Am I doing anything wrong?

[Hunter101]

So I started MDing about a month ago. I've done all my research. I've located the oldest parks, churches, schools, homes, etc., in the city. I go out for two hours every single day but all I find is a bunch of trash. By bunch I mean the signal on my machine bounces like crazy no matter where I am at on the property. So far in the last month, all I have found is 5$ in zinc pennies and new dimes, push pins, safety pins, pull tabs, 22 bullets, etc. and to be honest, I don't think anyone has ever MD in my area ever. what else can I do to get something special? Any tips? I use the Garrett ace 350 with stock coil and the pro pointer at.

 

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[FreeBirdTim]

1) Turn the sensitivity down a couple of notches and hunt in coin mode for awhile. All metal mode or jewelry mode will drive you crazy at most public spots. Way too many signals.

2) Did you wrap your coil cable tightly around the detector shaft? You have to have it tight or the cable will trigger a signal a lot of the time.

3) Forget about finding gold in the beginning. Finding gold takes a lot of patience and practice. You have to dig a ton of pull tabs and junk to find gold rings. Stick to digging coins until you get the hang of it.

Good luck and happy hunting!

 

[Greastart]

101, I've got just a few months on you. Hang in there. Listen to the old timers around here. They're very helpful, kind, and generous with tips and knowledge. You'll find stuff. I still have not found anything more valuable than a silver plated bobby pin with a silly crystal or a tungsten/carbide wedding band. (returned...that was pretty cool) But I dig everything! Sooner or later that foil or pull tab signal is going to surprise me and be valuable. Point is, keep swinging and you'll learn what your machine is telling you.

Good Luck

Grease

 

[CRUSADER]

So I started MDing about a month ago. I've done all my research. I've located the oldest parks, churches, schools, homes, etc., in the city. I go out for two hours every single day but all I find is a bunch of trash. By bunch I mean the signal on my machine bounces like crazy no matter where I am at on the property. So far in the last month, all I have found is 5$ in zinc pennies and new dimes, push pins, safety pins, pull tabs, 22 bullets, etc. and to be honest, I don't think anyone has ever MD in my area ever. what else can I do to get something special? Any tips? I use the Garrett ace 350 with stock coil and the pro pointer at.

Don't want to put you off too much but unless you want modern rings etc,,, a good 'old' find will be too deep for that machine. If you want to increase your chances of old stuff you will need to research old farmsteads etc & do ploughed land.

 

[trapperart]

Don't want to put you off too much but unless you want modern rings etc,,, a good 'old' find will be too deep for that machine. If you want to increase your chances of old stuff you will need to research old farmsteads etc & do ploughed land.

Crusader is right you're going to find what you put your coil over trashy area =trash old history =goodies. Good luck

 

[relic nut]

Be patient!! It will happen, you just have to put in the time and learn your machine. Everything the others are saying is correct. Mostly what you see here are the great finds. What you don't see is the hours and hours of research and trash digging that is the realaty of our hobby. The more you do it the better you will get, then a great find will pop up and everything changes. Good luck.

HH, Relic Nut

 

[kingskid1611]

You've only just begun and its exciting that you ask. Lots of good information on here. If you keep at it, then you will become an expert.

 

[Texas Ed]

Hunter 101 put in a coin & trash garden in your back yard. Coins - pull tabs - square tabs - aluminum can slaw - gold ring or 2 at various depths & bout 2' apart and practice - watch your machines reactions & sounds, make mental notes. Heck I have a lot of pull tabs - square tabs & can slaw I can give you - wish you beast of luck.

Texas Ed
S/E Texas Gulf Coast

 

[WHADIFIND]

If my advice might be worth anything, to answer your question, no, you're not doing anything wrong. It does take a bit of time. What everybody is saying about hanging in there and it takes time are true. But, there are a few things you can do. Getting started is really tough in some areas, I know. You will have to take the time to learn your machine AND you absolutely will dig a LOT of junk as you do.

First of all, the machine you have is, of course, a beginning level BUT it WILL definitely go plenty deep enough to find "treasure". I've found diamond rings nearly on top of the ground!

I would clear a spot in your own yard and then bury a few different "good" targets. Better mark the spots really well though.
Different types, different sizes, different depths. (don't go too deep). Then, practice listening to those targets to understand what your machine is trying to tell you.

After that, the absolute, positive key to finding ANYthing in this hobby is location, location, location! You can ONLY find something under the ground if you can get your coil over top of it, close don't count. I would check through your family,friends, neighbors, coworkers etc. to see if they may have a spot they won't mind for you to hunt. Generally, but not always, you can find what I call a "quiet" place to hunt at least initially. Quiet, meaning a place that doesn't have a lot of trash and the targets are a little further apart. Makes it easier to not have to hear all that clutter.

One thing else you can do is to discriminate. I know, everybody says dig EVERYTHING when you're new to help learn the machine. BUT, if you just keep digging trash you lose something else that is very important to this hobby, confidence. Try to make a hunt or two where you ONLY dig what you feel is a "good" target. If you find even one really nice item, the addiction will take over and it won't matter so much about the clutter.

Last tip, above everything else, ENJOY being out and being able to do this! Do that first and everything else will fall in place.

Find a couple diamond rings and then think about upgrading. That way the hobby will pay for it.

Welcome aboard and...
Happy Hunting!

 

[doninbrewster]

1) Turn the sensitivity down a couple of notches and hunt in coin mode for awhile. All metal mode or jewelry mode will drive you crazy at most public spots. Way too many signals.

2) Did you wrap your coil cable tightly around the detector shaft? You have to have it tight or the cable will trigger a signal a lot of the time.

3) Forget about finding gold in the beginning. Finding gold takes a lot of patience and practice. You have to dig a ton of pull tabs and junk to find gold rings. Stick to digging coins until you get the hang of it.

Good luck and happy hunting!

You nailed it Tim. If I could add one thing is talk to people you know who have older homes and ask if you can detect their yards. I'm always asking and have found some great stuff this way. Be extremely careful digging, especially on a property where someone has given you permission to detect. One permission could always lead to others. Go slow, listen carefully to every signal you hear before you dig. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes a lot easier to identify objects before you dig.

 

[J.Cohoon04]

Be extremely careful digging, especially on a property where someone has given you permission to detect. One permission could always lead to others.

I can attest to this line. I got one permission, and it quickly turned into 6. It pays to be courteous, whether or not you get a permission. Do right by the permissions you do garner, and they will do right by you, word of mouth is a very powerful thing still.

 

[smokeythecat]

What I like to find is a field or woods that USED to have a house in it. Of course, get permission from the landowner. That way you up your chances of something really old coming out.

 

[tanz 82]

It took me about three years before I started to find "good stuff" . Just stick it out turn the sensitivity down and go to the tree lines around your spots i found in my area at least that's where I find the good stuff

 

[pencil5757]

Don't want to put you off too much but unless you want modern rings etc,,, a good 'old' find will be too deep for that machine. If you want to increase your chances of old stuff you will need to research old farmsteads etc & do ploughed land.

The 350 will go plenty deep to find old stuff if its set right, I have plenty to show. Yes there are deeper units but the 350 is no lightweight!

 

[CRUSADER]

The 350 will go plenty deep to find old stuff if its set right, I have plenty to show. Yes there are deeper units but the 350 is no lightweight!

So your telling me it will reach the 18th C layers?

 

[pencil5757]

So your telling me it will reach the 18th C layers?

Well its according soil conditions of course some soils have a faster sink rate but yes its possible.

 

[pencil5757]

Skippy nailed it!

 

[High Tone Drifter]

I've found clad at 12+ inches and 1800's coins and relics at 2 inches. Age is a number, not a depth. Sure, it some areas it will be long buried....depends on the activity in the area and what has been going on there for the last 200 years. You've got plenty machine to find good stuff.

 

[Subterranean]

Great advice from all to all here. My two cents is this: My ATpro (which is Jerry-rigged and battered) tells me that small sterling rings read in the high "Lincoln Cent" VDI. So, I dig the pesky Lincoln cents. It is a win-win, either the clad adds up, or I go home with a child-size sterling ring. Gold rings hide among the pull tab to bits-O-copper/brass signals. Hang in there and research your location. Sub

 

[Metal Magnet]

I'm always amazed at the collective wisdom on these forums. Listen to the advice - it will shave hundreds of hours off your learning curve!

I would also add that if your do that and are still annoyed, upgrade your machine. The AT Pro will give you the kind of signal information to hone in on targets. Sometimes getting a better quality machine is what it takes to keep people in the hobby.

Not saying you can't do well with your current machine - but better quality information matters.