Posted this on the White's general forum before I realized..... When my first bfo detector, about 30 years screamed on foil, I realized that different metals responded differently to detectors. I always wondered why the reflectivity of different metals wasn't measured and now it seems like my dream has come true? My question is: do you notice any increase in the aluminum signal on sta-tabs as opposed to nickels or tabs as opposed to rings? If so, this is truely awesome that my dream has appeared. Any other info as to good reasons to let go of $1,000 smackers would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you so much.
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:clsoedeyes:Gotta know about the Spectra....
- Thread starter slingshot
- Start date
Larry (IL)
Well-known member
I just answered your question on the other forum so I will copy it to here as well.
With the vast assortment of tabs used today, they come in all over the lower VDI spectrum all the way up to a zinc cent range on the bigger ones. Nickels will also vary in VDI's depending on depth and orientation in the ground. Gold rings will have the broadest range of VDI's depending in size and composition. I have dug gold rings from a VDI of 6 up to 72 on a huge men's class ring.
The day someone invents a detector that can tell gold from trash will be a VERY rich person. A lot of information on the V3i and readings in the small gold range can be found on the V3i forum.
With the vast assortment of tabs used today, they come in all over the lower VDI spectrum all the way up to a zinc cent range on the bigger ones. Nickels will also vary in VDI's depending on depth and orientation in the ground. Gold rings will have the broadest range of VDI's depending in size and composition. I have dug gold rings from a VDI of 6 up to 72 on a huge men's class ring.
The day someone invents a detector that can tell gold from trash will be a VERY rich person. A lot of information on the V3i and readings in the small gold range can be found on the V3i forum.
Yeah, I guess I misunderstood-I thought the graph measured the response of different metals to each of the three frequencies and that the frequency that was most reflective to aluminum would show up either higher or predominant on the screen. I quess my dream still awaits, but any more info on the
Spectra may still keep me interested.
Spectra may still keep me interested.
I found that once you get accustomed to how tabs read with the V3 it's easy to tell what you have. But the VDI's on rings, and nickels come in pretty close but my experience has been that the VDI on a ring/nickel sometimes becomes a little intermittent at times. I spent a lot of time digging everything to slowly come to a better understanding of my machine, in that process i found a few nice rings. The V3 isn't perfect regarding tabs
but it's so much better than anything else I've used, that it has made me extremely confident of how good the differentiation is between targets.
(coins vs tabs and rings/jewelry etc)
but it's so much better than anything else I've used, that it has made me extremely confident of how good the differentiation is between targets.
(coins vs tabs and rings/jewelry etc)
Neil in West Jersey
New member
There are subtle differences between a coin and a pulltab. I do not think that has changed much in 30 years.
Yeah, I've lived with that for years. I just hoped the graph would show a higher reading on the reflectivity of aluminum similar to some less capable detectors showing a higher or lower VDI number. And I hoped that since one of the frequencies was more sensitive to this that it would show on the graph at this frequency's plot.Neil in West Jersey said:
There is no detector made including the v3i that will completely or even 75% of the time decipher pulltabs,foil and such for you accurately and consistantly.With all of the features the v3i has over any other detector on the market you still have variables to contend with, such as:
1)whole or partial pull tabs
2)small or large foil pieces
3)orientation in the ground
4)depth
5)ground mineralization
6)adjacent trash
7)bent pulltabs
etc...,
Any one of these or a combination is going to give a differant VDI reading or have an impact on the analysis screens(such as polar plot) or what frequency hits the hardest.
As you can see there is no foolproof way to accurately I.D. foil and pulltabs. If you found a beavertail and descriminated out that vdi, the very next one if slightly bent or one of the
other points mentiond changes, then the vdi # changes.Dont get me wrong the v3i I believe gives the detectorist the most information of any detector made. It also helps us achieve
a more accurate I.D. of the target with a fair amount of accuracy.
You can always opt to bypass a target based upon what the v3i tells you, dig it and find out or descriminate out a range of vdi #'s. Doing the latter you will surely miss some good
coins and jewelry though.
If it were me though, Id pull the trigger on the v3i and buy it. Most versatile detector made period!
1)whole or partial pull tabs
2)small or large foil pieces
3)orientation in the ground
4)depth
5)ground mineralization
6)adjacent trash
7)bent pulltabs
etc...,
Any one of these or a combination is going to give a differant VDI reading or have an impact on the analysis screens(such as polar plot) or what frequency hits the hardest.
As you can see there is no foolproof way to accurately I.D. foil and pulltabs. If you found a beavertail and descriminated out that vdi, the very next one if slightly bent or one of the
other points mentiond changes, then the vdi # changes.Dont get me wrong the v3i I believe gives the detectorist the most information of any detector made. It also helps us achieve
a more accurate I.D. of the target with a fair amount of accuracy.
You can always opt to bypass a target based upon what the v3i tells you, dig it and find out or descriminate out a range of vdi #'s. Doing the latter you will surely miss some good
coins and jewelry though.
If it were me though, Id pull the trigger on the v3i and buy it. Most versatile detector made period!
Larry (IL)
Well-known member
That is just the trash side of the equation, rings will also vary greatly depending on orientation in the ground. Vertical small side up will give a very different signal from large side up which is again different from laying sideways on rings that are not just bands. Bands will also go from trashy to good when vertical or horizontal. Again the only sure fire way to get the jewelry is to dig everything.
I appreciate everyone's responses. I thought maybe the polar plot, NOT the VDI would help in deciding if the target had an aluminum content target. I have to think seriously about a $1,000 because I'm mostly a totlotter and also have a few areas that have a lot of trash. That being said, I'm about to retire and more serious sites have entered my mind. Such a beautifully thought out detector.
If money is the object you might consider an MXT Pro, but get the 10" DD coil. Also get a 4x6 or 6x10 DD coil or both. I dont own the MXT but everyone talks highly of them.
Since you are retiring , purchasing the V3i might be the last detector youll ever need!
Talk to your local Whites dealer and see if you can try them both out. Then make your final decision. Good luck in the detector purchase and congratulaions on the impending retirement!
p.s. The polar plot feature is a great tool to assist with deciding to dig or not as long as the target is not too deep. When you have deep targets it's ability to help i.d. targets diminishes.
If you use it regularly on certain types of trash targets you might develope honed skills on i.d.ing those targets. Ultimately the best descriminator is your digging tool.
Since you are retiring , purchasing the V3i might be the last detector youll ever need!
Talk to your local Whites dealer and see if you can try them both out. Then make your final decision. Good luck in the detector purchase and congratulaions on the impending retirement!
p.s. The polar plot feature is a great tool to assist with deciding to dig or not as long as the target is not too deep. When you have deep targets it's ability to help i.d. targets diminishes.
If you use it regularly on certain types of trash targets you might develope honed skills on i.d.ing those targets. Ultimately the best descriminator is your digging tool.
corvair said:If money is the object you might consider an MXT Pro, but get the 10" DD coil. Also get a 4x6 or 6x10 DD coil or both. I dont own the MXT but everyone talks highly of them.
Since you are retiring , purchasing the V3i might be the last detector youll ever need!
Talk to your local Whites dealer and see if you can try them both out. Then make your final decision. Good luck in the detector purchase and congratulaions on the impending retirement!
p.s. The polar plot feature is a great tool to assist with deciding to dig or not as long as the target is not too deep. When you have deep targets it's ability to help i.d. targets diminishes.
If you use it regularly on certain types of trash targets you might develope honed skills on i.d.ing those targets. Ultimately the best descriminator is your digging tool.
I love that responce, "Ultimately the best descrimitator is your digging tool"
Me, too. It means that I need to quit daydreaming, stick with what I have, and just work hard at it. As one guy said, "it's not the detector, it's the detector."Jim Bob said:corvair said:If money is the object you might consider an MXT Pro, but get the 10" DD coil. Also get a 4x6 or 6x10 DD coil or both. I dont own the MXT but everyone talks highly of them.
Since you are retiring , purchasing the V3i might be the last detector youll ever need!
Talk to your local Whites dealer and see if you can try them both out. Then make your final decision. Good luck in the detector purchase and congratulaions on the impending retirement!
p.s. The polar plot feature is a great tool to assist with deciding to dig or not as long as the target is not too deep. When you have deep targets it's ability to help i.d. targets diminishes.
If you use it regularly on certain types of trash targets you might develope honed skills on i.d.ing those targets. Ultimately the best descriminator is your digging tool.
I love that responce, "Ultimately the best descrimitator is your digging tool"
Me, too. It means that I need to quit daydreaming, stick with what I have, and just work hard at it. As one guy said, "it's not the detector, it's the detector."
We all expound on our boxes virtues (justly deserved) but how many folks don't even give there machine all it's got? I can think of two machines that I moved up from that were still not fully learned. (My second machine "Garrett DeepSeaker" and my last machine the DFX.) Don't get me wrong, I did extremely well with 'em but..."there was more dilythium still available Capt'n!"
What ever machine you got,whatever machine you get....work it! I console myself with the DFX "being just a beta" V3i......as far as the learning goes. (I did pick up a friends DFX, applied V3i knowledge....and spanked that thang!) Still dig plenty of aluminum Slingshot.
We all expound on our boxes virtues (justly deserved) but how many folks don't even give there machine all it's got? I can think of two machines that I moved up from that were still not fully learned. (My second machine "Garrett DeepSeaker" and my last machine the DFX.) Don't get me wrong, I did extremely well with 'em but..."there was more dilythium still available Capt'n!"
What ever machine you got,whatever machine you get....work it! I console myself with the DFX "being just a beta" V3i......as far as the learning goes. (I did pick up a friends DFX, applied V3i knowledge....and spanked that thang!) Still dig plenty of aluminum Slingshot.