Getting started

[Limitool]

Hello everyone... I'm a retired auto worker living on a rural ridge top in TN. I got a Whites Spectrum E-Series MD and am having a blast. I'm now just trying to learn how to use the machine to its fullest advantage. As stated I live on a remote ridge top with the original road between Centerville and Columbia TN. running right through my backyard to the Duck River. I live very close to Natchez Trace also. A lot of civil war activity occurred around this area also. I am surrounded by 100's and 100's of wooded landscape with almost no development around me. The soil here is VERY ROCKEY and HARD!!!! I've only used the machine close to home so far on the old faded road. I find horseshoes, horseshoes and did I mention horseshoes...? Ok... I've also found old shotgun head stamps which date to late 1890's & early 1900's. I've also found some old chain links and various metal parts that I have no idea what they are (old wagon parts perhaps). And yesterday by an old oak tree in yard I found a small lead musket ball. It's 7/16" to 1/2" across and weighs 8.9 grams. Maybe a pistol ball No old coins yet. My old Coors Light beer caps and a 1997 penny don't count. I want to learn this machine fairly quickly because I discovered an undocumented cave behind my home that I've gone almost 1.5 hrs. back into. And... it's only about 150 yds. from this old main road but VERY HARD to see and/or find. Can't wait to explore it with detector.

QUESTION: Does anyone have any experience they can share about detecting in VERY ROCKY SOIL using this machine? Set it on COINS, RELICS... or one of the others? I have been using relics mostly using the factory setting from White.

Thanks, Brad

 

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[vpnavy]

1st - I noticed this is your very first post - so, welcome aboard from the great state of Pennsylvania (USA).

2nd - You might consider browsing Sub-Forums: New Jersey for information (i.e., clubs, hunts, finds, legends, maps, etc.) directly related to your state.

3rd - A member will jump in shortly with your MD experience.

 

[RotZorn]

Welcome to the boards! I'm from the other side of the state, just north of Memphis. I notice there were a lot of diggers from east TN when I first joined this site. I'm sure someone not far from you will chime in soon! Best of luck to you sir!

 

[christo000]

Welcome to the sight its a great place to get alot of info for just aboat anything u have on ur mind . I do alot of relic hunting & come in contact with alot of rotos rocks etc, there are many tools our there that could help cut through the rough ground I myself use the 18" samson lesche & the hand one to they both save alot of time. As of ur detector its a very nice machine & from What ur telling us where & What ur digging up there sounds perfect for those relics. Which coil are u using curious

 

[Limitool]

Thanks guys.... Hope I can share some good finds someday like I see from other members. Mr. christoOOO... I'm just using the coil that came on machine. It's 9 7/8" across and I can't find a "name" on it other than White. There's a small No. on it... Would that help? Mr. RotZorn... I really hope I can find someone else close in the middle TN. area and have some fun with our machines. And, Mr. vpnavy thanks for welcoming me from Penn. I'm 58 in Aug. this summer and can't wait to explore more of this old road and possible camping sites from years past. Especially back at the old river crossing on Duck river. Wed morning I'm going to start exploring the cave I found with a mirrored stick and good flashlight(s). There are SO MANY PLACES to hide something there let alone bury something. I hope to learn a lot from you guys with experience... later Brad

 

[christo000]

Wow im tring to Picture as ur describing just wow wish I was there me being involved with mainly relic hunting so im allways looking for those old foundations roads etc as of the coil sounds like ur using the whites 950 concentric I think thats the one that comes stock on them its a good coil. Now later on down the road with ur exploring if u find to be hitting alot of iron there are a couple very well built coils to help with that the whites 10dd is very good great depth & separation to that came on my whites v3i stock for a smaller one I researched alot & use the 8x6 sef butterfly now that one is just amazing for a little coil, though im about to try its big brother the 10x12 sef ill let u know on thst one havent tried it yet. If u run into any problems or questions dont hesitate drop a line if I can help i will till then HH

 

[cudamark]

I would recommend that you find a detecting partner to help you learn the ropes. It's also a bit safer to have someone else with you when you go into caves or other potentially dangerous places. You have a very good detector and the only issue you might have with rocky ground is an echo effect. Sometimes signals will be defected by certain rocks and the machine's pin pointing might be off a bit. You just have to take a little more time walking around the target to figure out the center. I generally pin point at 4 directions 90 degrees apart before I start digging in hard stony ground. Good recover tools are a must also, including something to use as a pry bar, such as a big screw driver or tire iron. They save a lot of wear and tear on the digger. The cave sounds very interesting but keep in mind that some of the artifacts inside might not be metallic ones. It's possible that Indians may have use that cave also so take care in your excavating.

 

[mercury1]

Limitool, welcome to the forum. I'm pretty new to detecting so I don't have any answers to your questions but just wanted to say how envious I am of your cave. That would be a blast to explore. Good luck to you.

 

[Limitool]

Cudamark... I most certainly will be careful and not go back without a partner (32 yr. old son also). I have been in this cave many, many times before I contacted a group of experts in Nashville. I requested a map of all documented caves in Hickman Co. They would not release for various reasons. I totally understood when it was explained to me why they wouldn't release. When 2 reps arrived and we went back it was then that GPS confirmed it was an undocumented cave. There were no other caves close to this one at all (documented). They were VERY surprised. As far as "other artifacts"... your right. Indians did use the cave. That was quite obvious even to a novice. But after I got MD and started to do just a little research did I then look at this cave and the area around it in a "new light". Like I stated earlier I have been 1.5 hrs. deep into cave. A small stream of water always running exits the mouth. I found an artesian well deep back into cave which supplies this water. Even during our historic floods of late the water level did not go down and/or rise. The cave has no "choices" on any routes. The only option is right at the mouth of cave where an accessible opening (small 18" x 4-5 ft. wide) goes. But... I have NEVER had the balls to enter it because of bobcat tracks entering too and fro. Facing a female bobcat on my stomach (let alone w/kittens) shrinks "THEM" right up.

I do believe your absolutely right about the pin pointing advise. I have had to re-pin point many times before actually finding "what" was there. And I always believed this was due to the ground conditions present. Before I take the machine into this hostile environment I'm going to explore visually 1st every crevice and over all mud walls present (LOTS).

I hope I get to meet others who have had a chance to do this also. Thanks guys.... Brad

 

[Limitool]

Thanks... I just wanna make sure I don't miss anything mercury1.... Brad

 

[christo000]

Wow that cave is sounding better & better everytime u talk about it hour in a half in wow thats awesome

 

[Limitool]

I took my daughter then 13 yrs. old (1 of 4 daughters) because she wanted to go into the cave with me. We were 2 peas in a pod in 1995. We took many cameras in zip lock bags along the way. As they were "filled" we re-zipped, left and moved on to the next camera. We picked all camera's on our way back out. It WAS A BLAST doing this. I now have a really neat album of the cave as we viewed it then. I did not ever appreciate hyperthermia until then. Now I do. It was at LEAST 98-103 degrees when we exited the cave that day and I didn't get "warm" for many, many hours even AFTER I got home. It takes about 1 hr. to get back home from cave due to the terrain you have to exit. The water doesn't "feel" that cold at first... but after your submerged for a long time I guess it takes a toll on your body's core temp and it doesn't come back to normal for a long time.

Now I'd just like to learn the best programs for the machine I have with the soil I have to deal with here.... ROCKY & HARD & ROCKY. Inside the cave the soil appears to be all "mud" except the bedrock present beneath the mud and the streambed. Any and all advise is appreciated guys.... Brad