Jumpy numbers at the park

[Digger]

Probably a matter of semantics. What confused me in your initial post was when you said if you get a solid high tone, that is not scratchy EVEN if it only hits one direction, dig it! I guess instead of smooth, I'd refer to that as consistency. It consistently makes the same tone when passed over from the same direction. My logic is that if the numbers are bouncing, there won't be a solid high tone if you are in the multiple tone mode. With this set up, if the numbers bounce, so will the tones. This is because each notch segment has a TID number and a specific tone assigned to it. On the other hand, if the number repeats "consistently", so will the associated tone. I agree that many people are passing up good targets simply because they don't fully understand what they are listening for. But if folks understand that all coins buried under the ground will not always sound like coins placed flat on top of the ground, due to a multitude of variables, we've made our points. As we're both aware, there isn't any substitute for actual field experience. HH Randy


P.S. The X-50 and 505 are based on the three digit notch system. As such, numbers alternate between even and odd. HH

 

[Bill M]

To all
I found a very similar occurrence at an old high school on Sunday (very jumpy numbers). I was using the low frequency coil at a high sensitivity rate. My son uses the 705 with the same coil and I have the 70. Both units were doing the same thing on deep wheat's, wheat's more than anything else. Of course we dug more penny's than anything else. I played around with the medium frequency coil (7.5KHz) and found the TID numbers much more steady. Could the low frequency add to the jumpy numbers? I have found since I have started using the low frequency coil my TID numbers are different than with the stock coil.

 

[BarnacleBill]

Hi Bill,

My first suspicion in your case would be co-interference. I would start the day off with standing 10-15 ft apart and pointing the coils at one another like dueling swords. Run the sensitivity up to around 25 on each detector and then have one person cycle through the Noise Cancel channels to find the quietest one. What will usually happen is that a couple will be real noisy, a couple partially noisy, and then a couple quiet ones. As one person cycles through the choices the other should notice the same mutual level of interference.

Second suspicion is 60Hz or other electrical power issues. The 3kHz coil is more sensitive to power interference, therefore switching to another frequency coil on this site may have either moved you spectrum wise away from the other detector frequency or power noise. That is one of the major advantages of the X-terra series that is not often mentioned, which is, even in the most EMI prone sites that bring many detectors to their knees and can ruin a treasure hunt, with the X-terra a simple coil swap that changes frequency can solve many EMI issues. A high gain single frequency detector leaves one vulnerable to having your day ruined and some locations(especially urban) un-hunt-able.

Third possibility is coal slag/cinders as many of the old schools had coal fired boilers and they would spread some of the material to cover the play grounds. Sometimes you can pick it out by the rust colored pebbles. Anyone that has detected old Rail-Road Stations can tell you what a miserable material it is for metal detecting in.:sad:

HH
BarnacleBill

 

[Furious T]

I've experienced the same thing with jumpy numbers, at a few locations, but at one in particular. The coins are deep, and bec ause of the nature of the location (main one) I cant dig, but can only probe and prise. Our $2 coin usually locks onto my X Terra 70 at 30. Our $1 at 32. At this particular location I investigate if in 6 to 8 passes there is one 30 or 32. Sometimes it is not a coin, but often it is. (I dont just extract $1 and $2, but am using them as an example). Reasons? I've come to the conclusion that there are a few. (The detector is fine, as other detectors I've used there act in a similar way). The main area is a level playing field. This area has been dug out in some places, and filled in others. It has been "contructed", and in the process of construction, several different types of soil were used, some of them for specific purposes (e.g. drainage). It was built some 40 to 50 years ago, and is still used today. There are some areas where electrical interference is obvious, and other places where there are underground irrigation pipes. This all adds up to a very interesting place to hunt. For me it has also been a fairly profitable place to hunt. I usually hunt there using multiple tones, as the sweet tone at 30 or 32 stands out, even if it is just a blip.
I'm sharing this with anyone who wants to read it so they can perhaps relate my experiences to their own.

 

[khouse]

That's why I like the 2 tone mode. Low - leave. High - dig. Don't miss much this way.