customcutter,
Use the two discriminators to place the targets into conductivity ranges. You pick the ranges by where you set the discriminators.
I'll normally hunt the Tejon with the first discriminator set to knock out a small nail and the second discriminator set to crackle or click (not completely knock out) one of the standard modern soda can pull tabs. If I am coin shooting, the first discriminator gets set at the foil mark and no change to the second discriminator. Knocking out foil knocks out much of the trash and allows most coins to be heard clearly. A nickle will be heard on the first discriminator but cleanly discriminator out on the second. penny, dimes, quarters, half dollar and dollar coins will be heard and not discriminated out on either discriminator.
Set like this a nickle is discriminated out cleanly on the second discriminator and I can normally tell when I'm looking at a pull tab at most places I hunt. The older style beaver tail pull tabs, if still in one piece, discriminate out a little higher than the modern soda can tabs but they are not normally a full round sound on the second discriminator with it set to click on the modern tab. Can get a pretty good idea of what ranges of conductivity the target is in and dig on the sound. May take a while to learn the sounds. You are listening for clipped edges (on the edge of the discriminator or irregular shaped junk may do this). Also listening for smooth round sounds that are short duration (small target). The small target round sounds are what you mostly hear with coins.
If I am just going to hunt mid-range only (looking for gold jewelry), I'll take along one of the metal soda bottle screw caps I've found and one of the beaver tail pull tabs, set them on a clear area of ground where I am going to hunt and set the second discriminator to knock out the screw cap and not knock out the pull tab. First discriminator set to click on a small nail (start to knock it out). What this set up does is place the great majority of gold between the two discriminators. Dig what sounds on the first discriminator and what doesn't on the second discriminator. Unfortunately most of the aluminum trash is in this range also.
Normally, mostly and other non-absolutes ... there are a lot of variables that make good targets appear no good and junk targets sound sweet. A tightly wadded up piece of aluminum foil can sound like a very sweet nickle or ring. A gold ring next to a nail may sound clipped and only hit one way on the swing. Ground conditions can also play into how well a target responds. And when you are fresh and eager to dig a lot of trash can sound very good. As you get tired, and maybe get more selective in what you are digging, a very good target may go un-dug because it just does not sound good.
Relic hunting, set the first to all-metal or to click on a small nail and pretty much dig it all. Use the pinpoint to size and shape targets.
So, get out there and hunt. Start with the first discriminator set low. Examine how the detector reacts to targets. Experiment with the second discriminator and see how the detector responds on each discriminator. Listen to the detector and observe what it tells you. Dig a lot of targets and see if what the detector tells you makes sense about the targets you dig.
Enjoy learning the detector and what you find.
Cheers,
tvr
