Help with "iffy" signals..

[jason_in_utah]

So do you have some suggestions for so called "iffy" signals. I have taken a ruler and airtested to see where the signal wants to breakup and how the audio responds. When you get to that point of the detectors range digital and smartfind can not be trusted.

So what advice can you give a newbie in determining "iffy" signals.

What do you look for in a deep signal?

When do you dig? Is your decision audio based?

And please don't tell me you get a warm fuzzy feeling deep inside and you just know with all your heart to dig!!! haha...please...


Thanks.

Jason

 

[erikk]

If I have a iffy one I just dig it and then it is no longer iffy. Remember, your machine is just a guide. You process the info and your shovel is the best discriminator .02

 

[alton]

That is the best most straight foward advice I've read.

That is a great way to put it.

HH Alton

 

[JHM]

Most real deep stuff I've dug the signal tends to read more to the iron side. The iffy signal that gives me trouble is when a good target is laying next to trash and may or may not be deep. I believe this is where the best finds are.

 

[jeff & Maria]

Since you are a new user dig everything. This will help you learn what the target/signal sound like. It's a lot of work and sometimes frustrating but consider it classwork You will be pleasantly surprised a few times also! Use digital and ferrous tones with an iron mask of -12 to -14 to start with.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Cursor movement along with audio variances once you get to know your unit help...but I like Errick's theory and yep sometime that gut feeling produces a nice find...old Sov. wiggle doesn't hurt also...

 

[Krusty]

Jason,

When you air-tested to the point of a broken signal, did you notice that the numbers are close to a good read?

An example, the last Mercury dime I dug that was over 10" showed about five or six different sets of numbers scanning at different angles, but all of them were "close" to a set 03-28/29. It went so far as showing (from most repeatable to last) 11-28, 07-28, 02-28, 00-07, 00-28, 04-27, etc. The most important thing was the 28 & 29, so of course I dug and was rewarded with a nice 28 Merc.

The point is that a lot of "iffy" signals that have a greater chance to be a better target can be determined / assisted by the "closeness" of a known good signal, with silver being one of the easiest to remember for me. Take your time and take in all the readings you get from the different angles and so on. In the field where the following above happens, a lot of trash was dug, but have been rewarded with the older - "better" finds, including a Barbers & IH penny's that have been deep.

Hope it helps, but the others are right, dig it all at first - but either record or store to memory the signals and the variability of them from other good signals, don't get in a hurry to dig as this is important to add to your TH's memory and should improve your percentage a nice bit. If I see a 28 or 29, I dig the puppy most of the time if repeatable.

Krusty (EX II)

 

[John LA]

I know jason asked the question but your answer will help me a lot.

 

[w6pea]

Sounds good to me. Just how far do you dig before you shovel decieds it was a bad signal?

 

[erikk]

Well, I have dug a squashed aluninum can at close to 2 feet once and will probably do it again if I get an "Iffy" that I like

 

[Tinfoil]

n/t