DEEP HOLE-NO TARGET 2-3 times everytime I go out

[Anonymous]

I know I need an X1 probe but I just can't afford one yet. I own an XS1 and It just drives me nuts when depth indicator shows 8" and I dig 14" and just can't find it. It may start out as a weak signal then after I pull out a 5-6" plug it reapeats clearly and even pinpoints dead down the hole.
Finally I get to the point where I start jabbing my knife down in it to get deeper quicker and then my screwdriver...to no avail.
Most of the time when depth indicator shows 1-2 inches and it pinpoints as a large target it can be as deep as 8 inches depending on size. So my question is could these phantom signals be a large target at 2 feet or more, and I'm just not digging deep enough. I also knock the sides out of the hole to see if it is a nail on the side and it's not.
X1 probe users: Does this ever happen to you after digging a real deep hole and have you ever dug 2+ feet for a target.

 

[Anonymous]

I am fairly new to the explorer as well, so I may not have the best answer. This did happen to me in the beginning, but not as much any more. Usually it would turn out to be a nail, or some other junk item that was several inches away. These items tend to have a good tone, but they won't pinpoint properly. Try narrowing the location of the object in smartfind, then when you think you have it, go to iron mask at -16 and see if it's still in the same spot or moved, or you might even notice more than one spot due to another iron item in the same area. If you only get the one item, try and then use pinpoint to narrow it down even further. Once you narrow it down by pin point, you may find that if you go back to smartfind mode that it nulls or gives a broken signal. This usually means that it is junk. If you still get a good tone in the same location, I would then dig it. If it is a nail or some other junk, you might find that the signal moves on you as you try and pin point it... this is a good sign that it is a false tone. One other thing that caused that problem for me one time was a large aluminum can that was down about 2 feet. I dug and dug and dug... only to find the can, so a large item or even a metal pipe could give you a good signal, yet be VERY deep.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Snuffalupagus,
I have the X1 probe. The deepest hole I have ever dug while searching for a target is about 10" while I was using the 7.5" search coil. Usually, if I hit a deep, corroded penny (9 inches deep) and it is at an angle such as 60 degrees, it has a very weak, iffy signal. When I dig the hole out down to 6 inches and re-sweep the hole, I typically hear nothing because it seems like my detector can score better depth on a coin when that coin is in undisturbed ground with no air pockets. As soon as I open the hole, I may lose the signal altogether.
If I dig down on a falsie coin signal that is being produced by a rusty nail, I may have to go out up to 5 or 6 inches away from one side of the hole before I actually find it. Before I got the X1 probe, I sometimes would never find the darn thing. For example, there was a 1 inch by 1 inch heavy brass fitting in the ground about 6 inches deep. This dude with an explorer XS1 had no X1 probe. He dug a big, big hole, and could never find the fitting. He asked me to help him and I narrowed down its position using the 7.5" coil, and then found it right away by using the X1 probe. It sounded just like a coin!
Anyway, I doubt if you have to worry about digging down so deep. It probably is a metallic object hiding somewhere near your hole and not 2 feet down.
One time, even with the probe, I dug a big hole and found nothing, even though I heard something in the middle of the hole. An old detector guy came by and told me to look about 0.5 inches deep near the edge of the hole. I got the probe out and found it right where he said it was. It was a small loop of rusty wire!
These are the kind of things that I am guessing are happening to you.
When I use my 7.5" coil, I start by digging the hole down to about 10 inches because I know that is my realistic depth limit for old coins in parks. My hole diameter is usually about 7 inches. If I don't hear the signal with the probe, then I widen the hole out until I hear the probe giving off the signal. I may have to go up to 5 inches away from the side of the hole to recover the iron object. This scenario represents the most extreme digging I ever do.
Good luck,
Mike
Mike

 

[Anonymous]

This happens to me just about every time I go out. I try to quickly guess if it is one of these very deep copper pipes or an aluminum can 18 inches down, etc and quickly cover the hole up and move on. I'm probably missing out on some finds this way, but it's too frustrating and time consuming to dig a hole 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep and not getting the thing. I've had some better success now that I have a pinpointer. It is a cheap one, but still does well locating around the edge of the hole. I also skip almost all targets that are less than 4 inches deep. I'm not looking for new coins anyway. If you find the answer to these delemas, I'd be thrilled to hear what the answer is.

 

[Anonymous]

could be your chasing hot rocks.. I have gotten coins down as deep as 15 inches with the stock coil that diassappear after getting a fott of dirt out.. get the probe its possible your leaving good targets.. I have gotten medium to large size brass buckles down to the 20 inch range.. stuff that deep may disappear after digging 8 inches to foot of dirt

 

[Anonymous]

they always show up as silver or copper 27-28 on digital. If I had to guess I'd say most are pipes or a deep can at 15+ inches. I run iron mask -10 gain-7 sens 28-32 semi-auto deep on and fast off(in trashy areas fast on. I usually abort hole at 14 inches when I know it's out of coin range to sound so good to be at that depth. My huntin buddy has seen the spots I dig and went after them with his cz-6 fisher and couldn't find them either. Thanks guys, HH Greg.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey DuWayne,
I too was skipping all targets shallower than 4". But when one of my friends found a 1940's beautiful walking liberty 50 cent piece at 3 inches deep, I started digging all good signals. A big silver coin at 3" deep to me would sound exactly like all those signals I was ignoring.
Mike

 

[Anonymous]

[No message]

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's a matter of risk "to dig or not to dig" that is the question. Most parks that I go to are "littered" with newer coins at 1 to 3 inches. But to collect these less valuable ones with minimal damage to the grass takes away some of my valuable detecting time. With three small kids and a wife, I have to budget the time. And after digging a dozen new coins with a face value of 30 cents, and spending a couple hours doing it, I get to the point where I'm just going for the deeper ones. I'm sure I'm missing plenty, but generally when I get a hit that shows 6", it's something more interesting. Having said that, I think I may begin digging a few more of these likely 10-15" deep aluminum cans. The idea of passing over a jar or can of coins bugs me. So I may dig one per site - if it's a can, I quit digging them. I'll probably dig more of these around old houses.

 

[Anonymous]

I learned a long time before I ever got my first Explorer that if the depth reading said 4 inches and I was in the hole 10 inches that it was some kind of big piece of junk way down deep. This has happened to me with every detector I have ever owned at on time or another. The X-1 is a great tool but these types of signals are out there and it is just something that happens X-1 or no X-1. HH

 

[Anonymous]

and then after I knock out the side walls and still can't find it I start stabbing and twisting knife even deeper and after that I jab down with screwdriver and still don't hit anything. Then I fill it.
After all I've heard about the X1, that will definitely be my next upgrade even before the WOT <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt="">

 

[Anonymous]

still gotta get me one of those X1 probes though. HH, Greg.

 

[Anonymous]

happened to my brother when we were detecting in a park a week ago. He has a DFX and dug a 18" deep hole 12" around. Both our detectors said good coin and pinpointed right in the middle of the hole and said 8" deep or so. <img src="/metal/html/confused.gif" border=0 width=15 height=22 alt=":?"> We gave up after maybe 20 minutes of digging. So it's not something that just happens to Explorers.

 

[Anonymous]

raise the coil up over the target and if it is a bigger item that is showing 5 or 6 inches that is deeper you should be able to raise the coil 4 or 5 inches and the signal wont change much, if it is a smaller target the signal will change quite a bit.
I also notice if it is a smaller item like a coin and it is at a angle it too can throw off the pinpoint as much as 4 inches and this is where the X1 probe will come in handy. I have also found by going all the way around the signal too helps when pinpointing.
I would say the X1 probe be top priority as your next accessory before any extra coils.
Rick

 

[Anonymous]

If I am in an area I know has been filled and also has alot of smashed can signals I will probably dig several of them just to be sure of what they are. However if you are in an older area that has not been filled you should always dig these signals. I was in a wooded area that had been used years ago as a picnic grove and I got a signal that sounded just like a smashed can. I dug this signal and at six inches down out popped an 1810 issue sword belt plate! You just never know...