Frustrated Beginner

[chuckciao]

I just received my new Ace 250 and it seems to be working fine. On my first outing, I must admit that I did not have a lot of luck and continually found only trash (foil, pull tabs, etc.) even though the indicator pointed to coins each time that I targeted something. At one point, a silver dollar was indicated and after a very deep dig, I only found a crushed can. Can any of you experienced folks help me with my dilemma?
Thanks

 

[Old Katz]

No matter what detector you buy you will have that problem.
Pull tabs, gold, rings, have a very similar signal to each other so all the detector
can do is give its best guess as to what it is.

If you went to a park, soccer field, or ball park, your going to find a lot of trash.

If you put your Ace in coin mode you will do much better.Put it in jewlry mode and you will
continue to get coins but now you will have a chance of finding rings gold/silver but their
conductiity is similar to one another so your llikely to get lots and lots of junk but one
day after digging all that stuff a ring will appear, count on it. Nickels will also come up in the pull
tab range. I have gotten dead on readings on nickels and gotten pieces of soday cans that
got chewed up by the park lawn mower.-)

I have the same problem with my MXT as well and its a better machine than the Ace but
it can only give you its best guess. Sometimes with the Ace I get a.10 cent reading and when I dig
it it turns out to be a penny.


Where have you been hunting?
For real trashy areas you might want to get the 4.5 sniper coil.

Katz

 

[Cupajo]

In past posts more experienced 250 users have mentioned to run the sensitivity at 3 or 4 and in coin setting to start and after hunting for a while you will begin to develope a "feel" for how the Ace operates.

Then you experiment with different modes and settings to learn more.

A coin/trash farm with coins etc buried (a foot or so appart) and marked for depth etc will teach you more than almost anything else.

Try the outdoor "farm" after a rain and you will notice better performance most of the time too because of increased signal penetration.

Hunters usually get a bit frustrated at first when messing with a new machine, but it will pass.

The 250 is an amazing value for the price!

CJ.

 

[TN Girl]

Hi Chuck!

I've only been out once myself (also with an Ace 250), so I can't offer any advice, but I can tell you what I noticed while I was searching this weekend. I searched dry and wet sand at a local lake in the all-metal mode with the sensitivity set to the factory pre-set level. I dug every single target in an effort to compare the find to what the detector was telling me. That being said, here's what I noticed:

1) Coins gave a consistent, solid tone and the visual ID meter displayed them accurately. There was no jumping around at all.

2) Pull tabs, bobby pins, and other junk targets gave inconsistent readings and tones. For example, as I swung the coil from left to right, I got a low tone and the nickel was displayed. When I swung the coil in the opposite direction, I would get a pull tab or penny reading.

3) Rusty nails rang out as solid iron hits with no deviation.

I'm sure the more experienced folks will be able to explain the "why" behind my observations. For now, I'm concentrating on trying to learn what my machine is trying to tell me. I'm also studying Robert Sickler's book Detectorist. It reads like a text book, and is helping me understand the complexities of this hobby. I highly recommend you get a copy. (If memory serves, I believe you mentioned in a previous post that you are a retired educator, so this book may be right up your alley! )

Please don't give up - I know the guys on this forum will be able to give you some excellent advice and all the encouragement you need!

Best of luck to you!

 

[ohio fred]

Set the sensitivity to 4 for a while use the elimination button and only except dimes quarters and half when you come across a coin the bell tone will go off on the swing both ways walk around that target and try swinging from different angles a coin on your meter usually will not jump down to iron and foil and back and forth it will usually stay in coin area at same time watch depth meter as you swing over target the depth meter will only move a a inch or two depending on object depth.Like say you pinpoint and coin is 4 inches it may jump to 5 and back if it is a large item say a small piece of can it will jump from 4 to 6 to 8 because it is reading the length of object in ground.Don't know if this is clear to you but just to make sure it is working correctly i would eliminate up to the coins i said just for a while to try it out.Also make sure batteries are good and making proper contact they all fit except the last one or the first one has a different set of spring and that is the tricky one to get in.Also when you turn it on with power button keep it pressed till you hear like a double beep or a beep it might take a few seconds that restores it to factory setting it may be stuck and that might clear a problem if you are having one.The ace will find a lot of coins and buttons and jewelery use stock coil at first or sniper coil .Hope this help some

 

[ohio fred]

A lot of readings are rust or iron and will give a good reading one way and the other way bad.You were correct coins usually stay in one area and the bell tone on coins is usually faster that on junk.Also when you do your swing try to keep a eye on depth meter and see how much it jumps usually a coin maybe 1 or 2 inches but on larger object or junk object it will jump from 1 to 4 to 6 inches as you swing over target depending on depth of target.

 

[Joel-Winnipeg]

Do not start out in all metal mode as they suggest at first.
Hunt in the coin mode with the sens. set at 4 bars till you feel comfortable with the detector.
The book instruction suggest 100 hours of hands on use to get to know it.
All of a sudden it'll click for you before you realize it .

 

[TN Girl]

What's the disadvantage to starting out in all-metal? It seems like a good way to learn to learn the machine.

I hope I don't sound like a smart alec...I'm just curious.

 

[bossman]

Coin mode is going to give you mostly coins you will get some junk mainly pulltabs, but you will get a lot of good targets,wood chip tot lot are great. I found my first susan b today,time you find 2 or 3 dollars on a tot lot your hooked,and your not likely to give up. Ive had mine about 6 mo. and just now trying new programs.I have found 2gold bracelets 1 chain 3 rings and my pride and joy a1911 soreity pin 10k ,keep on keepin on and good luck

 

[Joel-Winnipeg]

Tn Girl no disadvantages in hunting in all metal.
For some people with first time hands on in learning a detector it can be hard to figure.
All metal will frustrate a person not being able to discern the signals.
Some people will pick it first time using the Ace .
Not every one learns on the same level.

 

[TN Girl]

That makes sense!

 

[DJR]

The best way to "learn your ACE" is to use it in your own yard. You will pick up on what signals are what and also learn how to dig your targets correctly so you don't get in trouble at parks and such. You never know what is in your own yard! Or you can ask relatives if you can detect there yards as a "learning area" as well.

Follow the advice as all have offered and watch the DVD and read the manual. "Play with your ACE" by using the different settings in these test areas. You will start to see and hear the differences in what-is-what. What ever you do don't get discouraged as it is something that has to be "learned". I am still learning as most of us on here are. You will start to get the hang of it very quickly as others have said.

Good Luck

Don

 

[garthbfan]

Doing good Chuck. Your getting out and that's a great start. I followed DJR's advice and for the first 7- 10 times I went out was in my yard. I dug a ton of junk. Then I started to finds coins 1 here 2 there. That was back in Oct. of last year. I then ventured out to the local park and on my second trip I found a Gold ring. It's a small 10 k nothing great but a gold ring none the less. Practice and patience as with any detector you have got to put time in and it will reward you. I have an ACE 250 also and now some of my best finds Buffalo Nickel, War Nickel, Silver Quarter, Indian Head Penny, Lots of Wheats etc. Keep at it slow down and start guessing on every target what it is. Listen to the bells and watch the display. At first I dug ALL targets. I still dig most targets and I guess right about 85 percent of the time. Remember your new at this. HAve fun and think of it like this it could always be worse you could go out and find nothing at all!! Good luck!!
p.s I found my largest pocket spill a couple of weeks ago. In my front yard. Never give up hope!!! Sorry for the long post

 

[Uncle Willy]

If you're hunting in All Metal - STOP!. Put it in coin mode and leave it there. Set your sensitivity at four bars and leave it there. To determine if you have a can raise your coil up several inches above the target, even up to a foot. If you still get a signal it ain't a coin. You can also move the coil around the target and size it. If you have a wide signal it's usually a big hunk of junk - but it can also be a group of coins close to each other. Slow your swing down and take your time. Keep your coil off the ground about an inch or so.

Bill.

 

[Uncle Willy]

n/t

 

[Uncle Willy]

Hey you're doing great bud. Keep it up.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Because as a Newbie you will want to find goodies right off the bat but in all metal all you will dig is tons of junk and this is what frustrates the hell out of newcomers and drives their detectors into the closet or onto Ebay and them out of the hobby. Thousands of detectors wind up for sale each year for this very reason. I ran into a lot of this when I ran the Garrett Classroom some years back. All metal requires an experienced detectorist to be successful with it.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah I spend nearly that many hours field testing a detector. Takes that long to figure it all out and then you still won't know it all.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Best thing is to stay out of trashy areas till he gets some more time under his belt.

Bill

 

[metalhead]

Great advice all aroundYep, ya' gotta dig alot o'trash if ya' wanna get some goodies Best of luck to ya'Happy Hunting!