How do I get better?

[olga1913-Alaska]

Obviously a newbie here. How does a person become familiar with their machine? How can you practice? I live in Sitka, AK where the ground is saturated with water most of the time. It is also geologically young country with little placer gold. Most of my detecting trips will be into the Interior. Never used a machine before. Can I practice with lead or other metals? Do I have to bury a nugget? Is it worth my time to practice on one soil type knowing I will be hunting on another? Will the water saturated soil here give me a false reading? Would it help me to go to an area near here where gold bearing hard rock is visible and exposed? I am 800 miles from the nearest prospecting store and I am not aware of anyone here who uses detector for the purpose of hunting nuggets.

I want to be prepared for my first outing with a machine. From what I have read here and on other forums experience is critical. How can I gain it? I am not sitting here with a new machine next to me. I am still trying to get input on whether I get a Gold Bug 2, Eureka Gold, GMT, or used Minelab. When I get my machine I want to have some degree of confidence that I can use it to its full capabilities. What can I do to improve my odds?

I know this is an entry level situation and is not up to par with the level of discussion here but I am growing weary of learning through osmosis. Hence the newbie questions.

Thanks for reading this,

Bruce

 

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[TimeDog]

Most any detectors will have no problem with water or very wet soil as 97% use waterproof for coil below the control.

It's hard to really get practice except using it! However I would guess you could using some fishing lines to tie to like gold earring or such if lot's of wet soil you can have on line tied to a small wooden stick paint orange (or whatever GRIN) settel into the ground/water so you can see it (leave it long enough that you will not see what you have put down but yet you can still find it without losing it. You should use several types of metal to place around your area to test and play in perhaps even having a friend/wife to place those items then even if you do not find the items (for gold or expensive items) with those sticks with those in water type areas. Do be sure that UNLESS your detector is fully water do not lay down yours into the water where the control may get wet!