introduction and question about Tracker IV

[Topo]

Hi

this is my first post, Im new in metal detecting, I started about 6 months and my machine is a Tracker 4


I have a question for you guys, I've been testing this machine in several field and in my opinion this is a killer on the beach at finding coins, but Im having a hard time finding gold chains, I did tests at home and gold chains are difficult to detect

 

[mwaynebennett]

Gold items have a similar electromagnetic signature as aluminum pull tabs or zinc items. If you discriminate-out pull tabs, you will miss gold items.

Mark
Elite 2200

 

[Topo]

yes, that was what I though, but this happens in the all metal mode either

for coins, gold rings, silver rings is a magnet but with gold chains has a hard time

 

[TURNMASTER]

I have read on another post that most machines have issues with gold chains. Has something to do with the small and irregular shape of the individual links.
I think that link size increases problem gets better.

Jeff

 

[Topo]

maybe thats the reason why

I will consider that on my upgrade

 

[flash5153]

Small gold chains and gold filled chains do not show up well on any detector. They fall into the foil or low end on the ID scale. On the edge or discriminated out for most people.(does anyone hunt in all metal?)
Any larger chain should read well. As already stated.

If you can't pick a gold chain up in all metal. I'm curious how small this chain is your using and is gold filled. But really it shouldn't matter. Should be able to pick it up. Should be able to pick up a common staple or a bb, in all metal.

Good Luck

 

[turtlefoot]

I always hunt in all metal. I mostly relic hunt though. If I am at a park or something similar, I do the reverse discrimination thing. When I get a hit in all metal mode, I turn the disc on and up to see where the target hits. I am getting pretty good at guessing what it is before digging. I use a 7" coil with my BH when I am at parks with a lot of trash (otherwise it is the 10" coil). You might consider getting a 4" coil for your Tracker IV. It won't go as deep but you should be able to get hits off of the gold chains.

Doug

 

[aushunter]

It's a little ripper on coins and also on rings, although it doesn't have great depth it is still value for money.
I'm still going through some learning curves with it, knowing the tones etc. A crisp clear signal i dig it
broken signals i usually leave it. I know I should dig everything, but when you are only chasing old coinage
the signal is a solid clear one.
Even with Excalibur I find it is hard to pick up chains, but if it has a locket on it or something large I find them no worries.
Like the guys said above, majority of machines are like that.
Anyway, good luck on future hunts and cheers
aushunter

 

[Topo]

I always hunt in all metal. I mostly relic hunt though. If I am at a park or something similar, I do the reverse discrimination thing. When I get a hit in all metal mode, I turn the disc on and up to see where the target hits. I am getting pretty good at guessing what it is before digging. I use a 7" coil with my BH when I am at parks with a lot of trash (otherwise it is the 10" coil). You might consider getting a 4" coil for your Tracker IV. It won't go as deep but you should be able to get hits off of the gold chains.

Doug

yeah, a smaller coil is a good idea, but as latelly I've been detecting on the beach and as I wanted to cover the maximum area as possible I didn't think about it so much, maybe now with the winter comming up I'll buy one, or I'll do an upgrade

taking out this issue, that maybe is only affecting me for some reason (because I tried it in Disc Mode and in All Metal Mode), the Tracker IV is a superb machine

 

[turtlefoot]

Hey Topo,

Another question, how fast is your swing speed? I noticed that I get the best hits on very small items when I am swinging my coil at about one foot per second or a little slower. You might put a chain in some sand in a plastic bowl or something like that and try different swing speeds to see if it makes a difference.

Doug

 

[Topo]

Hi turtlefoot

well, Im swinging about one swing per second more or less, I remember at that time I tested it at different speeds, now that idea of trying with a sand bowl sounds cool, I'll try it

do you think that living in Europe would have something to do with it, sounds weird but I dont know if the gold here would be different

 

[turtlefoot]

I would think that gold would register as gold anywhere.....but there could be a difference with the ground balance, mineralization and the like. I don't know though. I have only metal detected in just a couple of different areas of the US.

Doug

 

[slingshot]

I had a CZ-5, Garrett Ace, BH Tracker, and they could not pick up a fine gold chain. Now get this- my 1965 Garrett Hunter BFO can! So can the cheap Compadre by Tesoro. It has a lot to do with the a/m mode being a TRUE all/metal mode-and the high gain circuitry added to some models. Click on "Monte" and you will come to one of his posts on this subject. The down side is that you will dig a lot of junk pursuing a fine gold chain-so a place with a high likelihood of a gold chain with ease of digging would be the best place-like a tot lot.

 

[Topo]

hi slingshot

yeah, seems that about the gold chains it has positive and negative aspects

You talked about the tesoro compadre, and I considered buying it, but Im afraid I'll outgrow it quickly, so for a little more money maybe I'll go for the Vaquero

 

[petersv]

Gold chains and other small gold are tough to find with just about any machine. When you do get a hit on a fine chain it is usually due to the clasp being properly oriented to the coil. If you compare this to nugget hunting, those machines are much higher frequency and are best suited to smallish bits of gold, like a chain. The Vaquero does a good job but is not greater on fine chains but is better than most on chain and smaller gold. Do look up Monte's comments on gold and the machines that work best for it.

All metal mode will be a bit better but if the individual link is not creating enough of a signal for the machine to pick up, you will not see it either way. NASA Tom also wrote an article in Fisher intelligence a few years ago about micro jewelery hunting. It really is one of the last frontiers of Treasure Hunting.

Good luck.

 

[Topo]

thanx petersv, I'll search the article