You didn't mention in your post what you were using, or the settings, search coil or other details, such as the type of ground you were working, or the Ground Phase at that site. That is all interesting information to know in order to try and help in a reply. You did add the next day that your have been detecting for 30 years, have an MXT Pro, and can only let me guess that perhaps you were using the stock 12" Concentric coil or, maybe you purchased the MXT Pro w/950 Concentric coil and in neither case were you using a smaller-size search coil.
Toggling to the Prospecting mode would provide a quick check of the Ground Phase once you have GB'ed the unit and prior to hunting. Also, you didn't state if you hunt using the Auto-Trac function or if you first do the automated GB and then 'Lock' the GB setting. That is how I hunt about 98% of the time with my MXT Pro. I just leave the toggle in the 'Lock' position and use the Ground Grab touch-pad to get my initial start-up GB setting when I work a site, updating the it when required
artifactdigger64 said:
We have fianilly started getting some rain so I have been able to get out and do some hunting.
First, congrats on getting out hunting, and it's good to hear you have some fresh rain to help change the ground make-up, if that has been hampering your detecting time. Second, I hope you continue to enjoy detectable weather with fall coming our way, and enjoy similar success as shown from the site you hunted here.
Now for the Third comment related to this post. I am referring to the previously hard-ground conditions, then the addition of recent rain that has at least help wet and soften some of the shallower depths, depending upon how much rain you got and how deep it might have soaked. I am also going to offer the reminder of the changes possible in mineralization and the reactivity of any detector in the 'blended' ground moisture conditions.
Regardless of where we hunting, we are ALWAYS going to be addressing a ground signal to some degree. Ground produces a signal of 1 Hz to 2 Hz and the conditions present can also affect how our detectors handle the ground mineralization AND how the search mode can handle the signals form the various conditions. If you were hunting in a playground that had about 8"-12" of shredded cabbage on top of the ground for kids to fall on, or maybe 8" to 12" of packing peanuts, our detectors would probably not have too much problems dealing with the existing conditions because the cushion medium wouldn't be a major issues, and the ground mineral would be 8"-12" below and virtually not affecting our EMF as we hunt.
We would have to deal with the 'stink' that would soon develop from the shredded cabbage, and the annoyance of all those tiny bits of clinging breaking-up pieces of foam. Usually, most playground have a 'filling' of sand or woods-chips, and both of these can cause some "ground signal" based upon their mineralization level and/or the amount of absorbed moisture. Yes, even wood-chips to a slight degree. Then if the playground medium is not sufficiently thick, the sub-surface ground mineral can pose a challenge. Why do I mention a playground here? For the benefit of understanding the layered challenges we can face.
If the ground mineral below some sand has a Ground Phase of maybe '81', but the sand is only 3" deep and it has a Ground Phase of '70', then in our search under those conditions we have to remember that our generated Electro-Magnetic Field is trying to handle a 'layer' of ground mineral challenges. Targets in either 'layer' might produce a different TID or VDI reading that from the other 'layer.' If the medium is wood-chips, there will be a more pronounced difference in the detection results as maybe the sub-level ground is '81' but the wood-chips (if sampled in a deep, unaffected condition) might only 'read' close to '50' (just to pick a number).
If natural ground
was loose and easily workable in spring, then it dried (from the surface down) during the summer and left you with some hard, unpenetrable ground to probe in, that was also a change in ground make-up. Now, with some rain, you might get a good soaking of rain to soften the upper 3" and make it soft, and it might also be rather wet. Depending upon the
type of ground material you are hunting in, the addition of water can alter that layer of soil and produce a different ground mineral condition challenge.
It can be caused by the natural local ground mineral make-up, or also be caused by things such as the use of fertilizer and, adding a level of wetness, you might have to deal with a similar ground signal processing challenge as if hunting in shallow sand on top of dirt. The use of a larger-size search coil can more often add to the ground handling challenges as it 'sees' more ground.
artifactdigger64 said:
I have done pretty good the last couple of outings and found some great stuff. I was in a yard this weekend and was finding some newer coins and some wheaties. I got a signal that I thought was junk and decided to dig it due to it showing a depth of 6 inches and it turned out to be a 1899 V knickle.
Congrats on having a nice old-coin producing site to hunt!
You said you
"thought a signal was junk" but didn't explain
why you thought the signal sounded junk-like. You did add, however, that the coin was an 1899 'V' 5
HH, Nancy