Please dont laugh...What should I do?

[clovis97]

Please don't laugh...What should I do?

About 4 years ago, I went to a garage sale and bought a Radio Shack MD for $7, which was a bargain at the time. I think these were selling for $99 on sale at Radio Shack back then. It seems like they were selling for $40 to $50 on ebay.

I haven't used it much, and pretty much quit altogether out of frustration, and lack of knowing how to use it. I also think it was falsing quite a bit. It would hit a target and beep, and I would dig, but found nothing. I did find several coins on the surface, BTW.

This MD has a small screen that is supposed to show you what your target is, and has a single discrimination knob. I do not see a model number on this machine.

Here is a similar model on ebay, which is not mine: http://cgi.ebay.com/Radio-Shack-Dis...aultDomain_0&hash=item20b6c7d324#ht_707wt_932

I am now strongly considering the purchase of an ACE 250 as my first detector.

I'd love to get my daughter interested in MD...she is almost 10. I think this could be a wonderful hobby for the two of us to do together.

I can only afford to spend money on one MD at this time, and the ACE 250 fits that budget very well. I'd love to have a high end White's machine, but the investment is out of the question.

Should I keep the Radio Shack MD for my daughter, or try to sell it in my flea market booth?

What should I ask for the Radio Shack MD?

Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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[DigginThePast]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

"I haven't used it much, and pretty much quit altogether out of frustration, and lack of knowing how to use it."

Transfer that frustration to a 10 year old and they may loose any interest they have.

I'd keep both machines but split use of both of them between both of you. Then when you are able to scrap together some more money, sell the Radio Shack and combine the funds for another Ace or similar, maybe a used and cheaper one.

 

[flintstone]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

Hay If you want a nice whites, they came out with the new Coinmaster that sell for$179.00 they are very good for a first. Look up Whites on google and you can see all of them. Good luck what ever you do. Flintstone

 

[Frankn]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

Look at it this way. You only have about 2 years to interest your little gal before she turns into a big gal. Take that frustrating RS detector to a flea market and take whatever you can get. The basic Whites coinmaster is a good starter and maybe you can fit in two. Get a basic detector so you can get use to it yourself. If you really get into it you can upgrade after you have homed your basic skills. If the little gal gets hooked, maybe you can hang onto her a little longer.

 

[Noodle]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

To answer your question, if you can get it, order an Ace 250. Nobody else seemed to want to tell you to do that. I am. It's simple, reliable and not expensive. Other detectors are more robust in certain areas, but the 250 is great for beginners, including early-mid-late teens. You don't need a lot of expertise to run it, and you do get results quickly. Good luck!

 

[DigginThePast]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

To clarify my previous post. Its the idea of giving a machine (the Radio Shack) that has a history of being frustrating to a 10 year old to use. That frustration could turn them away from the hobby.

Yes, as Noodle stated getting an Ace 250 is a good machine to start on. Those machines have made a ton of excellent finds, in fact my XLT has been bested by one on occasion. I thought the OP was pretty set on getting the 250 and didn't mention that I do think they are good machines.

 

[Jeep]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

I don't think the detector is the problem.

The Radio Shack 2000 is the same detector as the Bounty Hunter Lone star just rebranded.

Actually a good detector. You have to take time to become familiar with any detector.

Download the manual http://www.metaldetector.cc/productimages/bounty hunter/bountyhunterLoneStar.pdf

Learn the machine, then find some finds and take some time.

If you decide the hobby is for you then upgrade and get a Ace 250 or other machine.

 

[clovis97]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

Wow!!! Thank you for the replies!!!! I very much appreciate your time and thoughts!!!!

FWIW, I've read and heard mixed reviews on the RS MD that I have, with the best being that it is an okay low end detector.

The biggest problem I've had with this MD is that it falses a bunch. I've dug many holes, one big enough to hold a small car, and found nothing. And, yes, I did check the hole and the dirt pile I dug. I did have a super strong signal in my front yard, but there is no way I am digging up my front yard after having so many false signals.

Are the false signals an operator error?

BTW, the machine air tests okay...not super...but when I threw a handful of change in my yard, most of the surface test beeps were not strong by any means. Operator error again?

I am looking forward to MDing with my daughter. We are already close, so I look at this a just an added activity to spend even more time together. She'd love nothing more than to find $2 worth of clad to spend at the dollar store!

Again, thank you for your time and help!!! I love learning and hearing the new perspectives on this!!!

 

[Jeep]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

False signals = Page 12 of your owners manual

Actually, let me clarify this. On Bounty Hunters it is of my opinion that headphones are a necessity.

The screen that is on your detector only gives basic info. What may show as foil/pull tabs may be something good depending on your location.

Tones with a Bounty Hunter are everything. Broken scattered sounds are junk, like micro can slaw, minerals, paper clips, pins, and at first if you dig you can find it with a pin pointer. I have spent many an hour going through dirt with a pin pointer and it is part of the learning curve and learning your machine.

A strong repeatable pull tab tone is 8 out of 10 times jewelry of some sort. Again knowing the sounds
through time and practice is what makes me say this.

You can spend days walking around with a metal detector of any brand and not find anything but pull tabs, springs, and hair clips.

Knowing your machine and doing research is how you find good things. If your using your Bounty Hunter in a tot lot or park a 4" inch coil will make a world of difference. Tot lots are a great training ground for a beginner because you can learn your machines idiosyncrasies without digging up the world and finding different coins and jewelry items as well as little cars, trucks, ipods and all the other assorted junk kids drag to the park and lose barely 1/2 inch below the wood chips or sand.

Another hint is that with a Bounty Hunter you can't just set it and go. You may need to make adjustments as you find something. Again, experience is everything. I was out sunday at a tot lot and had a pull tab signal with my land star, It did not repeat but was initially very strong with a good sweep
So I adjusted the sensitivity and decreased the ground balance and got a good strong steady signal
and so I dug and rooted around and rooted some more and with the pin pointer found a 14K diamond stud earring with no back.

Learn your machine and do some research for what you want to find. Any machine has a learning curve and they all require patience and time. I am sure you have read posts where some people and some machines just do not get along, it happens and if you and that rebranded Bounty Hunter can't be friends, go get a Ace 250 and take it out for a spin. Good luck & HH

Jeep

 

[Lowbatts]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

Not to detract from any other suggestions, but maybe, given the attention span of a 10 year old girl and her wildly differing consideration of what constitues a good time, adjust what it is you're hunting and where.

Both of our girls hunted with me until they were well into the teens, and occaisonally still do. What they, like their mother, will not do, is spend time in the woods or the rural sites looking for the old goodies we really want. They do not even like hunting local parks with the exception of the playgrounds.

What they like hunting is beaches, playgrounds etc.. The time from target signal to recovery fits their agenda, I 'spose. No, they don't mind digging junk, they just don't want to cut turf, hit torn up demo or construction sites or wade through the old river crossings with me to do it.

I'd think that Radio Shaft Special would do good enough in those fast and easy environments, that is dry sand, woodchips, and fresh water beaches to be sure. Hold up a trowel and a sand sifter in front of the kid and see what she goes for first.

Lastly, consider only setting her disc to coins so she may still pick the occasional silver ring or chain and reduce her probability of recovering lower conductivity junk.

 

[Gridwalker306]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

Clovis, sounds like you're genuinely interested...you just need to practice. Anybody will tell you that you need to spend at least 100 hours actually detecting to gain some confidence with your machine. My first few hours of detecting were actually quite frustrating...but it didn't take long until I was having so much fun and digging up great stuff! Long story short: put the time in and you will be rewarded!

 

[paul of Penna]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

A friend of mine has a Bounty Hunter, and doesn't use it very often. It has a screen that shows him what IT THINKS should be down there, but he says he digs and finds nothing quite often.
Like others here have stated, you need to take a few things out in the yard, (or better yet, place them on a piece of plywood between two cement blocks or something) things like a penny, a dime, a quarter, a pull tab, a nail, a nickel, a smashed soda can, and a metal washer. You don't need to have them all on the board at once, but seperate them by several inches (8") or so and wave the coil over them.
LISTEN to the sound it makes. Swing the coil over them at different distances to see how far away it will detect each item. The detction range of larger items will be greater.
See if the screen shows the correct identity or not. Detector displays can be wrong quite often depending on several factors.
USE THE MANUAL to adjust the discrimination to block out the nail, the washer, and the pull tab.
You will begin to see how the "conductivity" of the different targets makes it possible for the detector to "discriminate out" the junk at different levels of discrimination on the machine.
Most machines will disc. out the nail, and the washer before the nickel. As the disc control is set higher, the nickel signal will dissapear next, and the only targets that will respond will be the dime, penny, and quarter. As you "tinker" with the unit you'll learn how to set the machine to best find what you're looking for.
If you do not use any discrimination, you will be digging all signals and it'll drive you nuts! (UNTIL YOU PRACTICE enough to get in the groove!)
Have fun with it!
If you want to keep it simple, and get a good machine that has a great following even with experienced detectorists, you can also check out the "turn on-N-go" type of detectors that have a built in ground balance, and simple one knob operation built by TESORO. The "COMPADRE" is a unit that once folks have one, they keep it 'cause it just plane works great. The Garret Ace-250 is a good unit as well, but requires a bit more knowledge to use effectively because it has a screen on it, and if beginners look at the screen to determine if they have a good target (in my opinion) they will get frustrated with even the high end units because the "conductivity" of metal targets in the ground can fool the meters on even the high dollar units.
LISTEN TO WHAT THE GOOD TARGETS SOUND LIKE and you will dig alot of good targets!
On my Tesoro machine, and also my Whites the beep sort of "breaks up" when it is being eliminated, and a good signal is unbroken and sort of "smooth" sounding compared to the junk signal.
Just my 2 cents worth.......
Paul

 

[bill-USA]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

Get the 250, best bang for the buck going, in my opinion. Give it to your daughter.

Get the operations manual for the one you have and learn to use it. When you are a competent user of the one you have, you should be able to teach your daughter how to use it successfully. Then and only then begin to share both machine on hunts.

Alternative sell what you have, get the 250 and share the hunting and the digging alternately. This will provide a much more quality time with your daughter, you'll both learn and both find things. You need to decide who gets the item, digger or finder, before you get started. Alternate either based on time, or the number of finds. Should be fun. Wish I could have done this with my daughters.

 

[clovis97]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

A friend of mine has a Bounty Hunter, and doesn't use it very often. It has a screen that shows him what IT THINKS should be down there, but he says he digs and finds nothing quite often.

I've had the exact same problem with my RS MD. Signals are pretty strong, but there is nothing there when I dig.

It has happened again and again, in different yards, in a couple of fields, and even in tot lots. I finally decided that this was quickly becoming an exercise in digging for nothing, LOL.

 

[clovis97]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

Again, thank you so much for your time and help in this matter. It means so much to me, and I appreciate the help!

As an update, in a positive turn of events, I've been offered a very generous deal on a better detector. I am pondering this as being my next MD. (A sincere thank you to that person, if they happen to read this post.)

When I originally posted, I was debating selling the Radio Shack, but if I move forward on the offer, I'm going to have to sell the re-badged Bounty Hunter. There is part of me that wants to take the RS MD to the flea market tomorrow morning!!!

Again, thank you for your thoughts, opinions, advice and time...I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT!!!!!

 

[manorman]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

I have a old RS 1100 and have found lots of coins and a couple of gold rings, i have never had it beep and not find a traget
sometimes its was just a small peice hidding in a clod of dirt, or other times its was large deep Iron the cheap metal detector will think a large peice of iron 2 feet deep is a coin 2 inches deep, you can also be fooled being close to a fence post(or any other metal item) it will read the post next to it and you will dig all day and not find any thing. also check your conections ans make sure they are tight and that the cord is not hanging lose it need to be tight around the shaft.
i still use it once in a while and its pretty good for tot lots.
not saying not to upgrade its always good to have a new toy.

 

[clovis97]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

I have a old RS 1100 and have found lots of coins and a couple of gold rings, i have never had it beep and not find a traget
sometimes its was just a small peice hidding in a clod of dirt, or other times its was large deep Iron the cheap metal detector will think a large peice of iron 2 feet deep is a coin 2 inches deep, you can also be fooled being close to a fence post(or any other metal item) it will read the post next to it and you will dig all day and not find any thing. also check your conections ans make sure they are tight and that the cord is not hanging lose it need to be tight around the shaft.
i still use it once in a while and its pretty good for tot lots.
not saying not to upgrade its always good to have a new toy.

I'm almost wondering if something is wrong with the machine I have.

I've been in the middle of open fields, with no metal anywhere in sight and no utility lines anywhere, and had it false repeatedly. Aside from some clad that was on the surface, which gave weak signals, I'm not sure that I've found anything...but I have dug a ton of holes.

Even the tests that I've done with change in the yard...it barely picks up the quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies, and my wedding band, all on the surface, barely hit any signal. I would have thought that the machine would beep like crazy with strong signals on surface finds.

I've read the manual numerous times, and even though I don't know the machine (with 100+ hours) like others have suggested, I don't understand what I could be doing wrong.

I guess if I were digging tons and tons of pull tabs, cans, nails, foil, bottle caps, screws, bolts, etc., I would think that the machine was working well, and it was just the operator. But to get strong signals, and then find nothing at all?

FWIW, I'm not the type to quit after just a few tries, and declare it junk. I really wanted this MD to work. Money isn't growing on trees here for a myriad of reasons, and I need stuff to work or I'll have to do without. If it doesn't work, like my 16 year old beater truck, I do all that I can to figure it out, and then repair it absolutely the best I can.

 

[clovis97]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

Just as an update:

I decided to sell the Radio Shack MD, and put it in our flea market booth with a price tag of $40. While I'd love for it to sell really fast, I know that I probably have it over priced.

As a side note, I was fully planning on buying an Ace 250, or maybe a little better machine, but my wife will soon be among the unemployed as of the end of March. It is going to be hard to justify spending money on a toy without the second income. Pray for us, will ya?

 

[mlayers]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

Quick buy it now. Then when spring gets here you can find the money to pay it back and then some. As you should be able to paid for it in the years time....Matt

 

[clovis97]

Re: Please don't laugh...What should I do?

Quick buy it now. Then when spring gets here you can find the money to pay it back and then some. As you should be able to paid for it in the years time....Matt

Man, I wish I could...and maybe I should. I just don't think it is a good decision right now.