OK, being new to the hobby, and not all that instinctive with the detector, how do I know what and when to dig? I was in a field, had the switch on disc,the discrimination set around the 2 o'clock position and it was almost a constant signal. I have a bounty hunter prospector, which is similar to the tracker. If I dig every signal it would be like walking on my knees. Any help is appreciated... JT
Well part of the discovery in metal detecting comes from digging stuff up. As an example, if I hit a new area, one that I've never been to, I take (dig) about four or five samples of just about everything that hits. Within my preset parameters of course. (Discrimination) But what this does for me is two things; one, it tells me if the soil is different for the targets and two, it shows me if my machine is reading correctly because of soil conditions and gives me a reference point for that area. Now I don't write all this stuff down so it makes me work my memory as to other sites and what I found there.
As a beginner, you will be on your knees quite a bit. Once you get to know the machine better and learn what it's telling you, then it's part educated hunch, luck and self confidence. But that self confidence and positive attitude thingy is quite the blessing. I can't tell you how many times I've dug a can on a hunch, but I can tell you how many times I've dug a silver coin on the knowledge even before I put the trowel in the ground. I dig hunches because that's what it's all about. But the knowledge combined with self confidence in the machine is the real kicker. One fella in another forum jokingly said he can tell you the date on the coin before he digs it. That's a little far fetched, but that's what it feels like when you know your machine.
Hope this helps!
Ed/ODF
It definitely help ODF, and it guess I will be on my knees ALOT this Sunday. Gonna hit the field with the daughter and see what we find. Trash or treasure it will be fun for her and educational for me.
The hits I getting were sounding like clad, but I also got some iron with an almost identical sound. So I guess digging it and finding out what signal is what will boost the confidence!
Depending on how you set your machine - some iron will sound like a clad coin and maybe a silver coin. In the begining you will expierment and have fun in order to learn,.
Good luck
Yes it will be fun. I am chomping at the bit to get out again. Talked to my buddy the mayor and he gave me permission to more boro owned land. I'm hoping the weather holds out!! I noticed that the tones were really close. What I thought was clad was a washer and visa versa. On my machine it has 2 tones. High for aluminum and such, low for gold and a mix of the 2 for things that are discriminated. Eventually I will upgrade, but for a starter it was a good price and performed really well.
A lot depends where you set you discrimination and your gain or sensitivity, and how trashy the area is.
If its really trashy and there are good targets mixed in you need a smaller coil and slow down to separate targets.
If there are tons of nails raise your coil just a little like 2 inches to help separate targets. watch your sensitivity if set to low you will not get any depth if to high the machine will be erratic on identifying targets but you will get more depth
If you have your discrim to high you will miss targets if to low you will pick up more trash.
I normally run on my machines around 8 - 9 on sensitivity and discrim around 3-4 or just discrim out nail and dig most of the rest but I mostly hunt water or farm fields loaded with trash and got to dig to get the good stuff
I use a minelab so it gets rid of nails nicely
Padiggydirt: I'm like you. Lots of questions and I haven't even had a chsnce to try out the new detector. I am reading just about every post I can find on tech and use. Right now a lot of it sounds like a foreign language, but I'm betting that sometime soon, when I really get started, I'll be able to go back and say " now I see what steveo or odf meant---glad I was able to put all this in the back of my mind". Good luck. Let us all know how you do.
In the beginning, I dug everything, it's how I learned what different targets sounded like or read on my machine. After a while you'll get to know what's what. It may take some time and a lot of digging, patience is key in this hobby. Don't give up.
Ya, I am starting to figure that out, makes a sound,dig a hole. It's fun and good exercise anyways!!! Hoping to go out Sunday, but they are calling for rain and snow,so its up in the air right now.