Holedigger
New member
I went out to a very old park today I have hammered time and again. This morning I retrieved (5) Mercury dimes, (1) Roosey, (14) wheats and other odds and ends. If there is one key to the Minelab II, it is a slow sweep in hunted out areas. I can't stress that enough, a slow coil sweep with the coil right on the ground. By slow I mean a FOUR foot coil sweep in five seconds. You'll be amazed at what you're missing. I was using my standard coil. Of course I have the Joey, 15" WOT, Platapus, etc. Each coil has their own application and shines under different circumstances... But, in my humble opinion, the standard Minelab coil is the best "all around" coil for general use.
With the machine properly set up and a good pair of headphones, this will allow you to "HEAR" through a target masked by other junk. It's difficult to describe what I mean by "hearing through" the junk. I would describe it as hearing the high silver sound right with the other junk under your coil at the same time. Many times when you hear through it and do a 360 degree sweep around the target you will get the sweet silver sound in one direction. Keep in mind that the coin will most likely be below the masking junk and may be difficult to pinpoint, so don't give up when a piece of junk is retrieved first.
You really need the X-1 pinpoint probe with your Minelab also. This allows you to accurately find the coin and not put the smiley face on it.
The settings of the machine vary as widely as personal taste and ground conditions. In this area of the midwest my personal preference is; IM -15, deep and fast on, advanced, smart, sensitivity 20-25 manual (just under unstable), gain 10. I run my gain at TEN because I want that deep coin to really BANG when my coil goes over it.
The secret is "listening" to all the tones while sweeping the coil ever so slow (4 ft./ 5 seconds) in areas that have been cherry picked. Most the silver and the good stuff in my area(s) tend to be between 5-8 inches, less next to a tree base.
If you follow this advice the next few outings (providing you're hunting an area with old coins), I believe you will improve your finds...
Hope this was helpful,
H.H. Holedigger
With the machine properly set up and a good pair of headphones, this will allow you to "HEAR" through a target masked by other junk. It's difficult to describe what I mean by "hearing through" the junk. I would describe it as hearing the high silver sound right with the other junk under your coil at the same time. Many times when you hear through it and do a 360 degree sweep around the target you will get the sweet silver sound in one direction. Keep in mind that the coin will most likely be below the masking junk and may be difficult to pinpoint, so don't give up when a piece of junk is retrieved first.
You really need the X-1 pinpoint probe with your Minelab also. This allows you to accurately find the coin and not put the smiley face on it.
The settings of the machine vary as widely as personal taste and ground conditions. In this area of the midwest my personal preference is; IM -15, deep and fast on, advanced, smart, sensitivity 20-25 manual (just under unstable), gain 10. I run my gain at TEN because I want that deep coin to really BANG when my coil goes over it.
The secret is "listening" to all the tones while sweeping the coil ever so slow (4 ft./ 5 seconds) in areas that have been cherry picked. Most the silver and the good stuff in my area(s) tend to be between 5-8 inches, less next to a tree base.
If you follow this advice the next few outings (providing you're hunting an area with old coins), I believe you will improve your finds...
Hope this was helpful,
H.H. Holedigger