Re: First nugget with new White's TDI
Hi Ski,
There are tricks that will help you reduce the amount of trash you have to dig when using the low conductor mode but they do take time to fully understand. As an example, my percentage of iron dug that fools me is extremely low. Since I still dig most of the objects anyway simply to get them out of the way, I know the technique works for me.
Now, there is a lot of info over on the TDI Tech forum if you haven't been there yet. Read over the various posts for more information.
What I have found when using the all mode or the low conductor mode is setting the GB near normal of 9 or maybe just a touch higher will usually cause most nails to be ignored or at least stutter.
Small pieces of iron or parts of cans can be more of a challenge. In those cases, simply listen to the signals carefully with the gain about 6 or less. As a general rule two things will stand out. The signals from ferrous junk will be wider signals, especially if they are near the surface. In other words, they will be wider than the search coil. To test this, simply pass slowly over the unknown object slowly noticing where you first detect the object and then do the same with a pass coming from the other direction. The area upon which you "hear" the target will usually be wider than the coil on tin can junk while non ferrous objects will be a less than the width of the coil. Also, the non ferrous will be smoother mellow signals. So, in simple terms, generally, gold or other non ferrous objects will produce a smoother mellow narrow type signal when compared to a piece of a tin can or other ferrous junk such as a bottle cap. The exception will be if you scrub the ground then the signal might be a little stronger and sharper on non ferrous objects also.
Ferrous junk will generally be a much harsher tone with sharper edges so to speak. What can fool you more than anything will be small pieces of thin wire. This type of ferrous junk simply will sound like a good gold target much of the time.
Practice using various sizes of gold to get a feel of just how deep one might be able to detect them. Since most gold found is quite small, one will usually find a realistic distance of less than 6" or so. Now, knowing this and then raising the coil will sort of tell you more about an object. Even small iron junk produces a much stronger signal than a similar size gold object so it is not that uncommon to have a small piece of a tin can be detected with the coil 10" or more in the air. This is a good hint the object is not gold.
On the bright side, usually most thin tin can junk is not that deep. The exceptions will be areas such as washes were anything can happen. In the case of flat areas, simply pushing the coil as close to the object as possible will give a hint also. Usually, gold that gives a high tone will not overload the detector, while ferrous junk will do it on a regular basis. So, in many areas simply poking the coil flat to the ground over the unknown object and listening for an overload signal will help separate gold from ferrous junk. A note of caution on using this technique is to know the gold of the area you are hunting. There will be some areas where even the larger gold will give a high tone and this particular technique may not work that well or may not be able to be used much at all. However, in areas were the gold is quite pure, it is only the small gold that will remain a high tone and this technique can help quite a bit.
Regardless, all ideas I have put forward take time and practice to perfect. If you have the patience, then there will be a point in time in the future that digging trash will be a seldom thing. At least, that is what I have found to be true.
Reg
What depth did you find that nugget it in.
So what ended up being the weight? 
