Went out for the first time today

[ecnal]

In my yard (read as: dirt driveway for apartment building) I found a penny, a 1967 dime and a really, really rusty nail all within 1" down (no tools, only my shoes). I did take it out across the street to a public green (memorial day services, etc) and had a ton of hits, but I wasn't about to go digging there.

Here's a few questions:

I know that I'll eventually learn the different sounds, but from what I gather with my MD, a strong, continuous higher-pitched sound means 'good metal', and the lower/more broken up it is means trash? I'm using a Bounty Hunter Gold Digger (hey, it was free, alright?) for now until I get some money to buy a better one, so I know it's not the most specific machine there is. The 'power selector' I kept cranked to maximum while the 'Trash Selector' dial I kept at about 1/3 power. When the Trash dial is 'off', EVERYTHING sounds perfect. When it's cranked to the max, nothing does. How does one tell? Or is it simply a matter of experience?

Also, say there's a quarter sitting on top of the ground. Sounds perfect. Now, if that quarter were six inches down, would it start to sound like trash (with the Trash dial on?) That is, assuming my MD can get six inches down.

 

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[mlayers]

You are on the right track. When the sound is broken it is noramlly trash. But remember gold rings will sound like pull tabs. So make sure you do not set your dial up so high to knock out tabs. The more you use your machine the better you will get with it. The BH should easy get 6 to 8 inches on a coin. My first machine was a BH 840 years ago and I got a silver dollar about 12 inches down. So they will go deep.

You said that you went to the public green. Is this a public park is so it depend on the state you liove in but public parks here in Ohio you can detect in. Just make sure when you dig your plugmput in on a piece of cloth so this way you keep all the dirt on top and it all will go back in to the hole and no one can tell where you have dug.

I want to wish you luck in you detecting days. Keep us posted on what you find.....Matt

 

[pikapp331]

I too went out for the first time today with my dad's old Garrett Deepseeker that is at least 30 years old. I went to an area where the sidewalk was being torn up. I found lots of nails and railroad spikes. I also found 2 Moroline jars that were on top of the ground along with a single marble. I later went to find an old homestead that I discovered while skipping school many many years ago, but did not bring my md bc i was unsure if I could find it. I did find the site littered with old bottles and so I may go back tomorrow and see what i can find.

 

[ecnal]

How does one find out about the laws in their state? Is there a website?

I searched on mass.gov but couldn't find anything.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

An unsquished aluminum bottle cap rim down will sing as sweet as a silver half, unfortunately. And a gold ring will chirp or give unstable returns at times.

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

Not sure on Bounty Hunters, but some detectors just give the same alarm sound when a target enters the coil's field (like a phone ringing) while the more sophisticated kind (IMHO) give a proportional signal to the object. The "chirps" and "smuts" of the latter are great keys you are on trash. But it pays to dig everything at first (and on occasion) as a silver chain can make odd sounds, too.

 

[chemist100]

Congrats on your new found hobby!!! I'm sure you are going to enjoy it. As for the signals, dig everythig at first and once you get used to it, you can decide if you want to dig it or not. But, be warned, if you only dig the good sigals ( nice, smooth, repeatable) I can promise that you have passed up something good. Sometimes a good target will give a bad signal depending on the ground conditions, the orentation of the target in the ground etc.) When you get a good signal, sweep you coil from side to side, front to back and diagonal. Also, remember that some of this stuff has been in the ground a long time its not going anywhere so go SLOW and overlap you swing its not a race Have fun and HH!!!