Got a new Question....

[Chillinewbie]

Yesterday while I was out......I went to a volleyball court....cover half of it...took about 45 minutes.....then went over by the city pool....seems like the kids like to toss pennies thru the fence...found 2....but I hunted an area about 4 feet by 20-30 feet took about an hour lots of dings...mostly junk....then I went to the soccer fields....covered half of the field and that was were I found everything....should I be checking the side lines or the fields ????....took about two hours......and there I noticed I am not walking straight lines....tend to move toward the detector arm alittle with each swing....should I weight down the other arm so I go straight ??? The real question is should I be going alittle faster ??? am I slow ??? well an I guess that is a silly question if I am being directed my the swinging arm....like a guy with a limp walking in a circle......Thanks !!!!

 

[ziphius]

Keeping the coil an inch or two above the ground and parallel to the ground during your search is the most important thing. Avoid raising the coil at the end of each swing. My swing pattern results in a semicircle swing as I walk. The spatial pattern you search doesn't matter as much, though you can "grid an area", set up some lines of sight and systematically search your target area. It is very easy to miss a ring-sized target even if you feel you are covering an area thoroughly. Good luck out there. - ziphius

 

[awhitster]

I hope this helps.


How To Swing A Metal Detector For Success

by: Dean Novosat
When swinging a metal detector, proper technique is essential. if you hold the coil too high above the ground depth is lost. If you swing the coil to quickly, you may miss a valuable target. And if you walk too quickly, you may pass over a target.

I like to think of the coil as a paint roller. Pretend that your coil is loaded with paint, and that you're trying to paint the ground that you're walking across. As you slowly sweep the coil back-and-forth across the ground imagine paint being applied. You're trying to paint the entire area you were trying to cover. If you can imagine the paint, you should be able to cover the entire area without missing a single spot.

As far as the height above the ground goes, you want to hold the coil as close to the ground as possible. Obviously, if you're working in tall grass you're maybe 3 or 4 in. above the ground. On the other hand, on a smooth flat beach surface, you can easily skim the coil right over the sand. Remember, the higher the coil is above the surface the more depth you will lose. If they've got a old coin that is 6 in. below the surface, and your detector can detect 8 in., and the coil is 3 in. above the ground, you will miss that target. If the coil had been directly upon the ground you would be able to detect that target.

For walking speed, remember the paint rollerr analogy above. As long as you are painting the entire surface of the ground and not missing any spots, you are not walking too quickly. However, if you find that your imaginary paint is missing areas, you need to slow down your pace.

I have used this technique successfully to find lots of gold coins, valuable jewelry, and other rare finds. The hope you find this technique improves your success rate.

About The Author


Dean Novosat is an avid treasure hunting and can often be found metal detecting the beaches of the mid-Atlantic United States. He uses Minelab equipment exclusively, but you will also find Garret and Fisher detectors in his arsenal.n He is the webmaster of http://www.treasure-metal-detecting.com and http://www.metal-detector-info.com.

 

[John-Edmonton]

The finds (good & bad) tend to increase the closer you are to the net. The sidelines can be hot too, as well as behind the net where the players often store their duffel bags. I usually grid a soccer field, starting at one end and working towards the other net. It take a while, and I usually spread it out over 2-3 hunts, but in a busy soccer field, you get lots of coins.

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[Uncle Willy]

Check the sidelines and the field. Find the spots where weekend warriors play their touch football. They looose a lot of stuff. Hunt around the goal posts in back and in front. Mentally grid out a section and stick to it. Don't wander off path. Work the field from side to side as you won't have as much distance to cover and use the white lines ( if present ) as guide lines. If there are bleachers on dirt hunt around and under. If there is a ticket booth and concession stand hunt all around those. Hunt any areas where spectators walk back and forth. If the portable toilets are on dirt hunt around those. Hunt any unpaved parking areas. Hunt around any equipment sheds. Don't ignore any area no matter how unappealing it may look to you.

I once hunted the field and found little, then hunted a grassy area across the track at the end of the field and found about six bucks. Never overlook those unappealing not so obvious places as they will fool you as they have fooled all who came before you.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Another method I use for good ground coverage is to swing the coilin a figure-8 pattern. The best way if you have lots of patience is to stand still and scan every inch of ground in front of you out to as far as you can reach, then stop your coil there, walk up to it and start the process all over again.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Always remember that as you watch that 8 or 10 inch coil moving over the ground and feeling that you are covering that much area - in truth, at depth, a concentric coil is only covering an area the size of a quarter. So if you are just merrily swinging along you can miss a train load of targets 6-8 inches down.

Bill

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

Good point John. I hadn't considered to detect the playing surface as I figured that their shorts didn't have pockets.
Mick Evans.