Something to keep in mind as an AT Pro beginner...

[jackedliberty]

My wife got me an AT Pro for my birthday and I knew it was going to be a different ball game from my old school toy Radioshack detector. I did all my research and watched numerous official and fan videos looong before the detector even arrived, so I felt well-versed in starting in Pro mode right off the bat.

Had permission to detect on my wife's grandmother's land which is near Antietam battlefield. Went today for the first time. Very trashy area and I didn't find anything "nice." However, I noticed I was getting a lot of high tones with no numbers showing up on the VDI. I didn't dig them because I thought they were false signals, as the ground was pretty ferrous. I also wanted to make sure that nothing was wrong with my detector, so I did a little bit of research. Low and behold, nothing was wrong and they were actually signals of targets so deep that they surpass the DEPTH indicator but not the DETECTION indicator. Something so simple that I had looked over.

So even though the VDI is a good aid, don't completely rely on it like I did. Listen, listen, listen, and dig those high tones no matter what! Needless to say that plot of land hasn't seen the last of me! : )

 

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[John-Edmonton]

Thank-you for some excellent advice!

 

[swagman]

Yes good advice and something I have been suspecting as well, what I tend to do now when detecting some where new is that I do a quick sweep or should I say "cherry pick" to find out what sort of items are there ie modern trash or coins or older coins. If older coins I will then do a more slower approach and try to dig the more worth while signals and if I find good items then I will start digging the deeper targets. I do it this way to utilize my time a bit better, instead of wasting it digging deep high tones that turn out to be rusty bottle caps or aluminum and in some cases big hunks of steel that is not giving off any iron grunts.

Basically it gives me an idea of the lie of the land, either a modern clad hunt or a edge of the seat anticipation on each plug I dig.

 

[Mudball]

Thank-you for some excellent advice!

AMEN !!!

Im new to the sport and I couldnt agree more.
I also agree with the OP perseverance.
Thx

 

[toddsumm1]

My wife got me an AT Pro for my birthday and I knew it was going to be a different ball game from my old school toy Radioshack detector. I did all my research and watched numerous official and fan videos looong before the detector even arrived, so I felt well-versed in starting in Pro mode right off the bat.

Had permission to detect on my wife's grandmother's land which is near Antietam battlefield. Went today for the first time. Very trashy area and I didn't find anything "nice." However, I noticed I was getting a lot of high tones with no numbers showing up on the VDI. I didn't dig them because I thought they were false signals, as the ground was pretty ferrous. I also wanted to make sure that nothing was wrong with my detector, so I did a little bit of research. Low and behold, nothing was wrong and they were actually signals of targets so deep that they surpass the DEPTH indicator but not the DETECTION indicator. Something so simple that I had looked over.

So even though the VDI is a good aid, don't completely rely on it like I did. Listen, listen, listen, and dig those high tones no matter what! Needless to say that plot of land hasn't seen the last of me! : )

You are absolutely correct. Listen to the tones. Most of the time they do not lie. Congrats on the AT.

 

[badpenny]

By all means dig those tones, I made it out first time this weekend and hit a few of those tones myself, and I dug. One was an Indian Head Penny down about eight inches, it had to be in the ground nearly a hundred years; barely could make out the Indian, and forget the date; it's gone. Forget the numbers, learn the tones... and remember when you hear that trash and a good tone there may be more in that hole so dig it.

 

[pkirill]

You are absolutely correct. Listen to the tones. Most of the time they do not lie. Congrats on the AT.

I totally agree! I'd add this little piece of advice - bring a shovel instead of an edge digger (when it's appropriate). I'm much more likely to dig those faint targets when getting digging a bigger hole is easier.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

My wife got me an AT Pro for my birthday and I knew it was going to be a different ball game from my old school toy Radioshack detector. I did all my research and watched numerous official and fan videos looong before the detector even arrived, so I felt well-versed in starting in Pro mode right off the bat.

Had permission to detect on my wife's grandmother's land which is near Antietam battlefield. Went today for the first time. Very trashy area and I didn't find anything "nice." However, I noticed I was getting a lot of high tones with no numbers showing up on the VDI. I didn't dig them because I thought they were false signals, as the ground was pretty ferrous. I also wanted to make sure that nothing was wrong with my detector, so I did a little bit of research. Low and behold, nothing was wrong and they were actually signals of targets so deep that they surpass the DEPTH indicator but not the DETECTION indicator. Something so simple that I had looked over.

So even though the VDI is a good aid, don't completely rely on it like I did. Listen, listen, listen, and dig those high tones no matter what! Needless to say that plot of land hasn't seen the last of me! : )

Great post! Audio Audio Audio! Specially on the Garrett AT Pro Metal Detector | BigBoysHobbies on deep targets in trash. Iron audio helps as well with close targets in iron.