Deep Signals

[togamac]

I know there are targets there under the sand but they're so deep, the Pro is not seeing them. What tips do you old timers have for finding the deep stuff? I'm not too good at deciphering a description of a signal. Can you send me to a website that has a video or the sound of a deep signal. I've read about "whispers" and such but really would like to hear them so that I recognize them.
Thanks and HH!

 

[fongu]

I certainly don't qualify as an old timer by metal detecting experience, togomac. But, when I hear a distinct whisper or I call it a "Pip" and nothing is showing on the dvi, I dig. Once you hear a deep target and recover some good finds a couple times, you will understand.
The main reason most people miss these targets is they swing their coil too fast. I always have just 2-3 hours most of the time at the river and have to continually remind myself to slow down my swing. When I do, I hear those targets I might miss if in a hurry. If you only have 15 minutes to detect, slow down and scan slow. Make those 15 minutes the most productive minutes of your day. If you don't find anything good, you're still learning the language of your detector. When you get tired or hot, quit for the day. Take care of your equipment. I didn't stop when I should have yesterday and once I got tired, it was druggery instead of fun anymore. That's my personal experience and if you will just take your time and go slow, keep your coil level and just swing in a motion that is comfortable and don't try to swing your coil over a larger area than you can handle at a slow walk. I hunt in pro mode and sometimes I use discrimination and sometimes I don't. It's just depending on how ambituous I am. I dig lots of targets that I think are rings, but they are smashed 22 rounds.
If I ingnored them, I would ignore some of the rings, also. GL & HH.

 

[togamac]

Thank you for the reply Fongu. If you were to watch me detecting in the water you'd think you were watching a slow-motion movie. I swing slowly and deliberately, and I scoop slowly, sorta like measure twice- cut once you know. I do get those tones with nothing on the dvi but if I can't get them to repeat, I move on. Should I be digging them?
I hear you about the 22 rounds. I get the same thing where I'm hunting but they're what's left of shotgun shells. The brass end sounds just like a 14K wedding band. That's OK, at least they tell me that the other diggers ahead of me aren't getting everything!
HH

 

[MikeLab]

Work in a sand tot lot or whatever and shoot anything that moves, anything that makes a repeatable response. Don't be afraid to swing with some moderate speed. Tests I have done show a very slow sweep speed will not pick up the deep targets. A fast sweep will pick up good, deep targets better and will cause iron, alum,etc. to break up. I know everyone says sweep slowly but I'm here to tell you differently. I've hit coins over 12 inches deep with the 5 x 8 coil.

 

[mudpuppy]

I agree with Mikelab a faster speed will light up a deeper target that is just at the edge of the range...and I also agree with Fongu and Tog!

Deep signals there will be no TID, just the tone, and as you scoop and get the coil down in there, you will start to get a better signal...its hard to swing fast in the water, but up on the beach, the Pro seems capable of a pretty fast sweep...you can experiment a little out in the yard, or sandbox just how fast and high you can get over a Q or something...then, slow it down at the same height and see if you can pick it up...one thing, I have GREAT confidence gained from personal experience with the Pro that it will NOT miss a gold ring or nickle..even deep...the TID may not be there, but that 'Pip' is too crispy to pass on...It amazes me a few times a week actually....We are all still sort of new to this Pro, learning as we go, what only a few years now? I've not had mine hunting on the dirt yet, just the dry sand and in the water, But it's a real performer......I go after just about everything above 35 disc, especially the soft whispers of foil hoping for a chain...It will not miss a ring! I hate the splitshots, .22 cases, and rounds...good hard small tight 'gold chain clasp, earring'..signal, but they all fall right through my scoop!
Mud

 

[fongu]

You might want to modify your scoop so those small items won't drive you crazy and waste your time detecting, Mud. It takes a little longer to drain the river sand out of the scoop, but not a whole lot more time. A lot of the small jewelry I've found the last 3-4 times I hit the river would have fallen thru my scoop and recovering chains, especially small chains is easier.

 

[mudpuppy]

I know...been thinking about it since you modified yours...especially when those split shots fall right through, so now I sort of figure a target that small is a splitshot, .22rd or shell, if I dont get it on the first few attempts, I just move on...I need some big gold...but then again, our areas are sort of different...I have huge sand expanses to cover, and cant dink around with the 'what ifs'..I gotta be fast and furious...
Mud.

 

[ajaj]

Swing speed and depth depends upon so many conditions, but, the most important is...experience. Many, many hours with the AT Pro, any machine, is critical. A wide open field will probably yield more with a faster swing speed; a trashy urban park will yield more low and slow...period. I promise you...there is no magic formula. Go out there and dig!

aj

 

[fongu]

Mud, you compromise on speed and finds when you modify your scoop. Lots of the ear rings including one that has a diamond would have fell out of my scoop and the 14K bracelet probably would have too. My competition at the river is in such a hurry, they miss the small items I've found, but I believe for the time being they've moved on. I finally got my old car out of the shop and if I get one day this week, I hope to hit one of the two areas that I have permission to hunt. Both have water and land to hunt and they are kind of isolated.
When I worked the stream of one of these areas last year for the first and only time, a guy talked to me and said he and some of his friends went to the 2nd spot and worked it over with a small dredge. Bet they missed some good finds and hope to find out in the next week or two. The stream has some heavy mud and I will use my sifter more for this and may have to undo the mod until I get back to the fine sand at the swim park. If I can get by without taking the hardware cloth out, I will leave it as is. HH.