F2 with DD coil and pinpointing?

[djamwolfe]

Does anyone have any recommendations on figuring out where the "sweet spot" is for pinpointing on these 11" F4 DD coils?
I went out hunting with it today for the first time, and I seemed to have a heck of a time pinpointing compared to the stock 8" coil.
Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated!

 

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[K1DDO1979]

It was a little tricky at first but becomes easy. It's pretty much where the little circle is on the coil...

 

[djamwolfe]

I was trying that, but i always seemed to be off around 6" in any given direction. Ended up just digging my plugs extra large!

 

[K1DDO1979]

Just go in different directions pinpointing before you dig and you should get it narrowed down close. It does actually get easy. Sometimes shallow modern penny's or iffy targets seem to be hard to find sometimes but deeper large cents and good targets are spot on. Also after you get the good hit you should raise the coil a bit high off the ground so it's silent then push the pinpoint button then lower it to ground level again and it's more accurate. Kinda resets it.

 

[Pennypacker]

Generally speaking you would pinpoint using the tip of the coil, I don't do it myself too often, but when I do I kinda point the coil down and poke around with it. (In a non motion PP setting, different machine)

Now I am not saying that K1DDO1979 is wrong, see the field is pretty constant from the front to back of the coil (That is why you use the heel or toe), however there is probably a bit of a peak in the center of the coil and if targets are at a certain depth, it could appear to PP in the center of the coil.

If your first 8" coil was concentric, then the peak response is in the center, you don't have to "X" over the target as much as you would with a DD. If you are getting a response, it will be pretty close to the center of the coil. (Unless it's on the surface, in which case you can get a response from the sides.

In regular mode, move the coil side to side as little as possible to isolated the target in a line (goes from tip to heel of your coil), then turn 90 degrees while still visualizing the line the best you can from memory, move the coil side to side again, then you should be able to visualize where the target is along your original line.
Isolate the target the best you can first to minimize the need for PP.

With a bit of practice you can get lazy and don't have to turn 90 degrees, just enough for you to get an idea where it is.

Also note if you are running discrimination, sometimes it helps to switch to all metal mode to avoid nulling out the target with nearby trash.

DD coils are great for covering a lot of ground, and even isolate targets better (Along one axis anyways) then a comparable sized cone coil, you just have to do a bit of an X because the target will be located along a certain "line", not a particular "spot".

I'm not familiar with the specifics of your machine, but these physics dictate how all coils operate regardless of brand.

For myself, PP modes aren't all that useful as the hole is usually too small to isolate the response, which is why I prefer just "X"ing it.

I like to search in areas that I don't have to be overly careful with the plugs, so I can get away with just digging the hole wider with the shovel if I do miss a target, for parks etc, you may consider just using your hand held PP if you have one.

Hope this helps.

 

[Phantasman]

I use detectingMO's method. Works every time.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I never depend on the pinpoint button. I always double check a target and pin point that way. Let's say you are swinging the coil east to west and you get a good hit. I then go over the spot from north to south. and can determine where the coin is and dig my plug.

You may want to lay a coin on the ground and play with the detector to determine the pinpoint spot on the coil.

 

[K1DDO1979]

Generally speaking you would pinpoint using the tip of the coil, I don't do it myself too often, but when I do I kinda point the coil down and poke around with it. (In a non motion PP setting, different machine)

Now I am not saying that K1DDO1979 is wrong, see the field is pretty constant from the front to back of the coil (That is why you use the heel or toe), however there is probably a bit of a peak in the center of the coil and if targets are at a certain depth, it could appear to PP in the center of the coil.

If your first 8" coil was concentric, then the peak response is in the center, you don't have to "X" over the target as much as you would with a DD. If you are getting a response, it will be pretty close to the center of the coil. (Unless it's on the surface, in which case you can get a response from the sides.

In regular mode, move the coil side to side as little as possible to isolated the target in a line (goes from tip to heel of your coil), then turn 90 degrees while still visualizing the line the best you can from memory, move the coil side to side again, then you should be able to visualize where the target is along your original line.
Isolate the target the best you can first to minimize the need for PP.

With a bit of practice you can get lazy and don't have to turn 90 degrees, just enough for you to get an idea where it is.

Also note if you are running discrimination, sometimes it helps to switch to all metal mode to avoid nulling out the target with nearby trash.

DD coils are great for covering a lot of ground, and even isolate targets better (Along one axis anyways) then a comparable sized cone coil, you just have to do a bit of an X because the target will be located along a certain "line", not a particular "spot".

I'm not familiar with the specifics of your machine, but these physics dictate how all coils operate regardless of brand.

For myself, PP modes aren't all that useful as the hole is usually too small to isolate the response, which is why I prefer just "X"ing it.

I like to search in areas that I don't have to be overly careful with the plugs, so I can get away with just digging the hole wider with the shovel if I do miss a target, for parks etc, you may consider just using your hand held PP if you have one.

Hope this helps.

Good tips. I'm not the best at writing detailed explanations sometimes! Haha
It's funny that it just seems second nature now for me to know where the target is with the DD. I go over the target swinging the coil a few different directions and then double check with the PP button. Only takes a few seconds and I'm digging. I was never a fan of the tip or heel of the coil for PP myself. I only use that to make sure it's not a beer bottle top because they can sound like a quarter but the tone drops if you just pick them up on the tip of the coil. A real quarter will stay the same tone the whole time! [emoji2]

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I'm a fan of DD coils. Good tips above.

I find "X"ing at 90° perpendicular sweeps helps me. When you sweep look past/through the coil at a specific feature as you get the target "beep" - a blade of grass or tip of a leaf, etc. keeping your focus on that sweep from a different angle. If the beep no longer occurs as the coil center passes over the focus spot - shift your gaze to where it does.

And, as always, burying a test coin under a golf tee or some non-metallic marker will help.

Also practice lifting the coil as you sweep. Helps determine what you have below.

 

[djamwolfe]

Thanks everyone! I guess some practice is the key here. Hopefully it stops raining today so I can test some of these tips out tonight.

 

[atomicscott]

Thanks everyone! I guess some practice is the key here. Hopefully it stops raining today so I can test some of these tips out tonight.

Easiest way is to lay a coin on the ground, & go over it & hit pinpoint. Mark coil or visualize exactly where the VISIBLE coin pinpoints loudest & has shallowest depth. Next tape a coin to a big piece of card board so coin is on bottom. Mark where you think coin is, flip cardboard over & see how close you got.

 

[bigfoot1]

I have never heard of a dd that pinpoints anywhere except at the toe or heel.its like a winshield wiper down the middle.I personally go left to right short(wiggle swing)find center then pp while pulling towards me...goes quiet its right off the tip or toe.My wife has that coil on her f2 and I assure you she is spot on withe this method."the minelab wiggle"folks call it

 

[atomicscott]

I have never heard of a dd that pinpoints anywhere except at the toe or heel.its like a winshield wiper down the middle.I personally go left to right short(wiggle swing)find center then pp while pulling towards me...goes quiet its right off the tip or toe.My wife has that coil on her f2 and I assure you she is spot on withe this method."the minelab wiggle"folks call it

The NEL Sharpshooter is amazing, it pinpoints in the center of coil, just like a concentric.

 

[djamwolfe]

I'm finally going out hunting tomorrow and I'll give the "minelab wiggle" a try. I'll be sure to report back in.