F5 coil question.....10" Elliptical - VS - 11" DD

[knarfj]

I purchased my F5 with the 10" elliptical coil and now I'm considering purchasing the 11" DD coil in the never ending quest for more depth.

The 11" DD coil is advertised as offering more depth in highly mineralized ground as well as better target separation over the 10" E-coil. My question is: Are there any F5 owners out there that have accumulated enough experience using *both subject coils* on their F5 that would care to share there experiences or opinions? Does the 11" DD coil actually offer more measurable depth, especially while in the *Discrimination Mode*? If it helps my FE Bar Graph is always reading at least 3 bars and my ground balance numbers are consistently between 77-79. That spells pretty tough ground.

Although I've not personally used a DD coil I'm aware of some of their anomalies such as the steeper PP learning curve and the rusty ferrous pop top *quarter* thing. I'm willing to overlook (I think) the above issues if I can get some more usable depth with my F5 while in the *Discrimination Mode*. I'm not looking for hearsay, just honest input from individuals that have actually had experience using both coils.

Your input and insight, as always, is appreciated. HH

 

[MarkCZ]

I use the same coils for my Omega.
Now I don't know how much more depth your wanting to get, about I believe the F5 and the Omega is both pretty deep for coin hunting, and being able to ID them. Remember in the real world hitting and ID'in a coin at 8" to 9" is DEEP!!!!

My take on the two different coils,
I don't use the 10" at ALL or yet anyway. I found out early on that the 11" DD ID much better at depth than the 10" did so I use the 11" DD all the time.
What I've read about the two is that the 11" is more prone to hitting get tones on rusty Iron, but so far its not been a major issue wit me.

Like I said 8" to 9" is really deep to be able to ID a coin, and that's with just about any detector! (in at lest average soil anyway)
A good number of High End detectors at that depth really starts to ID more like all metal which is okay if your hunting relics.

Those 12" and 14" deep reports on coins are not common! if at all and the machine ID'in them!

I have an 8" older coin garden and few machines will hit them at all, and of those that do they the ID report will be all over the place.
The Omega with the 11" DD coil will hit them pretty darn good.

Mark

 

[luci]

Hi,
Please read this: metal detecting world. com/search_coil_discipline_p4.shtml -> remove spaces
It explains how a concentric/DD functions. You can read all pages, they are very usefull.
I have a F2, used it with the stock 8" coil and also with 11" DD (now i have a 12"x 13" SEF coil).
The answer is YES, you gain a little more depth (maybe because coil is bigger) but what i like is that you do not have to overlap swings so much. You can search a field much faster.
Two negatives about the DD: It likes iron - an iron bottlecap will show as a coin (VID will fluctuate) and Pinpoint will not be so simple anymore (this you can fix with a pinpointer).
Good luck!

 

[Digger 45]

I have used the 10" at a certain park area several times, today i will try the 11" DD over the same area where i found two rings, one was a platinum with diamonds and will report how it works and what i find.

 

[Digger 45]

Here are the results for todays hunt with the 11" DD coil, once again i have hunted this area at least four times with the 10" coil,

2- Quarters
2- Dimes
1 - Nickel
4- Pennies
16- Bottle caps.

The caps came up anywhere form 70 to 90 and all a high tone in mode 3, i tested a cap that read 82 with the 11" and then again on the 10" it read 54. I don't usually dig a 54 so that is why there were still a lot of caps left after i had gone over it several times.

My preference is the 10", the depth i couldn't tell since nothing registered more than 4" in that area.
The coil is noticeably heaver but does cover more ground.

My settings were Gain:65 GB at 72 mode 3

Hope this helps.

 

[knarfj]

Hey all,

MarkCZ: No, I'm not expecting my F5 to detect a dime at 8" although it would be nice.
In deep black loamy soil I once dug a IH penny at 8", so under the right ground conditions the F5 can get the job done. What I would hope for is at the least a respectable iffy if not positive *audio* indication on a dime at a measured 5" while in the *Discrimination Mode* , Presently using the 10" Elliptical in my test garden the best I can do is 4" on one of my dimes. Now with the other two dimes, one at 4-1/2" and the other at 5" all bets are off, not even a whimper. Thus the reason for considering acquiring the 11" DD coil in my quest for more depth in my poor soil conditions. By the way what kind of soil conditions does your Omega indicate in your area? I.e., Bar Graph and ground balance numbers??

Luci: I put the link you provided on my desktop and will most certainly check it out, thanks.


Digger 45: I'd be very interested in what you find and any conclusions you may have. Any chance of getting your Bar Graph and ground balance numbers also??

FWIW: Iv'e viewed a number of F5 *How to videos* on U-tube and most if not all are digging there deep 8"/9" coins, usually penny's, in soils that have NO BARS showing on there Fe3O4 display. Soil conditions I can only dream of.
It would have been informative if they would have mentioned what there GB numbers were. HH

 

[Dan-Pa.]

For trashy parks use the 10 eppl.

For real old way out areas with little junk the 11 DD can give more depth and coverage...

Unfortunately the 11 DD just luvs round rusty bottle caps and calls most of them a high coin...10 Eppl. does call some of them a high coin also but the jumping numbers are a quick giveaway so not a problem whereas dime or quarter will basically lock onto a number or two.

So again if you hunt in both enviroments use the proper coil especially in my area where the trashy parks are littered with rusty beer caps...

Remember areas differ and like one fella told me we have little or no rusty bottlecaps so either coil might be an option for every area...

 

[knarfj]

Thanks Digger 45,

Thanks a bunch! My that is a lot of bottle caps, are they all the Iron/steel crown type or are some aluminium? At the risk of sounding like an idiot am I correct that you ended up digging more bottle caps than you would have using using the 10" E coil? They must be a rarity in my neck of the woods as I very seldom dig any of the steel crown type no matter which machine I'm using. Thanks for the numbers, by chance did you notice how many bars your had in you FE bar graph. I'm usually running at least 3.

 

[knarfj]

For trashy parks use the 10 eppl.

For real old way out areas with little junk the 11 DD can give more depth and coverage...

Unfortunately the 11 DD just luvs round rusty bottle caps and calls most of them a high coin...10 Eppl. does call some of them a high coin also but the jumping numbers are a quick giveaway so not a problem whereas dime or quarter will basically lock onto a number or two.

So again if you hunt in both enviroments use the proper coil especially in my area where the trashy parks are littered with rusty beer caps...

Remember areas differ and like one fella told me we have little or no rusty bottlecaps so either coil might be an option for every area...

Great food for thought Dan. Thanks! HH

 

[MarkCZ]

I have an understanding that the F5 is normally a pretty deep machine, when you mentioned deeper I thought maybe you were trying to hit 10" or so on coins.

The results in your test garden are not what I would call deep, but maybe the problem is in your test garden, before we get into that let me ask how long have the coins been buried now?

Mark

 

[djcnTexas]

Hey guys... I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I just got back from hunting an old home place down by the river. Several families must have lived there for a very l-o-n-g time, a long, long time ago. I haven't been able to date the place yet with a coin, but there are no longer any roads anywhere close to the place and it is overgrown with fairly large trees (maybe 60 or 100 years old).

I have been using an F5 with both 11" and 5" DD coils and the large amount of old rusty metal everywhere in the ground is extremely aggravating with high tones and high number false readings. As per some of your recommendations, I'm gonna put an ad in the detector classified forum, but I don't know whether the 8" or 10" elliptical might be better. Of course, the 10" might be a bit better on depth, but in this instance it may not matter much.

Any recommendations? Ease of pinpointing? Is the 10" worth the extra few dollars?

Thanks in advance and HH - Dale

 

[Digger 45]

I was running 3 on the graph also, with the 10" this year i have found 8 rings 6 silver 1 gold with 6 small diamonds and 1 Platinum with 3 each 1/4 ct diamonds and 3 inlaid diamonds, about 1500 coins. I don't think i will change back to the 11" DD for this kind of hunting.

If anyone out there has a problem with the 10" send it back to Fisher for replacement, the one that came with my unit didn't work right, numbers jumped around a lot, finally i sent it back and they replaced it and what a difference. So don't fight it get it replaced.

Hope this helps, Good Luck on your next hunt.

 

[MarkCZ]

Well I had to go out for awhile,
Anyway, I have planted more than one test garden to find out that beyond 5" deep and none of my detectors would hit them! now after a year or so they detectors hit on them fine.
All the reports I've read about the F5 would put it could on coins to at lest 7" to 9"

That's why I thought maybe the problem may be your test garden.
My brother did a fresh 7" garden and his F75 LTD would not hit them at all, it was like there wasn't anything down there at all.

The 11" DD on my Omega and I can hit my two year old 8" test garden with the sensitivity at 65-69 and it ID's them pretty good as well.
The Omega and the F5 is supposed to operate on the same platform.

Mark

 

[knarfj]

Hey Mark,
My coin garden has been in place for possibly 25 years, we