Newbie question about operating a new 540. Is this farmstead just too noisy?

[Jamie Rullestad]

Hey all.

I’m brand new to all of this, so I’m going to claim “honeymoon” status for the first few posts.
(I got off on the wrong foot and originally posted where I didn’t mean to. Sorry for the duplication!)

On the suggestion from a detector it’s on another unrelated forum, I recently purchased a Vanquish 540.

I took it out today and scored on just a little bit of valueless crap, but it’s my crap after all, and I’m darned proud of it! I did notice a thing or two as I swung this thing back and forth, and I need a little schooling.

As I search around on my rural acreage, my friend did explain that farmsteads can overwhelm a machine sometimes with all of the trash. But sometimes, it’s as if it just stops or goes on pause. The numbers don’t change, the noises stop. It’s as if it’s temporarily stuck.

Do I keep slowly making passes as I walk, or do I stop and wait for it to “clear”? Or do I turn it off to reset?

Silly, beginner questions, I’m sure. I won’t need much patience or time from you all, I promise. I’m a pretty quick study, and I’ll keep reading on this forum to learn.

 

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[67GTA]

It is hard to say without being there. What mode were you using? How fast are you swinging? Relic mode has a slower recovery speed and can skip signals if they are too close together or is being swung over huge pieces of iron. Coin and jewelry modes have faster target separation. The 540 also has high and low iron bias. High bias can cause slow recovery if there is huge amounts of iron under the coil. Maybe try at home with targets to see if it is working okay first and go from there. In coin/jewelry mode it should be able to pick up smaller objects like coins at about 1-1 1/2 inch apart with a normal swing speed. If there is a piece of iron next to a coin then it might miss the coin if you swing too fast and have high iron bias. If you are in a high trash/iron area then you have to swing slower even with high end detectors.

 

[Jamie Rullestad]

It is hard to say without being there. What mode were you using? How fast are you swinging? Relic mode has a slower recovery speed and can skip signals if they are too close together or is being swung over huge pieces of iron. Coin and jewelry modes have faster target separation. The 540 also has high and low iron bias. High bias can cause slow recovery if there is huge amounts of iron under the coil. Maybe try at home with targets to see if it is working okay first and go from there. In coin/jewelry mode it should be able to pick up smaller objects like coins at about 1-1 1/2 inch apart with a normal swing speed. If there is a piece of iron next to a coin then it might miss the coin if you swing too fast and have high iron bias. If you are in a high trash/iron area then you have to swing slower even with high end detectors.

Now THAT is some helpful information! Thank you!

My friend alluded to his avoidance of old farmsteads due to excessive iron, and I’ve been bouncing around this farm since 1980 myself, so I’m certain there’s an abundance of trash.

But I’m also certain that I’m living on the acreage that was originally flagged here prior to 1875, and no one has ever searched here. I can’t help but believe that there are some interesting finds here, if I can dig my way through it all.

Your advice is very much appreciated. I think I’ll throw on a jacket and go try again.

 

[releventchair]

i'm not runnig your brand detector.
I do get a "nulling" effect around big or high counts iron when trying to ignore it.
The detector is finding it , but trying to ignore it.
Better if I don't try to ignore it...And discriminate less.

Slowing down helps.
As does not having sensitivity cranked up, depending on soil conditions ,especially moisture content.

 

[angelito1]

Welcome to Tnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

[Megalodon]

Every site is different, but many old farmsteads threw out impressive quantities of trash in low lying ground that was not getting actively tilled. I was reminded of this last week when I went to a small 9 acre farmstead bought by some friends - complete with a tobacco barn with tobacco from the '60s, some of it still hanging. I knew there was a lot of trash there, but tried under an ancient clothesline and only found bottle caps. Looking around, there are signs of trash piles all over. I'm going to go over and help pick up the glass and maybe there might be some older bottles deeper.

Some of us grew up with more of a coinshooter mindset. I remember meeting a co-worker on a new job in the 1980's who had the same model detector as mine. I showed him some of my coin finds and he said it had not occurred to him to use his machine to look for coins. He used it to locate bottle dumps, and was very successful at it.

Perhaps try digging in that iron. I found an intact horse-drawn plow on this farm (intact except for the wood handles...)

 

[Terry Soloman]

Learn to use the Vanquish 540 properly for the conditions you are hunting. It is NOT the machine. Take some time to RESEARCH your settings, and learn how to notch with the 540 - It's a freaking MONSTER in the right hands.

 

[Terry Soloman]

 

[Jamie Rullestad]

I do plan to start digging regardless of signal to see what I can find. Dad bought the farm in 1967, and my family is only the second family to own this farm since the original settlement took place back in the 1860’s.

I guess it helps a little bit just knowing how folks went about their business on these farms, because knowing what came up missing for me, my Dad, and my grandpa are things I would expect and hope to find.

Lost wrenches, pocket knives, nuts, bolts, and coins as we would dig through our pockets looking for grain scale tickets to give to Dad at the end of a long day.

Prior to our purchase back in the 60’s, I know where the original farm house stood, and I have a pretty good idea where the junk pile might have been, where they discarded old cans and bottles, typically behind where the chicken house would have been.

I’m really looking forward to this journey, fellas. I’ll be watching this forum pretty hard to pick up any grain of advice I can find.

Thank you one and all.....

 

[67GTA]

One more thing to think about is how these targets were dropped over several years. Not everything is on the same plane. It is all in layers. I would make sure and test the recovery speed to make sure you don't have a bad unit. Good luck!

 

[Jamie Rullestad]

And to test the recovery speed, I would guess that if I drop a few coins and a few steel fasteners on, say, my garage floor, sweep over them, and watch how fast it corrects for the item being swept.

Would that be correct?

 

[Terry Soloman]

 

[Irishgoldhound]

And to test the recovery speed, I would guess that if I drop a few coins and a few steel fasteners on, say, my garage floor, sweep over them, and watch how fast it corrects for the item being swept.

Would that be correct?

I would try on better ground. If your garage is concrete a floor and was built in the last 25 yrs it probably has steel rebar under. Take some different items out to your farm field and make a test garden.

 

[Irishgoldhound]

I do plan to start digging regardless of signal to see what I can find. Dad bought the farm in 1967, and my family is only the second family to own this farm since the original settlement took place back in the 1860’s.

I guess it helps a little bit just knowing how folks went about their business on these farms, because knowing what came up missing for me, my Dad, and my grandpa are things I would expect and hope to find.

Lost wrenches, pocket knives, nuts, bolts, and coins as we would dig through our pockets looking for grain scale tickets to give to Dad at the end of a long day.

Prior to our purchase back in the 60’s, I know where the original farm house stood, and I have a pretty good idea where the junk pile might have been, where they discarded old cans and bottles, typically behind where the chicken house would have been.

I’m really looking forward to this journey, fellas. I’ll be watching this forum pretty hard to pick up any grain of advice I can find.

Thank you one and all.....

1860’s, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a gold coin or two laying out there. Good luck!

 

[Jamie Rullestad]

Very informative video, Terry! Thank you!

 

[67GTA]

Had a chance to test it out yet?

 

[Jamie Rullestad]

Yes!

I found a gun in my front yard, and some copper flashing.

I think the little cap pistol may have been one my son may have lost when we built the house here 25 years ago, but the pistol may pre date him.

As far as the copper flashing goes, I have no idea. Maybe part of the old farmhouse torn down nearly 50 years ago?

I have a LOT to go, but the weather finally turned on us here in central Iowa. But I am amped! I can’t wait to get back out there!

 

[troll]

The one thing that I get from your posts is that you are new to metal detecting. You have got a great machine already so that is not a problem. They call the 540 a turn on and go detector and it is but maybe not for the new person. The only way you will find the better finds is to get out there and use it. Go with a fast swing then try a slow swing use one program one day then another a different day until you figure out what works best for you.

 

[privateeradventurer]

Make sure you do the update on it! my 540 did this as well, used batteries fast too! much better since i ran the update!!

 

[Iggy_AZ]

Maybe this will help you understand the setting on the 540 on how to discriminate iron.
Hope this help

This video and picture may help you.