Lost signal

[Dardego]

Just a quick question guys. After getting a good signal on my alpha 2000 at the park, I dug down about 6 inches. Still getting a strong signal I dug a little deeper. Rechecked the hole and dirt that I removed. Guess what.... no signal anywhere. It was a strong signal, but just disappeared! Any ideas?

 

[luvsdux]

Concentrated rust from decomposed iron can do that. After the concentration is spread by digging, the concentration is too low to give a signal. Once in a while when I've lost a good signal I find a coin or target that got flipped out of the dirt far enough that it's not in the detecting pattern any longer.
luvsdux.

 

[BC1969]

It has a technical name..the halo effect, picture in your head a pencil eraser sized piece of iron that been in the ground awhile, as it rusts the iron leaches out into the surrounding soil creating a halo..aka a much bigger louder signal.
When you go to dig it, you bust up the halo and the target vanishes.
Hope that helps.

Mike

 

[SusanMN]

Signals can be lost for a number of reasons. Could have gotten knocked deeper in the hole in the process of digging it and now it's out of your detectors range. It could be somewhere up in the dirt but turned so that your detector isn't picking it up now - I've actually had this happen with coins on occasion. It could be tiny and had gotten flicked off way to the side of where you are digging. Could be something like rusted iron that will produce a signal when covered but when you get it uncovered it occasionally gets discriminated out and disappears. Could be stuck to the digger.

Best way to reduce disappearing signals is to get a excellent Pinpointer like the Garrett Propointer. It will save you a whole lot of frustration.

 

[Dardego]

Thanks Guys, I'm learning slowly but surely.

 

[Produce Guy]

I think its an all metal earthworm that plays dead until the earth gets moved,and then it high tails it out of there.