Help for a Newbie plz I just bought my detector and 4 holes later......

[Godric]

Hey all I finally got a Fisher f70 and I went and did a little diggin in the back yard 4 holes later this is what I ended up with a clad and a washer lol I was having a lot of trouble with the chatter til my last whole which was telling me there was a quarter or dime in the area I dug out a nice spot and searched and nothing I hit it with another sweep and was coming back as something zinc now all in all I was tired so I stopped searching.. I was wonder am I doing anything wrong can trash or interference show up as dimes and quarters then disappear? Does anyone have any suggestions on settings Im pretty sure I was getting interference It was jumping around at times right now Im running in disc mode eliminating iron / foil - Speed=SL Sensitivity=60 threshold= -2 #of tones=f2 My next try out I think Im going to try a beach most likely jones beach I figure might not be as bad on the beach I dont mind the cold but I would like to get the machine a little more down pack before I head out there....

 

[Msbeepbeep]

I have a different detector can't help you much, but be sure it is ground balanced correctly over a spot with out metal. Some one will be along that can help you. HH!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

If you've only dug 4 holes, ....... then I'm afraid to tell you that no amount of printed text answers to these questions, is going to be a substitute for actual in-field trial and error lessons. Because things like "disappearing signals" and "sounds" and such are all things that are dependent on sound. And "sound" is not something that can be conveyed in printed text.

For example: If I asked you to describe to me the sound/tone of c-major in printed text, it can't be done. It has to be heard. So too is it the same way with metal detecting: when you're first starting out, there's no substitute for going to a place prolific with targets (even if only modern ones, like in your own yard), and digging a slew of targets. Make mental note of sound, and corresponding target you finally get. Eventually the "lights will go on". And it will take more than "4 targets", I'm afraid to say. As far as "disappearing ones", try burying known targets (penny or dime at 1". Then 3". Then 5", etc...) and practice recovering. If possible to do in wet sand (lake or ocean shore) so that the water covers it back over and firm-packs it, the better. That way it mimicks un-disturbed consistent firm soil matrix.

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

As others have said, practice with targets on the ground. Ground balance in an area with no targets. If you still get chatter, turn your sensitivity down some more. You can run it at 45% and still find targets - dig those, then go back with sensitivity turned up.

Wayne

www.metaldetectingstuff.com

 

[gunsil]

Tom is spot on. It takes many hours, even a hundred or more to master a modern sophisticated machine like yours. No detector is 100% correct on target ID. No detector can tell the difference between a gold ring and a pulltab. You will learn that you need a "repeatable" signal, one that remains the same in more than one direction, as in back and forth, and at a 90 degree angle if in doubt. The beach will be full of trash also in many areas, and your F70 will not do well in the wet salt sand. You also need a permit to hunt Jones Beach. There is no magic formula, you will need to hunt and learn. There might be some good videos on Youtube that show people using your machine and the sounds and settings you will need to learn. There most likely will be some other folks here that have F70s and will give you some info, but nothing beats practice, trial and error. Be sure you don't tilt the coil up at the end of your swings, this is perhaps the most common cause of "falsing" for new users. Good luck!!

 

[luvsdux]

All the above is good advice. I didn't realize until I had put in many hours on my detector(s) just how true getting to really know the machine is. Forunately, once your there with one machine, it gets a bit easier when you add another to your arsenal even though they all have their quirks.
luvsdux

 

[Rawhide]

Nice detector, I think it was one of the last machines that Fisher came out with. I have the F75 and just love it. The beach is a very hard place to hunt and I dont believe the F70 was made for beach hunting. You will have to manually gb often and run a very low sensitivity. You wont get much depth at the beach, and a lot of false signals. This is due to the salts in the soil.

City parks here are legal with permit and you may just want to signal hunt at first and not dig anything. Parks have a lot of trash, and the F70 will help you with that later once you figure it out a little more.

Your manual is your best friend right now. I cant really suggest much without owning and using that machine. There is a factory setting, use it at first. If the machine is too chatty, gb first then lower the sensitivity till the machine runs stable. I will be glad to share more help if needed anytime as will others. You have a great detector there.

 

[cudamark]

Your machine should work fine in the dry sand at a salt water beach but will probably be unstable in the wet sand or water. Practice with a variety of known targets is the key to learning what your machine is telling you.

 

[Godric]

Thanks everyone for the reply's yea im going to have to set up a little coin garden and practice and learn I think Im going to get a pin pointer as well thank you again everyone

 

[G.A.P.metal]

Close to the house you will most likely pick up some EMI.....beware!
Gary

 

[Rawhide]

One little trick I will do is bury a bottle cap or copper penny at 6 inches in the soil I am hunting. Then I tune my detector. Not perfect, but close.

 

[TerryC]

Tom is spot on. It takes many hours, even a hundred or more to master a modern sophisticated machine like yours. No detector is 100% correct on target ID. No detector can tell the difference between a gold ring and a pulltab. You will learn that you need a "repeatable" signal, one that remains the same in more than one direction, as in back and forth, and at a 90 degree angle if in doubt. The beach will be full of trash also in many areas, and your F70 will not do well in the wet salt sand. You also need a permit to hunt Jones Beach. There is no magic formula, you will need to hunt and learn. There might be some good videos on Youtube that show people using your machine and the sounds and settings you will need to learn. There most likely will be some other folks here that have F70s and will give you some info, but nothing beats practice, trial and error. Be sure you don't tilt the coil up at the end of your swings, this is perhaps the most common cause of "falsing" for new users. Good luck!!

Sorry, Gunsil, but I must disagree with one of your statements above. Your detector will ALWAYS id the target correctly. Always. Now, after saying that.... and dodging rotten tomatoes, I will add that detectors cannot lie. They cannot guess. They cannot id the target with anything but the correct answer. It is up to the USER to interpret why the id is not displaying what he/she believes it should have been...... and if your answer starts with, "But the display shows ..... " If you must rely on the visual display, you are automatically handicapping yourself. Most blind (from birth) persons can tell more about their immediate surroundings by LISTENING than most sighted persons can by using sight! Tape over that display for awhile and learn what your detector is SAYING instead of what it is displaying. The SOUND is everything! I can go on here for hours but it will not sink in 'til you get past the "display crutch". Please don't take offense if I sound too harsh. My only point is close your eyes and open your EARS for a better "vision" of the target. Happy hunting! TTC

 

[TerryC]

Thanks everyone for the reply's yea im going to have to set up a little coin garden and practice and learn I think Im going to get a pin pointer as well thank you again everyone

ALSO in the coin garden must be trash targets buried so you can compare the coin (good) targets from the trash (bad) targets.

 

[Old Dude]

As with most things, practice and knowledge will make you better. Read your manual and EVERYTHING you can here. I swing while looking at the ground and listen at the tones I get. You will learn to listen for the pitch and strength and THEN check the visual indicators. Try swinging from a different direction ( I will move 360 degrees around a target ) to help pinpointing and see what the detector says. Always remember what you heard and saw before digging and file it away to compare with the next target. With every passing hour of use, you will get a little better at identifying and interpreting what your machine is telling you. I am sure many will not agree with this, but I think parks are a great place to learn. They always offer a huge variety of targets. If you're digging the same materials every time, you have no comparison among different depths or metal materials. Good luck and have patience. Getting out in what God gave us is more reward than any hunk of metal!