Consistent VDI helped me find a few more.....

[Digger]

I took the MXT back to the old house site that I hunted a few days ago. (see post below). Today I made myself concentrate on listening more closely to the "22's 24's and 57s", and hopefully determine how to separate trash from treasure producing the same VDI readings. I found that the sounds were tough to distinguish, but I may have stumbled upon a way to separate the two by varying my sweeps. Let me bounce this off of some of you MXT veterans. I typically X over the target. But today, made a point of approaching them from a multitude of directions. I found that trash would not read the same VDI from varying directions. In fact, most of it was all over the map. 57 -42 - 36 etc. Whereas MOST of the COINS would read a nearly consistent VDI from every direction. 78 - 78 - 76 etc. Notice I said MOST and COINS. By the way, I did pull out an 1875 IH that read a consistent 42, as well as a nice Merc and a nicer Barber dime at consistent 76 - 78. Pic attached.
After I got home, I took the MXT out to my test garden. Although it is not truly "real world", it has been buried for several years and contains several variations of pulltabs, screwcaps, jewelry and coins, all at different depths and angles. I found that a gold class ring would read different when passing over it from various directions. Pulltabs and screwcaps as well. I also found that a coin on edge would read different numbers when passing over it from different directions. However, I would get solid - consistent VDI numbers on a gold band and flat coins every time. I know better than to never say never, but I never mis-ID'd a flat coin today. Has anyone else found this? Thanks again for your comments. HH Randy

 

[TonyTX(MXT)]

Digger.. I have found your information to be correct from about 2 yrs of time using the MXT. Coins and rings seemed to read consistent from most any direction of the sweep. Trash VDI's tend to vary. Some pull tabs and the like read pretty much the same from different coil sweeps. That can cause some frustration but for me if the VDI is 20 - 22 it will be a tab. Nickels usually read with a VDI of 18. Later, Tony

 

[Scottowl]

I have found there is no one VDI that covers nickels. I have found them from 12 up to 37. When there is a nickel and dime or cent in the same hole, they can run up into the 50's. If there is trash present with a coin, things can really get skewered!

I have resigned myself to the fact I'm going to be digging more trash than anything else. When that gold ring pops out every 3 or 4 months, it makes it that much more worthwhile for me.

When I get a good audio response, I look at the VDI, and then guess what the target is. It's a game that keep things moving along when there is nothing but trash.

 

[TonyTX(MXT)]

I don't think I've ever found a nickel that did not have a VDI of 18. Now these have been fairly new nickels from the 1960's and up. May be different for older nickels. Of course I don't recall every nickel I've found with the MXT, g. Another item that rings up around 18 are the metal eraser holder from pencils. You are correct that other items next to good targets may indeed throw off the VDI's you would be used to seeing. As you mentioned, you must make use of all the attributes that MXT will give i.e. VDI, confidence blocks, and the sound of the target. HH Tony

 

[bill(de)]

Hi Digger
I did a VDI air test with an XLT to see how Vdi #'s matched up with the block ID on a GTP 1350 and i was surprised to notice how the VDI's changed as much as 2 points based on the approach angle of the coin as it passed the coil at about a 4"distance and yes the level coins give solid lock VDI's.Now throw in the soil matrix and other metals in the field and if i see lets say a 79,80,81 VDI mixed with a 58, 47 VDI or whatever at different angles i always dig if it holds the higher VDI on at least 1 sweep angle .I know i'm using an XLT but the VDI's are the same and i believe the same thing happens to VDI's on the MXT.I'm also considering an MXT in the near future so i'm very interested in the posts here.HH Bill