About 6 hours of hunting yesterday... .58 three ringers, .54 Sharps, .54 Merrill's, .51 Smith's, .44 Colt pistol, and .36 Colt pistol. 36 bullets total. This was my first time relic hunting since upgrading to V3i software. Suppose to rain here in Virginia today so don't know if I will get out. J.R.
Find's Treasure Forums
Welcome to Find's Treasure Forums, Guests!
You are viewing this forums as a guest which limits you to read only status.
Only registered members may post stories, questions, classifieds, reply to other posts, contact other members using built in messaging and use many other features found on these forums.
Why not register and join us today? It's free! (We don't share your email addresses with anyone.) We keep email addresses of our users to protect them and others from bad people posting things they shouldn't.
Click here to register!
Need Support Help?
Cannot log in?, click here to have new password emailed to you
Changed email? Forgot to update your account with new email address? Need assistance with something else?, click here to go to Find's Support Form and fill out the form.
Out in the Field Yesterday
- Thread starter MSG Hoff
- Start date
Larry (IL)
Well-known member
You are out standing in your field J.R. 
I would call that a great hunt.
I would call that a great hunt.Thanks Larry. Every day out with a detector is a good one!
Yes, I have been over this area many times (since 1974). Last year I dug 130+ bullets. Today we were out searching for new camps. Did not do as well but did find a cornfield where I found these 4 bullets in about a half an hour. The copper slug was a Draped Bust large cent. I could see the outline when I rinsed it off. Two flat buttons and a harmonica reed.
The detector seems to be running about the same as far as depth. The ground is extremely hot and it is very wet from all of the rain they had here. I did notice the detector would drift and I would have to manually ground balance every 10 feet or so, but I think it is just extreme ground changes. In some areas I could go much further before ground balancing. I was running the RX gain between 2 and 4, Disc around 65 and All metal between 60 and 70. I run with Audio ID off so I can hear everything. Still get great depth with the RX that low. The large flat button was around 8-9" and there would be no missing that signal. It actually ID'd up around 75. JR
Yes, I have been over this area many times (since 1974). Last year I dug 130+ bullets. Today we were out searching for new camps. Did not do as well but did find a cornfield where I found these 4 bullets in about a half an hour. The copper slug was a Draped Bust large cent. I could see the outline when I rinsed it off. Two flat buttons and a harmonica reed.
The detector seems to be running about the same as far as depth. The ground is extremely hot and it is very wet from all of the rain they had here. I did notice the detector would drift and I would have to manually ground balance every 10 feet or so, but I think it is just extreme ground changes. In some areas I could go much further before ground balancing. I was running the RX gain between 2 and 4, Disc around 65 and All metal between 60 and 70. I run with Audio ID off so I can hear everything. Still get great depth with the RX that low. The large flat button was around 8-9" and there would be no missing that signal. It actually ID'd up around 75. JR
The tone volume starts to increcase and it sounds very erratic.
A new problem happened today. Got a half inch of rain last night which does not help this hot ground. I was running a modified relic program. Ground balance as usual with no problems. After getting a signal, I set the detector down. Dug a nice plug and plopped it over. Picked up the detector and had to ground balance again before I could run it over the plug/hole. Target was in the hole so I set the detector down again, dug some dirt out, picked up the detector and had to ground balance again. This was going on all morning. First thing that came to mind was a bad coil. Changed the coil out with my spare 10DD. Same problem. After a few minutes I thought what the heck, I'll turn Auto Track off and Lock Track on. Problem disappeared immediately. I could dig multiple targets without ground balancing.
At this point I am thinking there is something wrong with the Auto Track circuit. Called White's and spoke to Todd. He has encountered the same problem and the solution is exactly what I did above. So, if you are having problems in highly mineralized soil (hot ground) with Auto Track ground balance drift, turn it off and turn on Lock Track. JR
A new problem happened today. Got a half inch of rain last night which does not help this hot ground. I was running a modified relic program. Ground balance as usual with no problems. After getting a signal, I set the detector down. Dug a nice plug and plopped it over. Picked up the detector and had to ground balance again before I could run it over the plug/hole. Target was in the hole so I set the detector down again, dug some dirt out, picked up the detector and had to ground balance again. This was going on all morning. First thing that came to mind was a bad coil. Changed the coil out with my spare 10DD. Same problem. After a few minutes I thought what the heck, I'll turn Auto Track off and Lock Track on. Problem disappeared immediately. I could dig multiple targets without ground balancing.
At this point I am thinking there is something wrong with the Auto Track circuit. Called White's and spoke to Todd. He has encountered the same problem and the solution is exactly what I did above. So, if you are having problems in highly mineralized soil (hot ground) with Auto Track ground balance drift, turn it off and turn on Lock Track. JR
Larry (IL)
Well-known member
I have been in the habit of locking tracking for many years going back to the DFX days. In my ground, it always seems to work quieter on both machines. I do a manual GB every half hour or sooner if it sounds like I need it.
Larry (IL)
Well-known member
I don't think so even though I have never tested the two modes, I can't imagine why locking would give more depth unless it let's you hear deeper faint targets better because of the more stable operation. 
If your machine is "losing track" when you lay the machine down, it MAY be your coil is pointing into the AIR, and not at the ground. Hence, the machine is trying to TRACK to the air, which will drive it off the point it was at before you laid it down. Balance, and before you lay the machine down, turn AutoTrac = OFF, or slow it down to around 5, and see what happens. If your machine stays steady with AT = OFF, it
The SAT starts sounding erratic and increases in volume. I hunted this area twice last year before the V3i upgrade and never had this Auto Track problem. This was the first time relic hunting the same property since the upgrade. I thought maybe it had something to do with all of the rain they had down there.
The coil was not pointing in the air...I can see where this would cause problems.
The coil was not pointing in the air...I can see where this would cause problems.