My Simplex arrived and I've spent an hour and a half with it.

[BABALONGOGGLES]

I just upgraded to the Simplex+ from the very simple Bounty Hunter Tracker IV after I found my first two wheaties and a silver Roosevelt dime. I think I have a lot to learn about VDIs. I initially did an air test in Field Mode and noticed that consistent signals read differently depending on how far away they are. Is this normal (I haven't really been paying attention to the depth indicator)?

I'm new to ground-balancing, and it seems like I've got the hang of it; the automatic ground balance seems consistent, but I notice it changes within the same ~acre area. How often should I ground balance?

I've never used a dd coil before, but, from what I understand, the signal sounds within a wedge from "toe to heel" which helps "X" the target. What are the things to pay attention to when scanning from toe to heel to pinpoint in order to determine if the target is worth digging (assuming you're looking for old coins and jewelry)?

I seem to get a lot of chatter, and I don't know if that's normal. The manual says to do the frequency shift before adjusting sensitivity, and I've done that, and I've adjusted the sensitivity, but I still get quite a bit of chatter, even when I turn Iron Volume off. Could my cell-phone be an issue, or is chatter fairly normal? Also, does anyone have any information on how much depth is lost with decrease in sensitivity?

Lastly, I would greatly appreciate any tips on how to operate this machine most effectively. I heard that it responds well to a faster swing, and I'm wondering if I swung it fast enough today.

I dug a LOT of aluminum (pull tabs, cans, slag, bottle caps) and iron (nails) on a sandy (but rocky after a couple inches) river beach today. The nails were very rusted and the earth around it seemed rusted too. They seemed to register at different VDIs each time. I tried all the modes at different times, except All Metal Mode. I have other places I have permission to dig, but it's very rocky. Which mode is recommended for very rocky soil (assuming you're looking for old coins and jewelry)?

Any tips are greatly appreciated. It doesn't seem like there's a whole lot of discussion on this detector yet.

 

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[BABALONGOGGLES]

Alright, took it out to a 1911 home that I had hit previously with my Tracker IV. When I first started (~1 hour) I dug up A LOT of aluminum. I decided to stick with one mode: Park. I scanned every area I had scanned with the Tracker IV and dug up a few pieces of aluminum and, in this soil, it was reading around 16-17 fairly consistently when I would swing quickly. It would bounce around the edges.

Found clad quarters that rung up in the 90-91 range. These were what helped me realize what a consistent signal sounds like on this machine in Park Mode.

I tried digging some solid targets in the 41-53 range, but I either found roots, water spigots, nothing, or various metals (tin, steel?)Found memorial pennies that rung up around 70-72.

Then, I found my first wheat penny on the property (76-78, I think). Then I found my oldest coin so far: a wheat penny from 1910, no mint mark (same range).

The machine works. I'll continue to add to this as I learn more.

 

[Richard Guy]

the headphones are more accurate for hearing junk artifacts. I dig almost everything so that I better 'learn' this gem of a unit, it crushes dimes!

 

[Richard Guy]

Then I found my oldest coin so far: a wheat penny from 1910, no mint mark (same range).

My oldest is also a 1910 Wheatie

 

[Richard Guy]

Simplex TID Numbers

Pennies, mostly 70 / 76 with a possible total range of 60 to 80

Nickels = 24 / 25

Dimes = 79 / 81

Quarters = 90 / 92

Gold Jewelry = 15 to 36

 

[rks1949]

I also recieved my Simplex today.although I didn't have much time to try it out,I think it's going to be a "keeper"! The only thing I did get to try out is bottle caps! To my surprise if dose the same as my old ATPro. If you wiggle the coil backwards off the target,and when the sound breaks off,if it "crackles" it's a bottle cap. If it breaks off clean it's a coin. Now if it would only do that on can slaw! LOL!

 

[Xraywolf]

No don't swing fast, bad advice, especially in park 1, quite the opposite, swing slow. Park 2 has slightly faster recovery speed but I can't think of a scenario with any machine where swinging fast would be a good idea. Slow steady, overlapping swings with the coil skimming the grass is the way to go and keep in mind, deeper coin sized objects will sound more broken up the deeper they get - Never mind the vdi, train your ears to listen for these weak signals.

 

[CalReg]

I can swing fast or slow, doesn't really matter. While I agree it will find coins of all types easily, it will also find a ton of aluminum and bottle caps. The parks I hunt are so trashy, I've just decided to dig quarters and the occasional dime...pennies and bottle caps sound too much alike (also repeatable "lower tones"). I've spent a lot of hours the last 4 months with this machine and it's definitely a keeper! Happy hunting!

 

[rks1949]

I can swing fast or slow, doesn't really matter. While I agree it will find coins of all types easily, it will also find a ton of aluminum and bottle caps. The parks I hunt are so trashy, I've just decided to dig quarters and the occasional dime...pennies and bottle caps sound too much alike (also repeatable "lower tones"). I've spent a lot of hours the last 4 months with this machine and it's definitely a keeper! Happy hunting!

It is growing on me fast too! I like the tones,our parks have around 3 million pull tabs,plus can slaw in them! In park 1 I don't notch out anything,but in Park 2 everything is notched but dimes and quarters. I use park 2 when the trash get's too thick.

 

[Coonhound]

I received my simplex about a week ago. I was surprised to see that mine had firmware version 2.68.
What version did yours come with?

 

[wwjd297]

same

 

[rks1949]

I can swing fast or slow, doesn't really matter. While I agree it will find coins of all types easily, it will also find a ton of aluminum and bottle caps. The parks I hunt are so trashy, I've just decided to dig quarters and the occasional dime...pennies and bottle caps sound too much alike (also repeatable "lower tones"). I've spent a lot of hours the last 4 months with this machine and it's definitely a keeper! Happy hunting!

I've tried the fast,and slow swing also. I can't tell any diffrence except in really trashy areas.

 

[rks1949]

I just upgraded to the Simplex+ from the very simple Bounty Hunter Tracker IV after I found my first two wheaties and a silver Roosevelt dime. I think I have a lot to learn about VDIs. I initially did an air test in Field Mode and noticed that consistent signals read differently depending on how far away they are. Is this normal (I haven't really been paying attention to the depth indicator)?

I'm new to ground-balancing, and it seems like I've got the hang of it; the automatic ground balance seems consistent, but I notice it changes within the same ~acre area. How often should I ground balance?

I've never used a dd coil before, but, from what I understand, the signal sounds within a wedge from "toe to heel" which helps "X" the target. What are the things to pay attention to when scanning from toe to heel to pinpoint in order to determine if the target is worth digging (assuming you're looking for old coins and jewelry)?

I seem to get a lot of chatter, and I don't know if that's normal. The manual says to do the frequency shift before adjusting sensitivity, and I've done that, and I've adjusted the sensitivity, but I still get quite a bit of chatter, even when I turn Iron Volume off. Could my cell-phone be an issue, or is chatter fairly normal? Also, does anyone have any information on how much depth is lost with decrease in sensitivity?

Lastly, I would greatly appreciate any tips on how to operate this machine most effectively. I heard that it responds well to a faster swing, and I'm wondering if I swung it fast enough today.

I dug a LOT of aluminum (pull tabs, cans, slag, bottle caps) and iron (nails) on a sandy (but rocky after a couple inches) river beach today. The nails were very rusted and the earth around it seemed rusted too. They seemed to register at different VDIs each time. I tried all the modes at different times, except All Metal Mode. I have other places I have permission to dig, but it's very rocky. Which mode is recommended for very rocky soil (assuming you're looking for old coins and jewelry)?

Any tips are greatly appreciated. It doesn't seem like there's a whole lot of discussion on this detector yet.

Learn to hunt with your ears. Your ears are way better at picking out good targets,than the VDI numbers. Don't be afraid to turn the sensitivity down lower. I've hit dimes at 7-8 inches with only 3 bars showing. Park 1 mode works in a lot of diffrent areas,not just parks. I don't notch out anything,and set my iron volume on 2 so I can hear the iron.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

Alright, took it out to a 1911 home that I had hit previously with my Tracker IV. When I first started (~1 hour) I dug up A LOT of aluminum. I decided to stick with one mode: Park. I scanned every area I had scanned with the Tracker IV and dug up a few pieces of aluminum and, in this soil, it was reading around 16-17 fairly consistently when I would swing quickly. It would bounce around the edges.

Found clad quarters that rung up in the 90-91 range. These were what helped me realize what a consistent signal sounds like on this machine in Park Mode.

I tried digging some solid targets in the 41-53 range, but I either found roots, water spigots, nothing, or various metals (tin, steel?)Found memorial pennies that rung up around 70-72.

Then, I found my first wheat penny on the property (76-78, I think). Then I found my oldest coin so far: a wheat penny from 1910, no mint mark (same range).

The machine works. I'll continue to add to this as I learn more.

....as you learn more, the better you get at guessing what your target will be...!
The machine will try to tell you as much info about your signal that it can, the one that you find repeatable...DIG IT...!
So, let us know how you're doing, as I, personally am looking at getting the Simplex for its robustness, depth and PRICE...!

 

[BABALONGOGGLES]

I’ve had it for nearly a year now and I’m now on version 2.77 and I’ve really gotten to know the machine. I probably skip over some good targets when I’m in trashy areas because I still haven’t purchased one of the smaller coils, but I can usually tell right away if it’s something good. I’ve found something like 50 wheaties, two silver Roosevelts, 7 or 8 pieces of silver jewelry and some other cool old things. Great machine. Can’t wait until I can grab one of the new coils. There are some really trashy vacated lots I’ve had some luck on, but I usually get frustrated after an hour or two of digging iffy signals without much payoff.

 

[mts]

I run exclusively in Park 1 and only switch to Field mode occasionally on very deep signals where the TID isn't as stable as I would like it to be. I have not found any gold yet with this detector but I know that it is only a matter of time. When I was first learning the machine, I dug everything and all the items that fell in the teens on the TID scale was aluminum scrap and a LOT of it. So today I don't dig anything less than a 20 on the TID.

I would really be interested in hearing if anyone out there has actually dug a gold item that had a TID less than 20. If so, what was it? I have a feeling that many people just assume that gold items can hit that range but may not have actually ever seen it happen. And even if it COULD happen, it may not be worth doing given how much time you would waste digging small bits of foil. In trashy sites, it is about maximizing your time and efforts. Go for the better payoffs and skip the stuff that burns valuable time with little chance of a payoff. That's my technique so far.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

I run exclusively in Park 1 and only switch to Field mode occasionally on very deep signals where the TID isn't as stable as I would like it to be. I have not found any gold yet with this detector but I know that it is only a matter of time. When I was first learning the machine, I dug everything and all the items that fell in the teens on the TID scale was aluminum scrap and a LOT of it. So today I don't dig anything less than a 20 on the TID.

I would really be interested in hearing if anyone out there has actually dug a gold item that had a TID less than 20. If so, what was it? I have a feeling that many people just assume that gold items can hit that range but may not have actually ever seen it happen. And even if it COULD happen, it may not be worth doing given how much time you would waste digging small bits of foil. In trashy sites, it is about maximizing your time and efforts. Go for the better payoffs and skip the stuff that burns valuable time with little chance of a payoff. That's my technique so far.

Haven't dug gold yet, but after experimenting by swinging over different karat gold rings, the numbers are within that range, but the SIZE of the object will have some play on the sound and the numbers...! Guess I'll have to dig more and guess less, when my machine whispers in my ear..., "Gold"...!

 

[49er12]

Look the fact is no if ands or buts, for the 250 or 300 bucks you paid it?s worth more than that, I?ve had for 1 year and I find my share of stuff, I?m ready to see the new machine coming out this fall, it?s going to compete very well or even better than the equinox 800 at a lower price. Yeah learn tones and numbers like all machines,

 

[frggr118]

question about the simplex+

Hi, I'm new to metal detecting, only started last year. I've never used any other MD but I bought a simplex+ and absolutely love it. I'm still learning, the more I use it I have less questions.
I do have a question about something I came across the other day: I'm in an area that has been undisturbed for at least 75 years but is known as an outlaw hideout. I usually dig every target but only the ones with VDI numbers. I noticed this particular target would barely read. I could here a crackle sound and barely get a number. 97/98, with no mineral read, on field mode and full sensitivity (wide open), and the depth meter pegged out. So we dug down around 10" and I checked again and was still pegged out. We dug close to another 12"-14", pin pointing every couple inches. Around 20" the pin pointer function finally started zeroing in. Got down around 26" and everything still reads the same except the pinpoint, it finally got to 1 ring and the dot. I forgot to mention that the ground in that spot is hard clay. We ran out of time after digging for 2 hours (didn't exactly have the right equipment) so we filled in the hole and parked it for later. went back the next day to check and no one had messed with it but went ahead and ground balanced and swiped over it again and everything is the same, 97/98, no mineral, very faint sound, no metal of any kind within 6 feet, except my eyelets on my boots. Can anyone tell me what the possibility could be that I might have found something worth digging another 6"-8" just to see it through or am I wasting my time?

I also found 7 different .22 spent cartridges, I think 2 are copper and the rest brass, all in the same area and all have different head stamps.

 

[Richard Guy]

my guess is that it is something large, I'd continue digging, could be something holding valuables