need help from experienced users on "iffy" signals

[funkman]

need help from experienced users on "iffy" signals

Hello all.

I would like to know if these signals I get could be just a rusty nail or possibly have a coin or some other relic there (not made of iron anyway). The signals I get when hunting in all metal mode are mostly iron but some swings over the same target give me a good signal but it is maybe one good signal out of every ten signals that show up as iron.
Now I know the tried and true method here is to "dig'it all" and before I go there I have it in my mind that I will dig every signal, even if it just gets that much iron out of there and maybe a good signal will come through, but when I get back there I get "coin fever" and just want good signals out of iron range.
I'm sure most of you reading this post have had these iffy signals where you get iron reading 9 out of 10 swings over a target and the one swing gives that nice bell tone that tells you there might be a coin there. What have you all done in these situations? I really would like to know if I get a couple of good signals and many iron signals over a target should I pass it up or should I dig it up because the detector is telling me there is something else there besides a rusted nail or other unknown iron object. What would the detector signal if there was a coin in the same spot as an iron object?

Thanks in advance for your help. Really want to get the most out of this site but there is just way too much iron.

HH

Funkman

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Re: need help from experienced users on "iffy" signals

Funkman, about the only hunters I know that take the REAL "dig all" tactic (so as to include digging iron), is beach hunters and extreme relic hunters - like some CW hunters. But most hunters will try to see through and around the iron, and not dig it. True, you will miss stuff that is masked. But I know some ruins sites, urban demolition sites, etc... where you would go crazy trying to dig all the nails.

But to answer your question, there is no way to answer the "iffy signals" question in print. That'd be like saying "describe the sound of C minor in print". It can't be done. It has to be heard. The way to do that is to go out and get fooled 100 times, and pretty soon, a pattern of goodies trying to squeek through will begin to be recognizable. Or hook up with a good hunter, who routinely pulls stuff out from amidst iron, who uses the same machine as you, and ask him to pinpoint a few, while you guys use a headphone splitter (available at Radio Shack) so you can listen in to the subtlies he honing in on.

 

[JOE(USA)]

Re: need help from experienced users on "iffy" signals

funkman,

Tom in Ca is steering you right. I would like to add something and that is learn how YOUR detector talks to you. I can tell a lot about a target just by the sound it makes in my headphones (You must wear headphones!) However it depends on what detector I am using at the time. If you have audio and visual ID that makes for an even better tell. To really know what your detector is telling you takes a lot of digging targets that turn out to be junk. No way around that as far as I know. My advise is to really be intense about what you are hearing and seeing from your detector and learn it's language. After 30 or 40 years it all comes automatically! What detector are you using?

Joe

 

[EasyMoney]

Re: need help from experienced users on "iffy" signals

There is a rule of thumb regarding this and ALL vlf detectors; Since you have a depth indicator, anything, I mean ANYTHING that appears to be deeper than 3", you need to DIG IT!

If it reads less than 3" it should give you a double-blip, no signal at all, or an elongated one - if it's iron. After checking you need to approach the target at 90 degrees and repeat the check. If it's a no-go, walk away from it. If it behaves any other way, you need to dig it.

Don't rely on your target ID meter. Most of them suck.

I used to own an Ace 250.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: need help from experienced users on "iffy" signals

There is a rule of thumb regarding this and ALL vlf detectors; Since you have a depth indicator, anything, I mean ANYTHING that appears to be below 3", you need to DIG IT!

If it reads less than 3" it should give you a double-blip, no signal at all, or an elongated one - if it's iron. After checking you need to approach the target at 90 degrees and repeat the check. If it's a no-go, walk away from it. If it behaves any other way, you need to dig it.

Don't rely on your target ID meter. Most of them suck.

I used to own an Ace 250.

I might also like to add something here to these already great replies...

IF you're in a PLOWED field, don't even worry about the depth meter. Forget it exists. Stuff gets plowed up or down over time. I have found many CW era finds on the surface of plowed fields. Same with coins and other objects in plowed fields. Otherwise, your depth meter can provide you with clues that will aid you...but it cannot provide the definitive answer to what the target is...nor can the meter. You have to dig to find out. Over time, you'll learn what the iron sounds like almost all of the time...there will still be those surpising signals though that end up being something entirely different...

Easy Money is right about the "circling" method. I generally circle around a target that is "iffy." I try to get the best possible sound from the target in order to get a sense of what it is. So the circling is DEFINITELY important. Here's a link to one of my "iffy" signals from a previous hunt--the dime in this post:

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,113377.0.html

Now I would've dug this signal either way in a relic hunt (yes, I am a "dig it all diehard LOL) because it sounded clearly above iron in tone...BUT if I were hunting a yard I might have been more likely to miss it...or it might have been one of the later finds as the yard started getting picked clean.

One more thing...on some sites, the amount of old iron junk is tremendous--masking MANY of the good finds. In this case, you have no choice but to get that big iron out of the way in order to hear the good targets. A site like this takes a lot of work, but it can be well worth it. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a PM anytime.

Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[bootybay]

Re: need help from experienced users on "iffy" signals

well,i am using a m6 and as of todays hunt, I dug it all..and did better then I have previously so beings as I am a newbie with the m6 at this point, I am diggine it all up..and thats how I found the sterling necklace..it came up as foil.

 

[ivan salis]

Re: need help from experienced users on "iffy" signals

do not count on only your eyes and the vdi numbers or depth meter solely ---train your "ears" as well to tell iron from silver and gold and copper --- on many machines they do indeed make differant "sounds" from one another -- find a clean metal free spot and lay out it the "following" --- an iron nail --- a copper cent (1982 or before) --- a silver coin (64 or before quarter or dime)--- and a gold ring or nickle coin -- run the machine over them listening very closely -- if yours is the type that makes differant sounds you'll hear em --- if its not then simply use the disc mode---start at the lowest setting slowly upping it until the iron no longer picks up -- check to be sure you still get the gold ring and / or nickle signal however -- if you do then your good to go ---you'll lose relics but if your not in a spot that you think will turn up worthwhile relics simply cut out the iron and have at the gold /silver / jewelry and coins and copper --- if you think your in a spot that might have good relics that you would want to find --- simply go all metal mode and dig it all --- best advice I know to give ---good luck --- Ivan

 

[Jeffro]

Re: need help from experienced users on "iffy" signals

Only way you can answer that is the old standby.... dig 'em all. With this caveat- "... until you learn what your detector is telling you."

Personally, with my detector, that I am most familiar with and comfortable in my experience with it, if it rang out 9 times as iron, and once as a solid signal.... I wouldn't dig. Then again, CZ's are hot on nails. I know, I've dug a few hundred.....