Too Much Advertising & Mass Marketing

[reddirtfisher]

Hey Guys & Gals, I know I will probably get into hot water over this, but something has been bothering me for a long time. There is too much advertising about our hobby. TV, YouTube, Discovery Channel, etc. Why do we want every Tom, Dick, and Harry knowing about this hobby? I have noticed more and more restrictions on metal detecting lately and I think we have been too vocal. Our hobby is mostly made up of responsible middle aged people who obey the law,.. but there are a few that don't. I have been to at least a dozen sites lately where some moron with a metal detector dug enough craters to cover the moon and left them uncovered !!! This is what happens when we advertise too much and promote fake findings on videos of gold coins, caches, etc. I have been doing this for over 30 years. In the old days detectorists were very tight lipped and they didn't want everyone knowing about it like they do today. We are a treasure hunting fraternity. There is coming a day when we will lose this great hobby due to our carelessness in protecting it. So, what do you all think? Am I way off on this or are there others who agree?

 

[John(Tx)]

I agree, the metal detecting shows on TV do more harm than good. It's all about making money. HH

 

[SpiritRelic]

Well,all the publicity could be a good thing.Now people know how cool it is digging history and stuff like that.There is not such a mystery to people.So when the community sees us they know exactly what we are doing.Sure there could become a day were more and more cites restrict metal detecting.But the more people that elect to buy metal detectors means more and more advancements in metal detectors.If fewer and fewer buy metal detectors,then there would not be much competition in the market for making metal detectors.What is all the fuss for,with the shows?Growth can be a good thing.

 

[Rob (IL)]

I liked the Meteor Hunters, a lot of hard work and many times they got skunked. I thought it was realistic and didn't cause a rush to buy detectors. I also liked Treasure Hunting America, it too was realistic and not over the top. Showing us hunting all day without a silver or old coin isn't good TV I guess.

I agree the present batch of shows are not doing us a favor.

 

[John(Tx)]

They put way too much value on the finds. As far as improving metal detectors, they can only be so strong due to FCC regulations, how else can they improve them? This is as good as it gets. I mostly hunt in the water, it has gotten crowded lately. Have a good day.

 

[Larry (IL)]

The Federal Communications Commission has nothing to do with metal detectors.

 

[John(Tx)]

n/t

 

[John(Tx)]

n/t

 

[Larry (IL)]

Stronger....... you mean transmitting power? There is no physical limit on transmitting power and most of the upper end detectors have more usable power available than can be used now. I can't use the boost feature on my V3i which triples the coil voltage, that much power just lights up the ground minerals as targets, better known as ground noise. (Bright lights in a fog theory) Most of us are limited how much TX power we use by the mineralization in the ground with a VLF detector. PI detectors can use more TX power but there is still the law of physics on what is practicable including other factors such as battery capacity, coil size, target size, weight and how far do you really want to dig, remember meteorite men, 6 to 8 feet with plywood sized coils?

As far as depth with a VLF detector, we pretty much hit the proverbial brick wall 10 years ago. Manufactures are refining other features such as separation and iron rejection to give us a little more perceived depth and unmasking ability.

Sorry about getting off subject guys, just wanted to answer John's question.

 

[Larry (IL)]

I agree but there is not much we can do about it. Manufactures want to sell more detectors, there is always someone who wants their 15 minutes of TV fame, producers want the next hit TV show and networks want to sell ads........

The best we can do is help educate the uneducated. Encourage newbies to join a local club or teach them the basics yourself if you have to, they are the future of our hobby.

 

[KinTN]

Only thing I can add to Larry's last post is to join a GOOD club. My local one isn't something I'd wish on my enemies; whining, carping, political maneuvering, reburying dug trash.....it goes on and on. And I saw all that at 1 meeting and 2 digs I went to with them- decided I didn't want my name associated with those practices. I regret the lost opportunity to make friends with the good folks there, but the bad just outweighed the good for me.

(and these folks I am referring to above are Decades long hunters. it isn't just the n00bs that hurt our hobby.)

 

[John(Tx)]

actually make a machine that would show the exact item in the ground but I guess that would be too much like xraying.....with possible radiation?

 

[fowlercharles]

Hi reddirtfisher, I agree wholeheartedly with you and also have to say that John(Tx) nailed it down with his thoughts about the over inflated value of finds being made by folks in their Ads. I brought out that point also a while back on one of the discussions about the TV shows most every one is so disappointed in. Recently they toned the values down some on one of the new shows, but as I mentioned before, the "ADVERTIZING" by some mfg. cos.'. has most certainly not decreased the value of" finds" in their ads.. That tells us all we need to know about where the real heart of the matter lies. It is all about increased sales to the vast masses of gullible potential "Newbies" out in TV land . They tone down any specific detector info and display on the TV shows, along with a somewhat newly subdued value of finds they" Must Always" jaw about . That is supposed to somewhat "pacify" us old diggers. Seed has now been planted , and later a big dose of fertilizer is seen in some metal detector add, flashing some outrageous inflated $$$ find on the screen. Newbies see $$ and run out and get a detector and dig big holes! That way all those Cos',. doing the Ads. cash in on the "crop". Well Duh,,, It is all a bunch BS, but the real shame and harm is Who those are that are spreading it ! The proof is in the evident parallel agreement between the Shows and the Advertising. Is there such a thing as "stealth advertising". If there ain't such, maybe we should just figure it for another Duh moment and think on it some more. HH, Charlie