Re numbers on Explorer...

[ojm bc]

....I do not at this time own one or in fact even seen one.I was wondering if a first time user just dug everthing and record the numbers would this not give a real life numbers.As mentioned air tests are probably only general and can not include halo effects and diff soil conditions.But like I said never even seen a Explorer.Of course many things we do not find to do this but I'm talking about fairly common finds.While I'm saying my two cents why not just focus on the pulltab numbers easy to remember a few negative numbers and just dig all other readings,of course treasure and trash often have the same readings.But if not looking for nickels or gold,do you see part of my thought or is this farfetched hh ojm

 

[Steve(MS)]

I agree with you on what you have written, for me, finding out where common junk targets is important, however, I think site differences, depth of items,etc, should dictate how the numbers or smartfind lock ons will be interpreted. For instance, if you hunting a site that has no modern trash or very little then I am a dig it all(non-ferrous) or dig as much as I can type. Now if it has modern trash then the question is how much junk and how old is the site, how much time I can or want to search the area, then strategy can play a part to what is dug and what is left in the ground but I am not against the numbers or where it falls on the smartfind as this makes interesting reading and helps those starting out get the hang of where good items read on the Explorer.Yes, digging a lot of targets will help one to figure out what the unit is telling you. I have a large collection of pulltabs that are numbered so I know what kind will get a certain response, that way on a particular site I know how to play the odds,well, somewhat. HH, get an Explorer and join in on the fun!

 

[Mike - Central Coast - CA]

n/t

 

[raptro5618]

I think what you are saying does make sense if you have the patience to do that. For me when I paid out so much to get the detector I wanted to find something other than junk. If you dig nothing but 00-28 or 00-29 you will find a little of both but probably no pull tabs. So even knowing the numbers does not guarantee that what you suspect is there is actually there. Maybe in time I will be able to do that but for now I just know it is more likely to be something I might want to keep.

Where I go there are just far too many targets to dig them all. Even in my small yard it would take a very long time to dig everything as there is lots of trash as well as coal and ashes which can ring out as anything.

I think the numbers give you a good place to start and gives you a base to start figuring out what is going on for those targets you come across where to me the reality is that there are so many variables that you can never be certain of what is there. Run a coin across your probe at different angles and you will see how much variability you get. Mix that with mineralized soil, some junk and bend it well lord knows what you will see and hear on the detector.

However, if you have the time, perseverance and determination to dig everything then I think you will learn a great deal that is not possible to learn just by air testing and I think you will find things that I would probably pass by at this time.

 

[Dick from NC]

I have seen gold wedding bands sound just like pulltabs and some small gold rings also. If you figure its a pulltab it may be but it may be a small gold ring with a diamond. You never know. I've left a lot of pulltabs in the sand and theres no telling how many rings I've missed. "Detecting is not about what you find, but what you might find."

 

[Steve(MS)]

I know what you mean, I cringe thinking about some of the places I have cherry picked coins and left all the mid-range conductors in the ground. I know, I know, should have dug them all but most of these places have hundreds, some perhaps thousands of pulltabs, I could spend the rest of my life digging them up at just one site so I try to "pick my spots" that I will dig the midrange(all I do is non-beach hunting). Another thought too is most of the expensive rings are in the foil range so one strategy is to dig the foil maybe up to the nickel mark and leave the pulltabs and dig the high conductive coins. Actually, I dig foil in pea gravel and woodchips, I found a couple of gold rings about a month ago in one week in the pea gravel so for me strategy is important, in the end though, the more I dig, the more I find.