Interesting phenomenon on Excal that I observed recently.................

[Gulf Hunter]

I was visiting with a pirate friend of mine on the beach the other day while taking a break from surf hunting. We were discussing the Excal and I was telling him how great the unit is. Now don't get me wrong, I still think it is a great unit, but saw something that terrified me! I had found a silver ring in the surf that gave me a great signal and just for kicks threw it down on the wet sand next to a nail. I scanned over the ring and it nulled! I would have thought that a strong conductor like silver would overcome the nulling effects of ferrous iron! What this tells me is, that if there is a gold or silver ring in the surf, that it must move away from the nail for me to signal it. I never bench test or play around like this, as I know that in real time surf conditions, things are much different than could be reasonably duplicated in a bench test setting. I wonder if the ring were out there in the surf, if the unit would have signalled it had it been in close proximity to a nail? It sure did not even acknowledge the target laying on top of the wet sand! Lets discuss this phenomenon, as I would like some input on this very valid concern.
GH

 

[Art (NWOH)]

It's the orientation of the nail to the coil spoke.
The nail will be nearly invisible when inline with coil spoke, but will give hardest response when at 90 degrees to the coil spoke.

This gives you a hit or miss depending on how the coil passes over the nail. You will either get the null or the ring.

Place a coin or ring on the ground. Place a small nail (2" or less) near or even on top of the coin or ring.
Work your way around it and you will see different degrees of masking.

HH

 

[Gulf Hunter]

HMMMMM, then perhaps it would behoove me to go over the same areas that I have already searched at different angles perhaps. This would also explain the fact that I am finding loot over the seemingly exact areas I have already been over, I think??? It's so hard to know in the water (waist-neck deep). I have recently began using surf buoys to grid the areas I search and have increased my finds DRAMATICALLY! Some fresh water and bay areas are not changed as dramatically as the salt surf areas are, so the targets are more apt to stay where they fell originally. I feared that the null was not overcome by a good target, but had never actually tested this theory. Puzzling to say the least! I have been digging anything that has a repeatable signal. I only pass the target when it completely nulls, but perhaps even these (complete silence) should be investigated further. I hate to think that I would need to dig all targets, just to get them out of the way, so that I could find a good masked target! I might as well use my PI! Any other feedback or experiences would be welcome here guys & gals!

 

[Waterman]

beside iron that the Excalibur has nulled over by listening to the tone change at the end of the pass over the iron null sound. What I have found is my Excalibur will switch to a slight good tone after it passes over the iron telling me there is something worth digging near the iron. I have also found that same scenario with my CZ3D on newer Canadian clad quarters, they will indicate a square tab but have a slight ping at the end of the signal, when I get that sound I know its a quarter every time. Give it a try, maybe it will work for you too. H.H.

 

[Gulf Hunter]

Thanks Waterman. I dig all signals that do not completely null quiet, hopefully I'm getting all that the coil passes over that's good stuff! I'll definitely be more attentive to the nulls in the future.
GH

 

[Tinfoil]

n/t

 

[Gulf Hunter]

I'll give it whirl Tinfoil. Just goes to show ya, I've been using the unit for a year and still don't know it all yet. Ya'll have all been helpful and I just need to apply these techniques in the field or surf as it were.