playground problems

[richdigger]

Hello all. This is the first time I have joined and participated in a talk forum of any kind so let me give you a little background on my metal detecting history. I have been detecting with a Whites MXT for 8 years now and have been totally satisfies with it's performance. I bought it mostly to find colonial relics in Connecticut where I reside. I have done fairly well at that finding many colonial artifacts including a good number of Connecticut Coppers. I retired some hears ago and spend my winter in SW Florida. I decided to take my detector with me and spend time on the beaches and tot lots when I can. I soon realized that most of the booty is under water where folks swim and lose things that they can't retrieve. I then decided to get a water machine and bought a pulse detector. It wasn't long before I realized that I was having to dig up almost every little signal to identify it. I am 69 years old and this was kicking the stuffing out of me. That said I got the idea to sell the pulse detector and purchase an AT-Pro. This would allow me to detect under all conditions. I now can detect knee deep in the salt and fresh water as well as the beach and have an awesome machine to use with my MXT. The problem I am running into is that my MXT used a conical coil and the AT-Pro uses a Double D coil. when I used the MXT to detect tot lots I would turn the sensitivity down so that the steel, aluminum and iron posts used on most playground apparatus would not register until I got very close to them and I found a lot of good stuff close to the apparatus. Now I bring my AT-Pro to Florida and find that the Double D coil sounds off quite loudly even with the sensitivity turned way down. I also find that if I go under a swing or whatever that has any metal in it I get a very strong reading as well. Is there are any of you out there that have any suggestions as to how to alleviate or lessen the effects I mentioned I would appreciate your advice. I usually detect with the AT-Pro set on Pro Zero mode with iron disc. set at 22. Thanks.

 

[John-Edmonton]

Go to a smaller coil. That usually solves the problem. I bought an ACE 250 and keep the sniper coil on it to use specifically for tot lots. The rest of my hunting is with either the AT Pro, AT Gold or ATX.

 

[Treasurechic]

Get the 5x8 coil. It is smaller but is a pretty powerful coil so you wont loose much depth. If you post a wanted add on the Accessory classifieds forum you just might get a good used one for a decent price.

 

[Waterdog]

I put a 5x8 coil on my at pro and love it. I still get decent depth and great target serration.

 

[jd88047]

Even with the 5x8 coil I have to go slow and swing around the poles several times. I cant get within a foot of a pole. Swings I just move em. You can also use your foot to bring wood chips and sand too you away from poles. Now your not gonna like this park, but get on your hands and knees. Flatten out the coil head, and crawl around under the equipment, you will be surprised whats under there. Last, just use your PP around the large iron poles. Good Luck.

 

[richdigger]

Thank you all for your advice. I have purchased an 5X8 coil and found it helped to solve a lot of my headaches in the playgrounds I have been in Florida for three months and get out at least twice a week. The playgrounds were good early in the season and the beaches were deplorable as we got 15 inches of rain along with fairly cold weather for the entire month of January. No one on the beach......no depositors as I like to say. Been in the 80's the past three weeks and I went to a familiar haunt to check out the beach after a particularly busy weekend of sunbathers. I found a diamond ring of very high quality. It has been professionally appraised at $6500. Guess my first month out with a new machine (purchased in Dec. just a week before I drove down to FL.) plus the new 5 X 8 coil are well paid for. Now to head back to CT and find some deep colonial relics.

 

[jd88047]

Wife wont let me move to Florida. Good find.