Question

[k0bgalan]

Has anyone here ever mounted a pedometer on their detector to measure how many miles it has been swung? That thought just jumped into my mind as I was doing my morning in the park.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Yeah, I thought of that once, then I took another long toke and forgot all about it.

 

[Digger54]

Has anyone here ever mounted a pedometer on their detector to measure how many miles it has been swung? That thought just jumped into my mind as I was doing my morning in the park.

No but I have given some thought into wind power device to recoup battery usage.

 

[camichael]

No BUT I've thought it would be nice to track your coil and see how good your coverage is....

 

[k0bgalan]

This is going to be an on-going thread. My pedometer gets here tomorrow. It cost me a whopping $16 from Amazon. I've already tried to figure out just how many more feet (times forward movement) the coil swings. Just practicing in my back yard, I got roughly a 10:1 ratio rounding down. My actual swing is close to 6 feet each way, although I guessed 5 feet each way. From watching YouTube vids, some folks only swing 2 to 3 feet, and seemingly never the same speed forward. Based on this, I don't think "I" will be the average, but one never knows. Perhaps I can convince a few other folks to purchase a pedometer?

As I think about this, it'll have to be mounted high enough to not interfere with the coil, yet far enough toward it to measure the steps as it were. So if you're as interested as I am, stay tuned.

 

[robertk]

My actual swing is close to 6 feet each way, although I guessed 5 feet each way.

The trouble with this is that the width and speed of my swing varies greatly when I'm getting signals. A five foot swing in an open area might change to a 3-foot swing in dense areas, and then to numerous swings of a foot or so when deciding whether a target merits digging. The idea of attaching a pedometer is interesting, but I wouldn't expect the numbers to match reality, at least in my usage.

 

[Assembler]

The trouble with this is that the width and speed of my swing varies greatly when I'm getting signals. A five foot swing in an open area might change to a 3-foot swing in dense areas, and then to numerous swings of a foot or so when deciding whether a target merits digging. The idea of attaching a pedometer is interesting, but I wouldn't expect the numbers to match reality, at least in my usage.

Perhaps the pedometer will count the number of swings averaged per hour??

 

[k0bgalan]

Robert is correct as each one of us has a set routine with a lot of variables. Thus calculating the mean and/or average of a test is indeed the hardest part. You calculate that based on the number of variables present. In other words, the larger the number of participants, the easier it is to calculate the mean and average.

I do realize this is not a scientific test, or there would have to be a set of determined restraints. Instead call it inquisitiveness or curiosity at best!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I would need a waterproof pedometer, I would be more interested in how far I walk than swings. In ocean, if there is much surf/current, I sweep with the ebb and flow of waves, I dont fight current, I sweep with it till I find target.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Number of swings per minute x 60-minutes x Steps per minute

 

[k0bgalan]

Update. I did get the pedometer from Amazon. It does work for walking, but doesn't get the steps correctly when walking very slow—swinging. So I tried another method. I used my laser range finder to check the real distance I was about to walk. I used a hand counter to measure the steps taken. On the way back, I counter the swings. I did this twice across the park, and both steps and swings were within 10% of each other. Turns out the average is ≈2 feet per step, and ≈2 swings per step. My swings are ≈6 feet at the tip of the coil. Covering say 50 feet, you're taking 25 steps, and covering ≈300 feet of swinging. This doesn't include stopping, digging, etc. I do realize this isn't scientific as it doesn't cover a statistically large group! Nonetheless, it is better than nothing even though your experience may be different.