First Hunt and Post

msimpson · Jul 25, 2011

I've always wanted to operate a metal detector. I finally bought one, a DFX 300, two weeks ago and I got to try it out yesterday. My wife went with me. We spent a couple of hours looking over a canyon where people hike. Final score, wife 2, me 0. I found a bunch of pop cans. They kept registering as 25 cent pieces. My wife found a clad dime and oddly, a 1979 Susan B Anthony dollar. This is my first post as well so just wanted to say hello. No pictures because I figure most of you know what a dime and dollar looks like. :-)

M

littlebill31 · Jul 25, 2011

Welcome! I'm also new and you'll get hooked quick to the hobby and this great site.

worldtalker · Jul 25, 2011

That's a nice mach. ya got,use it and learn what she's tellin ya!!!!!!It'll take awhile.be Patients and Persistance,the finds will come,GOOD ones too!!!

VOL1266-X · Jul 25, 2011

Welcome to Tnet. There are a lot of great folks on here and you will learn something every time you log on, I do. Good luck with your hunting and don't get discouraged as we all do at first. That next signal you get may just be a gold nugget out there. Happy hunting, Quindy in Tennessee.

dallgire · Jul 25, 2011

Welcome from the south!!!! HH

DIGDIG · Jul 25, 2011

Just remember it's like Real Estate- Location, Location, Location. The DFX is a fantastic machine, you just need to cut it loose on a nice old property and it will do it's thing. Good luck !

mighty_mace · Jul 25, 2011

Welcome to T-Net and we LOVE pics!!

mlayers · Jul 25, 2011

I want to welcome you to Tnet. Get to know your machine and you should do alright with it. I have had mine DFX over a few years now and I still am learning it. Good luck and happy hunting.....Matt

ncsilverspider · Jul 25, 2011

Welcome aboard! We look forward to hearing from you in the future! :wav:

Born Free · Jul 25, 2011

Get yourself a pinpointer. Targets will be so much easier to find.
A Susan B Anthony dollar on your first day out...that is beginner's luck!
Born Free

ANTIQUARIAN · Jul 25, 2011

You know what M . . . you've made the decision to buy a machine and start hunting, that's half the battle right there! :laughing7:

The next half now comes as you try and figure out why the darn machine keeps beeping at you and all you seem to be able to find is pull tabs and bottle caps!!! :tongue3:

I only started hunting "full-time" in April of this year, so after only 4 months, I think I know my ACE 350 pretty well. :thumbsup:

Don't give up!
Dig everything!
Remember the readings and sounds of each type of metal the machine finds for you!
Hunt kids playgrounds or a beach if possible, I found them the easiest to learn on!
Most importantly . . . have fun! :hello:

Dave

Gridwalker306 · Jul 25, 2011

Definitely go to some spots that have nice easy digging, so you can dig many targets to learn what your machine is telling you. You're off to a good start, good luck in the future!!

Baggins · Jul 25, 2011

Welcome to the 'Net! Keep hunting!
Baggins

cntrydncr1 · Jul 26, 2011

congrats! those dollar coins don't come up all that often!

Woodland Detectors · Jul 26, 2011

Welcome!

fishbone3d · Jul 26, 2011

Welcome! I have an idea for you to try. The next time that you get a signal that was producing cans, lift up the coil and keep swinging. If you have your coil 2-3 feet up off the ground, it is most likely a can. If it is a coin, the signal will disappear a lot faster. Good luck in hunting my friend, and remember to fill them holes! :icon_thumright:

beerbarrel · Jul 26, 2011

Welcome to TN!

beerbarrel

DIGDIG · Jul 26, 2011

Pay attention to your VDI numbers and you'll get to know what is in the ground. For a little while document what VDI number came up with what you dug.

msimpson · Jul 27, 2011

DIGDIG said:
Pay attention to your VDI numbers and you'll get to know what is in the ground. For a little while document what VDI number came up with what you dug.

First off, thank you to everyone who replied and offered encouragement. I will start doing what the previous poster suggested.

I remove trash and fill holes. Yesterday, I went with my son to a local park. We decided to detect the sand volleyball courts. My son and I were on one side of a court when several women came over and decided to practice on the very court we were detecting. They were giving us hostile stares and letting us know that we were intruding on their space. That is....until I found a VERY large and rusty nail in the sand. I had my son throw away any trash that we found and the women were very un-hostile after that. They realized that we had just removed large, tetanus inducing, threats from their court. Oh, and we found two pennies, a token to who knows what and a barret with I believe fake diamonds. I'm having fun.

I do have one question. The DFX will respond with a chirp and when I move back over the spot, it eliminates the chirp. This is probably due to filtering. I put my wedding ring in the sand and when I moved over it, the detector does not lose the chirp. Don't worry, I didn't lose it for one of you to come back and find it. ;-) My question is, I hear the phrase, "Dig Everything!" Does that mean everything that is a sustained chirp, or do I try to dig the chirps where the detector has eliminated the item due to filtering? And if by dig everything means EVERYTHING, should I put the DFX into prospector mode so that it does not eliminate iron?

M