Am I doing something wrong?

[Lindaskelly]

I've been detecting for 5 weeks and still can't find any of that real treasure that you guys seem to be digging up constantly! Am I really just that unlucky or am I doing something wrong? I'm using an X-terra 70 with stock coil. Virtually all my searching has been on the local beaches, mainly dry sand, in coin & treasure mode.Each time I start I go through a routine where I turn down sensitivity to 9, then auto noise balance. Then I put the machine in AM mode and auto ground balance ( using the beach setting in the wet sand, otherwise just normal GB ).Next I switch to discrimination pattern 1 and adjust the sensitivity back to about 20 - 25 in the dry sand or 12 - 15 in the wet, I swing the detector in a semicircle arc as close to the sand as I can, overlapping sweeps, at a speed of about one second per swing. When I get a signal I switch to pinpoint and dig just about everything as long as it doesn't flick to a negative number ( and sometimes I dig those as well ) . In 5 weeks I've dug just over $150 in coins ( nothing predecimal ), a few toys, sinkers etc, and stacks of bottle tops and ringpulls and foil. Also several pieces of costume jewellery, but no gold or silver! I had come to the conclusion that people just didn't wear valuables on my local beaches ( or perhaps just didn't lose them ) until yesterday when I saw another detectorist in the same area I was working, and he had found 2 watches and a diamond ring. So what am I missing? (apart from the goodies!) I also have the 5x10 HF coil, but haven't used that much since I've been on the beach, and was worried about it's lack of water resistance. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance

 

[nero_design]

Hello Lindaskelly.

You tend to read a lot of really nice articles online and in the Gem & Treasure magazines or here in the forums which may make it seem very easy. Sure, some people are lucky and they dig some great targets... and those tend to be the ones we all read about. Unfortunately, you won't hear all that much about the days when we find nothing at all or little worth mentioning. It's very easy to become discouraged when you see or hear of successes on the beach with a detector and then find yourself digging nothing but junk. An important thing is to be polite to other detectorists whom you meet out there but DON'T believe too much of what they tell you if they say they "only found a few blah blah blah" because they don't want to let you know if they've been lucky or not. It's not in any detectorists interest to tell you this is a super area to detect in and they'll try to discourage you. It may be worth using the discriminating features of the detector to help you cut back on at least some of the trash you are finding. Try to hunt where you know people tend to hang out or sit. To research an area even before you start detecting there is also part of the hobby and I have only detected a few times on beaches but the results were dazzling only because I deliberately picked areas that were less attractive to other detectorists. Many of whom tend to be lazy and will only look at "known" areas that are easily accessed. Sometimes it helps to visit at low tide or to avoid the most popuylar places for other detectorists altogether. But in the end, you can certainly do very well and find great things if you take your time and don't repeat the same mistakes on a daily basis.

Rest assured that you have one of the very best beach detectors on the market so there's little reason for you not to have found what you're looking for other than that you haven't walked over these particular items yet. I'd personally be very skeptical of the other detectorists claim to have found two diamond rings unless he personally knew you very well in the first place. Sometimes they keep a few old finds in their pocket to justify themselves to hecklers or curious onlookers. He may have found them himself but not necessarily there. By showing you, he may have thought he was discouraging you from exploring that area yourself... by making you think all the good targets were gone. Who can say?

But don't get discouraged. The X-Terra 70 with the stock coil is the best combination for most users on beaches or in parks. Take a retrospective look at your past decisions, your swinging style, your choice of beach or park ....and see if you can come up with new locations or better places to hunt. If you know other detectorists frequent an area regularly, they may be cleaning it out between your visits. In such a case, you'll have to either beat them there or change locations. Many beach detectorists will work at 4am in the morning to beat the others to the good stuff. And popular beaches and parks tend to attract a regular army of detectorists. Even if you don't see them.

Regards,

Marco

 

[Des Dunne]

I lived on the beach (Bradenton) in Florida.
I was near another BEEYOOTEEFULL one also, Coquina,
which I 'nick-named' "Silent Beach"..due to factors Marco pointed out.
One Sunday there was a revivalist meeting going on, bodies dunked
in the water as they were baptised...beach was "full" and at around 7pm
began to thin out...as dusk came "shadows came out of the shadows"
and began "hoovering" the area even in amongst the stragglers still present!
If I remember right...came away with a few quarters that nite...didn't even make the full buck!

Usually on the early morning drive to work (7am) the "regulars" were about leaving the beach at that time!
Oh, I used also meet a little old lady who came to Bradenton beach by old-fashioned rusty bicycle...
her detector held in the wicker basket attached to the front of the bike (I kid you not)..
She did well by searching in car parking areas... said people shook out their blankets there
and shook quite a fistfull of cash and rings to boot...

Des D

 

[khouse]

5 weeks and you already dug $150 in change! That's successful in my book! I believe your doing a lot of things right. I would however suggest running in the all metal mode with 2 tones. Dig every little high tone beep. Even the iffy ones. Other than that is about getting your coil over the gold!

 

[BarnacleBill]

First thing that jumped out at me considering a ~150 Deg swing of the coil, "at a speed of about one second per swing." Seems a might fast, try about 3 seconds per swing.

Second, for beach sweeping, switch to the 5x10 & you won't have to overlap so much. Don't submerge it and you will be fine, unless you want to seal the coil cable entry point. A splash or rain won't cause harm.

If you want to hunt for gold only, then set up a Pattern for it, that's what they are there for. Then you can switch amongst the patterns as you change focus.

Study the beach, there's a science to it. Here's a web site with some interesting information.

http://www.angelfire.com/fl5/metaldetect/oldego3.htm

HH
BarnacleBill

 

[Crocket]

To me it sounds like you are doing everything right. You probably just haven't swung the coil over the rings yet. But that's a Lot of clad for that short time....I keep doing what your doing but maybe try all metal mode.

 

[Elton]

Slow your swing a little.and keep detecting...Also.Not as many Rings lost as people think.. Your clad count is great....

 

[xwyokid]

You should probably slow down a bit. It appears to me that about the only things you haven't found are the things you want to find. Not all of us are lucky to find the good stuff. I have been working 4 old houses from the 1890's-1910's (6 detecting trips) and have yet to find a single coin of any denomination. It appears you are however doings things right if you have found over $100 of clad. Give it some time, before you know it you will sweep that coil over that, 'special item'. Good luck.

 

[Sodbuster27]

Don't give up. You'll find them!!

Passing along a tale of one of our club members. She has been detecting for about 10 years. In that time had only found 4 or 5 gold rings. Then one day, she is out with her husband at a park they had detected before. Long story short, she found 3 gold rings that day in about a 4 hour period.

Myself, haven't found gold yet. I have found a silver ring, a copper ring as well as a gold plated earring. But, I am still very hopeful. I am still learning to recognize the "human patterns" that are found in any area that we congregate and relax. All of us have our own favorites and you sound like you are doing really well in the clad department (I am jealous as I haven't found nearly that much in clad).

All of us are hoping we will find that 10 ounce bar of solid silver or gold. (grin, grin, wink, wink, know what I mean?)

Sodbuster

 

[Beale]

I will be honest I think you are doing great! You are finding lots of money! Follow the advise from above and I bet you soon will find something good. Heck I find mostly clad and continue to hunt. I know the gold and silver is out there, Beale.

 

[Boris]

Definately try out the 5X10 HF coil, I just purchased one for that very reason, I live on a big freshwater beach and can't wait for the snow to melt.

 

[HighPlainsHunter]

Sounds like you're doing quite well, and have received some good advice. The only thing I might add would be to take a few of the items you're trying to find with you to the beach. Bury a typical ring about 3 inches in the sand, and practice swinging you coil over it, and listening to the response. When you get the best response, that is the mode, swing speed, etc. that you should try. Don't forget to dig your ring back up. You might try straightening out your sweep from an arc to a more straight back and forth motion. You have to move your shoulders differently, but I find a straight back and forth motion allows me to better cover the ground. Remember not to lift the coil at the ends of the sweep, and sweep a little slower, as previously suggested.

Hope this is helpful,
HighPlainsHunter

 

[Billant]

$150 bucks of coins!!!!! geez thats a great first five weeks in my book. Congrats

 

[1859large]

The trick with finding a gold ring is getting yourself to a spot that somebody lost a gold ring.

I have yet to find one although I do believe I have been close to such a spot.

Time and luck are part of the equation but where people loose things is also important. People loose jewelery swimming, getting out of the water, any place they sit on the ground any place a lot of people travel. You are finding where they have been if you have found $150.

You are close. The stuff is out there.

HH

1859

 

[Lindaskelly]

Thanks so much everyone for your words of encouragement, you've all restored my confidence and now I'm ready to get out there and back into it! Lots of great suggestions, and I'm going to try them all. I'll try the 5x10 coil and slow down the swing and angle. Would using 2 tones in AM mode knock out some of the gold? One ring I scanned at home read as low as 4. Thanks Bill for that link re beach detecting, it's very informative. Can't wait now to post my first 'find' photo! Thanks again and good luck to you all

 

[David]

"Would using 2 tones in AM mode knock out some of the gold?"
NO of course not!

One fellow told me that he hunts about 40 or 60 hours to get one gold ring with the X-70. The X-70 has a Beach Mode also but ANY single frequency VLF does not do well in wet saltwater sand. Not the X-70, not the Tesoro Tiger Shark, MXT, F75, or Musketeer Advantage. I have a Pulse Induction, GP 3000 that goes super deep in this wet saltwater sand but I would be finding way too much trash at the beach. The multi-frequency Excalibur II is one of the best for this both deep and discrimination.

You may also want to try to hunt real old homesteads in your area with less modern trash. Sometimes the old house is not there anymore, do research.

Yes the 5x10 HF. If you want to spend that $150 in clad then buy a round 10.5" MF or HF DD and you will get more depth yet.

Do you have a good beach scoop with a screen and it works better than holes, IMO. And don't give up, be persistent. When you feel like giving up, keep pushing, that is when you are character building and on the cusp of success. You will find that zen zone where the machine is a part of you and second nature with instinct without thinking but more by feel and you keep learning and will become better. Nothing comes easy but the rewards come to those who put in the effort!!

P.S. Linda, nice to see a woman detecting. I sure wish I could find a wife that would regularly detect with me, that would honestly be a dream come true. I am never married yet so maybe I will search on e-Harmony soon, heheha.

 

[moa]

Well I have detected since October last year, and found about 75 dollars in 1 and 2 dollar coins. Lots of hours of detecting. what like mmmm 30 hrs per set of battery times mmm lots of sets. for the first month I had it I went out 3-4hrs a night after work + allday in the weekends!!! I just 2 days ago found a gold ring but wasnt even expecting it. It will happen i think but just random, in a place where people hung out.

 

[Digger]

targets that TID at 4, as your ring, regardless of where you have your tone setting. Although I prefer to think of the AM mode as being "zero discriminate", it will detect targets from -8 through +48. Running two tones simply gives you a low 130Hz tone on targets with a negative TID, and higher 700Hz tone on targets with a positive TID. All tone options, with the exception of single tone, produce a 130Hz tone on negative TID targets. When hunting by tones, the key is knowing what tone is produce by which targets. The best way to become proficient is to practice, practice, practice. Learn to identify the clarity of single target tones and the "harmonious" sounds of mixed targets and trash. HH Randy

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Sorry but I had to chuckle when I read that one Randy.

De Jackpine Wilde

Protect your rights Join the NRA

 

[Tinfoil]

n/t