Have Vaquero and Cortes

[jabbo]

Bought the Vaquero 7 months ago, the Cortes last month. The V. picked up hot rocks a lot less where I used both machines. Right now, I like the C. a little more because the visual ID and depth indicator gives me sort of a clue. Haven't used the two notch modes very much yet, but another poster said the wide notch is great for ladies gold rings in trashy picnic table areas, sounds great, but it will eliminate the larger gold rings that fall in the pulltab range. I mostly search for jewelry in parks and so far I'm still digging the same amount of trash with the C. since a pulltab or foil ID reading could very well be a gold item, we all know that. The C. eliminates the need to twirl the disc. knob, and I like that. An air test shows that the V. is more sensitive to a girls small gold bracelet, but the C. seems to pick up gold rings just about the same in an air test. I will probably switch back and forth between machines and use only the V. at the beach.

 

[Scully]

Hey Jabbo, one thing to watch for on target that ring up in the pull tab area. Rings will read very stable, ID will not jump around, but usually pull tabs will flutter depending on how you pass the coil over them. You may get one number on the first pass and if you alter your sweep and pass over it slightly different you will get a different ID number, but rings will usually lock on and read very steady. Watch for that characteristic.

Scully

 

[jabbo]

n/t

 

[Michigan Badger]

be careful with those meters. They can help where digging must be limited but you can't trust them 100%.

Like Scully wrote the sweep speed and direction of the coil can change everything sometimes.

I've made finds due to the TID and I've also missed finds with the meter. I picked the items up later when I reworked the area with a non-TID machine like the Silver Sabre II.

Meters are like good whisky. They are to be used in moderation.

Badger

 

[Pap]

with whiskey I mean.
Pap

 

[tab-nabit]

For me - audio always first - then use the display as a secondary tool for additional information. Some days it can be nice to have a depth reading etc - whenever mood strikes.
Some hunts I like a display, and some I like the audio. Nice to have both types of machines.

 

[Scully]

If it sounds like a good target, I then look at the meter to see what its reading, but by that time I have already decided I am going to dig it. Meters are work great on clean targets (no masking), but on masked and very deep targets, you better rely on the audio, or if it is questionable, dig it to find out.