Monte, Crazyman, etc. jump in

[Rob (IL)]

I've got a Mr. Bill IDX that I keep a 5.3 on all the time. It's not my main detector. I've been using it mostly in the tot lots and in some really trashy areas. Now I thought I'd like to try in on some deeper targets (coins). I usually have the disc. at 9 0 clock and can run the gain wide open in my ground.

Question 1 How can the black sand setting help? I know it expands the lower disc range but am not sure how to put it to use.

Question 2 In non trashy areas how would running in all metal and checking the VDI work? Wouldn't be deeper? Rob

 

[crazyman]

Rob, When you expand the disc setting using the black sand switch your enhancing the sensitivity to lower conductors like nickles, foil and pull-tabs aka the gold range especially in bad ground. It also seems to hit a bit better on deeper dimes. I use it even at my iron infested ghost town sites in certain areas that I grid off and work slowly while watching the meter for goodies that are close to iron. The deadly accurate meter on this detector helps for this kind of hunting. Using minimum disc in iron rich areas is pretty daunting but this technique with the modified IDX Pro has paid off for me this year in additional finds from previously hunted areas. In large non trashy sites I would use the the black sand feature with minimum discrimination and the 9 1/2 inch coil as opposed to the all metal mode. This could be quite the opposite of what Monte would do but this has worked really well for me so far in my ground.

 

[Rob (IL)]

Thanks, when I wasn't running the black sand I was running the disc at 9 o clock. When you are running in the black sand where are you running your disc? Rob

 

[crazyman]

I run it with zero discrimination which is basically an all metal motion mode. After ground balancing in the all metal mode I recheck the GB in the disc. mode. I haven't had any problems running zero disc. in normal ground but on our nasty beaches I've had to use more discrimination to cope with the salt and black sand. I was surprised at the accuracy of the meter on the beach. It was right 99% of the time at good depth.

 

[Rob (IL)]

Thanks again. Rob

 

[Monte]

I've got a Mr. Bill IDX that I keep a 5.3 on all the time.

Good detector and coil combo to have on hand!

It's not my main detector.

Would that be your MXT? Also a good detector.

I've been using it mostly in the tot lots and in some really trashy areas. Now I thought I'd like to try in on some deeper targets (coins). I usually have the disc. at 9 0 clock and can run the gain wide open in my ground.

On every, and I mean EVERY modified Classic III SL and IDX Pro I was able to run with maximum sensitivity about 99% of the time. It had to be some really nasty, close-by source to cause me to have to reduce it a bit.

If you're operating the IDX Pro with the toggle set to Normal and a Disc. level setting of about 9-o'clock, then that is a setting just about the point where most common iron nails are just rejected. An excellent setting for most hunting.

If you want to locate deeper coins than you have been, you need to be sure there are likely to be deeper coins at the sites in question. Next, you should make sure as much of the shallow trash has been removed in order to eliminate or reduce target masking. To help locate some deeper coins you might use the stock 950 coil. I've found dimes to 9" with the IDX Pro & 5.3 BullsEye (6

 

[Rob (IL)]

OK, That clears up the expanded Disc range for me and I'm copying the info to my file now. Thanks to both of you guys for your time.

Sunday, I went to brothers and let him use my IDX. He had never detected before. He found $1.43 in change and really enjoyed himself. There really wasn't that much there to be found. The IDX had no trouble finding targets, he will just have to improve his skills for finding the targets in the hole. Thanks again. Rob