Need help recognizing tones with XLT

[MikeinIndy]

I'm new to the hobby and have had my XLT about 4 months. I've been using the preset relic program and the Coinist's custom relic program. I usually hunt old churches and abandoned homesites and school lots. I'm primarily interested in coins but anything old is fine with me.

The trouble I'm having is in recognizing good signals that aren't the obvious clear repeatable VDI's with one bar on the signagraph. Many times I hear the high pitch signal possibly denoting a coin at a lower volume (perhaps deeper?) but after digging my plug the signal will either dissapear or change to something else, usually a lower VDI reading.

I've made some finds I'm very happy with such as an Indian Head and a 2 cent piece. However, I've never dug anything beyond the 4.5 inch depth and I'm wondering just what great finds am I missing?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Mike

 

[RonNH]

Mike, it sounds like the missing signals might be either hot rocks, which will give you a +92 - 95 VDI reading or it might be a nail. The nail signal can "wrap around" the scale somehow and instead of giving a low VDI, it can give a high VDI and a high tone if you are running Tone ID. More than likely, it's a hot rock and discing out +92, +93, +94 and +95 will help. The DFX has a dedicated hot rock setting which I use to get rid of these buggers. There is also deposits of iron which I call hot dirt. I have dug holes up to my elbow to realize there was nothing there and saw the red soil come out. This stuff will give a good VDI and pinpoint like a coin sometimes.

Don't worry about discing out +92 - +95. If you hit a silver half or dollar, it's going to break through anything, it is such a strong signal. If you use the Pre Set programs, increase the Pre Amp and AC as they have these set way too low and maybe that's why you haven't broke the 4.5" barrier. Ron