newbie

[Dwight Frye]

Hello to all started MD about two weeks ago . Age 53. I had the Garrett Ace 150 for the first week then returned and got the Delta 4000 . Buying off of Amazon allows you to return and the 150 just seemed to random . I thought the visual id would help but still get lots of false reading . Maybe 0ne time out of ten it will be what it reads out with the 4000 . Now granted its probably my fault or not sure if its just the detector . Hell it seems like you might as,well just dig every sound you hear . Lol. I'm in charlotte NC with red clay so maybe that is the problem ? I do not mind stepping up a little in price if the detectors do a better job of discrimnation .

 

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[SusanMN]

The Xterra 705 is a mid level detector with great TID and audio ID. Like every detector, however you are going to get some false IDs. Deep rusty iron comes up as silver, foil and gold sound about the same etc.

 

[Dwight Frye]

I'm noticing that , even when I have iron and foil notched out . I like the delta just not sure if its me or the detector . Lol frustration and fun . I wonder how big a nugget it has to be to pick up?

 

[ZR2guy]

I had a Delta and it had an issue with EMI(electro-magnetic interference). I did find dimes and quarters as far down as 5-6 inches.The Teknetics Greek series are good machines, in fact I bought a Gamma 6000 after the Delta 4000 and yes it was better than the Delta but I still encountered EMI issues.I now have an Xterra 70 and very happy that I bought it. It is so smooth and accurate. I do have to slow down the swing speed but that is actually a good thing.I know that people get tired of hearing about Minelab but take it from me, I have owned Bounty Hunters,Garretts and Teknetics but this Xterra really is better.

 

[Mzjavert]

Display machines can be incredibly frustrating. But the plain truth is no display machine will be 100% accurate 100% of the time. The fewer segments or VDI numbers, the less accurate it's going to be. Your best machines have a VDI range of -99 to 99 or 0 to 99. Even with a range of 200, you'll still get lots of false readings because there are more than 200 conductivity ranges of metal depending upon a whole host of factors.

Yeah, I agree with you about the Ace series, random and (at last with the 250 I had) the display, and tones, often bounced all over the place. My Coinmaster with 8 segments vs the Ace 250's 12 segments tends to be more stable.

Your best information is going to come from your ears. Notice how none of the display machines have eliminated the audio circuit?

Anyway right now you should be digging every signal. That way you really learn your machine. Give this machine 100 hours of honest effort. On a few hunts cover the display and use your ears only. You'll be surprised at what you learn. I primarily (85%) use a machine with no display. I find the shallow cents often have to brighter sound than a quarter at the same depth. I've learned the sound of zinc covered fencing parts. I can often tell the size of items, particularly at depths 4" or less. Which translates I can tell if it's a coin or not. At a new site, usually within an hour, I can start picking out how various targets "unique" to that site sound.

If you want to find gold. You are going to have to keep your discrimination down, I keep my right at the edge of foil. I eliminate about half the foil, but still detect balled up foil. That way I have a chance of finding fine gold chains. Yes, I dig a ton of pull tabs and other junk. But in about a year I found 3 pieces of gold jewelry. One small gold ring was among a pile of pull tabs.

Also keep your sensitivity up. Only turn it down if you are getting EMI interference.

 

[Dwight Frye]

All very good info , today is a little better and mostly by the sound . I'm beginning to wonder maybe I need to go with just the audio sound period . Don't fiqure I can do any worse . Lol Especially the terso? With life time warranty maybe . I know I need way more practice just concerned that its the machine and I still have close to three, four weeks and I can return to amazon . Do power lines on telephones up maybe 25 ft in the air effect MD ?

 

[Terry Soloman]

Welcome from White Plains, New York! With your highly mineralized soils (clays) you need the ability to manually ground balance. The Tesoro Vaquero ($450.00) is a killer in soils like yours. Good luck and BIG GOLD!

 

[ZR2guy]

All very good info , today is a little better and mostly by the sound . I'm beginning to wonder maybe I need to go with just the audio sound period . Don't fiqure I can do any worse . Lol Especially the terso? With life time warranty maybe . I know I need way more practice just concerned that its the machine and I still have close to three, four weeks and I can return to amazon . Do power lines on telephones up maybe 25 ft in the air effect MD ?

If you are within 25ft of powerlines with a Delta, it is better to find another spot to hunt.Sounds like you have made your decision on what the future of the Delta is going to be.If you can swing the $$ for a machine with manual ground balance you will be ahead of the game.

 

[Dwight Frye]

Really power lines in air can effect , hum that may explain some . Still not sure on the Delta . Course I always start lower priced and end up returning and getting something higher . Course money is pretty tight and I have not hit the big one . We have lots of creeks and thought about trying for gold nuggets . Maybe I'm dreaming . Course my wife laughs because she says MD is not for somebody with OCD.

 

[Dwight Frye]

Found my first wheat penny . Lol

 

[bevo]

its perfect for somebody with ocd.

 

[Dwight Frye]

My yard looks like gofers got . It lol . No really I do have Ocd which means don't piss me off . Plus no matter how frustrated I get I keep digging . I'm digging up stuff I have no what idea it is . Friend tell me he stops after a few inches.. but I keep going thinking what if I'm missing a treasure chest .