Getting Started

[FamilyFun2010]

Greetings all,
As the title suggest, I am just getting started, seriously, in this hobby. I purchased a Bounty hunter many years ago to find my wedding ring that had flown off my hand while closing a vehicle door. By the time I found the ring, I had also found 2 other rings that belonged to my Mother-in-Law that she had lost over the years. I had the bug! It was great fun for me. Well, my kids are fairly grown now and I have been looking for things we can do as a family. We are a very active, outdoors family. I was in my garage one day and happened to look up and saw that old Bounty Hunter sitting in the rafters. I got it down, popped a 9v battery in it and, to my suprise, it came on and worked the same as the day I got it. I am currently deployed along side our great Military but will be home next month. I have purchased a Whites Spectrum XLT (used) and it is sitting at my house waiting patiently for me to get home. My wife will not open it because it is all I have talked about for the last couple of months and she doesn't want to take the excitement away from me. haha SO, my question.. They want to hit the beaches around home and some old home sites. Did I make a wise choice with the Spectrum XLT? As far as I can tell, it is the stock coil. I can not find any documentation that says the coil is waterproof and able to get out into the shallow (1'-2' ft) water. Any info is greatly appreciated and I look forward to any and all replies.

 

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[jeff741972]

It will work great for homesites, I couldnt tell you about the beach though The coil should be waterproof.

 

[FamilyFun2010]

Thanks Jeff. I appreciate the comment. Is there anywhere I can find out for sure about the waterproofness?

 

[BTS]

Welcome from Wisconsin. On the Whites Electronics site it says the stock 9 1/2" is waterproof. Heres a link: http://whiteselectronics.com/index.php

 

[Hawkeye P]

Welcome from Wisconsin. On the Whites Electronics site it says the stock 9 1/2" is waterproof. Heres a link: http://whiteselectronics.com/index.php

For sure. The XLT uses the same 9.5" coil I had on my old White's, and I personally subjected that thing to water, mud, sand, and lava (ok, maybe not lava)...just remember two things when hunting in shallow water with a "land" detector:

1. NEVER lift the coil above the control box (i.e. "point the detector up"), as water can run down the shaft and ruin the electronics. Some people recommend that you never use a "land" detector in the water, but I believe if you're careful enough you'll have no problems (I never did). Just be willing to accept the risk of losing your grip or the strap coming loose - splash, dead detector.

2. If you're using a coil cover (plastic thing that snaps on to the coil), take it off and clean it out after any shallow water detecting that you do. It's amazing how much sand finds its way between the cover and the coil, and that could screw up your ground balance (or, in the very least, make your coil heavier than it should be).

I'm just getting back into the "swing" of things myself after a long break. Good hunting!

 

[OldNorthwest]

To start off, I used the XLT off and on for 5 years and seriously for 1 year before buying an Explorer SE, to give you an idea of my level of experience with it.

I think the XLT is a great middle of the road detector, and you made a wise decision. As previous posters have said, the coil is waterproof but the box is not. I tried detecting with it once in shallow water at a beach and as I remember, the coil is kind of bouyant, which made it difficult to detect. But go for it if you want, I've heard of great things being found in the shallow water. If your beaches are ocean beaches I'd tape over the holes in the control box, since the salt spray may get in and corrode the circuitry.

I think it would be great at old home sites, I've used it for that purpose before. Make sure to dig the signals that read as 95, especially if they are fainter. You'll get mostly trash but also the occasional deep coin that way. The picture under my name is a picture of a V nickel that was still in the clod, found 7 inches deep in a park. It read as a 95 on the XLT.

Good luck to you!

 

[FamilyFun2010]

Thanks to everyone for the info. It is greatly appreciated and will be put to good use once I am home. Once we do the "trial" period and see if everyone likes doing this, then we will probably pick up a couple more.

 

[FamilyFun2010]

Should be home in 15 DAYS!! Can't wait to get home and get started in this hobby. I have been doing my Civil War research with limited success as to what is available online. BUT, I have a friend who is a Civil War reenactor and we are going to get together when I get home. After a few days with the family and the grilling party I am going to throw of course! You are all invited as I would really like to meet as many people that do this as I can. I really like networking with folks that have the same interest that I do. Makes things more fun when you have people to talk to about what you found or experienced. It is also a great learning tool as well and since I am just starting... I figure I need to learn as much as possible!


HH all

 

[RandyNorthridgeCa]

Welcome to a great hobby.
I would recommend you read Dan kowski's "Fisher Intelligence". You can go to the below site and download it free. I reread it every now and then. It has some good information about detecting. It's a good read for anyone that detects and it doesn't make a difference which detector you swing.

http://www.dankowskidetectors.com

 

[FamilyFun2010]

Thanks for the link Randy. I read some of it and it looks like I could learn alot from it. I am going to print out so I can read it when I have some down time. And I will have plenty of time to read it on my flight home. Thanks again.

 

[Hawkeye P]

I would recommend you read Dan kowski's "Fisher Intelligence". You can go to the below site and download it free. I reread it every now and then. It has some good information about detecting. It's a good read for anyone that detects and it doesn't make a difference which detector you swing.

Wow, that is a fantastic piece of literature. I don't own a Fisher, but his tips gave me plenty of insights. Thanks!

 

[Cool Hand Fluke]

A few years ago at our metal detector club meeting a guy brought in an antique Fisher metal detector. It had vacuum tubes and a wooden coil. The battery was this massive thing that was about 5 inches long. It was produced by Fisher in the 1930's. It resembled some of the machines I've seen from the 1960's. I don't remember if it had a meter. I wonder if the article may be referring to one of the first metal detectors?

 

[FamilyFun2010]

I just finished printing the booklet on the site Randy posted. Didn't realize it is 48 pgs long. But that is ok.. I look forward to reading it and now I will be able to refer back to it whenever I need too. Thanks again Randy. I am sure I will learn alot from it. If anyone else has something like that, I would really appreciate a link or title for it. Thanks.

 

[RandyNorthridgeCa]

I just finished printing the booklet on the site Randy posted. Didn't realize it is 48 pgs long. But that is ok.. I look forward to reading it and now I will be able to refer back to it whenever I need too. Thanks again Randy. I am sure I will learn alot from it. If anyone else has something like that, I would really appreciate a link or title for it. Thanks.

Glad you found it good reading. Make sure you read "Unmasking Beginnings" (starts on page 9) and "Coil size Myths" (starts on page 10).
The articals give you some good information but nothing beats just getting out there and digging targets. Once you learn the language of your machine and you use good detecting technique you'll start adding oldies to your pouch Good Luck and HH

 

[FamilyFun2010]

It is official. I will be home from Iraq on Monday the 10th. After a day or two of rest, look out Library! Get some research done and then hit the fields. Can't wait! Stay tuned for updates and hopefully some great pictures.

 

[maui]

family fun, welcome home and thank you very much for your service, for our country. wishing you and your family nothing but the very best.
take care and be carefull out there. ron

 

[Tony66]

Hey RandyNorthridge Ca, the MD club that I belong(ed) to had Tom Damkowski as a guest speaker one time and I got to hear him give a sort-a lecture on MDing and it was extremely informative. Considering his background, he didn't come across as better-than-thou or use terminology that those less educated wouldn't or couldn't understand. Afterwards, he he stayed to chit-chat with everyone like he belonged there, he wasy personable. If you ever get a chance to hear him talk about MDing, do it. Newbies like myself (about 2 yrs, still learning, that why I'm on T-net) and vets alike will enjoy it.

 

[RandyNorthridgeCa]

It is official. I will be home from Iraq on Monday the 10th. After a day or two of rest, look out Library! Get some research done and then hit the fields. Can't wait! Stay tuned for updates and hopefully some great pictures.

I'm glad to see you're back home safe and sound! Hope you get luckly out in the fields.

Welcome home and HH Randy

 

[RandyNorthridgeCa]

Hey RandyNorthridge Ca, the MD club that I belong(ed) to had Tom Damkowski as a guest speaker one time and I got to hear him give a sort-a lecture on MDing and it was extremely informative. Considering his background, he didn't come across as better-than-thou or use terminology that those less educated wouldn't or couldn't understand. Afterwards, he he stayed to chit-chat with everyone like he belonged there, he wasy personable. If you ever get a chance to hear him talk about MDing, do it. Newbies like myself (about 2 yrs, still learning, that why I'm on T-net) and vets alike will enjoy it.

You were lucky to hear him speak. Sure would be fun to pick his brain. I've been detecting since 1999 and I'm still learning too. It's a fun and addicting hobby

 

[FamilyFun2010]

Finally home and it starts raining today. So, will spend the day trying to catch up on the honeydo list that has been waiting on me since I left. Going to try and get to the library Friday so we can get out Saturday. My kids will be here too and they are as excited about going as I am. Can't wait to get out there. Been looking for old houses and places like that while driving around. Found a couple and will research who owns them and try to get permission. I am looking forward to getting started.