help with whites pi pro

[meeko]

Hi all, I have been lurking on the board for a while but just recently registered. I have a question for anyone with experience with the whites pi pro. I have been hunting a local swimming hole but have been having a hard time pinpointing the exact location of objects due to the dark murkey water. I also find that I am digging blind for the majority of the time and seldom come up with anything. If there are any tips or pointers I am all ears and will be most appreciative as this swimming hole (to my knowledge) is never hunted. Also, will the Pi pro work on dry land (no sand)?
Thanks for any advice or responses!

 

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[TreasurdiggrNY]

Welcome to the forum meeko,
Do you have the manual? Whites website has it and it has some good info on pinpointing with your specific machine, very interesting read especially regarding shallow targets, flat coins, coins on edge and nails and other iron junk. You should take a look.
I don't have your machine but digging in the water usually goes like this no matter what machine you use.
1. Pinpoint the target (Machine specific) and then stop swinging and put the coil to the ground.
2. Put your foot, left or right (whichever is more comfortable for you) right up to the back of the coil as a mark.
3. Move the detector out of the way and put your scoop down into the water right in front of your foot.
4. Dig in and take out a chunk of earth, as you bring the scoop up scan the hole again. If you get a signal you'll have to dig in again.
5. Repeat step 4 until there is no signal in the hole, it will be in the scoop.
These are the very basic basics to get you going, as you do it more and learn your machine you will find your own way that is most comfortable for you.
Keep in mind that you're using a PI machine with no discrimination. That's tough, especially in a swimming hole, there has to be tons of small iron that can drive you mad. Keep at it though and you'll be rewarded, I know it can be frustrating but you will get the hang of it the more you do it. Make sure you're using a good scoop too. Good Luck!
Glenn

 

[thunter95]

TreasurdiggrNY,
Thank you so much for the tips. I just bought two machines a surfmaster II and a Surf PI Pro. I was having the exact same problem on pinpointing and was wondering what the secrets were. I have been out twice in murky fresh water with the surf PI. Yesterday lots of targets but only a few came out of the ground and today I was about 9 for 10 getting them out of the the bottom of the lake only a few keepers though but I am getting better.
Thunter

 

[MikeDahms]

The more you read here the more you will learn in general about water detecting. I would first say that the pi machines pick up small iron objects that tend to pass through your scoop only to be "found" again. Although I have no experience with your machine most advise will work for most machines. When you get a signal place your foot directly behind the coil, remove the coil and position the scoop so that it will scoop in front of your foot. This is done by feel. Fresh water beaches tend to have a lot of iron/steel objects that don't rust away the way they do at ocean beaches. The more you use your machine the better you will get. A year from now you will be surprised how much more you know about what your machine is telling you. Lastly many people use a pull behind floating sifter in fresh water swimming beaches which is not practical in ocean beaches. Best to you, Mike.

 

[hrjib]

Hi I do have the pi-pro and also pretty new to detecting ,fresh water and lots of iron also , someone told me to mount a magnet in bottom of scoop and boy does that save some time

Hi all, I have been lurking on the board for a while but just recently registered. I have a question for anyone with experience with the whites pi pro. I have been hunting a local swimming hole but have been having a hard time pinpointing the exact location of objects due to the dark murkey water. I also find that I am digging blind for the majority of the time and seldom come up with anything. If there are any tips or pointers I am all ears and will be most appreciative as this swimming hole (to my knowledge) is never hunted. Also, will the Pi pro work on dry land (no sand)?
Thanks for any advice or responses!

 

[stevemc]

I have several PIs, and 2 are Whites Surfmaster Pi (modded by Mr Bill and a PI pro. They both pinpoint well. If you make a side to side wave while going forward and back, you can tell approx the latitude, and by sliding front to back the longitude. Then lift up and see if you can pin point, and then it should be in the end of point center, but you wont be able to see it. The problem is with that the autoground feature makes you keep moving. It does take a little getting used to but you can pinpoint with them. As the others said, use your foot to touch coil, then lift coil and slide in scoop. It is hard when it is rough! They work fine on land or anywhere, but are very sensitive to EMI/EMR near high power lines and things like that. Also near another PI, as they pick up the pulses. You can also find stuff that is real deep in the earth, an aluminum can will be detected 2 feet or more, even more in salt water sand. I was snorkeling and have found the little tiny lead shot from soft weight belt weights after fanning and scooping with my hand. Also I found a tiny piece of wire from a incandecant light bulb about 1/4" long, it was the end where it was folded over and held the filament. Very tiny and thin. Both those kept going through the scoop. And gold jewelry too!