How To Metal Detect Successfully
Techniques of metal detecting are many and varied. Here are some basic recommendations for metal detecting on land:
Search Coil Discipline
1) Keep the searchcoil parallel to the ground at a constant height to eliminate false signals
2) Keep the searchcoil as close to the ground as possible
3) Do not swing the coil in a pendulum motion so that it arcs upward at the end of a sweep - depth will be lost at these points
4) Overlap the sweeps by advancing the searchcoil as much as 25% of the coil diameter, no matter what the coil's configuration is used, Concentric or Double-D
5) Sweep the searchcoil slowly and methodically. Don't try to cover an acre in 10 minutes!
6) Do not bang the searchcoil against solid objects such as tree roots, large rocks, walls, etc.
Area Coverage
1) Search the area in grids (unless in the wooded area with hard terrain). To encounter good targets with less interference from previously rejected targets, scan the area at 90 degrees or perpendicular to the original direction of sweep
2) At the site that has been searched consistently by others in the past, try to think what they might have done and do just the opposite. Thoroughly search the areas with or near obstacles such as metal pipes (with a smaller searchcoil and reduced sensitivity), bushes, logs (move them), tall grass (flatten it) and fences
3) Spend some time randomly searching for areas of concentrated signals, forget the other spots until this one is searched slowly and deliberately
4) Do not leave the hunt site without knowing that you gave it at least a 120% effort
5) Revisit the hunt sites. Over the winter, the ground freezes and thaws causing many targets to shift position and become detectable. The roots, moles and woodchucks can also affect the position and depth of a coin by their actions.
Miscellaneous Tips
1) Coins lying in the ground at an angle may be missed on one searchcoil pass but detected when the searchcoil approaches from a different angle. Approach the target from different angles until you get the best signal
2) If you get a questionable signal, dig it! Some broken signals are produced by good targets positioned in close proximity to the iron targets that are masking them (unless you operate your detector in All Metal mode)
This 1808 Capped Bust Half Dollar Was Masked by a Large Square Nail
3) If the location produces heavy meter readings from "pull-tab" to "silver", chances are, little or no detecting has been done there - it's a virgin site! A heavy concentration of meter readings from "iron" to "pull-tab"would be a good indication the site had been detected with discrimination set on "pull-tab" reject, and therefore most gold rings, gold chains and nickels were left undetected.
4) While recovering the target, cut the dirt plug out and break it in two halves. Scan each half ABOVE the coil - electromagnetic field is as strong above the coil as it is powerful under the coil. After you received a signal from the plug, break it in two halves again and scan each half. Repeat these steps until you have a small amount of dirt, with a target, in your hand. This simple technique will help you recover the target faster.
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