound ... The book according to Minelab ~ Chapter Sovereign ~ Verse GT ...

Praise jeff of pa ... Alleluia ~ Nick

Ite Missa Est.

 

[greydigger]

holy cow.....

 

[BamaBill]

I too started with a beep and dig machine. It was a Cibola, about two years ago. I've dug bucket and buckets of trash with that machine, but I was hunting a lot of hunted out sites with bad ground in Alabama. When I got my MXT last year my finds rate improved, probably because I don't have the kind of time to hunt, some people apparently do and the VDI helped, but it was mostly so I could tell the difference between ferrous and non-ferrous. I never really stopped to learn what pop-tops, tabs (whatever you want to call them) and other non-ferrous trash ID's at. Mainly, I've managed to stop digging those irritating small nails. I now have an Xterra 70 to play with and I'm going to go chiefly by sound, operating in all metal, which is one thing you cannot do with the MXT. With the MXT you only have two tones if you use a moderate amount of discrimination, but if you turn it down to no discrimination you lose any kind of tone ID. When you're chiefly a relic hunter you definitely need to dig more than most people. I look for non-ferrous targets when searching for camps and once I've found, confirmed that I'm in the right area, I start digging just about everything. With the MXT you have to because deep iron signals can turn out to be gun parts, buckles, personal items, etc. I'll be interested to see if the VDI is that far off on deep targets with the Xterra 70. Also, this year I'm planning on expanding my hunting interests to Ghost Towns for coins and relics. I can't wait to get my hands on the 6" DD coil for the Xterra 70 and see what that puppy can do in trash. God, I'm sick of digging trash.

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

Well I've got a Tejon, a Nautilus IIb, and a Cibola. I also have a T-2, an Xterra 70, and an Xterra 30 with the six inch coil. Last week I took out the T-2 relic hunting. I was sure that that was the only machine I'd use for a while. This past week I took out the Tejon, and couldn't understand why I'd hunt with anything else. This Sunday I'm taking the 70, and I'm sure I'll be pleased with that. I like 'em all at different times. Those are my 6 favorites and I can't see anything creepin' in to displace one anytime soon.

 

[littletwig]

I like the meter machines. The more info Ihave on a target, the less time I spend on my knees digging trach.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I like the meter machines. The more info Ihave on a target, the less time I spend on my knees digging trach.

I like digging trash...as long as it's OOOOLD trash.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I like the meter machines. The more info Ihave on a target, the less time I spend on my knees digging trach.

I like digging trash...as long as it's OOOOLD trash.

Bucky ~ I now dub it TRACHE' trash is just that "trash" ... Crappe' is so yesterday ... it is now TRACHE'

Then I guess I'm overdue for a TRACHEOTOMY.

Yep. "Crappe' was yesterday" and "Junque" was what my Grandpappy said...

 

[SC_hunter]

I like the meter machines. The more info Ihave on a target, the less time I spend on my knees digging trach.

I like digging trash...as long as it's OOOOLD trash.

Bucky ~ I now dub it TRACHE' trash is just that "trash" ... Crappe' is so yesterday ... it is now TRACHE'

Then I guess I'm overdue for a TRACHEOTOMY.

Yep. "Crappe' was yesterday" and "Junque" was what my Grandpappy said...

Geeezzz..am I that old...I'ma still using junque..

 

[BuckleBoy]

So... I have gone over to the dark side.

Had to bump this up out of honesty. I'm a meter guy now.

 

[ModernMiner]

It was that darn Quindy character that brought you over to the dark side wasn't it?
Tesoro and I will miss you.

-Light Side Doug-

 

[BuckleBoy]

It was that darn Quindy character that brought you over to the dark side wasn't it?
Tesoro and I will miss you.

-Light Side Doug-

Yep, although after meeting Quindy's sidekick I had my doubts.


-Darth Buckles

 

[Dan B]

That's okay. I strayed for a while too (F5, T2, F70, Omega etc). You'll be back!

 

[Msbeepbeep]

M6, I like having an idea how deep the target is, gives me VID#, target I D, and tone ID. If it gave me any more info it wouldn't be interesting!

 

[heepiepow]

I'm very new to both types. Beep-only detectorist for a year, now with a metered one.

I dig all strong sounds no matter their number. But I find the meter useful, for: distinguishing as to whether there are more than one targets under a coil. If I get a certain number repeat one direction with the machine giving a certain depth, then a different and different, often there's two targets there. Something beeping couldn't tell.

The depth meter also saves time, in giving me an approximation of how much I have to dig out.

I don't know if there's any validity to this; but a cross-swing that differs remarkbly top to side in # almost always to me means bottlecap. Beep alone wouldn't be as clear.

Finally, at the end of a session, tired and lazy, I go into "cherry-picking" mode, zooming up Disc to dimes and above. Last time was at a soccer field and found 5 quarters, three dimes, 2 zincs in relatively short time.

I AM very glad I first learned on a beeper. Taught me to listen more to my ears than trying to make settings do my work. And taught me (I think, if this is accurate), a consistent tone in many passes from different directions indicates something real, not a bit of foil etc. But I do love my features and #s, depth meters, disc. settings.

Oh, finally, the psychological feature!! Whenever I get a strong "quarter/50c" I get excited! Plus maybe a safety factor--when I do so am much more careful with my digging work so as to not scratch any potential silver.

 

[Frankn]

Hay, no experienced detectorist actually believes the meter! I dig everything, once, then I have a rough idea if I want to dig that signal again. Also towards the end of the hunt I start heavy filtering my digs with the meter. Hay, as you get older, you have to conserve that energy. lol Frank...

 

[gunsil]

I started in 1970 with a Garrett BFO with no discrimination and used it for twenty years. I was able to tell some signals from others with it, but mostly dug everything so I wouldn't have to hear it again. Now I have two metered machines (ATPro and Safari) and two knob machines (Infinium and Excal) I switch back and forth depending on what I am looking for and where. On my meter machines I find I almost never look at the depth segment. I believe most folks who are really good with their meter machines in the upper price ranges with variable tones rely more on sound than the meter to determine if they want to dig or not. I believe that my early BFO training has made me a better hunter using tones on my meter machines. I think if Minelab had an FBS machine with all the depth capabilities of a Safari or Etrac without a meter and priced much lower due to the lack of a meter that I would be interested in it. Even if my Safari shows some kind of junk on the meter but the sound is interesting I dig. Don't dig odd sounds or use too much discrimination=missing some nice targets, even in a trashy park or schoolyard. In the woods at a non-battlefield site or most beaches I will use iron discrimination but still have to dig odder sounds.

 

[pescadore]

i have tried to use metered machines and the only one the i have ever owned that had a type of meter is the bounty hunter TIME RANGER.... it is the only one; my first; and i really loved it.... i might get another just for back up at some point...... i have never liked screen type detectors cause i am a little rough on them anyway.... BUT... i will put my SHADOW X5 up against an explorer se pro any day of the week.... I DO own the following "tectors"

1. Troy Shadow X5

2. Discovery GOLDTRAX

3. Minelab GPX 4500

4. getting a Surfscanners GOLDSCAN 5C as soon as MR. BILL has more

The X5 is a good one !!!! I have owned a X5 and X3 and I really miss having one. The X3 was one of my favorite coin machines of all times. I loved the nickel and coin switch.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I started in 1970 with a Garrett BFO with no discrimination and used it for twenty years. I was able to tell some signals from others with it, but mostly dug everything so I wouldn't have to hear it again. Now I have two metered machines (ATPro and Safari) and two knob machines (Infinium and Excal) I switch back and forth depending on what I am looking for and where. On my meter machines I find I almost never look at the depth segment. I believe most folks who are really good with their meter machines in the upper price ranges with variable tones rely more on sound than the meter to determine if they want to dig or not. I believe that my early BFO training has made me a better hunter using tones on my meter machines. I think if Minelab had an FBS machine with all the depth capabilities of a Safari or Etrac without a meter and priced much lower due to the lack of a meter that I would be interested in it. Even if my Safari shows some kind of junk on the meter but the sound is interesting I dig. Don't dig odd sounds or use too much discrimination=missing some nice targets, even in a trashy park or schoolyard. In the woods at a non-battlefield site or most beaches I will use iron discrimination but still have to dig odder sounds.

This is fantastic advice. Well said.

Best Wishes,

Buckles