Newbie questions for you guys:

[PortCreditGuy]

At risk of opening my mouth and removing all doubt of my ignorance, I have some random newbie questions for you:

1) Perhaps obvious, but what can make a sight good for hunting? Or, in a different way, what sorts of sights do you like to hunt in?

2) What is my coil cover for? Is this to be used when I'm detecting to protect the coil, or when I'm storing the unit. (I can see some of you shaking your heads in disbelief ) If it's to protect the coil while in use, does it degrade performance at all?

3) Soil moisture: Can I successfully detect if the soil is saturated (like after spring melt or a heavy rain)? How does soil moisture affect depth etc.? My gut suggests water in the soil would inhibit detecting, but some posts I've seen suggest it otherwise.

4) Air versus soil: Is it correct that the maximum will perform (depth-wise) is in air? How much can I expect it to decrease from 'air' in loamy or sandy (my area generally not heavy in minerals AFAIK)?

That's all that I'm puzzling over at this instant. Thanks!

 

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[Indian Steve]

Ignorance can only be improved by asking questions and this is the place to do it. A good site is anywhere that you can get permission that has had people on it during the past. Coil cover is to protect your coil during use and should not degrade performance. Moist soil usually helps in reaching deeper targets. Maximum depth will be air testing.

 

[Terry Soloman]

At risk of opening my mouth and removing all doubt of my ignorance, I have some random newbie questions for you:

1) Perhaps obvious, but what can make a sight good for hunting? Or, in a different way, what sorts of sights do you like to hunt in?

2) What is my coil cover for? Is this to be used when I'm detecting to protect the coil, or when I'm storing the unit. (I can see some of you shaking your heads in disbelief ) If it's to protect the coil while in use, does it degrade performance at all?

3) Soil moisture: Can I successfully detect if the soil is saturated (like after spring melt or a heavy rain)? How does soil moisture affect depth etc.? My gut suggests water in the soil would inhibit detecting, but some posts I've seen suggest it otherwise.

4) Air versus soil: Is it correct that the maximum will perform (depth-wise) is in air? How much can I expect it to decrease from 'air' in loamy or sandy (my area generally not heavy in minerals AFAIK)?

That's all that I'm puzzling over at this instant. Thanks!

RESEARCH is the way to find places to detect. Library; Local Historical Society; Museums; County-City-Village Records and Plat Maps

Your coil or "scuff cover," keeps your coil from being scratched and punctured - USE IT. Clean it out every few hunts, and it does NOT affect your depth.

Damp or wet soil is the BEST because it is more conductive to the signal your coil is transmitting

Air tests are great for approximating a coil's depth, but a test garden is the way to go. Bury a nail; nickel; wadded up tin foil; dime; quarter; and a pulltab, at 4"; 7"; and 10".

 

[TerryC]

Where you wish to hunt depends on what type of hunting you are going to do... gold, coins, relics. A cover keeps your coil from wearing. You can apply a small bead of silicon sealant to keep dirt/dust out. I truly don't know if moist ground is best or not but sure makes for easier digging. Air probably is the best test but is not reality. You must test for yourself with your machine to learn what it will do. That is called experience! Start right now. TTC

 

[TommyB]

Avoid another newbie mistake. Swing your coil in a horizontal sweeping motion, not in a "U" motion. I've seen guys do this at the beach on several occasions. They'll only get a signal when they're at the bottom of the "U" nearest the ground. Remember, you're not clearing brush. You're detecting Good Luck

 

[Peyton Manning]

to avoid another newby question

Yes I am the most handsome and alluring male on the internet (don't let you wife pm me)

 

[PortCreditGuy]

Thanks gents (and Jeff)!

 

[cudamark]

1. For jewelry, I like the beach. for old coins and relics, I prefer private property.
2. As mentioned, it's to protect the coil while in use and does not effect performance to any measurable degree.
3. Moisture can be beneficial in most cases, but, not all. In heavily mineralized ground, it can cause some machines to chatter or become more unstable....ie. single frequency machines at the beach do good in dry, but, awful in wet.
4. This will depend on the machine. Most Minelab multifrequency machines do better in "real" actual field tests than they do in an air test. Others air test great and suffer in actual ground tests. (see #3 notes on moisture).

 

[TerryC]

Avoid another newbie mistake. Swing your coil in a horizontal sweeping motion, not in a "U" motion. I've seen guys do this at the beach on several occasions. They'll only get a signal when they're at the bottom of the "U" nearest the ground. Remember, you're not clearing brush. You're detecting Good Luck

I was detecting a NC ocean beach one day, at the shoreline. I followed a fella that was doing the "U" motion instead of horizontal sweep. He was also walking too fast, not overlapping steps. I actually was walking in his FOOTPRINTS and found a nice man's gold wedding band! It is easy to see where I walk on the beach sand... my steps are so close, they look like sea turtle's tracks. TTC

 

[cudamark]

Unless I'm searching for something specific or finding lots of good targets in a particular area, I don't overlap either.....and this is why......Our beaches are so big that there is no way I'm going to cover it all, so, I want virgin/unsearched sand under my coil at all times. I want to cover as much beach as possible, so, I see no point in wasting time scanning the same ground more that once. Now if I'm finding lots of good targets, that's a different story. I'll overlap and grid the heck out of an area like that. Wide open sand with few targets, I try to get as close to 100% coverage without overlapping. Will I miss a few targets? Sure, but, I make it up by covering a whole lot more ground and targets I would never have gotten to before I had to leave.

 

[PortCreditGuy]

Do you all tend to dig everything you come across it and you pretty descrminating? Until I get some experience, I figure I should be digging it all.

 

[TerryC]

Do you all tend to dig everything you come across it and you pretty descrminating? Until I get some experience, I figure I should be digging it all.

I use a PI machine on the beaches with no discrimination. I dig all as the sand is easy to dig with a hand held scoop. I don't use any with a long handle as they tend to become too heavy after hours of carrying. Go to the beach during the day and notice where all the sunbathers have their blankets. It is usually along the highest points just before slanting down to the water. Wear mirrored sunglasses so your wife doesn't see what you are REALLY researching! TTC

 

[cudamark]

Too much iron junk on my beaches, so, I don't use a PI machine. I'll run my E-trac or Excalibur depending on location, weather, and other conditions. I discriminate out iron with the E-trac and dig everything else. With the Excalibur, I hunt in all metal and then flip to disc to eliminate iron targets. Everything else gets dug.......even some that I'm 95% sure are iron, but, give an occasional odd sound instead of a dead null. I'd use similar methods with other VLF machines. With a PI, you can't really discriminate, so, you're going to have to dig everything.......iron trash and all. Depending on the trash level of your beach, that can work great, or, be a nightmare.

 

[PortCreditGuy]

Got a chance to test drive my new toys today for the first time. Here were my finds (city lot back yard):



I won't be retiring today on this lot (LOL), but both the 300 and the carrot do work!