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[leigh]

Hello,, i got my first metal detector today for christmas, i am so excited. I got the Tracker ll , is this a good starter detector? i live in arkansas and my grandparents have land here, where does a person decide where to start if there is no old house or barn site? I dont want to just aimlessly walk around with out some sort of direction. thanks you-
leigh

 

[Relic$Hunter]

[size=medium]Hey Leigh;
With the tacker 2 you will be able to start a hobbie that is so fun! Bounty hunters have been around forever and I started with one myself 30 years ago before technolgy is what it is today. You will probley dig a lot of sallow targets at first (Bottle caps pull tabs and coke cans) untill you get use to it but don't give up...When you find your first coin or relic you will be hooked forever!
Try to meet some people in your area that have other machines and see what the differences are.
I am currently diging at a old Plantation site I just recieved permission to hunt and have pulled up some nice things in the past few weeks but all the targets i am digging are 8 to 10 inches deep mostly Plantation Tokens of several denominations.
I not sure the Tracker would get that deep but it may very well do the job not sure?
Make you a test garden with several desirable coins and relics anywere from 2-3 inches to 6 to 8 inches and mark them well to keep track of what your swinging your coil over.
Listen to the sounds and readings over every target and make field notes to start out.
One thing is for sure after your first good find you will want to start upgrading to better machines.Take it slow and enjoy the time outside and get a freind interested with you it is allways funner when you can share the fellowship in the field.
My personal favorites from years of digging are as follows.
1. Minelab explorer 2 for digging those deep targets. (Woods and flat farm fields)
2. Troy shadow 2 for cane fields. (Plowed fields...Light machine)
As for as spots to dig look for plowed fields with debri like broken glass and old brick or sites that old Plantations stood back in the 1800s.
Talk to the elders in your community they can give you good tips on old home sites or old churches...Schools or old country stores.
And number one rule allways get permission first be nice and let them know your intentions to preserve history not for personal gain 90% of the time you will get the permission!
Anyway thats my 2 cents for what its worth!
Please let me know how the tracker works out for you.

John K.[/size]

 

[GRAY GHOST]

hi leigh, welcome to a great hobby. john k. gave you some really good advice. your tracker 2 should detect up to around the 6 - 8" range with no problem. i have the pioneer 202 model, and it's a beast, especially with the 10" coil. i liken metal detecting to mopping my kitchen floor... start at one corner, and work your way around in tight rows. try to remember where you've been. overlap your swings, and keep your coil kinda slow and close to the ground. a good set of headphones and a decent digger helps a lot too. a lot of fields produce good finds, so you might go a few minutes in between beeps. patience, persistence, and research are the hallmarks of this hobby. good luck, and let us know how you do. hh!