coin pattern vs. iron mask (exp II)

[JJ]

I'm still fairly new to using the Exp II and have thoroughly read the manual and Andys Etrac/Exp book but cannot find any info on hunting in iron mask mode vs. the basic coin pattern. I have really only used the coin pattern since I got the machine. I mainly coin hunt. I have yet to dig a piece of iron. So far with the testing and hunting I have done, all coins and silver will ID somewhere in the non-disc'd area of the coin pattern. (DUH! ) I know allot of the pro's use iron mask. I also know that depth can throw off ID. Today I did mess around with Iron mask on a hunt and got an ear full. I heard allot of good sounding tones, but the cursor was everywhere but where I like it to be on the smartfind screen, (upper right corner). So I guess my question(s) are: Is iron mask just less discrimination than the coin pattern? Is there an advantage to hunting in iron mask for deep coins vs. the basic coin pattern? Do deep targets (coins, silver) ID on the smartfind screen in the darkened area of the basic coin pattern (nulled) whereas they would have been heard and seen in iron mask mode? Thank you for any and all help and feedback on this. JJ

 

[montanagold]

I used to hunt in the coin pattern but switched because I thought it would give me more depth. I haven't noticed a depth change ( the explorers are very deep anyway ) But I noticed when I hunt in the iron mask I find allot more coins. allot of times I will hit a Barber dime and the courser will bounce along the top. if I was in coin mode It would blank out and I might miss it. You will read allot about trusting your ears, its totally true. I almost never look at the screen except to see where it is hitting sometimes, you can almost always tell if it is something worth digging by the sweet flute sound. The same applies to nickels I found V nickels that would bounce all along the bottom of the screen. So I hunt in iron mask and listen for the sounds. Hope this helps.

 

[Hotcz70]

you will get varying opinions.

I rarely look at the screen anymore until I have already decided to dig or not to dig.

I have hit a deep dime around 11" that if I was looking at the screen...I would not have dug because the cursor was bouncing and fluttering in spots where it would not usually be.

I will admit that they can be very helpful for cherrypicking though...because you can set the coin pattern to however you want it...and you will hear only what you prefer to hear...however a deepie like I just described would have been missed.

No right or wrong way...just trial and error.

 

[JJ]

Thank you for the replies. They were both what I was looking for. Now I just need to get back out and see what i missed. JJ

 

[dewcon4414]

Ill use a pattern in those areas with LOTS of trash that i have hunted several ways. It will pick up a coin or two that you misses in AM just because you tend to get mentally tired after a few hours listening to all those tones. It can really pay off in old sites because a lot of hunter wont hunt it long so there are still good finds to be had.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Allows especially relic hunters to excell as some of the items they are looking for have an iron content. Also for you coin hunters allows you to know if iron is perhaps masking a good coin but for general park hunting smartscreen does the job.

 

[smkunder]

Not to sound dumb or hijack this thread, I too am a bit confused here. I just finished rereading Andy's book and loaded Bryce's settings. But my question is do you still have these settings if you switch to iron mask or do you just set the iron mask at a desired setting and go? Sorry to sound so uninformed on this subject. Just trying to understand also. Perhaps a starting setup from start to finish with iron mask might help.

Steve

 

[Steve(MS)]

On your detector is a button that toggles from iron mask to a program discrimination setting, if you want to use iron mask, just make
sure iron mask is activated.
As far as iron mask settings, it will stay at a certain setting unless you change it.
Hope this helps.
HH

 

[smkunder]

So am I correct in understanding that when you switch to Iron mask, you are indeed switching out of your previously selected pattern?

steve

 

[Steve(MS)]

Yes, if you are referring to a program pattern you have active, once you toggle to iron mask, then the iron mask setting is what you will be running.
You can switch between a program and iron mask while detecting.

 

[Hotcz70]

Hi Steve.
Once I punch in all my settings...including the setting of iron mask 22....I then hit the detect button on the SE and I'm ready to rock & Roll.
I am now running my exact settings as described in Andy's book while hunting with my iron mask set at 22 as per my settings describe.
Hope this helps. If not...please feel free to PM me and I'll do the best I can to help you out.

 

[george decker]

I have similar questions. Do gold rings bounce off the bottom of the screen like a nickel will?