What am I doing wrong?

[Cimoncez]

Help!
I went out with my AT Pro today hoping for a pocket full of coins.
Instead I got 4 bottle caps, 1 aluminum can , 2 rusty nails and zero coins.

Every one of the above targets registered as a coin signal (mid to high 80's) both in the standard and Pro modes.

Am I doing something wrong?

I figured I'd ask the pros.

 

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[Coinstriking Michigan]

No...if you detected those targets, it will also pick up desireable targets. Try a different area too.

 

[G.A.P.metal]

Some day are like that keep tring

 

[Diggit]

Don't give up, it happens. When I first started it took me DAYS of detecting to find 1.00 in clad. (Non silver coins)
The FIRST thing is to figure out where the coins ARE. You'll figure it out. Just think about where you are detecting and how long it has been since it has been landscaped. That is one of the first things to learn.

 

[Metal Magnet]

yeah, sometimes locations are simply bad. it helps to try to guess the size of an object on the cans - this can help sometimes. pinpointing those objects can give you clues as to size. but then again, it could also be something strange and good! the rusty nails hitting the 80s - im assuming they are larger nails or together in a pile? In iron heavy areas you can get fooled. honestly, if if hit really iron rich areas that i know are sites, i try to remove a lot if not all of it. usually, they hide the good stuff.

but, some locations and days are like this. i was recently at a spot i thought was going to be prime. dirt had been moved all over and signals were bizarre. very frustrating. don't worry - if you are doing the work...the goods will appear. i guarantee it!

 

[Broken knee]

Welcome to Tnet. Just keep digging mister, it's out there you will find it eventually!! HH
Broken Knee

 

[Cimoncez]

You guys are inspirational.

 

[CRUSADER]

Help!
I went out with my AT Pro today hoping for a pocket full of coins.
Instead I got 4 bottle caps, 1 aluminum can , 2 rusty nails and zero coins.

Every one of the above targets registered as a coin signal (mid to high 80's) both in the standard and Pro modes.

Am I doing something wrong?

I figured I'd ask the pros.

First mistake, by the sound of it, is that you look at the VDU & numbers. Tape over it & learn the sounds. Plus treasure hunting is really trash digging.

 

[Chug And Red]

Help!
I went out with my AT Pro today hoping for a pocket full of coins.
Instead I got 4 bottle caps, 1 aluminum can , 2 rusty nails and zero coins.

Every one of the above targets registered as a coin signal (mid to high 80's) both in the standard and Pro modes.

Am I doing something wrong?

I figured I'd ask the pros.

I got my first detector last month, and have been going out with Chug when he hunted, so I'm learning too, since my detector is different from his. One thing he has me doing is this, take different kinds of coins, jewelry, basically anything with metal. Lay it on the ground, cover with cardboard or something, and practice swinging your detector, and listen for the different sounds and tones, that way you get used to your machine, and you learn what it can do. Next, find places where people hang out, parks, beach, schools, and so on. Try tot lots too as the young'uns do have money for lunch, jewelry and so on, when they play, especially upside down, things fall out of pockets! A good pro pointer helps too, Chug has a Garrett, and I'm getting mine too, soon! Relax and have fun, and don't give up, my first time out I found pull tabs, caps, nails and 1 little penny, 1965, yea!!!!! I'm framing it!!! Keep us posted on what you find, and good luck! HH Red

 

[funkapotamus]

You'll find stuff just keep it up. I have had my AT pro for about 2 months. I love it! Every time I go out the finds are getting better. Just do a bit a research, keep hitting the parks and you'll get the hang of it. Read the old posts on here to, these guys are a library of good info. It really has helped me out. Good Luck

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

Stick with it. It takes 20-30 hours to understand what that detector is telling you. Your finds will improve with time.

 

[williamsingr]

Just keep swinging the more u do the more u will learn

 

[Cool Hand Fluke]

Find someone that can be your mentor and can show you the ropes. Another experienced hunter who has been doing this for years can really help. When I first started this madness back in 1985 I was just as new to the hobby.
I went out with some experienced guys who started metal detecting back in the early 1960's, they showed me how to "read the area you are hunting". Look at the architecture around you, is it old? Was it built before 1960? Are Victorian houses around? 1920's - 1930's architecture has its unique design, learn the different styles. Does the lawn you are hunting in have the plastic water sprinkler system or the older brass ones? Older metal brass sprinkler systems tell you the are should
be older. Study maps, google earth, goggle maps, old library listings of swimming holes, picnic areas, and anything that will help with research. Just keep going and practicing and learning the sounds, great finds are just around the corner!

 

[Hunthicks]

I'd have to say that location is the biggest key. I keep any kind of discrimination low or virtually zero. Listen to the sounds, or if your tone deaf(and have a detector that got wet and only has two tones) like me, dig every thing that's not iron. Sure I dig some pieces of iron that give a decent signal, but I dig some nice relics that sound exactly the same, and some that give a choppy signal. I look at the VDI only as a guessing game.

 

[hamiddetecting]

I wish you luck. HH, Hamid.

 

[jerseyben]

Help!
I went out with my AT Pro today hoping for a pocket full of coins.
Instead I got 4 bottle caps, 1 aluminum can , 2 rusty nails and zero coins.

Every one of the above targets registered as a coin signal (mid to high 80's) both in the standard and Pro modes.

Am I doing something wrong?

I figured I'd ask the pros.

First of all, stick to PRO mode or you are wasting the machine's potential. In PRO mode, you will be able to hear the difference between a coin and a bottle cap or screw cap. The trash target produces a "roll tone" at the end of the tone to indicate a possible junk target.

Coins sound off loud, strong, and clear on the AT Pro. I have never dug a coin that had an iffy tone. 95 out of 100 coins dug with the AT Pro - I knew what I had based on the signal and even the ID.

Cans can be tricky and you are definitely going to dig them. Try to use pinpoint to determine the size of the object. Coins produce a small "profile" while a can will be very strong (almost overwhelmingly) over a much larger area.

I cant help you with rusty nails, as I almost never dig them and they arent a problem for me. Are you using Iron Discrimination? I run mine between 35-38 depending on site conditions and that takes care of 90% of the iron most of the time.

I don't understand why people are suggesting to run with no discrimination after you stated that you are only digging junk?
You can try to just go coinshooting to boost your confidence. Set it to PRO COINS and then notch out everything below the 70s. You will definitely miss some targets but if you dig every signal over 70 that gives are clear and repeatable high tone, you will dig the good stuff.

 

[Sandman]

This is one reason I won't use the AT PRO, I don't rely on meters and don't trust them an it seems the Pro is the worst. Red gave excellent advice about checking the sounds various targets make. It helps to use the Pro mode too for better sounds with more information.

 

[cgull]

You'll dig trash to get to the goodies! Learn the sounds good targets make. I'm just learning the Atp also. Good luck and keep swinging and digging!

 

[George (MN)]

NH has ground minerals, so I would suggest using manual ground balance. You can experiment planting a coin to see if it works best balanced precisely or if balanced slightly positive or negative has some advantage.

I use STD mode, coins program, sens 7, iron disc 40. Some would say I've lost all potential, but I don't want to dig thousands of trash items trying to get gold jewelry that was never lost or has already been found. It still goes deep, separates good, great ID at depth, deep coins loud, stable, & almost no trash heard or dug. Best wishes, George (MN)

 

[dirtdigger]

I've had the AT Pro for about three months and sometimes get a high reading on bent iron. Were the nails bent or in a grouping. The rest of the items you describe read high as well. Just because it show "coins" on your screen doesn't mean that's what your diggin. I agree with Crusader, listen to the sounds and keep on digging. My son found a US plate with his AT Pro just last week. Just keep on hunting!