3 Tesoros/1 Fisher: a fresh coin garden comparison

[mojotrout]

Here is a comparison of detectors' responses to a freshly buried coin garden. The garden is only a few months old. The soil is very mild here in SW Idaho. I have marked the depths that are greater than an inch over the other detectors limits by highlighting in dark green. Light green values are tied for best value. Values are in inches.
[attachment 265612 garden test.jpg]


[attachment 265603 coingarden.JPG]
Hopefully you can see the signs indicating the location and identity of the target. There are small painted circles on the top of each sign that indicate the depth of each target.

[attachment 265604 strawmarker.JPG]
This shows the straw that marks exactly where the coin is in the turf.

[attachment 265605 emi.JPG]
I even had some emi potential as my garden is close to power lines. Also a few iron posts in the vacinity.

The depths are pretty accurate for now. Who knows after the coins have settled and the sod starts accumulating thatch.

Here is what this suggests to me. Note that it doesnt prove anything, but I see this as one piece of info that hints -

-The Silver is just as good as the Outlaw for coin hunting at half the price.

-The tesoro 12x10 coil helps with coverage but not depth

-The F5 is as good or better in the depth department as these Tesoros

-You dont lose much depth in any machine when going from low Disc to relatively high disc.

-The F5 doesnt lose much depth going from 2 tones to 3 tones.

-Newly buried silver is harder to detect than newly buried clad?

And of course, these results come with the usual caveats of emi, ground conditions, etc. Hope some of you find this interesting.



-

 

[mojotrout]

Here's another pic of the garden signs. From left to right starting with back row is zinc penny (5"), beaver tail (6" yellow picture on the board in the pic) silver dime (6" Au on the board) and iron nail (8")
Front signs are copper penny (4"), Nickel (4"), Clad dime (5"), and clad quarter (7"). [attachment 265614 garden2.JPG]

 

[D&P-OR]

Very interesting test mojotrout, thanks for posting it.------If you noticed more of an EMI problem in any one of these three detectors?----If so, which one?

 

[Hombre]

mojotrout,

I put in a coin garden 14 years ago, I did it when the ground was moist and I could dig a deep plug without it breaking apart. It turned out nice when done this way, I also buried a couple of coins when the ground was dry and the plug broke up as I put it back in the hole, then I could not get a good signal in disc. mode but all metal would signal on them. There are so many variables involved that it is about impossible to replicate the response of real buried coins. It is interesting to do and I wish that I had left one such found coin in my yard to test with, but I dug it up out of curiosity, it turned out to be an 8" deep wheat cent.

 

[Monte]

Chris,

I like "air tests" and I like "planted tests", but only in that they give some ideas of performance capability when you are comparing one or more models or coils.

I do caution those who do these tests, or readers of any type of 'test garden' demonstration, that al LOT is going to be dependent upon the planted depth, target position, compactness of the soil, dryness or wetness of the soil, detector(s) used and coil(s) used andespecially the settings used. Also, you have to factor in the sweep speed used to get the best overall response as that can make a difference between detector models.

The one thing I noted that I would suggest could make a differences is that you are testing with the same specific target, but not using the same Discrimination settings with the different models. I would not use a reference to a letter in a word on the control panel display, or to a reference of a segment of Target ID. Nor would I use any Notch type rejection. Instead, use one common annoying target, and for me that big offender is the iron nail, and set up each model with variable Discrimination just at the point it barley rejects an iron nail laying on the ground. That way each detector will have the very same Discrimination performance.

Finally, where are you in SW Idaho? I traveled through that way in April and early May on a run to Utah and back here to NW Oregon, and I plan to be close to you in a month on our metal detecting group's Get-Away Outing. It's a ghost town jaunt for a weekend plus two days (Sat.-Tue.) in June. I'd be glad to swing by, if it's close t my travels, and give a couple of other models a run over your test garden, side-by-side with what you have now. I might be going on to Utah after I gas up in Ontario and I could pay you a visit.

Matter of fact, if you'd like to join our detecting group, who will travel to Ontario to gas-up and grab some ice and ??? before venturing on, shoot me an e-mail and I'll fill you in. It is for June 15th thru the 18th, and some will arrive on Friday evening to get filled in on the specific site hunt area. It's private property and we have permission from the largest land controller, so will point out the 'off limits' areas, unless we can secure access for more land by then.

Just e-mail where you are and if you're interested in joining us to: monte@ahrps.org

It's a ghost town environment so your Tesoro's would be a good fit.

Monte

 

[mojotrout]

Very interesting test mojotrout, thanks for posting it.------If you noticed more of an EMI problem in any one of these three detectors?----If so, which one?

The F5 was "chattier" than any of the tesoros, but not to the point of distraction. I had the gain almost maxed out and threshold was wide open, so it was still pretty darn stable given the set-up.

 

[mojotrout]

The one thing I noted that I would suggest could make a differences is that you are testing with the same specific target, but not using the same Discrimination settings with the different models. I would not use a reference to a letter in a word on the control panel display, or to a reference of a segment of Target ID. Nor would I use any Notch type rejection. Instead, use one common annoying target, and for me that big offender is the iron nail, and set up each model with variable Discrimination just at the point it barley rejects an iron nail laying on the ground. That way each detector will have the very same Discrimination performance.

Monte

Hi Monte, thanks for the input! The Disc setting idea is a great one. I was struggling to make the comparison as unbiased as possible in terms of machine set-up. I will repeat the test using your recommendations. I also plan on looking at target separation/masking by burying a nail and a tab above each target at a fixed distance away from target and away from top of soil. I want to see how the different Tesoro coils perform. I know the reputation of the smaller coils, but i'd like to see it in practice. Do you have any thoughts on this?

I am in Boise, Idaho and would welcome your company if you have a chance to stop by. I will email you for details!

 

[Hombre]

Hi Chris,

You just got some good advice about discrimination & small nail rejection, now just for fun, take that same nail and place it over one of your buried coins and see what you find.

That will be the real eye opener, then see how far away the nail has to be to get a signal on the coin. Have Fun with it.

 

[GunnarMN]

Hey MO great work , thanks for taking the time to show us the comparisons I love stuff like this

 

[mojotrout]

Hi Chris,

You just got some good advice about discrimination & small nail rejection, now just for fun, take that same nail and place it over one of your buried coins and see what you find.

That will be the real eye opener, then see how far away the nail has to be to get a signal on the coin. Have Fun with it.

Great idea Hombre. I will be doing that little test tonight, along with incorporating some of Monte's ideas regarding discrimination.

Once that is done, I plan on getting some data on jewelry. The Compadre and F5 both have good reputations on picking up small gold. Id like to see how they perform in my ground.

 

[mojotrout]

Hey MO great work , thanks for taking the time to show us the comparisons I love stuff like this

My pleasure Gunnar. You (and some others) have set the bar high when it comes to posting helpful/interesting detector info. Im just trying to contribute to the pool of info...

 

[Rainyday101]

Mojotrout, that is the most thorough test I have seen. Can't thank you enough for taking the time to do that test. I always wondered how good my silver umax was and was impressed at the results. Monte's idea with the disc. settings is great and I would love to see if the results change any. I have a fresh test garden that does not test well and it will need years to settle in and hopefully get the ground matrix back. I wish I would have cut plugs to cause the least amount of ground disturbance as possible. I have some test in mind to do and post when I get time, but it will be hard to top you, Gunnar, and 53silver.

Once again thanks for the great work and effort!

 

[mojotrout]

Mojotrout, that is the most thorough test I have seen. Can't thank you enough for taking the time to do that test. I always wondered how good my silver umax was and was impressed at the results. Monte's idea with the disc. settings is great and I would love to see if the results change any. I have a fresh test garden that does not test well and it will need years to settle in and hopefully get the ground matrix back. I wish I would have cut plugs to cause the least amount of ground disturbance as possible. I have some test in mind to do and post when I get time, but it will be hard to top you, Gunnar, and 53silver.

Once again thanks for the great work and effort!

wow, thanks Rainyday. Im happy to have contributed a little to the conversation here. those other guys occupy rare air.

 

[TAB.HUNTER]

Just an observation regarding the performance of the 10x12 over the other coils; the general rule of thumb is that the larger coil will pick up larger objects at a greater depth than smaller coils. Conversly, the smaller coil will pick up smaller objects closer to the surface. As your tests show, the lighter, smaller coils are probably the way to go for coin shooting. Cach hunting, deep relic hunting, etc. is where the 10x12 will shine. Most experianced detectorists know this but the noob may not. Love the charts and your efforts. I've been trying to justify buying a Outlaw but after seeing your tests, I'm going to wait. I have a Silver & the soil is mild here.

 

[mojotrout]

Just an observation regarding the performance of the 10x12 over the other coils; the general rule of thumb is that the larger coil will pick up larger objects at a greater depth than smaller coils. Conversly, the smaller coil will pick up smaller objects closer to the surface. As your tests show, the lighter, smaller coils are probably the way to go for coin shooting. Cach hunting, deep relic hunting, etc. is where the 10x12 will shine. Most experianced detectorists know this but the noob may not. Love the charts and your efforts. I've been trying to justify buying a Outlaw but after seeing your tests, I'm going to wait. I have a Silver & the soil is mild here.

Yeah, Im one of those "noobs" that didnt realize the intended applications of the big coil. I thought it was for more depth and greater coverage per swing, but did not know that it was intended for larger objects at depth. I was thinking the 12x10 on the Outlaw might be a good jewelry set-up for those big sports fields but i really havent even air tested gold with the Outlaw so thats something I'll have to report on in the future. I know Gunnar has done some gold air tests and it did well.

Im in agreement with you Tab Hunter, I think the Silver does coins as well as the Outlaw in mild soils with little trash. Another thing about the silver-- even with the Sensitivity burried at max, it is a quiet little machine. The quietest of the bunch.

 

[Hombre]

I would trade an excellent shape 8"

 

[Monte]

no use for the 10X12 coil that comes with it. I am sure we can work something out. I'll shoot you a-e-mail when it arrives.

Monte

 

[Hombre]

no use for the 10X12 coil that comes with it. I am sure we can work something out. I'll shoot you a-e-mail when it arrives.

Monte

Hi Monte

I'm interested in the 12X10 Outlaw coil, shoot me a PM on here or AHRPS, my e-mail is down, thanks

 

[knarfj]

Excellent presentation. Looking forward to the next faze.

 

[Rainyday101]

Again mojotrout thanks for the great test results. I currently have a Silver and have been thinking about the Vaq. for more depth. After seeing how great the Silver did, I am gonna hold off on the Vaq. for a little and keep on pounding the turf with the Silver. I use the 8 inch concentric in mild soil and find it to seperate and disc targets very well. When I get to a chatty area full of stuff I just SLOW down the swing speed and I can seperate trash from coins. Kinda hard to justify spending a whole lot more right now when this $250 wonder just keeps on performing so well. I will get another detector, but not right now.