Ace 250 questions

[Calvin.Coin]

Hi all,

Last weekend I finally got a metal detector (ace 250) after years and years of wanting one. I live in a pretty desolate spot and was amazed to even find anything. So far I've dug maybe 100-150 targets. All of it junk except for a 1981 penny and a salvageable round-file.

Since there is unlikely to be any lost pocket-change around I created my own test patch. I buried (at 3-6 inches) in a line (about 3ft apart between targets) the following:

Eisenhower Dollar
Kennedy Half
Quarter (Clad)
Dime (Clad)
Nickel
Penny (copper)

to the side I buried a bolt and a pull-tab.

I'm having a hard time getting a positive ID on any of the coins. For example the nickle will sometimes remain silent (if in coin mode) but show visually as junk. The penny will bounce from penny to dime. The Dollar is all over the board and the half will bounce from dollar to half. Also a gold ring I tried rang in the pull-tab/nickle range (which I think is right). I really don't expect a positive ID to what is hidden below since I've been using all-metal mode and digging everything anyways, but does it get easier to guess at what you'll be digging up? Are there different sweep patterns to use that will help?

On the plus side, I think I've got the pinpointing down pretty good. This detector is sensitive! At first I thought it was falsing because I couldn't find the targets but after using a magnet I would find a tiny speck of chicken wire or such. I'm glad I chose the 250 for my first machine.

peace,
CC

 

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[tycearoo]

U go to Calvin I go to the middle school

 

[cactusrat]

The depth and target icon are just for a reference and are not to be counted on as to be a 100% accuracy.

For me, I just use the icons as a three part scale, (low, medium, high). I dig everything that’s a strong (and some not so strong) signal and use most “all metal” mode. I only found a couple of coins and no jewelry, so iron, pull tabs and cans are my standard fines.

Yes, I know all about little pieces of rusty chicken wire (lead shot is even worst). Thank goodness I had a Pro Pointer. I wouldn’t hunt with out it.

Keep digging all signals in all metal mode and after a hundred hours are you will start to learn the Ace better and will (kind of) know what targets to dig or not to dig.

 

[dougofpa]

Listen for those "repeatable" high dingin' tones or the bell tones.....your gold is right on, your half and dollar will bounce back and fourth...as for the quarter, it should stay pretty constant..and the penny and dime will bounce back and fourth depending on depth and how it is laying in the ground....if your cursor sits above a dime and doesn't move...it is most likely a dime.

The more you use it, the better you will become.....if you swing over a trashy area and the cursor keeps jumpin' around to coin and back to iron...it is junk..most of the time....but once it gives you that repeatable bell tone...turn 90 degrees and swing over again...if you get the same high bell tone look to see where you cursor is...if it stays in the coin range or the cursor sits over the indicated coin...then that is most likely what it is.....you will still dig junk....anything brass, tops of pop cans, deep flat iron objects and pull tabs, but you need to dig all repeatable signals...cause you never know. Hope it helps..I have used the 250 for close to a year...and I detected with it almost every sunday

 

[A/CMan]

I will add that bottle caps will jump sound a bit, so pinpointing helps to determine if it's a coin or cap, a coin will be a short and sharp beep, a bottle cap will be a longer tone and softer , and smashed cans do give a solid tone by the pin pointing I described helps to tell if it a coin or can, GL & HH AC

 

[Calvin.Coin]

Thanks for the responses and tips, it confirms that my detector is acting appropriately. Putting in a hundred plus hours shouldn't be a problem. I'm having a blast! If I had known it was so much fun I wouldn't have waited so long...

peace,
CC

Edited to Add:
After messing around a bit more and looking online I came across a screenshot of the Euro-Ace. It appears similar but it's graphic is a scale (ferrous / non-ferrous) that denotes thin and thickness. The cutoff for foil/gold starts at four bars and ends at seven. This is sort of like what cactusrat advised (three part scale, low, medium, high) and I have found the tip to be helpful.